Fuel talks on COTED agenda

Fuel will be high on the agenda for the 34th meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED).

ST. JOHN’S, Antigua, Monday April 16, 2012 – Fuel will be high on the agenda when the 34th meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) takes place at the Princess Hotel in Providence, Guyana next week.

During that meeting, COTED will examine recommendations to ease the effects of the rising cost of fuel and commodities on the Region’s economies. These issues first came to the table in May 2011 during the height of the crisis in North Africa that triggered an increase in fuel resulting in a hike in the cost of other commodities.

During the upcoming meeting, government ministers will look at regional consumer protection and the recommendations from the report on the full integration of Belize and the OECS into the CARICOM Single Market and Economy.

The two-day meeting is also expected to see discussions on the CARICOM-Canada Trade and Development Agreement, and the implementation of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) being held among others.

The schedule also includes takes on trade matters with other states including China, Costa Rica and Panama, along with COTED’s input to restructuring the CARICOM Secretariat. Click here to receive free news bulletins via email from Caribbean360. (View sample)