EPA signing delayed

The signing of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between CARIFORUM countries and the European Union has been pushed back by another month.



CARIFORUM countries comprise states of the Caribbean Community, CARICOM, and the Dominican Republic.



The EPA, which was completed in December, will now be signed in July instead of June as was previously announced.



It is still not clear why the signing has again been delayed.



The CARICOM Secretariat said the decision was made by regional ministers, who attended the meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development in Antigua and Barbuda over the weekend.



The ministers said they are in consultations with the European Commission on possible dates for the signing.



The EPA will replace a special export regime for several goods from the African Caribbean and Pacific countries under the Cottonou Agreement.