Caribbean agencies ready to export to European Union

May 27, 2019 News

Guyanese exporters will now be more educated on issues of packaging and labelling for export purposes, through an informative seminar made possible by the Caribbean Standards Bureau.
This event was held in the boardroom of the Ramada Georgetown Princess Hotel recently.
As the Caribbean continues to build its capacity to export to the European Union, the CARICOM Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality (CROSQ), and the Caribbean Export Development Agency have joined forces to train a number of entities in labelling and packaging of pre-packaged goods.
The training ran from May 20 to May 22.

A section of the gathering at yesterday’s seminar

This event was funded by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Co-operation and Development through the Deutshe Gesellschaft fur International Zusammenarbelt (GIZ) GmbH, and will bring together members of National Standards Bodies (NSB’s), as well as small and medium enterprise (SME’s), and business support organisations in a ‘train-the-trainers’ activity.
The objective of training according to CROSQ, and GIZ representatives, is to support the CARIFORUM SME’s in capitalising on the opportunities available under the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) for the export of pre-packaged goods to the European, while building capacity with the associated NSBs to facilitate this support.
Countries involved in this initiative include the Bahamas, Belize, the Dominican Republic, Guyana, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago.
According to CROSQ, and GIZ presenters, it is envisaged that participants, specifically Bureau and support organisations representatives, will gain the capacity to conduct similar training to SMEs in the future. The participants are expected to benefit from the training by enhancing their knowledge on the application of European standards and related conformity assessment procedures. They are also expected to gain knowledge on the application of European Union standards and regulations for labelling and packaging of goods, with a focus on pre-packaged foods.
That aside, they are expected to learn the application on the disciplines for Sanitary and Phyto-Sanitary and Technical Barriers to Trade to support international trade.

About CROSQ
The CARICOM Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality (CROSQ) is an inter-governmental institution of CARICOM established in 2002 under the revised Treaty of Chaguaramas that established the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), including the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME)
Specifically, CROSQ is mandated to implement Article 67: Standards and Technical Regulations of the said Treaty.
CROSQ is a network of the National Standard Bereaux in the fifteenth (15) Member States of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM)
The primary objectives of the CROSQ is the establishment and harmonisation of standards for the enhanced efficiency and improve quality in the production of goods and services in the community, thereby facilitating consumer and environment protection and improved trade within the community and with third states. In keeping with the mandate, CROSQ seeks to strengthen the capacity of both the public and private sector in understanding non-tariff requirements for market access in the third states.
About the Caribbean Export Development Agency
Caribbean Export is the only regional trade and investment promotion agency in the Africa, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) group. Established in 1996 by an Inter-Government Agreement as the regional trade and investment promotion agency, it serves the 151 states of the Caribbean Forum (CARIFORUM) , namely; Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago.

About GIZ
As a service provider in the field of international cooperation for sustainable development and international education work, GIZ is dedicated to shaping a future worth living globally. GIZ has over 50 years of experience in a wide variety of areas, including economic development and employment promotion, energy and the environment, peace and security.