UK Trade Adviser meets GMSA..
The Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA), on March 6th, engaged in a discussion with the Caribbean’s Regional Trade Adviser of the UK’s Department of International Trade (DIT) and Department for International Development (DFID), Ms. Rachel Wilson. She met with members of the Forestry Sub-sector (of the GMS), specifically those exporting to the UK.
Those in attendance included GMSA’s President, Mr. Shyam Nokta, Executive Member, Mr. Ramesh Dookhoo, Chairman of the Forestry & Wood Products Sub-sector, Mr. Rafeek Khan, and representatives from Barama Company and Variety Woods.
Ms. Wilson explained that the UK is currently in the process of transforming economic partnership between the European Union (EU) and the CARIFORUM to the UK and the CARIFORUM. She claimed that they are hoping to have that in place for the end of March 2019. She also stated that currently, no agreement has been made. Additionally, she iterated that in the case of there being no deal for Brexit, there will be a fall back on the UK-CARIFORUM agreement. However, this has not been signed yet. Furthermore, she lamented that there is a risk that there would not be an agreement in place.
Ms. Wilson informed the GMSA representatives that there can be a possible situation where there may be a trading gap in terms of market access and duties. She further stated that Guyana would only be subjected to tariffs in the case of no withdrawal agreement and no EPA agreement signed.
Mr. Nokta alluded to the fact that Guyana has been exporting to the UK for a period, but in the last few years, Guyana now faces the situation where a decision was taken by the UK to require certification and other measures for Greenheart lumber. Furthermore, he claimed that attaining FSC Certification for manufacturers in the forestry sector is a challenge because of the system of multiple resource use. However, Ms. Wilson was in no position to give an update about the UK’s recent ban on the Greenheart lumber.
Mr. Khan hoped that Brexit would give the UK a chance to work independently with Guyana regarding the recent restriction on greenheart lumber. He shared the same concerns as Mr. Nokta in that many operators in Guyana have not been able to acquire FSC certification and this proves to be a challenge for the Forestry sector as a whole.
Ms Wilson stated that the UK-EPA is currently designing a fund for firms that are affected by Brexit. She claimed that this would be in the form of a Grant. However, the UK-EPA are still in the process of designing the criteria for access of these funds.
The following below are resource links for members who are currently trading or wish to trade with the UK following the scheduled Brexit. The resources are as follows:
- Technical Notices: A set of papers developed by HM Government to provide detail on how to prepare for Brexit if there is no deal. Section on importing and exporting likely to be of particular relevance: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/how-to-prepare-if-the-uk-leaves-the-eu-with-no-deal
- Business Readiness Tool: A tool, including a set of questions, to direct businesses to the most relevant information and to outline the steps they should take ahead of the EU exit: www.euexit.campaign.gov.uk
- Partnership Pack: HMRC produced pack to support businesses preparing for day one if the UK leaves the EU without a deal, particular focus on issues at the border: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/partnership-pack-preparing-for-a-no-deal-eu-exit
- Online Enquiry Tool: Use this if you still have questions after having visited all of the above websites: www.great.gov.uk/eu-exit-news/contact/.
