CARIFORUM and UK EPA Study

The OECD has further highlighted that the services sectors within the UK which report the loof wE eusrto SpTe ,RfIo al lvoewr ae gdebsycLoer ge sa laSreerTv ei cl ee sc ,oRmami l Fu rnei ci gaht itoTnrsa, nwshpiocrht iasntdh eB rl eoaasdt craesstti rnigc .t iOv en at hc reoostshaelrl hs eacntdo ,r sS owui nt hd t hR ee choi rgdhiensgt , SMT Ro tI i socno rPei sc tcuorme sp, aAr ec cdotuontthi ne gr eSset rov fi ct ehse aOnEdC DA, i rw Ti t rha tnhsep roer gt ual raet i ot hn es for Air Transport being the most restrictive. Consequently, it is relatively safe to conclude that given the less than onerous nature of the UK’s current regulatory environment, and its stated drive to become a globally competitive and integrated economy, as it seeks to emerge from the shadows of the EU, the penchant to introduce unnecessarily burdensome regulations that affect the trade in services may be significantly moderated, towards a more open and inclusive posture as it relates to its internal regulatory requirements. This stance will also be assisted by the fact that it no longer has to abide by rules and regulations set by a distant European Commission, which for a long time may not have comported with its own interests and direction. In relation to the CF-UK bilateral services and investment framework and regulatory environment, while there are no major differences between the UK’s commitments under the CF-EU EPA and those under the bilateral CF-UK EPA, with the evolution of time there are likely to emerge a few pros and cons for CARIFORUM under the new bilateral arrangement. This will depend on factors such as any positive or negative divergences in the UK’s internal regulatory arrangements vis-a vis the EU, or the availability of new and better terms of access for CARIFORUM arising from the triggering of the MFN clause due to either partner’s trade negotiating agenda. The UK, however, represents an immediate benefit for CARIFORUM due to its relatively less onerous regulatory environment and open services and investment regime for both imports and exports. v. Summary of the CF-UK Services and Investment Framework and Sector Regulations

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