Section Menu

EU-Caribbean

British exports to the Caribbean are worth nearly £1,000 million a year, with EU exports of goods totalling £2,391 million to the region in 2001, against imports of £1,947 million in the same year. In most cases, the value of British exports to the Caribbean far exceeds that of imports from the Caribbean for which Britain would like to see an increase. Changes to trade preferences and competition from Latin America and elsewhere have affected sales of traditional Caribbean exports such as sugar and bananas. The World Trade Organisation and the European Union are helping to address the needs of the most vulnerable producers.

The Caribbean forms part of the Africa, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) group. The EU's trade relations with the ACP are governed by the ACP-EU Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs). EPAs will come into force by 2008 and will progressively remove barriers to trade between the EU and the ACP countries concerned. They aim to foster the smooth and gradual integration of the ACP into the world economy, promoting sustainable development, encouraging regional integration and contributing to poverty eradication.

For more information on EPAs please see EPA's page under Developing Countries on  DTI website or the European Commission's Website (see related links sections on right of this page).

Contact:

BERR Response Centre
Tel: 020 7215 5000
Email: dti.enquiries@berr.gsi.gov.uk