TRINNEX Indian Ocean 2011, Reinforcing capacities of private sectors to better adapt to new trade regulations
TRINNEX (Trade and Investment Nexus) is an instrument, designed to sensitize and prepare the ACP private sector through their IOs and REGs to actively contribute to trade policy negotiations and more particularly to the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA) negotiations of the European Union. The action was undertaken to:
- Sensitize and prepare the ACP private sector through IOs and REGs to actively participate and contribute to trade policy negotiations specially “Economic Partnership Agreements”
- Create awareness among the private sector operators on the impact of the EPA on their businesses enabling them to derive full benefit from the EPA
The regional workshop “TRINNEX Indian Ocean 2011” on Economic Partnership Agreement: helping the private sector to make the most of new trade opportunities, hosted by PRO€INVEST, took place in Mauritius from 22 to 23 February 2011 at the Intercontinental Resort, Balaclava.
The event brought together representatives of private sector intermediary organisations and trade officials from the Eastern and Southern Africa / Indian Ocean (ESA-IO) countries notably Comoros, Réunion (France), Madagascar, Mauritius and the Seychelles as well as representatives of the European Commission, regional intergovernmental organisations and experts, to help stakeholders better understand the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), the related challenges and opportunities, and its concrete impact on business realities. The event had in attendance, 105 participants, representing:
- 41 private sector IOs from the 5 selected countries
- 27 public sector representatives including negotiators from the 5 selected countries
- 5 EU programme partners including EC Delegations, DG Trade, Indian Ocean Commission and IRCC/COMESA
- Experts and Consultants
The workshop addressed the concerns raised by the private sector and government trade officials of the ESA-IO region on ways to enable the private sector of the region to benefit as much as possible from the EPA.
The beneficiary countries of TRINNEX IO were countries of the Indian Ocean namely Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, La Reunion (France) and the Seychelles, and EU Programme Partners.