Trinidad & Tobago and UK delegations talk trade

12/01/2021

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Trinidad & Tobago Guardian

Senator the Honourable Paula Gopee-Scoon, Minister of Trade and Industry, met with a delegation from the United Kingdom (UK) jointly headed by Mr Darren Henry, UK Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to the Caribbean and Member of Parliament, and Mr. Jonathan Knott, Her Majesty’s Trade Commissioner to Latin America and the Caribbean, on Thursday 25th November, 2021. Also in attendance was Her Excellency Ms. Harriet Cross, British High Commissioner to Trinidad and Tobago, representatives from the High Commission, and officials from the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI).

In welcoming the delegation, Senator the Honourable Paula Gopee-Scoon, Minister of Trade and Industry, met with a delegation from the United Kingdom (UK) This is evident by the establishment of the most recent CARIFORUM-UK Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) which, amongst other benefits, permits Trinidad and Tobago’s exporters’ valuable and preferential duty-free market access opportunities into the UK with the exception of products such as arms and ammunitions. Both parties discussed their shared visions for improving trade by advancing the CARIFORUM-UK EPA. The Minister expressed anticipation that the market access opportunities afforded under the EPA would be realised through greater exports to the UK market and a more favourable trade balance.

Trinidad and Tobago has been a net importer from the UK over the period 2015-2021, and our country’s main export has been Methanol and energy related products, while some non-energy products such as Aromatic bitters, iron and steel, alcoholic beverages among others have been making progress. However, the top imports from the UK included lubricating greases and oils, brake fluids, kerosene type jet fuel and urea, and non-energy products including motor vehicles, medicaments, whiskey, machinery parts, books, chocolate, clothing, cheese and tubes and pipes.

To read the full article by the Trinidad & Tobago Guardian, please click here.