Castries, June 16th, 2016; The Ministry of Commerce, Business Development, Investment and Consumer Affairs, in collaboration with the CARICOM Competition Commission will be hosting a training seminar on, "Competition Law and Policy," on Friday, June 17th, 2016 from 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. at the Bay Gardens Hotel.

This introductory Level I training is designed to raise knowledge and awareness of Competition Law and Policy in Saint Lucia and build institutional capacity to enable the implementation of the CARIFORUM-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA). The target stakeholders include public and private sector organizations, professional bodies, sector regulators, media and consumer organizations and academia.

This training is funded by the European Union and forms part of a 10th European Development Fund (EDF) project for capacity building within CARIFORUM, in support of the implementation of commitments given under the CARIFORUM-EU EPA. The training will be delivered by a competition expert from the CARICOM Competition Commission (CCC) selected by the consulting firm Equinoccio, which has been contracted to execute the 10th EDF project for capacity building within CARIFORUM Member States.

This training also forms part of the Ministry's mandate to promote, maintain and encourage fair competition and to prohibit anticompetitive business practices. The CCC has a similar mandate under Chapter 8 of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas (RTC) for competition with cross-border effects within the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).

The Ministry of Commerce, Business Development, Investment and Consumer Affairs welcomes the collaboration between CARIFORUM and the EU to deliver this training and looks forward to future partnerships in the area of Competition Law and Policy.

For further information please contact Mrs. Aisha Jn Baptiste Sealy, CSME Focal Point at 468-4207/285-8611 or email aisha.jnbaptiste@govt.lc.