16 January, 2019: – Senator the Honourable Paula Gopee-Scoon, Minister of Trade and Industry reiterated the Government’s commitment to growing trade and ensuring transparency in its policies as she welcomed the World Trade Organization (WTO) Trade Policy Review Team conducting national consultations.
The Ministry of Trade and Industry conducted a series of meetings from January 7 – 11, 2019 in preparation for Trinidad and Tobago’s World Trade Organization (WTO) Fourth Trade Policy Review. The WTO periodically conducts a Review of Members Trade Policies. Trade Policy Reviews are mandatory under the WTO commitments and the last review for Trinidad and Tobago occurred in 2012. The Fourth Trade Policy Review is scheduled to take place on May 22-24, 2019, in Geneva, Switzerland and will address transparency measures in the trading environment, trade policies and practices over the review period (2012-2018).
The sessions were chaired by Mr. Norris Herbert, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Trade and Industry. Approximately twenty-eight (28) ministries and agencies were involved in the process including the Ministries of Finance, Attorney General and Legal Affairs, Agriculture, Land and Fisheries, the Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago and the private sector. Discussions at the meeting focused on the country’s Economic Environment; Trade and Investment Regimes; Measures Affecting Production and Trade; Agriculture and Fisheries; Manufacturing; Financial Services, Energy and Telecommunications.
A report by the WTO Secretariat and another report prepared by the Government of Trinidad and Tobago will form the basis of the review.
