In 2008 the European Union and the CARIFORUM States (1) signed an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), intended to increase competitiveness, economic growth and development, supporting regional integration in the Caribbean and participation in the world trading system. The implementation of the EPA is a priority for both regions.
In this context, the CarIPI project, funded under the 11th European Development Fund, is conceived as one of the components of the Programme ‘Support to CARIFORUM States in furthering the implementation of their Economic Partnership Agreement commitments and in meaningfully reaping the benefits of the Agreement’. CARIPI aims at contributing to attaining the commitments and expected benefits of the EPA, laying the ground for a sustainable long-term regional framework and cooperation on Intellectual Property (IP).
The overall objective of CarIPI is:
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To contribute to the integration of the Caribbean Forum of ACP Group of States into the World Economy, through strengthening the enabling framework that stimulates innovation and competitiveness of the private sector.
The specific objective is:
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To further upgrade and harmonise the systems for IP creation, protection, administration and enforcement in line with the EPA provisions, and to contribute to regional integration in Intellectual Property Rights (IPR).
CarIPI is an international cooperation project funded by the European Union, co-funded and implemented by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO). It has an initial duration of 4 years and a half starting from the 1 November 2019.
([1]) the CARIFORUM States (CS), a subgroup of the African, Caribbean, and Pacific Group of States (ACP), serving as a base for economic dialogue with the European Union, are: Antigua & Barbuda; the Bahamas; Barbados; Belize; Dominica; Dominican Republic; Grenada; Guyana; Haiti; Jamaica; Saint Lucia; St Vincent and the Grenadines; St Kitts and Nevis; Suriname; Trinidad & Tobago; and Cuba.