THE controversial Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between CARIFORUM countries and the European Commission (EC) was yesterday signed by Guyana in Brussels, Belgium.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Carolyn Rodrigues explained that the Agreement was signed by Guyana’s Ambassador to the European Union, Dr. Patrick Gomes, and was in keeping with President Bharrat Jagdeo’s recent announcement that the deal would be signed by Guyana later in the month, following its official signing by the other CARIFORUM countries in Barbados on October 15 last.

President Jagdeo had pointed out that Guyana would be signing the deal though the country still had a number of concerns about many of its provisions. He had noted, however, that Guyana’s stand to hold out for some time on signing had resulted in a resounding success with Europe including his two proposed clauses.

He explained that the additional clauses would now benefit the entire region. The clauses included stipulated that Europe would review the Agreement every five years to analyse the economic impact the deal had on the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and would make changes should the impact be adverse.

“We won a mandatory review, not a review based on European whim or fancy, but a mandatory review which will take place every five years and a commitment to provide for impact, should it be adverse, to change the EPA and its provisions or the implementation of the EPA were it to impact negatively on our people. It is a huge development and the whole region will benefit from it,” Mr. Jagdeo had said at a press briefing last week.

The Guyanese leader had explained too, that Europe also committed to ‘take into account the revised Treaty of Chaguaramas’.

“We were hoping to get stronger language. We didn’t get that in our negotiations — the Guyana negotiations with the EC…but at least we got a commitment now that they will take into account the revised Treaty of Chaguaramas and respect the provisions of the Single Market and Economy, “ President Jagdeo had said last week. (GINA)