BARBADOS, Bridgetown, CMC - The man leading the region's negotiations for an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with Europe has given a vote of confidence to the ability of African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) states to survive after the new trade deal goes into force on January 1st next year.

The European Union (EU) wants negotiations for the EPA with the African Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries to be concluded by December 31. The new agreement is intended to replace the Cotonou trade preferences with a new trade regime that the Europeans say does not discriminate against non ACP developing countries.

Director General of the Caribbean Regional Negotiating Machinery (CRNM), Ambassador Richard Bernal, said despite the concerns raised in some quarters, the region has demonstrated its ability to cope with challenges and it should be no different this time around.

"The Caribbean has survived all the changes in the global economy and if you look at our economies the per capita incomes are relatively high," he told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC).

"We have also become internationally competitive in a range of very competitive industries - financial services, tourism, industries from bauxite in Jamaica to the petro-chemicals in Trinidad - and therefore I don't think we should be so apprehensive," he said.

Bernal said he was "convinced that we have the human resources and we have the necessary means here to be internationally competitive".

He said that all that has to be done is for the region to find a way for that capacity to be applied to all sectors.

The CRNM official said the EPA would enhance the opportunities for those ACP countries that are internationally competitive, buy some time for adjustment for those that are getting ready and in some cases, reduce exposure for those that may not be.

"We can do this. We have the capacity to compete," Bernal insisted.

CMC