Part One : Preliminary

 

The Member States shall deposit with the Secretariat, agreements relating to trade or aid concluded by them with third countries.

 

1.         The Member States shall co-ordinate their trade policies with third States or groups of third States.

2.         The Community shall pursue the negotiation of external trade and economic agreements on a joint basis in accordance with principles and mechanisms established by the Conference.

3.         Bilateral agreements to be  negotiated by Member States in pursuance of their national strategic interests shall:

(a)        be without prejudice to their obligations under the Treaty; and

(b)        prior to their conclusion, be subject to certification by the CARICOM Secretariat that the agreements do not prejudice or place at a disadvantage the position of other CARICOM States vis-a-vis the Treaty.

4.         Where trade agreements involving tariff concessions are being negotiated, the prior approval of COTED shall be required.

 

5.         Nothing in this Treaty shall preclude Belize from concluding arrangements with neighbouring economic groupings provided that treatment not less favourable than that accorded to third States within such groupings shall be accorded to the Member States of the Community, and that the arrangements make adequate provision to guard against the deflection of trade into the rest of CARICOM from the countries of such groupings through Belize.

 

 

1.         The Member States shall establish and maintain a regime for the free movement of goods and services within the CSME.

2.         Each Member State shall refrain from trade policies and practices, the object or effect of which is to distort competition, frustrate free movement of goods and services, or otherwise nullify or impair benefits to which other Member States are entitled under this Treaty.

3.         The Member States shall not introduce in their territories any new restrictions on imports or exports of Community origin save as otherwise provided in this Treaty.

 

 

1.         The goal of the Community Trade Policy shall be the sustained growth of intra- Community and international trade and mutually beneficial exchange of goods and services among the Member States and between the Community and third States.

2.         In fulfilment of the goal set out in paragraph 1 of this Article the Community shall pursue the following objectives:

(a)        full  integration  of  the  national  markets  of  all  Member  States  of  the Community into a single unified and open market area;

(b)        the widening of the market area of the Community;

(c)        the active promotion of export of internationally competitive goods and services originating within the Community;

(d) the securing of the most favourable terms of trade for Community goods and services exported to third States and groups of States.

 

3. In order to achieve the objectives of its Trade Policy, the Community shall: (a) undertake:

(i) the establishment of common instruments, common services and the joint regulation, operation and efficient administration of the internal and external commerce of the CSME;

(ii) where possible, the employment of common negotiating strategies in the development of mutually beneficial trade agreements with third States and groups of States;

(iii) participation and joint representation as appropriate in international and regional organisations which negotiate, establish and apply disciplines governing international and regional trade;

(b) prohibit the imposition by the Member States of new restrictions on imports and exports of products of Community origin.

4.         Member States shall eliminate existing restrictions on imports and exports of goods of Community origin, other than those authorised by this Treaty.