A Management System to Monitor & Evaluate Impact of EPA

A results-based management system to monitor the implementation of the Economic Partnership Agreement between CARIFORUM and the E.U. is being put in place across the region to track the impacts that the E.P.A. is having  on member states that have signed on to the agreement. Belize ratified the agreement in 2008 and has been able to export agricultural goods among other products to the region. Today, a meeting was held with the trade technical team. News Five spoke with EPA Coordinator in Belize, Margaret Ventura.

Margaret Ventura

Margaret Ventura, EPA Coordinator, Directorate General for Foreign Trade

“That agreement opened the door for duty free, quota free access to goods so that our exporters can export to the E.U. The agreement comes with obligations, responsibilities and opportunities. And so several years into the signing of this agreement, we are now looking at developing a monitoring and evaluation system to be able to monitor the progress being made with EPA implementation and also to assess whether we are truly benefiting from this agreement.”

Errol Humphrey

Errol Humphrey, International Trade Consultant

“The monitoring and evaluation system is going to help us to measure the extent to which they are benefiting or not benefitting. For example, the agreement has certain provisions in it. There are obligations by both parties so you monitor to ensure that the E.U. is meeting the commitments that they made in terms of providing developments to poor and that kind of thing. And the CARIFORUM are constantly meeting their obligations in terms of doing what they are supposed to be doing. But of course, beyond that, we want to ensure that the agreement is delivering long term development benefits for the region.”