O.E.C.S. to implement a Customs Union policy in member states

Cosbert Woods is Program Officer at the OECS Commission

The Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (O.E.C.S.) has collaborated with multiple stakeholders on a national and regional level to implement an ‘overarching policy’ on its member states in the establishment of a customs union and free circulation of goods regime.

This policy, approved by the Regional Task Force and Fiscal Predations of goods, and the Economic Affairs Council of the O.E.C.S., seeks to outline the provisions for establishing a customs union as well as provisions pertinent to goods moving between member states, all as a means of being a trade facilitation mechanism.

Speaking at a press conference held on Tuesday March 21st at the OECS conference room, Program Officer at the OECS Commission situated in St. Lucia, Cosbert Woods, said that “significant strides” have been made in creating procedural requirements for such a venture.

“There are specific procedural requirements with respect to goods imported and exported from the Economic Union as well as goods traded between the particular member states,” he said.

According to Woods, having completed these requirements, “we are outlining the fields” across member states to sensitize the stakeholders on this overarching policy procedural requirements, and to gain feedback.

“As well as to get feedback from them in terms of the ability to implement the procedural requirements, their state of readiness, and any other issues at the national level that we need to take into consideration to finalizing these procedural requirements,” he said.

In detail, each member state must have a national working group on free circulation of goods that is responsible for spearheading national initiatives, according to Woods.

Another objective of the “mission” is to work closely with national working groups to ensure suitable stakeholders are involved.

“To ensure that information is filled up through the regional committees and task force, as well as member states have an opportunity to make sufficient input into any regional and policy documents that are being developed to guide a regional approach to facilitating free movement of goods,” he explained.

Woods stressed that “critical component” of this regime is capacity building among the customs departments and boarder control agencies.

“We have a number of regional sub committees that have been established namely; a subcommittee on customs management and operations, a subcommittee on port management, one on agricultural health and food safety and one on quality and standards,” he remarked.

While in Dominica, Woods and his team have met with the O.E.C.S. Commissioner, Ambassador Felix Gregoire, and have met with the private sector.
There are also plans to meet with the Agricultural Health and Food Safety Sector, and to conduct a session with various stake holders from the public and private sector which constitutes the national working group on free circulation.

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6 Comments

  1. Anon
    March 25, 2017

    In regards to customs, Dominica has a great and dire need to remove customs duties on ALL building materials, and just kick back and watch the construction sector Kickstart and grow the economy exponentially. Be brave, try it. Also motor vehicles. Increased revenue from motor vehicles alone will surely make even passport sales look like a joke. These brave moves, tested and proven, have potential to jolt Dominica’s economy by giant leaps.

  2. Dear "Love"
    March 22, 2017

    This news is irrelevant. What is important is whether or not this cutie is taken or nah. :lol: :-P

    • nonamegal
      March 22, 2017

      Is dat I checking. Let me attend a couple meetings yea! lolol

    • SMH
      March 22, 2017

      BEST COMMENT EVER! I want to know too wi…. Mr. Woods, Who for you?

  3. Not a herd follower
    March 21, 2017

    DNO, the word ”imposed” is not used appropriately here since all sovereign States of the OECS have agreed to the Customs Union.

    • March 22, 2017

      Seems like they listened, because it says “implemented” now. (And many would have disregarded that out of pride, so big up to DNO.)

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