 |
|
|
March 10, 2008 - Kingston/Belize/BoxtelTACARI EU market access seminar in KingstonFrom March 3-5 the TACARI partners Belize, The Netherlands, Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago and Suriname successfully organized a TACARI EU market access seminar in Kingston, Jamaica. This seminar, which took place at the Knutford Court Hotel, concluded the EU market access capacity building activities which have been implemented in the past 10 months in the TACARI partner countries.
The seminar was a great success with almost 60 participants, from the TACARI partner countries and Barbados. Opening speeches were given by Mrs. Berletta Forrester (Manager Trade Promotion) and Mr. Robert Gregory (President) from Jamaica Trade & Invest /JAMAPRO, Mrs. Dionne Miranda and Mrs. Kim Aikman from the Belize Chamber of Commerce & Industry (TACARI lead partner) and Mr. Carlo Pettinato from the European Commission’s delegation in Kingston. Mr. Pettinato emphasized the importance of the TACARI capacity building project and vast potential of the EU market. He also announced that the European Commission would provide Jamaica and the wider Caribbean with new trade related support in order to increase trade, especially in the context of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with CARIFORUM. Mr. Pettinato further stated that “The Caribbean region can (now) export to the European Union completely quota free and duty free, except for sugar and rice, which has a short transition period. Now, perhaps, comes the most difficult part, which is what it is that we need (to do) in order to export (more) into the biggest market in the world”.
The Key note speech was given by Minister of State, Honorable Michael Stern, Minister of Industry, Investment & Commerce. Mr. Stern elaborated on importance of fully preparing the private sector for EU market access. Mr. Stern said that Jamaica and the entire Caribbean had "immense potential in terms of our natural and unnatural resources," which could yield significant benefits if the necessary preparations are undertaken to tap into those markets”. The EU is the largest importer of food products in the world. Caribbean initiatives such as TACARI play an important role in increasing EU market access capacity and marking the region more competitive.
Mr. Oyono Vlijter from EGA (the Dutch TACARI partners) presented the project results during the opening ceremony and handed out the certificates of participation to the Intermediary Business Organizations (IBOs) which participated in the technical ‘in house’ training activities. The results of this project have been impressive. The project partners have trained 20 IBOs within a 4 months period, 8 more than planned at the start of the project. We have trained a total of 76 staff of participating IBOs. All IBOs are now in the process of (further) developing fee based business development services focusing on the EU market. TACARI partners have developed a very practical manual and training program which for further developing EU market access knowledge in the coming years. Establishing the TACARI EU market access network has also been an excellent achievement. Partners are planning to expand this network in the coming years.
Mr. Vlijter (with roots in Suriname) again emphasized the importance of the EU market, with over 495 million consumers and a GDP of more than 12 trillion euros. For CARICOM/CARIFORUM producers there is a lot of market potential, especially in the new member states in Eastern Europe. Consumers in these countries are rapidly increasing their purchasing power and are looking for niche market products. In addition, exports to the EU can compensate for the decrease of trade with the US, due to the current economic slow down. The TACARI partners will continue with further developing their fee based services and are planning to initiate new activities, such as business matching events in Europe. The latter could be implemented with the financial and technical assistance from PRO€INVEST.
After the opening speeches and project summery Mrs. Maryse Coutsouradis, coordinator of the Export Helpdesk of the European Commission (DG Trade) gave an introduction on the Export Helpdesk. The Export Helpdesk is a valuable tool for assisting developing countries with promoting exports to the EU. Mr. David Gomez from Launchpad Conulting (Belize) gave an introduction on the latest developments with regard to the Economic partnership agreements. Mr. Erik Helmer Hansen from the Enterprise Europe Network in Odense (Denmark) did the same for EU food safety and Ms Gabriele Hanisch from the Enterprise Europe Network in Stuttgart (Germany) for international business cooperation. These topics were further discussed during the plenary session and workshops on day 2 of the seminar.
Day 2 of the seminar started with an introduction of the (extended) PRO€INVEST program and a full presentation on the EPA development by Mr. David Gomze, from Belize. The EPAs will provide many opportunities to CARICOM producers, but will first force the countries to become more competitive. The extended PRO€INVEST program will play an important role in making these countries more competitive, by supporting projects focusing on increasing EU market access capabilities of CARICOM producers. The program will also support business matching between Caribbean and EU producers. The new program will be launched in April. The TACARI partners are currently looking into the possibility of developing a follow up project.
Before the start of the workshops Mr. Kenneth van Gom from GOM FOOD Industries (1989) in Suriname gave a ‘best EU market access practice’ presentation about his company. The company produces special soya sauces and has in the past few years started with exports to the EU (the Netherlands). The company is currently producing more than 90.000 liters of soya sauces. Mr. van Gom explained the process of going into the EU market and how this has benefited his company. It was a very good and lively presentation, with pictures and samples. Mr. Vlijter told the audience that it is companies like these which must be (further) assisted by the business intermediaries. There are many CARICOM producers with export potential to the EU. The task of the participating intermediaries is to identify the companies and assist them with going into the EU market.
A special information session was organized by Mr. John Bell from the PRO€INVEST management unit in Brussels, after the company visit on day 3 – visit to the coffee roasting plant in Mandeville of Jamaica Standard Products on day 3. Due to a flight delay Mr. Bell was not able to present the extended PRO€INVEST program during the opening on the 2nd day of the seminar. A total of 15 participants from Jamaica, Belize, Trinidad, Barbados and Suriname participated in this 2 hour session at the Knutfort Court Hotel. Mr. Bell has been able to speak with various stakeholders on the island and will in the coming months visit other ACP countries in the region in preparation of the first call of the extended PRO€INVEST program (2008-2011).
On Thursday March 6 an additional TACARI EU market access training was organized for the Jamaica Employers’ Federation (JEF). JEF was not able to participated in the training sessions in January due to the full training schedule of Mr. Vlijter from EGA (the Dutch TACARI partner). A total of 7 persons (5 from JEF and 2 from JTI) participated in this in house training. International Business Cooperation, product marketing and food labeling were the main topics which were discussed.
For more information about this project, please contact your nearest TACARI partner.
Click HERE for pictures of the TACARI seminar and company visit. Belize City/Belmopan/Boxtel January 28, 2008Last TACARI EU market access training successfully concluded in BelizeThe final TACARI EU market access training week took place in Belize (Belize City, Belmopan and Stann Creek) from Janaury 21-25. In Belize the following organizations participated in the EU market access training:
A total of 23 staff employees participated in this training. The training was given by Mr. Oyono Vlijter, EU market access expert from the EGA, the TACARI project partner in the Netherlands. Mr. Vlijter has developed and implemented various international projects since 2000 and is one of the initiators of the TACARI project (and its predecessor EU-CABCARI; 2006).
The training in Belize focused on the following subjects: General product safety, food safety, International Business Cooperation (export plan), market research and product marketing, EU funding opportunities and project development and management, Export Helpdesk and calculating service fees. Also in Belize, intermediaries are developing new or additional fee based services through TACARI. TACARI has provided effective methods on how to do this. Through TACARI intermediaries have learned that their members (SMEs) have much more EU market access potential and that developing new fee based services is not as complicated as it looks.
The Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry (lead partner of the project) has coordinated the training activities in Belize and will further promote the TACARI EU market access BDS in this country. The final project event will be held in Kingston, Jamaica from March 3-5. This will be the TACARI ‘best EU market access practices seminar’. Approximately 60 participants from Jamaica, Suriname, Belize, Trinidad & Tobago and other CARICOM member states will participate in this seminar. For more information about the seminar, please click HERE.
The TACARI project has so far been very successful. We have been able to train more intermediary business organizations than expected. Our goal was to train 12 intermediaries. However, we have trained 3 intermediaries in Trinidad, 3 in Suriname, 8 in Jamaica and 5 in Belize; a total of 19 business intermediaries. The training method, using a holistic, interactive and multimedia approach, has also been innovative and effective. As in Jamaica, Trinidad and Suriname, non of the participating IBOs have ever participated in this type of training where they learn about the different aspects of EU market access in a single training program.
For pictures of the TACARI training in Belize, please click HERE.
Kingston/Boxtel January 19, 2008TACARI training implemented in Kingston, JamaicaFrom January 14-18 the TACARI project implemented a successful EU market access training program in Kingston, Jamaica. The training was given by Mr. Oyono Vlijter, EU market access expert from the TACARI project partner in the Netherlands, EGA. The following IBOs in Jamaica participated in this training program:
A total of 46 staff persons received in house training on the following EU market access and Business Development Services (BDS) topics: General product safety, food safety, International Business Cooperation (export plan), market research and product marketing, Corporate Social Responsibility, EU funding opportunities and project development and management, Export Helpdesk, calculating service fees and how to find information on the EU website. Topics such as International Business Cooperation, food safety, EU funding, and project development and management were discussed in detail.
Developing fee based BDS is for participating IBOs an essential objective in order to provide better services to their members and at the same time increase their EU market access knowledge and generate additional income for their organization. Most IBOs in Jamaica are planning to or are in the process of developing fee based services. Some IBOs are already charging their members for additional services (i.e. not covered by the membership fee): participation in seminars, workshops and market research. TACARI is offering these organization a unique tool - i.e. custom made EU market access manual, 150 sheets power point presentation and info clips from the European Commission on EU market access and specific policy fields - to further successfully develop these services. IBOs are very satisfied with the holistic EU market access approach TACARI provides; this has increased the effectiveness of the training. Non of the participating IBOs have ever participated in this type of training where they learn about the various aspects of EU market access. IBOs will further develop fee based BDS in the coming months.
Jamaica Trade & Invest (JAMPRO) is the TACARI partner in Jamaica and has coordinated these training activities in Kingston. JTI will in the coming weeks assist with the preparations for the TACARI seminar which will be held in Kingston, from March 3-5. Approximately 60 participants from Jamaica and other CARICOM member states will be invited for this seminar. For more information about the seminar, please click HERE.
From January 21-25 a similar training program will be implemented in Belize.
For pictures of the TACARI training in Kingston, please click HERE.
Trinidad/Suriname/Boxtel – December 4, 2007TACARI ‘in house’ training implemented in Trinidad & SurinameAfter a thorough preparation the TACARI technical training missions in Trinidad and Suriname were successfully implemented from November 19 – December 4. A customized EU market access training manual was made for the participating organizations. The training missions focused on developing fee based EU market access Business Development Services (BDS). The missions were implemented by Mr. Oyono Vlijter, an EU market access expert from EGA, the Netherlands. EGA is one of the TACARI project partners and part of the EIC network since 1987. Mr. Vlijter has roots in the Caribbean and is Head of the Euro Info Centre in Boxtel. He has build expertise on various EU market access topic since 2002; including international business cooperation, EU funding and product safety.
The first training mission took place in Trinidad (Port of Spain) from November 19-23. Three intermediary business organizations were selected for this training: the Employers’ Consultative Association of Trinidad & Tobago (ECA; TACARI partner), the Trinidad & Tobago Manufacturers Association (TTMA) and the Trinidad & Tobago Chamber of Industry & Commerce. The in house training sessions were held at the TTMA and ECA. The in house training in Suriname took place at the Suriname Trade & Industry Association (VSB). Beside the VSB, the Suriname Bureau of Standards, Rijstpak NV, Gom Food NV en Consulting Partners NV participated in the training sessions. Also in Suriname, the participants were very enthusiastic and eager to learn about the various aspects of EU market entrée.
Different EU market access topics were discussed during 4 and 5 day interactive training sessions in Trinidad and Suriname. EU market access topics were based on the TACARI survey and included international business cooperation, general product safety, food safety, the Export Helpdesk and responsible entrepreneurship (CSR). Other topics such as EU funding, project management, finding information on the EU website, organizing EU market access workshops/seminars, providing customer made assistance, calculating service fees and organizational management and performance. During the training sessions several short video clips from the Audio Visual services of the European Commission were shown to the participants; including a video on the EU fruit and vegetable policies, general product safety, EU funding for SMEs, food labeling and maritime policies.
With the knowledge gained the participating business intermediaries will, in the coming months, develop or further develop their fee based EU market access Business Development Services. This training clearly contributed to the objectives of the intermediaries to develop additional fee based services for their members/companies. These BDS will allow them to generate addition income and further develop their expertise on EU market access. Participating organizations have appointed an EU market access information officers who will be responsible for further developing the BDS. This information officers will be responsible for updating their website and developing an EU market access BDS implementation for the coming 12 months (actions to be taken, EU market access promotions, seminars etc.). The intermediaries will present their EU market access BDS at the TACARI ‘best EU market access practices’ seminar which will be held from March 3-5 in Kingston, Jamaica.
The next TACARI EU market access training missions will be implemented in Jamaica and Belize, from January 14-30. Due to the large amount of interest in the TACARI project 12 intermediaries have been selected for the in house training in Jamaica and Belize.
For pictures of the TACARI training missions in Trinidad and Suriname click HERE Belize/Boxtel – October 9,2007Successful TACARI partner meeting in BelizeFrom October 1-3 representatives from all TACARI partners were in Belize for the first joint project meeting. The meeting was hosted by the project Lead Partner, the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry and took place at the Belize Biltmore Plaza hotel. During this 3-day meeting all partners presented their countries and indicated which sectors would be of specific importance in the context of TACARI. Based on the latter, and a survey which was conducted before the meeting, a tentative list of Intermediary Business Organizations (IBOs) was drafted. These IBOs will participate in the technical training missions which will start at the end of November in Trinidad & Tobago and Suriname. The second phase of the training missions will be implemented in January 2008.
Partners also drafted the (tentative) program for the ‘best EU market access practices’ seminar which will be organized from March 3-5, 2008 in Kingston Jamaica. Approximately 55-60 representatives from IBOs, public authorities and the private sector will participate in this seminar. Representatives from PRO€INVEST (which is providing technical and financial assistance), DG Trade (Export-Helpdesk unit from the European Commission), CARICOM, regional EU representatives and experts from European Info Centre (EIC) Stuttgart and Antwerp will also be participating in this event.
During the partner meeting the TACARI EU market access Business Development Services manual was also presented. This manual will be implemented by selected IBOs during the training missions. Partners also signed an EU market access cooperation agreement, which will promote new EU market access activities after the project. In addition, EGA presented the various aspects of EU project management. On day 3 the TACARI partners visited a Tilapia (fish) farm and processing plant. This plant already complies with the HACCP standards and is almost ready to export to the EU.
The BCCI and EGA gave two radio and two television interviews to promote the project. After these interviews the BCCI received a lot of positive feedback and various questions on EU market access.
For pictures of the partner meeting click HERE Belize City/Boxtel, July 23 2007Project kick off in BelizeOn October 1st , 2nd and 3rd the TACARI kick off event will take place in Belize City, Belize. The Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), the lead partner of this project, is organising this event. The project kick off will take place at the Biltmore Plaza hotel in Belize City. During this meeting the project partners will discuss the project activities which have already started and the activities for the coming months. At this meeting the results of the EU market access survey will be discussed and a final list of intermediary business organisations will be confirmed. These organisation will participate in the EU market access capacity building training mission and will participate in the ‘best EU market access practices seminar’ in Kingston, Jamaica. The first EU market access training will be organised at the end of November in Suriname and Trinidad. The second training mission will be implemented in January (2008) in Belize and Jamaica.
For more information about the project, please contact one of the project partners.
Belize City/Boxtel, July 17, 2007Start TACARI projectThe Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry has start the TACARI project with its CARICOM and EU partners. TACARI will promote CARICOM – EU trade by providing intermediary business organisations in Belize, Surinam, Trinidad & Tobago and Jamaica with direct technical training on EU market access. The takes a very practical and hands on approach to EU market access capacity building. At least 12 intermediary business organisation in these countries will receive in house training on how to develop and provide EU market access services to their members/clients. This training will be implemented by experts from the Euro Info Centre in Boxtel. The Euro Info Centre (EIC) network covers 48 countries with over 300 centres and is the main business support network of the European Commission. The final event of the project is a ‘best practices’ seminar on EU market access in Jamaica (in March 2008).
This project is implemented with the technical and financial support from Proinvest, an EU-ACP partnership program, implemented and financed by the European Commission on behalf of the ACP countries. TACARI is the follow up project of the successful EU-CABCARI project which was also support by Proinvest and implemented in 2006. During this project a 5-day EU market access training was organised in Surinam.
The following organisations are participating in this project:
|
| |||||||||||
