CARIBBEAN COUNCIL

Trade Policy, Trade & Investment Promotion & Information

The Caribbean Council provides specialist consultancy services in trade policy, trade and investment promotion and information provision. The aim of the organization is to support the gradual integration of the Caribbean into the global economy.

The Caribbean Council is a registered company that is wholly owned by a UK registered charity, the Caribbean Foundation. All of the profits of the Caribbean Council are remitted to the Caribbean Foundation to support scholarships, bursaries and other areas of academic endeavour that benefit the Caribbean region.

It is able to provide private sector associations, public sector bodies, companies, governments and others with:

• Closely targeted economic and political intelligence;
• Advocacy;
• Support before, during and after trade policy negotiations;
• Timely research, analysis and strategic advice;
• Support with export development and trade promotion;
• Investment facilitation;
• Support in creating capacity and strategic partnerships;
• The organisation internationally of large and small conferences, seminars and workshops and other events.

The Caribbean Council has a full time staff of six persons based in Europe and associate consultants working in Brussels, Geneva and Washington. It has representatives in the Caribbean region in the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.


ACTIVITIES

Trade policy:
The Caribbean Council provides targeted intelligence and reporting from the World Trade Organisation, the European Commission, EU member states and other bodies. Those it supports include Caribbean industries, public sector institutions, companies and governments.

The Caribbean Council provides support in a manner that facilitates the participation of those that it works within international trade negotiations and in a manner that enables strategic planning. The Caribbean Council is able to provide a flow of information on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. It is able to provide a comprehensive coverage of issues affecting the future viability and day to day operations of Caribbean sectors and industries. Briefing papers on key trade and development issues affecting the Caribbean region are produced on a regular basis. The Caribbean Council is able also to provide reporting and analysis on a one-off basis if required.

Trade development and promotion services:
The Caribbean Council provides a trade and investment promotion and advisory service for Caribbean and European businesses, governments, the public sector and to private sector organisations. This service includes:

• The organisation of trade and investment missions on a two-way basis between Europe and the Caribbean (sectoral and horizontal) as well as workshops, seminars and trade fairs in Europe and the Caribbean.
• Advice and support to private sector organisations to assist in the creation of business development programmes.
• Provision of advice and support to private sector organisations in developing services for their members and their financial viability.
• Organisation of national and EU pavilions at major trade fairs in Cuba and elsewhere.
• Support for Caribbean investment promotion programmes working with Caribbean government agencies in Europe.

Support in capacity building:
The Caribbean Council has long recognised that a missing component in many development programmes are effective and sustainable measures that enhance the capacity of institutions in the private sector and civil society.

International events organisation:
The Caribbean Council has a successful track record of organising throughout the Caribbean and Europe international conferences seminars and workshops on its own behalf and in conjunction with Governments, donor agencies and the private sector.


International Management Consultants in Social Infrastructure


TYPICAL PROJECTS

CARIBBEAN - WIRSPA, the West Indies Rum and Spirits Producers Association: Delivery of strategy papers, reporting, analysis, the production of technical and other papers, advocacy in Europe, the Caribbean and the US for the Caribbean rum industry.

CARIBBEAN - Caribbean enterprises: Advice and support to individual Caribbean and European enterprises in relation to EC instruments for the private sector; the ways in which individual company interests are affected by international trade negotiations; establishing joint ventures; information provision; arranging meetings with the EC and other European institutions; help in EU member states.

CUBA - Cuban Chamber of Commerce and various Cuban enterprises: Organisation of conferences, seminars and one on one meetings to encourage investment, joint ventures and awareness in the tourism, biotechnology, information technology, organic farming and other key sectors.

CARIBBEAN - CHA, Caribbean Hotels Association: Delivery of strategy papers, reporting, analysis and advocacy in Europe and the Caribbean for the Caribbean tourism industry.

CARIBBEAN - Trade Partners UK: Trade development services focusing on: ethnic minority businesses in the UK: and on Cuba.

ST LUCIA - Government of St Lucia: Information provision; targeted actions to enhance and deliver investment in specific sectors and areas of St Lucia; and the creation of a high-level European business forum to assist in the development of St Lucia.

PUERTO RICO - Government of Puerto Rico: Information provision; targeted programme of activities in the United Kingdom and in Germany to encourage investment in identified high technology sectors.

GUYANA - Guyana Rice Development Board: Delivery of strategy, information, and advocacy in Europe and the Caribbean.

GRENADA - UK Department For International Development, Oxfam and others: Delivery of a seminar in Grenada on Alternative Approaches to development in the Caribbean

CARIBBEAN - European Commission: Delivery of a sequence of major annual conferences in the Caribbean on Europe/Caribbean relations.

CARIBBEAN - DTI/British Trade International: Oversight and delivery of UK/Caribbean export and investment promotional/development programme through the Caribbean Trade Advisory Group.

CUBA - European Commission (DG External Affairs): Organisation of national and European pavilions with Europe-wide participation at the Havana International Fair and Santiago de Cuba Fair, Cuba.

CARIBBEAN - Caribbean Association of Industry and Commerce and other Caribbean private sector associations: Production of in depth studies indicating the requirements of the regional private sector from post Lomé arrangements with the ACP.

EXPERIENCE IN
CARIBBEAN: Anguilla, Antigua, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Barbuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Curacao, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Jamaica, Martinique, Montserrat, Puerto Rico, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent & The Grenadines, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos Islands, US Virgin Islands

CENTRAL AMERICA: Belize

SOUTH AMERICA: Guyana, Surinam

SECTORS AND DISCIPLINES
Agriculture: Agri-business
Institutional: Capacity building
Institutional: Governance
Institutional: Information technology
Institutional: Management
Institutional: Public sector reform
Institutional: Standards
Management: Business planning
Management: Communications
Management: Enterprise development
Management: Exhibitions
Management: Export promotion
Management: Information technology
Management: Marketing / sales
Management: Management consultants
Management: Restructuring
Tourism: Heritage & culture management
Tourism: Hotel & tourism infrastructure
Tourism: Marketing
Tourism: National & regional tourism development
Tourism: Pro-poor tourism
Tourism: Sustainable development

SECTORS AND DISCIPLINES

EXPERIENCE IN