The cariforum Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) and beyond

Proposals to include provisions relating to so-called behind-the-border policies in Economic Partnership Agreements, including those relating to government procurement and competition law, were a source of public controversy and, if the stated positions of negotiators are taken at face value, significant disagreement between the parties concerned. Now that the European Commission, acting on behalf of the EU member states, has initialled an EPA with the Caribbean states there is an opportunity to dispassionately assess the contents and possible effects of provisions relating to behind-the-border policies. Such an assessment is presented here and the implications for the remaining EPA negotiations as well as for Caribbean nations, including the potential impact on subsequent efforts to integrate regional markets, are discussed.