APPENDIX 2 | AGENDAS AND PARTICIPANTS :: 83
11:00–13:00
11:00–12:00
SESSION II: Effective Implementation of Trade Agreements – An Opportunity to Enhance Export Development and Business Opportunities Latin American and Caribbean countries continue to experience the challenges associated with taking full advantage of the opportunities in the global economy. Given that many countries in the region are small and import dependent, trade plays a large role in spurring economic growth and ensuring sustainable development. The recent signing of important and strategic free trade agreements (FTAs) by countries of the region provides a significant opportunity to promote reform, stimulate export development and enhance business opportunities, e.g., the recently signed CARIFORUM-EC Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA). This is also the case of other FTAs recently signed by other countries in LAC with regional and extra-regional partners. At the same time, countries of the region urgently need to establish effective mechanisms and develop comprehensive strategies to allow each and every country to fully implement the agreements and take advantage of the new market access and investment opportunities. This session will promote the identification of challenges ahead and seek to establish priorities for countries of the region. Chair: The Hon. Kenneth D. Baugh, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Jamaica Keynote speakers: :: Implementation of the CARIFORUM-EC Economic Partnership Agreement. Dr. the Hon. David Estwick, Minister of Economic Affairs, Empowerment, Innovation, Trade, Industry and Commerce of Barbados :: Implementation of free trade agreements in Latin America: The experience of Peru. Mercedes Araoz, Minister of Trade and Tourism of Peru Triggering Remarks :: Peter Thompson, Director “Trade and Development”, Directorate-General for Trade, European Commission :: Irwin Larocque, Assistant Secretary General, CARICOM Secretariat
12:00–13:00
Plenary Discussion
Key questions include: What are the main implementation challenges countries of the region face in order to effectively implement FTAs? How prepared are countries to implement trade agreements? What needs to be done once the agreement is implemented to ensure that the private sector is able to take advantage of increased market access opportunities? How will countries deal with overlapping agreements and obligations? How can regional financing mechanisms help?