oecs-wto aid for trade - case study

8/2/2019 OECS-WTO Aid for Trade - Case Study

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1AIDFORTRADECASESTORY:CARICOM

.

TheEDF(EuropeanDevelopmentFund)FundedCommonwealthSecretariatTradePolicyFormulation,Negotiationand

Implementation(HubandSpokes)Project

AIDFORTRADE:CASESTORY

CARIBBEANCOMMUNITY

(CARICOM)


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AID-FOR-TRADE CASE STORY

The EDF (European Development Fund) Funded

Commonwealth Secretariat Trade Policy

Formulation, Negotiation and Implementation (Hub

and Spokes) Project


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CONTENTS

Page(s)

EXECUTIVESUMMARY

1. BACKGROUND ] 12

2. PROJECTRATIONALEANDDESIGN ] 25

3. OVERVIEWOFPROJECTPERFORMANCEANDIMPACT ] 45

4. HIGHLIGHTSOFPROJECTINTERVENTIONS,SUCCESSES ] 56

ANDLESSONSLEARNT ]

5. TRADEPOLICYCAPACITYBUILDINGANDINPUTINTOTHE ] 611

POLICYFORMULATIONANDNEGOTIATINGPROCESSES ]

6. ESTABLISHINGANDMANAGINGPUBLICPRIVATESECTOR ] 1113

CONSULTATIVENETWORKS ]

7. IMPLEMENTINGPOLICIES,EXPLOITING(NEWORENHANCED)] 1415

AND MARKETOPPORTUNITIES ]

8. CONCLUSIONANDWAYFORWARD ] 1516


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EXECUTIVESUMMARY

TheHubandSpokesProjectisajointcapacitybuildingprogrammewhichiscosponsoredbyTheEuropeanCommission

(EC), theCommonwealthSecretariat (ComSec)and theAgence Intergouvernementalede laFrancophonie (AIF). The

ComSec, through the Commonwealth Action (Project) Team, has responsibility for Project implementation in ACP

MemberStates

within

the

Caribbean,

Pacific,

Eastern

as

well

as

Southern

Africa

regions

and

African

Union

(AU).

The

AIF

has responsibility forProject implementation in theWestandCentralAfrica regions.TheEC is theprincipal funding

source of the Hub and Spokes Project, contributing just over 10 million. The Commonwealth Secretariat has

contributedover4millionandtheAIFapproximately3million.

TheHubandSpokesProjecthasbeenanAidforTrade initiativethathasgeneratedconsiderabletraction inthe

CaribbeanRegion.AsatJune302010anestimatedtotalof1,769personsinCARICOMStates(excludingtheOECS)

and 1,069persons in theOECS have been trained, exceeding the target of 2,000 set for the entireACP,with

approximately50%

being

women.

This

can

be

partially

attributed

to

rigorous

project

management

through

the

continuous evaluationof Project performance, against articulated goals, through the compilingof semiannual

progress reports and projected work programmes by individual RTPAs and TPAs. In addition, stakeholder

consultationwasusedtoprovidevaluablefeedbackandidentifypossiblepintsofcapacitybuildingintervention.

Otherkeysuccessfactorsandbestpractices,whichmayhavegeneralapplicabilityinclude:

utilizationofabottomupapproachtopolicyformulationand integrating theprivateandpublicsectorsaswellasNGOsintotheconsultativeprocessfromtheoutset.

formulationofcountryspecificframeworkswhichallowedforflowofinformationandfeedback,betweenandamong all stakeholdersand integration of theHuband Spokes Projectworkprogramme into thatof the

implementationagency(organization)

building of partnership and collaboration with third party donors/organizations so as to augment theProjectsresources

complementingtheinternalProjectexpertise,wherenecessary,throughcollaborationwithnational,regionalandmultilateralinstitutions.

ensuringProjectinterventionswerealsoprimarilydemanddriven restrictinginterventionstothosethathavewidespreadacceptanceasapolicypriority ensuringthatprivatesectoralsointerestsareaddressed initiate interventions at theformative stages, cherrypicking areasfor concentration, while adopting an

approach,whichcoverspolicyformulationthroughtocapacitybuildingandimplementation


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TheProjectscopeandavailableresourcesconditionedthebreadthofitscapacitybuildinginterventions.However,

significant strides were made towards achieving the overarching project goal. Interventions straddled the

following:

TradePolicyCapacityBuildingandInputintothePolicyFormulationandNegotiatingProcesses TradePolicyFormulation ImplementingspecificWTOAgreementsandintegrationintotheworldtradingsystem TraininginTradePolicyIssues EstablishingandManagingPublicPrivateSectorConsultativeNetworks ImplementingPolicies,Exploiting(neworenhanced)andmarketopportunities


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1. BACKGROUND

TheHubsandSpokeProjectonBuildingtheCapacityofACPCountriesinTradePolicyFormulation,Negotiationsand

ImplementationisanintegralparttheTradeComFacility.ThelatterwaslaunchedinDecember2004andisafunded

bythe

European

Commission

under

the

9th

EDF

(European

Development

Fund).

The

TradeCom

Facility

specifically

targetstradedesignandparticipationbyACPcountriesintheongoingEconomicPartnershipAgreements(EPAs)and

WorldTradeOrganization(WTO)negotiations,forcapacitybuildingassistance.TheFacilitywasallocated50million

fortheperiod20042009andincludedAnalyticalandInstitutionalCapacityBuildingcomponents.

TheHubandSpokesProjectisacapacitybuildingprogrammecosponsoredbyTheEuropeanCommission(EC),the

Commonwealth Secretariat (ComSec) and the Agence Intergouvernementale de la Francophonie (AIF). The

ComSec,throughtheCommonwealthAction(Project)Team,hasresponsibilityforProjectimplementationinACP

MemberStateswithintheCaribbean,Pacific,EasternaswellasSouthernAfricaregionsandAfricanUnion (AU).

TheAIFhasresponsibilityforProjectimplementationintheWestandCentralAfricaregions.TheECistheprincipal

fundingsourceoftheHubandSpokesProject,contributingjustover10million.TheCommonwealthSecretariat

hascontributedover4millionandtheAIFapproximately3million.TheProject,whichwasoriginallysettoend

on31December2010,hasbeenextended through to30 June2012withan injunctionof4.5mmillionby the

EuropeanCommission.

The aim of the Hubs and Spokes Project is to promote the effectiveparticipation ofAfrican,Caribbean and

Pacific(ACP)countriesininternationaltradenegotiationsandtostrengthentheircapacitytoformulate,negotiate

andimplement

trade

policies,

thereby

enabling

them

to

take

advantage

of

new

market

opportunities

and

enhance

theirintegrationintotheglobaleconomy.TheProjecthasfourmaincomponents:

SupportingACPcountriesinanalyzing,formulating,negotiatingandimplementingtradepolicies; TrainingandsensitizingkeystakeholdersinACPcountriesontradepolicyissues; Supporting ACP countries in developing national and regional consultative networks for improved

stakeholderconsultationandinvolvementintradepolicyformulation;and

EstablishmentofappropriatemechanismsfornotificationoftradepolicymeasurestotheWTO.

2. PROJECTRATIONALEANDDESIGN

It should be recalled that theDohaDeclaration identified enhancedmarket access, balanced rules, andwell

targeted,sustainablyfinancedtechnicalassistanceandcapacitybuildingprogrammes(Paragraph2oftheDoha

Ministerial Declaration) as necessary ingredients for international trade to drive economic development and


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meaningfullycontributetopovertyalleviationindevelopingcountries,whichformthemajorityoftheoverallWTO

Membership.TheHubsandSpokesProjectwasconceivedasadirect response to thiscallbyMinistersofWTO

MemberStates.

animportant

feature

of

the

Project

is

the

allocation

of

Regional

Trade

Policy

Advisers

(RTPAs)

or

Hubs

in

regional

bodiesandTradePolicyAnalysts(TPAs)orSpokesinMinistriesofTradeinACPcapitalsandregionalbodies. The

RTPAs, inter alia, provide technical advice in respect of the negotiation of Economic Partnership Agreements

(EPAs),multilateral and regional trade negotiations, compliancewithWTOAgreements and other tradepolicy

related issues.TheTPAsareexpectedtoconductresearchandanalysisto informtradepolicydevelopmentand

supportthedomestictradenegotiatingagendaoftheindividualcountriestowhichtheyarestationed.

Hubsweremadeavailable toRegionalorganizationssuchasAfricanUnion (AU);CommonMarket forEastern

andSouthernAfrica(COMESA);EconomicCommunityofWestAfricanStates(ECOWAS);EconomicandMonetary

Community of Central Africa (CEMAC); West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA); Caribbean

Community (CARICOM); Southern Africa Development Community (SADC); Organization of Eastern Caribbean

States(OECS);andPacificIslandsForum(PIF).Atthepeakin2009,thereweretwentysix(26)Spokes(TPAs)at

post. TheProjectalsoprovidesfundingforcapacitybuildingactivitiesidentifiedbytheRTPAsincollaborationwith

theirhostorganisations.Activities fundedby theHubsandSpokesProjecthave includedworkshops; seminars;

support todelegationsofhostgovernments toattendnegotiation sessions; shortcoursesand study tours.The

ProjectalsofundsalltravelcostsbyRTPAsandTPAfortravelauthorizedbythehostorganisations.

Forthe

Caribbean,

the

technical

assistance

provided

by

the

Hub

and

Spokes

Project

came

at

juncture

when

the

RegionwasengagingintheprocessofnegotiatingnewtradeagreementsincludingtheCARIFORUMEUEconomic

PartnershipAgreement(EPA).TheRegionwasalsoattemptingtofullyunderstand,anddischargeobligationsunder

theWorld Trade Organization (WTO) and implemenet CARICOMs bilateral trade agreements. In addition,

regionalgovernmentsaswellas theprivate sectorwereactively looking fornewmarketopportunitiesas they

soughttouseincreasedtradeasatoolfordeliveringsustainedeconomicgrowthandalleviatingpoverty.

A key consideration in the Hub and Spokes Project design and implementation has been the adoption of a

consultativeapproach

when

formulating

trade

policy

which

incorporates

all

relevant

stakeholders.

This

approach

ensured themainstreamingand integrationof tradepoliciessoderived intooveralldomesticdevelopmentand

tradenegotiating strategies. TheProjectalso focusedonbuilding capacity, skillsandexpertise inMinistriesof

Trade,otheraffiliatedagenciesandtheprivatesector,aswellasnationalandregional institutionschargedwith

responsibilityfortradepolicyformulationandnegotiations.


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Consistent with the integrated and practical approach to delivering capacity building assistance, under the

CaribbeanHubandSpokesProject,two(2)RegionalTradePolicyAdvisers(RTPAsorHubs)wereassignedtothe

Region oneintheCaribbeanCommunitySecretariatandtheotherattheOECSSecretariat. Inaddition,eight(8)

TradePolicyAnalysts (TPAsorSpokes)wereallocatedtotheRegiononeeachtoDominica,Guyana, Jamaica,

SaintLucia,

St.

Vincent

and

the

Grenadines

and

Trinidad

and

Tobago,

the

CARICOM

and

OECS

Secretariats,.

3. OVERVIEWOFPROJECTPERFORMANCEANDIMPACT

The CARICOM Secretariat was designatedmanager of the Hub and Spokes Project serving Belize, Barbados,

Guyana,Jamaica,SurinameandTrinidadandTobago. TheOECSSecretariatmanagestheProjectservingDominica,

SaintLucia,St.KittsandNevisandSt.VincentandtheGrenadines.

TheHubandSpokesProjecthasbeen fully integrated intotheCARICOMSecretariatandhasmadeasignificant

contribution to building capacity of CARICOMMember States served to engage in the negotiation of trade

agreements and the formulation of trade policies. This can be attributed to efforts to ensure that thework

programmeoftheProjectwasguidedbytheoverallworkprogrammeoftheCARICOMSecretariatandtheconduct

ofperiodicneedsassessmentsbytheRTPA.AsatJune302010anestimatedtotalof1,769persons inCARICOM

States(excludingtheOECS)and1,069personsintheOECSweretrained. Thisexceedsthetargetof2,000setfor

the entire ACP, with approximately 50% being women. Additionally, the Project has also made significant

contributionsinotherareas,interalia:

provided effective assistance with respect to CARIFORUMs preparations for and negotiations of theEconomicPartnershipAgreement(EPA)withtheEuropeanCommunity;

conductedtrainingonrulesoforigininallbeneficiaryCaribbeancountries,aswellastrainingintheareasofexportsubsidiesandfisheriessubsidesnegotiationsattheWTO;

providedthedraftCARIFORUMEURulesofOriginProtocol,whichformedthebasisofthenegotiationsonProtocol I Concerning the Definition of the Concept of originating products and Methods of

AdministrativeCooperationoftheCARIFORUMEUEconomicPartnershipAgreement;

coordinatedthedevelopmentofanEPAImplementationRoadMapwhichsetoutinchronologicalorder,the

commitments

to

be

discharged

by

CARIFORUM

countries;

assistedintheformulationoftradepoliciesandstrategiesinMemberStates;facilitatedtheestablishmentoftraderelatednetworksandprivatesectorinvolvementinthedevelopmentoftradepolicy;

facilitatedtheestablishmentandfunctioningofaRegionalTaskforceonculturalIndustries;and assistedintheestablishmentoftheCoalitionofServicesProvidersinsomeMemberStates.


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The total expenditure on initiatives implemented in the Caribbean Region under this Project thus far is

approximately1millionwiththeCaribbeanRegionaccountingforapproximately40%oftheProjectintervention

budgetallocatedfortheACP.WithintheRegionitshouldbenotedthat40%ofexpenditurewerewithrespectto

tradepolicyformulationwhile35%hasbeendedicatedtoinitiativesrelatingtoexploitingmarketopportunities.

Itisenvisagedthatoverthenexteighteen(18)monthstheProjectwillcontinuetoplayacriticalroleastheRegion

strivestomeetthenewchallengesofaninternationaltradingenvironmentthatplacesapremiumoninnovation

andcompetitiveness.

4. HIGHLIGHTSOFPROJECTINTERVENTIONS,SUCCESSESANDLESSONSLEARNT

HavingallowedforagreaterunderstandingofthebackgroundandoriginsoftheHubandSpokesProject,aswell

asitsdesign,performanceandimpact,thefocuswillnowbeshiftedtohighlightingafewofthestrategiccapacity

buildinginterventions

undertaken

by

the

Project.

This

will

be

undertaken

in

an

attempt

to

elicit

and

demonstrate

key lessons learnt, success factors and best practices, whichmay have general applicability to AidforTrade

initiatives geared at building capacity of developing countries in trade policy formulation, negotiation and

implementation.

strategic capacity building interventions undertaken by the element of the Projectmanager by the CARICOM

Secretariatwillbeexamined in the contextof theextent towhich theoverarchingproject aim and subsidiary

objectives,aswellastheobjectivesdefinedforthe InitiativebytheRecommendationsoftheDirectorGenerals

TaskForce

on

Aid

for

Trade,

have

been

achieved.

The

latter

include

(i)

enabling

developing

countries

to

use

trade

moreeffectivelytopromotegrowth,developmentandpovertyreductionandtoachievedevelopmentobjectives;

(ii) toassistsmooth integration into theworld tradingsystem;and (iii) toassist in the implementationof trade

agreements.

5. TRADEPOLICYCAPACITYBUILDINGANDINPUTINTOTHEPOLICYFORMULATIONANDNEGOTIATINGPROCESSESBestPracticesandLessonslearnt:

Projectimplementation

in

the

Caribbean

Region

has

been

characterized

by

afocus

on

substantively

and

sustainablybuildingregionalcapacityinformulatingandimplementingtradepolicy.Asignificantproportionofthe

Project resources (technicaland financial)hasbeendedicated towards supportingMemberStates inanalyzing,

formulating,negotiatingandimplementingtradepolicies;aswellasintrainingandsensitizingkeystakeholdersin

keytradepolicyissues.


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5

AKeySuccessFactorwith regardtotheHubandSpokesProjectachieving itsgoalshasbeentheutilizationofa

bottomupapproachtopolicyformulationandintegratingtheprivateandpublicsectorsaswellasNGOsintothe

consultativeprocessfromtheoutset.Whathasalsobeencentraltoensuringsuccessistheformulationofcountry

specificframeworks which allowedfor continuousflow of information andfeedback, between and among all

stakeholders,both

at

the

formulation

and

implementation

stages.

It

is

also

critical

that,

as

is

the

case

with

the

Hub

and Spokes, theProjectworkprogrammebe integrated into thatof the implementationagency (organization),

wherethisisapplicable.

Another Strategy that contributed to the achievements of the Project was the building of Partnership and

collaborationsoastoaugmenttheProjectsresources. Thusthirdpartydonorfundingandtechnicalcollaboration

weremobilized with the aim of ensuring that Project resources were not spread too thinly. TheWTO was

successfullyutilizedinthiswaybytheHubandSpokesProject.

CapacitybuildingtechnicalassistancecentredontheimplementationoftheCARIFORUMEUEconomicPartnership

Agreement (EPA); WTO and bilateral trade negotiations, as well as monitoring the performance and

implementationof traderelatedAgreements;thedesignofcountryspecific tradepolicy;andother tradepolicy

relatedissues..VisitstoMemberStatesandMissionswereperiodicallyconductedtoprovidepolicyadvice,access

capacity and review strategic outcomes; and seminars,workshops, technicalmeetings etc. conducted in areas

deemedcapacitydeficient.

Additionally, inordertocomplementthe internalProjectexpertise,wherenecessarycollaborationwithnational,

regionaland

multilateral

institutions

were

utilized

in

order

to

meet

peculiar

capacity

building

needs

of

Member

StatesandtheRegion.

Projectinterventionswerealsoprimarilydemanddriven,whileensuringconsistencywiththearticulatedpriorities

oftheExternal,EconomicandTradeRelationsProgrammeoftheCARICOMSecretariat. Germane inthisregard

wereTradePolicyFormulation;theregional integrationprocess;theWTOnegotiations/agreements;andAid for

Trade.

TheProjects

work

programme

aimed

at

providing

assistance

to

Member

States

to

adhere

to

their

WTO

commitments;educating thepublicandprivatesectoron thecurrentstatusofspecificnegotiatingareas in the

DohaRoundofmultilateraltradenegotiations;furtheringtheregionalintegrationprocessthroughsensitizingthe

public and private sectors, aswell as civil society on the CARICOM SingleMarket and Economy (CSME); the

Servicessector;building thecapacityof MemberStates toengage inbilateral tradenegotiations;andassisting

MemberStatesindevelopingtraderelatedpolicy.


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AsaconsequenceoftheProjectsinterventiontheMemberStatesconcernedhaveallcompiledandnotifiedtothe

WTOActionPlansfortheeliminationoftheirrespectiveexportsubsidyprogrammes.

At the national level, the Project through the technical intervention of the RTPA in collaboration with the

Ministriesof

Foreign

Affairs

and

Foreign

Trade

and

Economic

Development

of

Belize

assisted

with

the

following:

Conduct of theWTOmandated consultations with the beneficiaries of Belizes three export subsidyprogrammes(CommercialFreeZones,ExportProcessingZonesandFiscalIncentives)

PreparationofaDraftActionPlanleadingtofullcomplianceby2015; PreparationofaWTOnotificationofprogressmadetowardsbecomingfullycompliant Preparation of a draftof the officialbeneficiarynotification letter regarding the eliminationof export

subsidiesand

FormationofaTechnicalWorkingGrouponExportSubsidies thatwouldensurethe implementationoftheActionPlan

TheProjectincollaborationwiththeWTOSecretariatconducted Workshop/ConsultationsontheImplicationsof

theWTODohaDevelopmentAgendaNegotiationsonFisheriesSubsidies.This initiativewasaimedatbuilding

Regionalcapacityaswellasthatof individualMemberStates intermsoftheirunderstandingofandcapacityto

participateintheFisheriesSubsidiesnegotiationsoftheDohaRoundofmultilateraltradenegotiations.

TheRegionhasalsobenefitedfromthepreparationofBriefsandempiricalanalysesofissuesrelatingtokeytrade

policy issues. Inthis regardaBriefingVademecum forthe6th

WTOMinisterial,HongKong,December2005was

compiledby

the

RTPA

and

Briefing

Notes

were

prepared

for

Ministers

participating

at

the

Ministerial

in

Geneva,

Switzerland, July 2008. These briefings along with the results of empirical analyses conducted by the RPTA

facilitatedtheengagementofindividualMemberStatesandtheRegioninthemultilateraltradenegotiations.

TechnicalWorkingGrouponExportSubsidies

WithrespecttotheTechnical WorkingGrouponExportSubsidies theRPTAworkedcloselywiththeHeadofthe

CARIFORUMEPAImplementationUnit,establishedbytheSecretaryGeneraloftheCaribbeanCommunity(March

2009),to

compile

aRe

worked

Roadmap

for

Implementation

of

the

CARIFORUM

EU

Economic

Partnership

AgreementinChronologicalOrder.

TheReworkedRoadmapgreatlyassistedtheSecretariatin,providingMemberStateswithaclearunderstanding

oftheirimplementationcommitments,sinceitdistilledthemyriadoflegislative,institutional andpolicyactionsto

beundertaken at thenational and regional levels,aswellasprovidedapplicable timelines.TheRoadmapalso


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servedtoidentifykeypointsofinterventionforAidofTradeandformedthebasisofthedevelopmentofnational

implementationplans.

TraininginTradePolicyIssues

With regard to trainingand sensitization, theProjecthas contributed tobuildingcapacityofMemberStates in

several crosscutting trade policy issues through facilitating and/or collaborating in the hosting of training

workshopsinareassuchasRulesofOrigin,DisputeSettlementMechanism,ExportSubsidies,IntellectualProperty,

ICT, Tariffs as an instrument of trade policy and the fundamentals of tariff renegotiations that enhanced

knowledgeandnegotiatingskillsofMinistries, theprivatesector,NGOs,academiaand theRegional Integration

Organisations.

6. ESTABLISHINGANDMANAGINGPUBLICPRIVATESECTORCONSULTATIVENETWORKS

BestPracticesandLessonslearnt:

Whenseekingtoestablishandmanageconsultativenetworksontradepolicy, itmaybebesttorestrictAidfor

Trade interventions indevelopingcountriesto initiativesthathavewidespreadacceptancewithintheparticular

Regionor country aspolicypriorities in respectofdiversifyingnational economies. It isalsoessential that the

privatesectorhasavestedinterestandfortheareaoffocustobeonethathasnotbeencompletelytappedoutby

otherdonors.

Strategically, it isalsobest to initiate interventionsat the formativestages,cherrypickareas forconcentration,

andadoptanapproach,whichstraddlespolicyformulationthroughtocapacitybuildingandimplementation.Itis

also critical for the Network to be continuously supported through strategic project interventions, until the

articulated Project determined goals have been achieved. Finally, third party donor funding and technical

collaborationshouldbesoughttoensurethatallocatedresourcesarenotspreadtoothinly.InthisregardUNESCO

wassuchanOrganizationutilizedbytheHubandSpokesProject.

KeyCapacityBuildingInitiatives,PointsofIntervention(SuccessStories):

RegionalTaskForceonCulturalIndustries

TheProjectcollaboratedwiththeDirectorateofHumanandSocialDevelopmentoftheCARICOMSecretariatinthe

establishmentandfundingoftheactivitiesoftheRegionalTaskForceonCulturalIndustries,whichwasmandated

byCARICOMHeadsofGovernments.


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TheRegionalTaskForceonCultural Industrieswas launchedon23October2008 inGeorgetown,Guyana.This

bodywasmandatedbyajointmeetingof theCouncil forTradeandEconomicDevelopment (COTED)and the

Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD) in 2008 to develop a comprehensive Regional

DevelopmentStrategy

and

Action

Plan

for

the

Regions

Cultural

Industries.

Resources

to

support

the

work

of

the

TaskForcehavebeenprovidedbytheEuropeanUnion,throughtheHubandSpokesProject(US$75.000),whichis

administeredbytheCommonwealthSecretariatincollaborationwiththeCARICOMSecretariat.

The Twentymember Task Force comprises representatives from a wide cross section of relevant sectors:

MinistriesofCulture,TradeandFinance; industry representatives;educational institutions; theprivate financial

sector;andrepresentativesofregionalorganizationsincludingtheOECSSecretariat,CaribbeanExport,cultureand

trade representatives in the CARICOM Secretariat. The Task Force, has met three times and engaged two

consultantswhoconducted researchduring20092010andproduced the following reports: a)TheDesignand

ImpactofanExemptionsRegimefortheCARICOMCulturalIndustries;b)IncentivesSchemesinMemberStatesfor

Cultural Industries and Disincentives for their Growth and Development; c) International Best Practice in

Government Policy: Incentivesfor Cultural Industries Development; and d) Educational Policy and Facilitiesfor

EducationintheArtsandCultureinMemberStates.

ThesestudiesarebeingusedtoinformthepreparationoftheRegionalStrategyandActionPlan,whichwillinclude

recommendationsforanappropriate incentivesregimeandfinancingmechanismfortheculturalindustries;data

forinclusioninnationalregistriesofartistesandculturalworkers;resolvingclassificationissuesrelatedtocultural

productsand

services;

addressing

challenges

in

free

movement

under

the

CARICOM

Single

Market

and

Economy

(CSME);ensuringtheappropriatetreatmentofcultureintradenegotiationsandtradeagreements;strengthening

regionalinstitutionsinculture,especiallytheCaribbeanFestivalofArts(CARIFESTA).

TheStrategy,whencompleted,willbepresentedtoMinistersofCulture,TradeandFinance,andultimatelythe

HeadsofGovernmentoftheCaribbeanCommunitytoadoptaharmonizedpolicyframeworkforculturalindustry

development.

CoalitionsofServiceIndustriesGiventheemergenceoftheServicessectorasthemajorgrowthpolewithintheCaribbeanregion,theHuband

SpokesProjectwasalsoinstrumentalintheestablishmentofandstrengtheningofCoalitionsofServiceIndustries

inindividualCARICOMcountries.Tothisendthefocuswasonstrengtheningthecoalitionsofservicesprovidersin

MemberStates suchasTrinidadandTobago,GuyanaandBarbados,aswellasestablishingcoalitions inBelize,


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10

Jamaica and Suriname (as well as St. Kitts, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Antigua and Barbuda in

collaborationwiththeOECSSecretariat).

ToensurecontinuityandsuccesstheProjectsubsequentlyfundedcapacitybuildinginitiativestargetingindividual

Coalitions.These

included

workshops

to

develop

negotiating

positions

and

asses

market

opportunities

for

the

ongoing CARICOMCanada FTA negotiations; as well as building capacity in Intellectual Property and ICT

Innovation.

7. IMPLEMENTINGPOLICIES,EXPLOITING(NEWORENHANCED)ANDMARKETOPPORTUNITIES

BestPracticesandLessonslearnt:

IntheCaribbeanregiontherehasalsobeenastrategicfocusonbuildingcapacityinpolicyimplementationaswell

asassisting

Member

States

in

taking

advantage

of

market

opportunities

presented

by

Trade

Agreements.

AccordinglyanalyseswereconductedtohighlightkeypointsofinterventionforAidforTradesincesuccessinthis

area also required supplyside capacity building and a regional approach to policy prescriptions. Itwas also

necessarytogobeyondtheapproachofmerelyprovidingstakeholderswithanunderstandingofthecontentsof

Trade Agreements and move towards assisting the private sector to take advantage of new market access

opportunities.

Other strategies employed included the use of a programme approach to capacity building interventions,

employinginformation

generated

form

consultations

to

inform

the

next

stage

of

Project

work

thereby

allowing

continuityinProjectoutcomes.

KeyCapacityBuildingInitiatives,PointsofIntervention(SuccessStories):

Interventions in this area included aWorkshop on TakingAdvantageof theCARIFORUMEU EPAHow toDo

Business in theEU.Thiscoveredbothgoodsandservices,andCARIFORUMEUEPA Implementation issues.This

workshopwhichwasconductedinTrinidadandTobago,andistobereplicatedinotherMemberSatesin2011,has

yielded immediatereturns.TheTrinidadandTobagoManufacturingAssociation(TTMA)reportedthatsomenew

exporters have already started making shipments to the EU based on the knowledge and skills elicited in

workshop.

The RTPA also conducted a comprehensive analysis of the performance of all CARICOMs bilateral trade

agreements,theresultsofwhichwerepresentedtoRegionalTradeMinisters.Thisprovidedanunderstandingof

thepossiblereasonsforthelessthansatisfactoryperformancebyCARICOMMemberStatesunderbilateraltrade


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11

agreements; an assessment of possible future policy prescriptions; and possible areas for Aid for Trade

interventions.

InmanyRegionaleconomiesFreeZoneshaveemergedasatraderelatedpolicy instrumentforboostingexports.

Giventhe

need

to

reconcile

the

export

contingency

elements

of

existing

legislation

with

WTO

law,

the

Project

has

been actively involved in reviewing and recasting domestic incentive programmes. Further, the RTPA has

conductedinitialstakeholderconsultationsandiscurrentlyinvolvedintheformulationofaStrategicPlanforthe

CorozalFreeZoneinBelize.

TheProjecthas isalso involved insupporting the formulationof traderelated laws/regulations.TheRegionhas

madesignificantstridestowardspreparationoftheHarmonizedPolicyFrameworktofacilitateIntraregionalTrade

inFinancialServices,aswellasthecompletionoftheHarmonizedCustomsLegislature(DraftBill).

8.

CONCLUSIONANDWAYFORWARD

TheHubandSpokesProjecthasbeenanAidforTrade initiativethathasgeneratedconsiderabletraction inthe

CaribbeanRegion,withrecognizeddeliverablesandoutstrippingprojectedgoals. Thiscanbepartiallyattributed

tothecontinuousevaluationofProjectperformancethroughthecompilingofsemiannualprogressreportsand

projectedworkprogrammesby individualRTPAsandTPAs,eachofwhichassessedthe impactofeach initiative

undertaken.However,movingforwardthepossibilityofutilizingmorerobust indicatorsofProject impactshould

beexplored.

Perhaps due to its success, the Project in recent times received several requests fromMember Stateswhich

outstripped the available financial resources. As such, efforts have been increasingly made to navigate the

increasingdemandonthelimitedfinancialandtechnicalresourcesavailable.Inthisrespecttherewillcontinueto

beadedicatedefforttoutilizeestablishedstrategicrelationships inordertoexecutecapacitybuildingactivities.

Movingforward,interactionandcontinuousdialoguewiththestakeholdersandMemberStateswillbetheleading

mechanismforprovidingvaluablefeedbacktoinstructactivityprogramming.

Themajorplannedinitiativefor2011willbethehostingofanEUExportRally(workshopseries)Exportingto

Europeunder

the

WTO

Agreements

and

EPA,

which

will

consist

of

tailored

two

day

series

of

workshops

as

a

followuptotheFebruary2010GoodsandServicesEPAAwarenessWorkshopdeliveredinTrinidad.TheRallywill

targettheprivateandpublicsectorsandbuildcapacityinthemarketaccesscomponentsoftheseAgreementsand

actuallyfurnishtheprivatesectorwithadditionaltoolstogettheirgoodsandservicestomarket intheEU.The

countriestargetedwillbeSaintLucia,St.VincentandtheGrenadines,AntiguaandBarbuda,Grenada,St.Kitts

andNevis,theCommonwealthofDominica,Barbados,JamaicaandSuriname.


17/17

12

TheWorkshopSerieswillutilizeadult learning techniques, interactivehandsonworkassignments, ITC learning

environment and Skype VOIP technology to enhance the retention level of participants. Each event will be

designedtoprovideexporterswithanincreasedunderstandingofhowtoexporttheirgoodandservicestotheEU,

intraditional

and

non

traditional

markets,

based

on

specific

sectors

identified

before

hand

by

key

stakeholders.

TheRallywill leadparticipants through the general conceptof exporting andprovide themwith knowledge

transferandskillwhichwillallowthemtooptimizeexportopportunitiesundertheEPAandWTOAgreements

relatingtoIntellectualPropertyandServices.

This initiativewillprovidean idealopportunitytoemploymorerigoroussustainable indicatorsofProject impact

since itprimarily targets theprivate sectorandspeaks to the issuesof (i)enablingdevelopingcountries touse

trade more effectively to promote growth, development and poverty reduction; and (ii); assisting in the

implementationoftradeagreements,whicharecentralAfTobjectives.

oecs-wto aid for trade - case study

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