|
ELEMENTS
|
STATUS
|
ACTION REQUIRED |
| 1. TREATY
REVISION |
Currently applies to 12
of the 15 CARICOM Member States |
The Bahamas to decide
Haiti to complete process
Montserrat awaiting entrustment from U.K. |
| 1.1 Signature of Revised
Treaty |
Twelve (12) Member
States and Haiti have signed Revised Treaty |
The Bahamas and
Montserrat to sign |
| 1.2. Protocol on
Provisional Application of Revised Treaty |
The twelve (12) Member
States have signed |
|
| 1.3. Protocol on the
Revision of the Treaty |
The twelve (12) Member
States have signed |
|
| 1.4. Ratification of
Revised Treaty |
The twelve (12) Member States have ratified Revised
Treaty |
Dominica to deposit instruments of
ratification. |
| 1.5. Enact Treaty into
Domestic Law |
Barbados, Belize, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, St Vincent
and the Grenadines, Suriname and Trinidad and
Tobago have enacted Treaty into Domestic Law |
All other Member States to enact the Treaty |
| 2. NATIONAL
ADMINISTRATION |
|
|
| 2.1. Ministry with
responsibility for CARICOM Affairs |
The 12 Member States and
The Bahamas, Haiti and Montserrat have identified Ministry with
responsibility for CARICOM Affairs |
|
2.2.
National Consultative System
- Inter-Ministerial Consultative
Committee
- Business
and Labour Advisory Committee |
All Member States except Dominica have IMCC
5 Member States have confirmed formal BLAC-
Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica,
St Vincent and the Grenadines though other
Member States have some arrangement in place |
Other Member States to
ensure establishment of systems |
| 2.3. Establishment of
CSME Unit or focal point |
All 12 Member States and
Haiti and Montserrat have formally identified a designated Official.
|
Member States to support
the effective functioning of its Focal Point |
| 3. ENFORCEMENT,
REGULATION AND SUPPORTING
INSTITUTIONS |
|
|
| 3.1. Caribbean
Court of Justice |
|
|
| 3.1.1. Signature of Agreement |
The twelve (12) Member
States have signed |
The Bahamas and
Montserrat to sign |
| 3.1.2. Ratification of
Agreement |
Eleven (11) Member
States have ratified the Agreement.
The Agreement entered into force with
the deposit of the third instrument. |
Of the Member States
which have signed - Antigua and Barbuda to deposit Instruments of
Ratification. |
| 3.1.3. Enactment of
Agreement into Domestic Law |
Eleven
(11) Member States
have enacted legislation giving effect to the Agreement |
Trinidad and Tobago to
enact legislation giving effect to Agreement |
| 3.2. CARICOM
Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality (CROSQ) |
|
|
| 3.2.1.Signature of
Agreement establishing CROSQ |
Agreement signed by the
twelve (12) Members
The Agreement is being provisionally applied among these
Member States. |
Montserrat to sign, which
signature will bring the Agreement into force |
| 3.2.2. Enactment of
Agreement into domestic law |
Belize, Jamaica and
Suriname have enacted the Agreement into law |
Other Member States to
indicate status enactment or to enact into law |
| 3.3
National Standards Bodies |
National Standards Bureaux established in eleven (11) Member States. |
Efforts being made to establish NSB in Suriname as well
as Montserrat |
| 3.4 National
Competition Authorities |
National Competition
Bodies established in Barbados, Jamaica and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
|
All
other Member States to establish
national competition authorities. |
| 4. FREE MOVEMENT
OF GOODS |
|
|
| 4.1 Tariffs and
Non-Tariff Barriers |
Task Force established by COTED to review existing
NTBs against intra-regional trade. A proposed Schedule
for Removal of Unauthorized NTBs is being considered by
Member States and COTED |
|
| 4.1.1 Removal of
unauthorized import (or equivalent) duties on goods of Community Origin |
(i) Belize applies a Revenue Replacement Duty on a
specific list of goods of Community Origin;
(ii) St. Kitts and Nevis applies an unauthorized import
duty on beer, pasta and aerated beverages from St.
Lucia;
|
(i) Belize to remove discriminatory application of
Revenue Replacement duty on goods of Community
Origin.
(ii) St. Kitts and Nevis to remove application of import
duty on beer, pasta and aerated beverages from St.
Lucia. |
| 4.1.2 Removal of export
duties on goods of Community Origin |
Suriname applies an export tax on lumber of Community
Origin |
Suriname to remove the
application of the export tax on lumber. |
| 4..1. 3 Removal of
discriminatory Internal Taxes and Other Fiscal Charges |
Discriminatory taxes and charges have been
identified as follows:
Discriminatory Environmental Levy applied by
Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados and Grenada on
goods of Community origin.
Discriminatory Environmental Tax applied by Belize
and Guyana
[Discriminatory] Bottle Deposit Levy applied by St.
Vincent and the Grenadines.
A [discriminatory] Inspection Fee is applied by
Trinidad and Tobago on certain goods of
Community origin.
A [discriminatory] Consent Fee is applied by
Suriname on all imports of Community Origin.
Discriminatory Consumption Tax applied by
Antigua and Barbuda on all imports of Community
origin; and by Guyana on imports of apparel of
Community origin.
Montserrat applies a Special Produce Import Tax
on wine, beer and rum of Community origin. |
Member States to remove those discriminatory
application of Internal Taxes and other Fiscal
charges on goods of Community Origin that have
been confirmed |
| 4.1.4 Removal of
unauthorized import licenses on goods of Community origin |
Import licenses applied
by Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines on
various goods of Community origin. |
Unauthorised Import licenses to be removed from goods
of Community Origin. |
| 4.1.5 Removal of
Quantitative Restrictions |
St. Vincent and the
Grenadines maintains prohibitions on certain agricultural products from
Grenada, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago. |
Quotas and Prohibitions
to be removed |
| 5. FREE MOVEMENT
OF SERVICES |
|
|
| 5.1. Removal of
Restrictions to Provision of Services |
|
|
| 5.1.1.Notification of
Restrictions |
New restrictions identified to be confirmed by
Member States by 31 January 2005 and notified to
COTED. |
|
| 5.1.2. Implementation of
Programmes for Removal of Restrictions |
The Thirteenth Inter-Sessional Meeting of the
Conference in February 2002 formally approved
the Schedules of Commitments for removal of
Restrictions by Member States, which took effect
from 1 March 2002. for phased removal by 31
December 2005.
The Conference has agreed that Programmes for
the removal of restrictions on international maritime
and air transportation would be negotiated at a later
date.
Two- year derogation granted to Montserrat from its
obligation to implement Programmes, expired on
28 February 2004. Montserrat’s schedule for
removal of restrictions has been approved by to the
Conference in November 2004. |
Legislative and administrative action to be
taken by all Member States to remove restrictions
to provision of Services by end 2005.
Programmes for the removal of restrictions on the
provision of Transportation Services to be
developed
|
|
6. FREE MOVEMENT OF PERSONS |
|
|
| 6.1. Free
Movement of Skills |
|
|
| 6.1.1. Implementation of
Skills Legislation [Free movement of University Graduates] |
Legislation in eleven
(11) Member States |
Antigua and Barbuda to
amend legislation work. Suriname to amend legislation to cater for
indefinite stay of CARICOM Nationals. |
| 6.1.1.1 Regulatory and
Administrative arrangements for free movement of graduates. |
Action to facilitate
free movement of graduates completed by 11 Member States |
Antigua and Barbuda to
take the necessary action. |
| 6.1.2. Implementation of
legislation for free movement of Artistes, Media Workers, Musicians, Sports
persons |
Ten (10) Member States
have explicit
legal provision for free movement of artistes, media workers, musicians and
sports persons. |
Antigua and Barbuda and
St. Kitts and Nevis to amend existing legislation to provide for free
movement of these categories |
| 6.1.2.1. Regulatory and
Administrative arrangements for free movement of Artistes, Media Workers,
Musicians, Sports persons |
Ten (10) Member States have completed
action to facilitate free movement. |
Antigua and Barbuda and
St Kitts and Nevis to implement arrangements. |
| 6.1.3. Legislative and
Administrative arrangements for Free Movement of Self employed service
providers, entrepreneurs, technical, managerial and supervisory staff,
spouses and immediate dependent family members, persons consuming services
abroad. |
Chapter Three expanded the categories of persons
eligible to move freely, to include Removal of
Restrictions on these additional categories at latest
in accordance with the time line of December 2005.
|
Member States to take legislative and administrative action to give effect to the free
movement of these categories by December 2005. |
| 6.2. .
Contingent Rights |
The Revised Treaty provides for the subsequent
addition of a Protocol treating with Contingent
Rights |
The Secretariat to
commence work to consider the development of policy framework in this area. |
| 6.3.
Facilitation of Travel |
|
|
| 6.3.1. Elimination of
need for passport by CARICOM Nationals, for intra-regional
travel (e.g use of ID card)
|
Most Member States
continue to require CARICOM Nationals to present passports at ports of
entry.
Guyana has amended its legislation to provide for acceptance of photo
Ids.
OECS Members accept photo-IDs from other OECS nationals
Conference agreed that a common machine-readable passport should be used for intra-regional travel |
|
| 6.3.2.
CARICOM Passport |
Suriname has introduced CARICOM Passport |
All other Member States to introduce the CARICOM
Passport as soon as feasible |
| 6.3.3. Common E/D Form. |
Immigration and other Regional Officials have agreed on core elements for a
CARICOM E/D Form. |
Member
States to agree on common design |
| 6.3.4. Lines identified
for CARICOM and Non-CARICOM Nationals at Ports of entry |
All 12 Member States
have implemented two sets of lines at ports of entry -
• Common
Lines for (their own and other) CARICOM Nationals; and
• Lines
for Non-CARICOM Nationals / Visitors.
Montserrat also in compliance. |
Member States to monitor to ensure national
treatment is accorded |
| 6.4. Mechanism
for equivalency and accreditation |
|
|
| 6.4.1. Establishment of
National and Regional Accreditation Infrastructure |
Fully functioning
national body in Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago.
Institution established in St. Kitts and Nevis
with limited functions and Barbados is seeking to
operationalise its own Body;
Member States are at various stages in the process
of establishing national institutions. |
Member States to
implement COHSOD decision to establish National Accreditation bodies.
Inter-Governmental Agreement to be finalised and Regional Accreditation Body
to be put in place to oversee accreditation and equivalency. |
| 6.4.2 Caribbean
Accreditation Authority for Education in Medical and Other Health
Professions |
The Agreement in Force
among six Member States –Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Jamaica, Suriname,
Trinidad and Tobago. The Bahamas has also signed the Agreement which entered
into force with the fifth signature. |
All other Member States
to sign the Agreement |
| 6.5. Agreement
on Transference of Social Security benefits |
|
|
| 6.5.1.
Signature and
Ratification of Agreement |
Agreement entered into
force on 1 April 1997.
Eleven (11) Member States and also The Bahamas and
Montserrat have signed and ratified the Agreement.
Suriname does not have a national social security system similar to that in
other Member States. |
Suriname to regularize its Social Security arrangement. |
| 6.5.2. Enactment of
Social Security Legislation |
Eleven (11) Member
States, also The Bahamas and Montserrat have enacted national legislation to
give effect to the Agreement Barbados, Dominica, Guyana, St. Kitts and Nevis and Trinidad
and Tobago processing claims under the Agreement. |
|
| 7. FREE MOVEMENT
OF CAPITAL |
|
|
| 7.1. Removal of
Restrictions to Movement of Capital |
|
|
| 7.1.1. Notification of
Restrictions |
List of existing
restrictions notified by all Member States in 2000 |
|
| 7.1.2. Implementation of
Programmes for Removal of Restrictions |
The Thirteenth
Inter-Sessional Meeting of the Conference in February 2002 formally approved
the Schedules of Commitments for removal of Restrictions by Member States,
which took effect from 1 March 2002.
Montserrat’s Programme has been approved by the
Conference after a two- year derogation from its
obligation to implement Programmes. |
Legislative and administrative action to be taken by
all Member States to remove restrictions to the
Free Movement of Capital at latest December
2005. |
| 7.2. Capital
Market Integration |
|
|
| 7.2.1. Establishment of
Stock Exchange |
National Stock exchanges
established in The Bahamas,
Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, Suriname, Trinidad
and Tobago and the OECS (serving all OECS Members) |
Belize to establish
national Stock Exchange |
| 7.2.2. Cross-listing and
trading |
Barbados, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago are
the only countries comprising the Regional Stock
Market. Regional Capital Markets Committee has
been developing recommendations re possibilities
for Regional Stock Exchange. Caribbean Credit
Rating Agency has been established in Trinidad &
Tobago
|
Legislative and administrative framework to be
developed and implemented to facilitate Cross-
Listing and Trading by other Member States.
|
| 7.3.
Intra-Regional Double Taxation Agreement |
|
|
| 7.3.1. Signature and
Ratification of Agreement |
Eleven (11) Member
States have signed and ratified |
Suriname
to sign and ratify Agreement and also Montserrat |
| 7.3.2. Enactment of
Legislation |
National Legislation enacted by nine (9) Member States
- Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Dominica,
Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the
Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago.
|
Of the Member States which have signed and ratified the
Agreement, Grenada and St. Kitts and Nevis to enact
national legislation to give effect to the Agreement. |
| 8. RIGHT OF
ESTABLISHMENT |
|
|
| 8.1. Removal of
Restrictions |
|
|
| 8.1.1. Identification
and Notification of Restrictions |
List of existing
restrictions notified by all Member States in 2000 |
|
| 8.1.2. Implementation of
Programme for Removal of Restrictions |
The Thirteenth
Inter-Sessional Meeting of the Conference in February 2002 formally approved
the Schedules of Commitments for removal of Restrictions by Member States,
which took effect from 1 March 2002.
Montserrat’s Programme to remove restrictions has
been approved by the Conference after a two- year
derogation from its obligation to implement
Programmes |
Legislative and administrative action to be taken by
all Member States to remove restrictions to Right of
Establishment at latest 2005.
|
| 9. COMMON
EXTERNAL POLICY |
|
|
| 9.1. Implementation of
Fourth Phase of CET |
Eleven (11) Member States and Montserrat have
implemented Fourth Phase |
St. Kitts and Nevis to take action to implement. |
| 9.2. Implementation of
Revised Structure of the CET based on 2002 HS |
Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago
and also Montserrat have implemented |
All other Member States to take action to
implement the Revised Structure of the CET |
| 9.3. Implementation of
Amended Schedule I (Rules of Origin) based on 2002 HS |
Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago
and also Montserrat have implemented |
All other Member States to take action to
implement the Revised Structure of the CET |
| 10 HARMONISATION
OF LAWS - to include: |
|
|
| 10.1. Implementation of
Harmonised Customs Legislation, Regulations and Forms |
Draft of 20 modules of
model Customs Legislation have been reviewed by Chief Parliamentary Counsels
(CPCs) and Customs Officials and are being redrafted. |
Finalisation of the
redrafting by CPCs and CARICOM Legislative Drafting Facility (CLDF) |
| 10.2 Legal Regime for
Establishment, Services and Capital |
Draft Model approved by
Legal Affairs Committee (LAC). Also Draft of amendments submitted to Member
States. |
Member States to
implement. |
| 10.3 Competition Law |
Draft Model approved by
LAC |
Member States other that
Barbados, Jamaica and St. Vincent and the Grenadines to take action |
| 10.4 Consumer Protection
|
Draft Model with Member
States. Barbados has Legislation |
CPCs to examine |
|
10.5
Anti- Dumping and Countervailing Measures |
CPCs are examining Draft
Model Bill. Trinidad and
Tobago has legislation. |
|
| 10.6 Banking and
Securities Legislation |
Draft
Financial Institutions Act and
Draft Financial Services Agreement have been prepared |
Review
by the relevant institutions
National consultations in Member States |
| 10.7 Companies/Other
Legal Entities |
|
|
| 10.8 Intellectual
Property Rights |
|
|
| 10.9 Standards and
Technical Regulations |
Ongoing |
|
|
10.10 Accreditation |
Model National Accreditation Bill has been
considered by CPC and is being finalised |
|
| 10.11 Labeling of Food
and Drugs |
|
|
| 10.12 Sanitary and Phyto-sanitary Measures |
Some drafts are with
Member States |
|
| 10.13 Commercial
Arbitration |
|
|
| 10.14 Subsidies |
|
|
| 10.15 Other |
|
|
| 11. SECTORAL
PROGRAMMES AND CREATION OF ENABLING ENVIRONMENT
11.1 Industry
11.2 Micro and Small
Economic Enterprise Development
11.3 Services
11.4 Tourism
11.5 Agriculture
11.6 Transportation |
11.3 Coalition of Service Industries being established in Member States
11.4 Caribbean Tourism Development Plan agreed by Member States |
Community to turn its attention to Single Economy issues
11.5 Conference will consider recommendations
from the Lead Head of Government at its next meeting
|
| 12. COMMON
SUPPORT MEASURES
12.1 Human Resource Development
12.2 Research and Development
12.3 Environmental Protection
12.4 Intellectual Property Rights
12.5 Community Investment Policy
12.6 Harmonisation of Investment Incentives
12.7 Macro Economic Policies
12.8 Financial Infrastructure
12.9 Industrial Relations
12.10 Legal Infrastructure
12.11 Development of Social Infrastructure
12.12 Role of the Public Authorities and interface with the private sector. |
12.4 Committee has been meeting
12.5 Technical work on Regional Investment Code has
been completed
12.6 Technical Work completed
12.7 Convergence criteria being monitored
12.8 Drafts of Financial Services Agreement and
Financial Institutions Act with Member States |
12.1 COHSOD to continue to address these issues.
12.5 Review by Technical Team on Investment Policy
prior to presentation to Tenth Meeting of COFAP in
2005.
12.7 Member States to incorporate convergence criteria
into budgetary and policy formulation.
12.8 COFAP to consider recommendations |
| 13. PUBLIC
EDUCATION |
Public education activities undertaken
by Member States independently and by Member States in collaboration with
the Secretariat continue to be ongoing. |
Intensification of
Public Education Programme at national and regional level. |
