International treaty

Memorandum of Understanding between the UK and the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago

Updated 5 February 2021

This international treaty was withdrawn on

These MoUs no longer apply. Saint Christopher and Nevis and Trinidad and Tobago have provisionally applied the CARIFORUM economic partnership agreement.

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/memorandum-of-understanding-between-the-uk-and-cariforum-states-on-the-economic-partnership-agreement/memorandum-of-understanding-between-the-uk-and-the-republic-of-trinidad-and-tobago

This MoU has been withdrawn as it is out of date. The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago have now ratified the CARIFORUM agreement.

MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND AND THE REPUBLIC OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO CONCERNING THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR APPLYING THE EFFECTS OF THE ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CARIFORUM STATES, OF THE ONE PART, AND THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND, OF THE OTHER PART

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (“the United Kingdom” or “UK”) and the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago (together, hereinafter referred to as “the Participants”),

  • Noting that international agreements concluded by the European Union, Member States acting on its behalf or by the European Union and its Member States acting jointly will cease to apply in respect of the United Kingdom at the end of the transition period, in accordance with Part Four (in particular, Articles 126 and 129) of the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community signed on 24 January 2020,

  • Recognising that:

    • the United Kingdom signed on 22 March 2019 in Saint Lucia
    • the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago signed on 1 April 2019 in London,

an Economic Partnership Agreement between the CARIFORUM States[footnote 1], of the one part, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, of the other part (“the CARIFORUM-UK EPA”) to continue the effects, as between them, of the Economic Partnership Agreement between the CARIFORUM States, of the one part, and the European Community and its Member States, of the other part (“the CARIFORUM-EU EPA”),

  • Recognising that the necessary domestic procedures required for the CARIFORUM-UK EPA to enter into effect as between the UK and the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago at the end of the transition period will not have been completed,

  • Desiring nevertheless to continue the effects of the relationship between the Participants provided for by the CARIFORUM-EU EPA without interruption,

Have reached the following understandings:

Section 1: Purpose

The Participants intend that the effects of the CARIFORUM-EU EPA should continue as between them, without interruption once the CARIFORUM-EU EPA ceases to apply to the United Kingdom.

Section 2: Treatment of the CARIFORUM-UK EPA

In pursuance of the purpose in section 1, the Participants have decided to treat the provisions of the CARIFORUM-UK EPA, as having effect as between them for the period between the CARIFORUM-EU EPA ceasing to apply to the United Kingdom and the coming into effect as between them of the CARIFORUM-UK EPA.

Section 3: Entry into effect of the CARIFORUM-UK EPA

The Participants will use their best endeavours to bring the CARIFORUM-UK EPA into effect as between them within three months of this Memorandum coming into effect.

The Participants accept that, following bringing the CARIFORUM-UK EPA into effect, any action carried out pursuant to this Memorandum will be understood to have been carried out pursuant to the CARIFORUM-UK EPA.

Section 4: Amendment

This Memorandum may be amended at any time by the mutual written consent of the Participants between whom this Memorandum is in effect.

Section 5: Termination

This Memorandum may be terminated as between the Participants by one of them giving one week’s written notice to the other, or such shorter period as the the Participants may decide.

In any event, this Memorandum will terminate as between the Participants without any further notice on the earlier of the date of the CARIFORUM-UK EPA coming into effect as between the Participants and three months of this Memorandum coming into effect.

The Participants will consult to determine how any outstanding matters should be dealt with on termination.

Section 6: Disputes

The Participants will consult at the request of any of the Participants identifying a concern about the interpretation or application of this Memorandum and endeavour to resolve the matter between themselves. The Participants accept that they will not seek recourse to any national or international tribunal or any third party for settlement of such matters.

Section 7: Effective date

This Memorandum will come into effect on the date the CARIFORUM-EU EPA ceases to apply to the United Kingdom as between the Participants. The foregoing represents the understandings reached between the Participants on the matters referred to in this Memorandum.

  1. The CARIFORUM States are: Antigua and Barbuda, The Commonwealth of The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, The Commonwealth of Dominica, The Dominican Republic, Grenada, The Republic of Guyana, The Republic of Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Christopher and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and The Grenadines, The Republic of Suriname and The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. The Republic of Haiti and the Republic of Suriname have not signed the CARIFORUM-UK EPA. ↩

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