Trade Board Outlines Priorities for 2007/08

The Trade Board Limited, this fiscal year, will be focused on ensuring that products comply with the rules of origin governing the various trade regimes and identifying products that are eligible for preferential treatment.
This information is contained in a Ministry Paper tabled in the House of Representatives last week by Minister of Industry, Technology, Energy and Commerce, Phillip Paulwell. Other priorities include providing technical and advisory services to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade and other government ministries/agencies on issues related to the rules of origin, and to support negotiating positions under the CARICOM/Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement; CARICOM/Costa Rica Trade Agreement; CARICOM/Venezuela Free Trade Agreement; and Market Access in the Free Trade Area of the Americas.
Other areas of focus for the 2007/08 financial year include conducting workshops and seminars on how to stimulate commerce and access trade arrangements, as well as any new bilateral agreement between CARICOM and other countries; and also to provide information on the export requirements under the various preferential schemes.
For the 2006/07 financial year, the Trade Board Limited continued its initiative of placing significant focus on the area of commerce facilitation and met with chambers of commerce across the island.The Trade Board Limited is a portfolio agency of the Ministry of Industry, Technology, Energy and Commerce.
Its mission is to stimulate a modern commercial environment by managing relevant trade-related regulations; supporting an e-commerce environment and providing facilitatory services for commercial activities.