Effective august 3, 2021, Dominica will temporarily suspend Community origin treatment on imports of a specified list of goods which are imported from More Developed Countries (MDCs) of CARICOM and from the rest of the World.
Community origin treatment means the access accorded to goods which are of Community origin to the markets of Member States without the application of import duties or quantitative restrictions.
In a release, the Ministry of Trade, Commerce, Enterpreneurship, Innovation, Business and Export Development, on behalf of the Government of Dominica, is advising the general public that the Article 164 of the RTC is being implemented “in an effort to honour its obligations under the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas (RTC) and to provide an environment of growth in the manufacturing Sector.”
The release goes on to state that, “in accordance with Article 164, Dominica will suspend Community origin treatment (temporarily) on imports of a specified list of goods which are imported from More Developed Countries (MDCs) of CARICOM and from the rest of the World.”
It adds that the objective of the decision is to enable sustained increases in trade within the OECS and Belize.
Dominica will begin implementation on a phased approach with the following products:
- Aerated Beverages;
- Aerated Waters, other waters;
- Beers;
- Malt;
- Curry Powder;
- Pasta;
- Prepared gasses: Acetylene & Oxygen; and
- Wheat or Meslin Flour
According to the release, “the Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica is committed to the manufacturing and productive sectors and therefore aims, by this initiative, to increase their productive capacities to trade regionally and further afield.”
For further information on this initiative, please contact the Ministry of Trade and Commerce, 2nd Floor Financial Centre at telephone number 266 3266 or 266-3197 or email [email protected]
This government needs to protect the manufacturing companies for example; to my knowledge there are 2 manufacturers of plastic bottles in Dominica and their biggest competitors are the people bringing in bottles from guadeloupe which is not part of CARICOM, correct me if I’m wrong.
Under every passed administration the local producers would be protected, it’s only under this administration I’m seeing every policies has gone down the drain and everything goes.
I would also encourage this manufacturers as small as you are join the manufacturers association, unity is strength.
If this still exist in Dominica
Hope this makes the local products more competitive and increases local sales. While we should support regional products, sometimes customers buy pepper sauce from another island because the price is significantly cheaper for a similar size local product. Think it’s because most local producers are solopreneurs and individual production costs are high here. Let’s see.
I am particularly interested in the liberation of malt, which is a partly germinated wheat used in brewing. Does this mean a rebirth of KUBULI, my favourite beer of all time. I surely hope so.
The ultimate sign of failure to Dominica and the economy by this Labour Party Government. Goods that were once manufactured in Dominica for exports and therefore protected from imports by having higher duties, are now to be imported by the reduction in their duties because Dominica does not manufacture and export these anymore! Sad how Dominica keeps going backwards but the people keep celebrating the same failed Government!
Nice comments👍Truth to be Told! We need to continuously monitor & comment fully on the Failures and incompetence of this this FAKE Incompetent, Irrelevant, Visionless Labour Government.
We the people of Dominica who continue to pay states taxes to the state and Not to failed Incompetent Skerrit Outdated Failed LABOUR GOVERNMENT. Skerrit is in no position to present us nor talk on our Behalf and the obvious State he and his FAILED visionless Dominca Labour Party has our Government and our Dominica and our People into poverty and begging through this Devious “RED Disgusting Shameful CLINIC Desperately in need of jobs, education and the overdue of the development of our Villages and of overall out Beloved Nature Island 🏝️ Dominica. Therefore, Skerrit’s NOT of Government nor of political acumen. He’s NOT sufficiently Politically matured to hold Office of PRIME MINISTER. We therefore asked & want this man🤡out of our Government and Parliament. Welcome Hon.Linton & UWP for PRIME MINISTER.
So on the matter of soaps which Dominca wants to punish Jamaica, this mechanism will make things more complicated for the new DCP because can’t Jamaica now advise that it’s now placing the said ingredients on it’s waiver list thus making a court application by DCP now moot? Dominca doesn’t produce the products it’s got on the list so it doesn’t give a hoot where they come from. More smoke and mirrors and expect more as Dominca seeks to develop the tourism sector and has to import most of the things needed.
DNO……of more interest to people is, how is that likely to affect their pocketbook. The common person really does not care about these issues.
Can you ask some people in the know and expand on the story.
Thanks
it will be cheaper and you wouldn’t have to go through more redtape to bring them in…
Read again: Dominica to suspend Community origin treatment on imports of specific items
Community origin treatment means the access accorded to goods which are of Community origin to the markets of Member States without the application of import duties or quantitative restrictions.
Basically the special treatment of reduced import duty on these items under the treaty of chaguaramas is going to be suspended to encourage ppl to manufacture the goods in Dominica and be able to sell at a more competitive price to the imported goods.
So you saying the Cabal people wants to get started importing these goods so they make the Double Doc drop tariff until they solidify their market share with existing companies? Wayyyyy Papa! I watching still condie my good friend.
Good question.
If I understand the article and definition correctly, Community Origin Treatment (COT) basically means no import duties or quantitative restrictions on goods imported from the said ‘community’, hence if this concession is going to be SUSPENDED, it means that import duties and restrictions WILL start being applied to them!! Am I correct so far?
This would make them more expensive locally.
The intent I understand is to encourage local manufacturers to begin producing these goods (again?) due to the government’s being “…committed to the manufacturing and productive sectors and therefore aims, by this initiative, to increase their productive capacities to trade regionally and further afield.”
Someone who understands this better, please correct me if I’m wrong.
They should care. This decision has been long overdue because the existing arrangements led to a monopoly situation with the mentioned beverages for instance, attracting high duties, even if they originated from within Caricom but outside of the OECS. it will make these products more available, and create competition, which is to the benefit of the consumer. I look forward to the day that import restrictions on sugar Land feedstock will be similarly lifted enabling locally reared poultry to be more competitive with imports.
The suspension of the tariffs and other import restrictions on beer, malt, pasta and aerated water that favoured Dominican producers is because Dominica is no longer producing these goods under the current DLP regime, It has nothing to do with facilitating the expansion of the local manufacturing sector as the Ministry of Trade falsely claims.
it means that these goods wont be getting any preferential duties.. meaning that prices for these imported products are expected to rise… because importers are going to pay more at customs