CARIFORUM-EC EPA: TRADE IN SERVICES1Cariforum-Ec Epa: Trade in Services • May 20th, 2022
The objective of the services provisions of the CARIFORUM EPA is to facilitate and strengthen trade in services. This means that parties to the agreement must ensure any foreign suppliers allowed access are treated in the same way as local operators. However, the choice of whether those services are privatised or deregulated is unaffected - on the contrary both CARIFORUM countries and the EU explicitly retain the right to regulate services as they see fit. This not least as opening up trade in services often requires specific regulation, for instance to ensure fair competition or to guarantee citizens have access to universal services.
