RESTRICTED  WORLD  TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/TPR/S/190/LCA 
1 October 2007  
 
(07-3985) 
Trade Policy Review Body  
   
 
  
 
TRADE POLICY REVIEW 
 
Report by the Secretariat 
 
SAINT LUCIA 
 
  
 
This report, prepared for the second Trade Policy Review of Saint Lucia, has 
been drawn up by the WTO Secretaria t on its own responsibility.  The 
Secretariat has, as required by the Agreement establishing the Trade Policy 
Review Mechanism (Annex 3 of the Ma rrakesh Agreement Establishing the 
World Trade Organization), sought clarification from Saint Lucia on its trade 
policies and practices. 
 
Any technical questions arising from this report may be addressed to 
Mr. Angelo Silvy (tel. 022 739 5249), and Ms. Katie Waters (tel. 022 739 5067). 
 
Document WT/TPR/G/190/LCA contains the policy statement submitted by 
Saint Lucia. 
 
 
Note: This report is subject to restricted circ ulation and press embargo until the end of the first 
 session of the meeting of the Trade Policy Review Body on Saint Lucia. Saint Lucia WT/TPR/S/190/LCA 
 Page iii 
 
 
CONTENTS 
 Page 
I. ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT 1 
 (1) S TRUCTURE OF THE ECONOMY , OUTPUT , AND EMPLOYMENT  1 
 (2) F ISCAL POLICY  3 
 (3) M ONETARY AND EXCHANGE RATE POLICY  4 
 (4) B ALANCE OF PAYMENTS , TRADE AND INVESTMENT FLOWS  5 
 (5) O UTLOOK  7 
II. TRADE AND INVESTMENT POLICY FRAMEWORK 7 
 (1) G ENERAL CONSTITUTIONAL AND LEGAL FRAMEWORK  7 
 (2) T RADE POLICY FORMULATION AND IMPLEMENTATION  8 
 (3) F OREIGN INVESTMENT REGIME  9 
 (4) I NTERNATIONAL RELATIONS  10 
 (i) World Trade Organization 10 
 (ii) Preferential agreements and arrangements 12 
III. TRADE POLICIES AND PRACTICES BY MEASURE 12 
 (1) M EASURES DIRECTLY AFFECTING IMPORTS  12 
 (i) Customs procedures, documentation, and registration 12 
 (ii) Customs valuation 13  (iii) Rules of origin 14 
 (iv) Tariffs, and other charges on imports 14 
 (v) Other levies and charges 18  (vi) Import prohibitions, restrictions, and licensing 20 
 (vii) Contingency measures 22 
 (viii) Technical regulations and standards 23  (ix) Sanitary and phytosanitary measures 24 
 (2) M
EASURES DIRECTLY AFFECTING EXPORTS  26 
 (i) Documentation, export taxes and restrictions 26  (ii) Export subsidies, financing, support and promotion 26 
 (3) M
EASURES AFFECTING PRODUCTION AND TRADE  28 
 (i) Legal framework for business and taxation 28 
 (ii) Incentives and assistance 29 
 (iii) Competition policy and regulatory issues 31  (iv) Government procurement 32 
 (v) Intellectual property rights 34 
IV. TRADE POLICIES BY SECTOR 37 
 (1) A
GRICULTURE  37 
 (2) M ANUFACTURING  40 
 (3) S ERVICES  41 
 (i) Main features 41 
 (ii) Telecommunications 41 WT/TPR/S/190/LCA Trade Policy Review 
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 Page 
 (ii) Financial services 43 
 (iii) Air transport 46 
 (iv) Maritime Transport 47  (v) Tourism 48 
 (vi) Professional services 50 
 (vii) Other offshore services 51 
REFERENCES   53 
APPENDIX TABLES  55 
 
TABLES 
 
I. ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT  
I.1 Basic macroeconomic indicators, 2000-06 1 
I.2 Balance of payments, 2001-06 5 I.3 Investment flows, 2001-05 7 
 
II. TRADE AND INVESTMENT POLICY FRAMEWORK 
 
II.1 Notifications to the WTO, 2001-07 11  
III. TRADE POLICIES AND PRACTICES BY MEASURE 
 III.1 Structure of the tariff schedule, 2006 15 
III.2 Summary analysis of the MFN tariff, 2006 16 
III.3 Tariff concessions, 2001-06 17 III.4 Import-licensing requirements, 2006 21 
III.5 Import licensing agencies and laws 22 
III.6 Fiscal incentives, 2001-06 30 III.7 Central government procurement, 2000-06 33 
III.8 Membership in international instruments on intellectual property rights 34 
 IV. TRADE POLICIES BY SECTOR 
 
IV.1 Value of domestic purchases of selected agricultural goods, 2001-06 38 IV.2 Manufacturing production, 2002-06 40 
IV.3 Telecommunications statistics, 2002-06 42 
IV.4 Cargo trade by air transport, 2001-06 46 
IV.5 Cargo trade by maritime transport, 2001-06 48 
 
APPENDIX TABLES 
 
I. ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT 
 
AI.1 Merchandise exports and re-exports by group of products, 2000-06    57 
AI.2 Merchandise imports by group of products, 2000-06      58 AI.3 Merchandise exports and re-exports by trading partner, 2000-06    59 
AI.4 Merchandise imports by trading partner, 2000-06      60 
 Saint Lucia WT/TPR/S/190/LCA 
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I. ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT 
(1) STRUCTURE OF THE ECONOMY , OUTPUT , AND EMPLOYMENT  
1. The economy of St. Lucia contracted in 2000 and 2001, but since then has been expanding at 
an increasing rate;  average annual GDP growth  (market prices) betw een 2000 and 2006 was 2.6% 
(Table I.1).  During 2004 and 2005, economic activity accelerated, driven by the construction, 
tourism, financial services, communications and distri butive trade sectors.  Preliminary data for 2006 
show estimated economic growth of 5.7% at factor prices (3.8% at market prices), mainly led by robust construction activity, as well as by strong pe rformances in road transport, electricity, and 
banking.  In contrast the tourism sector is estimated to have contracted by 2.7%. 
Table I.1 
Basic macroeconomic indicators, 2000-06 
(Per cent, unless otherwise specified) 
 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Real sector       
Nominal GDP at market prices (EC$ million)  1,907.8 1,850.7 1, 899.2 2,014.8 2,154. 0 2,382.5 2,514.0
Nominal GDP at basic prices (EC$ million) 1,616.2 1,590.8 1, 597.0 1,675.7 1,778. 5 1,932.7 2,078.8
Real GDP at basic prices (EC$ million) 1,233.6 1,187.6 1, 197.2 1,232.1 1,291. 3 1,366.1 1,444.2
GDP per capita at market prices (EC$) 12,230 11,712 11,934 12,544 13,261 14,508 14,972
GDP growth (real, market prices) -0.2 -5.1 3.0 4.1 5.6 7.7 3.8
GDP growth (real, basic prices) -0.3 -3.7 0.8 2.9 4.8 5.8 5.7
GDP components 
Total consumption (% of GDP) 84.1 86.1 89.7 94.4 84.4 90.4 78.0
   Private consumption (% of GDP) 65.5 66.7 69.0 73.8 65.3 72.0 61.4
   Government consumption (% of  GDP) 18.5 19.4 20.7 20.6 19.1 18.3 16.6
Gross capital formation (% of GDP) 25.7 24.8 21.9 20.3 21.0 23.1 29.5
Transport equipment 2.1 2.3 1.9 2.3 3.0 3.9 6.7
Other equipment 7.3 6.3 5.2 4.5 4.7 4.9 6.5
Construction 16.3 16.2 14.9 13.4 13.2 14.4 17.8
Exports of goods and services (% of GDP) 53.3 47.8 45.4 52.3 59.7 52.0 46.1
  Goods 7.5 7.9 9.9 9.6 13.7 7.8 ..
  Non-factor services 45.9 39.9 35.5 42.7 46.0 44.2 ..
Imports (% of GDP) 63.1 58.8 57.0 66.9 65.1 65.5 53.5
  Goods 44.2 39.7 38.7 47.5 46.2 46.9 ..
  Non-factor services 18.9 19.1 18.3 19.4 18.9 18.6 ..
Gross national savings (% of GDP) 12.3 9.2 7.0 0.7 8.5 2.4 ..
Foreign savings (% of GDP) 13.4 15.6 14.9 19.6 12.5 20.7
Consumer price index (end of period) 3.7 5.3 -0.3 1.0 1.5 3.9 2.4
Implicit gross value added deflator (end period) 2.3 2.2 -0.4 2.0 1.3 2.7 ..
Unemployment rate 17.5 18.9 .. 21.0 21.3 18.7 ..
General government finance (% of GDP)a       
Current revenue (% of GDP) 25.4 23.0 23.5 23.1 25.0 24.2 25.6
  of which, tax revenue 22.8 20.7 21.3 21.4 23.0 22.7 24.0
         of which taxes on international trade 11.1 10.4 11.7 12.7 13.1 12.9 13.8
             of which consumption tax 4.8 5.4 5.8 5.5 5.4 4.6 4.2
                             import duties 3.4 2.8 2.8 3.5 3.4 3.5 3.8
                             service charge on imports 1.8 1.5 1.5 1.8 2.1 2.2 2.6
                             excise tax on imports 1.4 0.8 0.8 0.9 1.1 1.2 1.6
Current expenditure 20.4 21.4 21.4 23.2 22.8 20.8 21.9
Current account balance 5.0 1.6 2.2 -0.1 2.2 3.3 3.7
Primary balance 0.6 -1.8 -1.8 -3.2 -4.0 -3.4 -3.2
Overall fiscal balance (% of GDP) -0.8 -4.0 -2.4 -6.5 -4.7 -6.3 -6.1
Total public debt (% of GDP) 43.2 47.5 55.9 62.9 68.9 67.8 72.5
Table I.1 (cont'd)WT/TPR/S/190/LCA Trade Policy Review 
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 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Money and interest rates 
Money supply, M1  (end of period) 6.9 -0.8 1.4 7.2 10.1 9.0 2.4
Broad money, M2 (end of period) 6.1 4.7 3.2 19.3 40.2 13.7 20.1
Prime lending rate (% per annum) 9.5-10.5 9.5-10.5 9.5-10.5 9.5-10.0 9.5-10.0 9.5-10.0 9.5-10.0
Other lending rates 7.5-23.0 6-23.0 6-23.0 6-23.5 6-23.5 6-23.5 6-23.5
Savings rate 4-6.0 4-6.0 3-5.5 3-4.75 3-4.75 3-4.75 3-4.75
 
.. Not available  a Fiscal year. 
 
Source:  Eastern Caribbean Central Bank a nd information provided by the author ities, (2006a) (2006b) and (2007a). 
2. St. Lucia's GDP per capita, was US$5,370 in 2005 and an estimated US$5,545 in 2006.  In 
the same year the IMF estimated GDP per cap ita in terms of purchasing power at US$5,890.1  Net aid 
per capita in 2005 was estimated by the World Bank as an outflow of US$131.2 
3. Private and public consumption accounted for some 90% of GDP in 2005.  Gross capital 
formation was affected during the period under re view by the 11 September 2001 events and by 
internal factors, such as the high cost of capita l;  investment lost share in GDP between 2000 and 
2003.  Although the share of investment in GDP has recovered since 2003, it remained below its 2000 
level until 2005;  it is estimated to have exceeded th is level in 2006.  Capita l formation growth mainly 
reflects increased construction activities,  which have a temporary character. 
4. Unemployment remains high in St. Lucia;  the unemployment rate increased with the 
deterioration of economic conditio ns over 2000-04, but declined in 2005, when it was at 18.7% 
(Table I.1) boosted by strong construction activit y.  A recent IMF study has estimated informal 
activity at some 41.5% of GDP.3  Despite solid growth rates in the past five years, poverty remains 
relatively high, with 28.8% of the population living  below the poverty line an d some 1.6% living in a 
situation of indigence, according to a recent study sponsored by the Government.4  The same report 
notes that, using an estimate of 33% above the povert y line as the criterion of vulnerability, 46.6% of 
the population was deemed to be vulnerable.  In a ddition, given the changes that have taken place in 
the banana industry, elimination of  marginal producers has led to major social dislocation, firstly in 
rural communities, and with the flight to Castri es and its surrounding area, excessive concentration 
and overcrowding, crime, and other forms of social decay.5 
5. During the period under review, St. Lucia has continued its process of structural reform, 
which has included tariff reductions through the im plementation of CARICOM's phased schedule of 
CET reductions, and the elim ination of some barriers to trade.  However, the current tariff structure 
still favours domestic manufacturing and this has led to  a high rate of effective protection, which IMF 
calculations suggest may reach 50% in manufacturing.6 
                                                      
1 IMF World Economic Outlook Database, April 200 7.  Viewed at:  http ://www.imf.org/external/ 
pubs/ft/weo/2007/01/data/weoselgr.aspx. 
2 World Bank (2007). 
3 Vuletin (2007). 
4 Kairi Consultants, Ltd. (2006).  The estimate for the indigence line was EC$3.40 (US$1.27) daily or 
EC$131 (US$46) per month or EC$1,570 (US$588) annually.  The poverty line per adult was estimated to be EC$13.93 (US$5.22) daily or EC$423.83 (US$159) monthly or EC$5,086 (US$1,905) per annum. 
5 Kairi Consultants, Ltd. (2006). 
6 IMF (2006), p. 21.  The IMF study shows that this results from relatively high net tariffs on 
competing imports and low tariffs on imported inputs, partly  as a result of tax concessions;  as well as from the Saint Lucia WT/TPR/S/190/LCA 
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6. The share of services in GDP at basic prices is around 77%, with tour ism-related activities, 
such as hotels and restaurants, and transporta tion taking the lead.  Other service activities of 
importance include wholesale and retail trade, banki ng and insurance, and communications, as well as 
government services.  The share of GDP accounted for by agriculture has continued to fall over time, 
from 4.9% in 2000 to just 2.3% in 2005.  The manufacturing sector's share in GDP increased from 
4.9% in 2000 to some 5.5% in 2005;  and water and electricity accounted for 5.2%.7  Between 2000 
and 2005, construction's share of GDP remained at some 8%, although it is expected to have increased 
in 2006 following the preparations for the 2007 Cr icket World Cup.  The programme to build 
infrastructure for the Cricket World Cup has boosted growth, but achieving a "soft landing" after the 
Cup may prove a challenge.  In this respect, the au thorities expect construction to continue to grow 
swiftly, due to continued hotel deve lopment, and a movement to the construction of villas and homes, 
as well as a project in the health sector.  They expect any downturn to be gradual. 
7. The economic importance of the banana industry continued to decline during the period under 
review, accounting for just 2.8% of GDP in 2004, compared with 4.1% in 2000.  In 2004, the industry was severely affected by hurricane Ivan, and in 20 05 by a plant disease.  The banana industry has 
been aided by programmes to rationalize production and improve productivity, but it has continued to 
lose market share, although production increased in 2006. 
8. In manufacturing, the most dynamic sectors have been food and beverages, paper and 
paperboard, and electrical subsectors, which toge ther account for some 80% of production in the 
sector.  The production of electrical products operates predominantly as an enclave industry, with 
production geared primarily for export to the Un ited States and Europe.  Construction activities 
stagnated between 2002 and 2004, bu t were strong in 2005 and 2006 partly due to the 2007 Cricket 
World Cup effect, and partly to Central Gove rnment construction e xpenditure on economic 
infrastructure, particularly the road network, and port and airport reha bilitation and expansion. 
(2) F
ISCAL POLICY  
9. Fiscal policy is the responsibility of the Ministry of Finance.  It is the main macroeconomic 
policy actively used by the St. Lucian authorities to  affect output, as St. Lucia, like all other OECS-
WTO Members, has no independent monetary and exch ange rate policy (see section (3) below).  As a 
result, the national authorities may only resort to fiscal policy to act on the economy as the main 
income stabilizer and counter the effects of external  shocks.  As in other OECS countries, and due to 
the high dependency on taxes on foreign trade for re venue, fiscal policy has a strong link with trade 
policy. 
10. St. Lucia has posted a current surplus of over 2% of GDP in each year since 2001, with the 
exception of 2003;  the extent of this surplu s increased in 2005 and 2006 (Table I.1).  The 
improvement reflected fiscal policy tightening in FY2003/04 and FY2004/05.  This was a product of 
public sector wage restraint and reduced capital sp ending.  Fiscal accounts also benefited from the 
economic recovery from lows in  2000-02, with automatic stab ilizers boosting tax revenue.  The 
FY2005/06 budget contained measures to increase capital expenditure subs tantially, and hence 
represents a shift from the fiscal stance of previous  years.  The 2005/06 budget also granted new tax 
concessions aimed at promoting agri-business cooperatives and tourism. 
                                                                                                                                                                     
relatively low domestic value added typical of small economies, which import most primary, intermediate, and 
capital goods. 
7 Totals do not add up 100% since it is necessary to subtract the financial intermediation services 
indirectly measured (FISIM),  which include total property  income receivable by financial intermediaries minus 
their total interest payable.  For details see ECCB (2006b). WT/TPR/S/190/LCA Trade Policy Review 
Page 4 
 
 
11. The FY2006/07 Budget presentation drew attention to the need for tax reform.  The 2007/08 
budget acknowledges the need to address the problems of rising fiscal deficits and a burgeoning debt 
stock, to prevent them from impeding growth and de velopment.  It identifies the need to launch a 
comprehensive fiscal stabilization and reform progr amme to correct growing imbalances and place 
St. Lucia on a more sustainable path towards growth and development.   Among the measures 
announced is a comprehensive review of the tax system to make it simpler, fairer, and more equitable.  
This review includes:  (a) introduction of a valu e added tax planned for 1 May 2008, which would 
replace a number of taxes, such as the consumption ta x, hotel accommodation tax, and the travel tax;  
(b) revision of the applied property tax rates;  (c) re view of the personal income tax system to simplify 
its administration and make it more transparent;  (d) review of the possibility of establishing of a 
single revenue authority;  (e) reduction of the s ubsidy on LPG, to increase prices as of May 2007;  
(f) review of the Environmental Levy on imported mo tor vehicles, to redraft legislation and reduce 
rates for used vehicles as of May 2007.  The Budget aims to reduce recurrent expenditure.8 
12. The overall fiscal balance deteriorated betw een 2000 and 2001, as economic activity slowed 
down, but the deficit narrowed in 20 02, before widening again in 2003 (Table I.1).  The overall deficit 
has been financed by external financing and fore ign grants.  In 2006, fiscal operations deteriorated, 
and the overall deficit was some two-thirds higher  than in the same period the previous year.  The 
widening of the deficit was primarily attributed to an almost 40% increase in capital expenditure 
associated with upgrades to infrastructure, which more  than offset an incre ase in the current account 
surplus due to an 11% increase in revenue.9  St. Lucia relies on foreign capital inflows, chiefly in the 
form of grants and loans on concessionary terms, to  finance a substantial part of its public sector 
investment programme. 
13. Fiscal incentives for investment and import duty  concessions result in considerable forgone 
revenue (Chapter III(3)(ii)).  Curtailing concessions w ould help strengthen the ot herwise fragile fiscal 
situation, and would enhance the investment re gime's predictability and accountability.  Fiscal 
accounts also have pressure from increasing debt pa yments;  St. Lucia's recourse to financing its 
overall public sector deficit with debt has resulted in  a significant increase of public sector debt during 
the period under review.  The public debt/GDP ra tio increased from 43.2% in 2000 to 72.5% in 2006. 
(3) MONETARY AND EXCHANGE RATE POLICY  
14. St. Lucia is a member of the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU), and, since 1976, 
monetary and exchange rate polic y is determined by the Monetary Council of the Eastern Caribbean 
Central Bank (ECCB), which keeps the EC dolla r pegged to the U.S. dollar at a rate of 
EC$2.70/US$1. 
15. Narrow money (M1) and quasi money (M2) ha ve been expanding rapidly since economic 
growth accelerated in 2003;  however, after particul arly strong growth in 2004, caused by a strong 
increase in private foreign assets, the growth ra te of both aggregates moderated in 2005, but 
accelerated somewhat in 2006.10  Domestic credit rose sharply in 2005, mirroring the high level of 
economic activity and an increase in consumer and business confidence;  credit to the public sector 
was particularly dynamic, increasing by 49% in  2005.  The composition of credit by economic 
activity showed substantial increases in 2005 for tourism, construction, manufacturing, and 
distribution.  Liquidity in the commercial banking  system remained high during 2005 and 2006 (the 
ratio of loans and advances to total deposits was 85.7% in 2005). 
                                                      
8 Government of St. Lucia (2007). 
9 ECCB (2006b). 
10 ECCB (2007). Saint Lucia WT/TPR/S/190/LCA 
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16. Commercial bank interest rates declined somewh at during the period under review:  rates on 
savings deposits ranged from 3% to 4.75% in 2005  and 2006, and rates on time deposits ranged from 
1% to 3%.  Prime lending rates remained within the 8.5-10% range. 
17. The increase in the consumer price index (CP I) was very moderate over 2002-04, with an 
annual average increase of less than 1%.  The in crease of the CPI accelerated in 2005 and 2006, 
reflecting mainly higher food and energy prices (T able I.1).  Inflationary pressures within the 
domestic economy were influenced mainly by ex ternal economic conditions, which resulted in a 
relatively high level of imported inflation. 
(4) BALANCE OF PAYMENTS , TRADE AND INVESTMENT FLOWS  
18. The current account of St. Lucia's balance of paym ents posts a structural deficit, since imports 
of goods largely exceed exports, and the surplus in  services is insufficient to cover the difference 
(Table I.2).  Overall receipts are largely determin ed by tourism receipts, banana export earnings, and 
capital inflows, mainly in the form of grants, loans,  and foreign direct investment.  While fluctuating, 
the merchandise trade balance has generally followed a trend towards deterioration;  although growth 
rates for exports have been higher than for imports , the ratio imports/exports is still of about one to 
five.  The merchandise trade deficit increased fro m 34% of GDP in 2001 to approximately 47% of 
GDP in 2005.  Tourism receipts helped to partly off set the wide trade gap, but not rapidly enough to 
prevent a worsening of the current account deficit,  which increased from an average of around 15.6% 
of GDP in 2001 to 18.2% of GDP in 2005.  The de ficit has been covered by large capital inflows, 
mainly in the form of foreign direct investment, and official concessional assistance including grants, 
and the drawing down of foreign assets by commercial banks. 
Table I.2 
Balance of payments, 2001-06 
(US$ million) 
 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 
Current account -106.9 -106.0 -147.3 -9.6 -149.8 -198.1 
Goods and services -74.9 -81.8 -109.3 -32.3 -90.6 -130.5 
Goods -217.8 -202.6 -282.7 -251.7 -329.3 -348.3 
Merchandise -227.8 -209.9 -292.4 -268.2 -354.0 -376.0 
   Exports 43.3 16.0 62.0 62.1 79.8 64.1 
   Imports -312.4 -115.7 -271.9 -354.5 -348.0 -418.1 
Goods procured in ports by carriers 10.0 7.3 9.7 16.5 24.6 27.7 
Services 142.9 120.8 173.4 219.4 238.7 217.8 
Transportation -41.4 -38.4 -50.7 -48.8 -51.9 -57.6 
Travel 201.2 176.3 246.4 288.8 317.1 303.3 
Insurance services -4.3 -4.9 -6.7 -7.0 -7.7 -8.1 
Other business services -8.2 -8.5 -12.7 -10.6 -17.8 -18.6 
Government services -4.5 -3.7 -2.8 -3.0 -1.0 -1.4 
Income -46.3 -36.3 -50.9 -69.0 -72.5 -79.9 
Compensation of employees 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.2 
Investment income -46.4 -36.4 -50.9 -69.1 -72.7 -80.1 
Current transfers 14.3 12.1 12.9 13.9 13.0 12.3 
General government -0.3 -1.0 0.0 -0.2 -1.2 -1.6 
Other sectors 14.6 13.1 12.9 14.1 14.2 13.9 
Table I.2 (cont'd) WT/TPR/S/190/LCA Trade Policy Review 
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 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 
Capital and financial account 119.6 111.8 165.6 114.2 134.9 211.6 
Capital account 25.5 20.5 17.1 3.4 5.3 5.5 
Capital transfers 25.5 19.7 17.1 3.4 5.3 5.5 
Financial account 94.1 92.0 148.5 110.7 129.6 206.0 
Direct investment 58.8 51.9 106.4 76.5 78.2 115.0 
Portfolio investment 11.7 16.9 62.8 16.3 24.0 -4.1 
Other investments 23.5 23.2 -20.7 17.9 27.3 95.1 
Public sector long term 7.5 12.2 16.4 16.8 -2.2 26.9 
Commercial banks 9.9 7.6 -72.7 20.0 24.6 64.4 
Other assets -12.4 -4.2 -6.2 -29.6 -33.4 -11.7 
Other liabilitiesa 18.6 7.7 41.8 10.7 38.3 15.5 
Overall balance 12.6 5.8 18.3 26.8 -15.3 13.4 
Financing -12.6 -5.8 -18.3 -26.8 15.3 -13.4 
Change in government foreign assets -2.5 -2.7 -14.9 -3.5 -2.0 12.3 
Change in imputed reserves -10.1 -12.9 -4.5 -68.9 43.2 -48.6 
Memorandum        
Current account balance (% of GDP)  -15.6 -15.1 -19.7 -11.0 -17.0 -21.3 
Estimated visitor expenditure (EC$  million) 629.1 567.0 761.6 879.3 961.2 935.5 
Net imputed international reserves (U S$ million) 87.1 92. 1 104.7 130.2 114.2 132.2 
Outstanding external public debt (%  of GDP) 30.0 35.1 45.0 44.8 43.9 .. 
Debt service ratio (% of exports of goods and services) 11.5 19.1 17.7 12.0 8.3 8.0b 
 
.. Not available.  
a Includes errors and omissions. 
b Estimate.  
Source : ECCB (2006a) and (2007), Annual Economic and Finan cial Review 2005 and 2006. 
19. The external debt to GDP ratio increased from 30.8% to 43.6% over 2001-05. 
20. Most of St. Lucia's external trade takes place  under reciprocal or non-reciprocal preferential 
conditions.  Exports of goods as a whole increased in value terms at an annual average rate of 7.2% 
between 2001 and 2005.  The share of agricultural e xports in total exports decreased to 46.3% in 2005 
from 70.9% in 2001 reflecting mainly the continued dec line in banana exports;  their share in the total 
fell from 46.8% to 24.2% (Table AI.1).  Manufact ured exports increased over the period, accounting 
for 36% of total exports in 2005 compared with 29 .1% in 2001;  exports of machinery and transport 
equipment accounted for half of the total.  So me 60.8% of imports were manufactured goods (SITC 
definition) in 2005, comprising mainly machinery a nd transport equipment, other semi-manufactures, 
chemicals, and other consumer goods (Table AI.2). 
21. The United Kingdom remains the main single d estination for St. Lucia's exports, accounting 
for some 26% of the total in 2005, but down from 47.2% in 2001 (Table AI.3).  There has been a substantial increase of exports from St. Lucia to other OECS and CARICOM countries in the last ten 
years.  In 2005, CARICOM accounted for over 56% of St. Lucia's total exports, up from 30% in 2001, 
of which some 22% by Trinidad and Tobago.  Th e United States is the main source of St. Lucia’s 
imports with around 44% of the total, followe d by the CARICOM area with some 25%, and the 
European Communities with some 14% of the total (T able AI.4).  Imports from Asia gained some 
market share during the period under review, accounting for some 10% of the total in 2005. 
22. Foreign direct investment in St. Lucia totalled US$379.5 million in 2001-05, compared with 
total net FDI of US$265 million in 1995-99, reported in St. Lucia's previous review.  Most foreign 
investment has been directed into services, particul arly hotel development.  However, there has also 
been investment in manufacturing activities, partic ularly electronic components, food and beverages, Saint Lucia WT/TPR/S/190/LCA 
 Page 7 
 
 
and others.  Outward investment was US$24 million.  Inward portfolio investment, encouraged by the 
increasing pubic debt, totalled US$169.8 million over 2001-05 (Table I.3). 
Table I.3 
Investment flows, 2001-05 
Total investment US$ million   2001-05 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 
Foreign direct investment In ward 379.5 58.2 63.0 57.1 111.8 89.4 
 Outward 24.0 4.5 4.2 5.2 5.4 4.7 
Portfolio investment Inward 169.8 29.0 16.9 33.6 66.8 23.5 
 Outward 33.7 0.6 5.2 16.7 4.0 7.2 
 
Source : Information provided by the authorities. 
(5) OUTLOOK  
23. No economic forecasts were available from the government for the current Review.  The IMF 
forecasts GDP growth of some 4% for 2007, after an estimated 6% in 2006.11  The consumer price 
increase is expected to slow down to 4% in 2007, and the current account deficit of the balance of 
payments is expected to post two-digit deficits  in 2007 and beyond.  The IMF notes that St. Lucia 
faces the challenges of enhancing long-term gr owth potential and reduc ing unemployment, and 
reversing the rapid rise in public debt.  There is a ne ed to facilitate structural change in the economy, 
as well as to prioritize spending to prevent further growth in the primary fiscal deficit.12 
II. TRADE AND INVESTMENT POLICY FRAMEWORK 
(1) GENERAL CONSTITUTIONAL AND LEGAL FRAMEWORK  
24. St. Lucia is a parliamentary democracy;  it gained independence from Britain in 1979.  
St. Lucia is a member of the British Commonwealth, a nd the Head of State is the Queen of England. 
The Queen is represented by the Governor Gene ral, who is appointed on the advice of the 
Prime Minister, after consultation with the Parlia mentary Leader of the Opposition.  Although the 
Governor General enjoys some residual power s under the written Constitution, real executive 
authority is exercised by the Cabinet of Minister s headed by the Prime Minister.  The Cabinet is 
exclusively responsible for concludi ng trade agreements and treaties. 
25. Legislative authority is exclusively vested in the Parliament of Saint Lucia, which includes 
the House of Assembly, the Senate, and the Governor  General.  The House of Assembly consists of 
17 members elected by universal adult suffrage for te rms usually not exceeding five years, while the 
Senate comprises 11 appointed officials.  Although  the Constitution requires Parliamentary elections 
every five years, they can occur sooner.  Elections  in St. Lucia were last held in December 2006. 
26. Most bills are prepared by the office of the Atto rney General at the request of a Ministry, and 
may be introduced in either the House or the Senate .  A bill commenced in the Senate will need to be 
passed, at its third reading, with or without am endments, before moving onto the House, and vice 
versa.  However, most bills usually begin in th e House.  Bills become law only after receiving the 
assent of the Governor General.  This procedure appl ies to all laws, including trade and trade-related 
laws. 
27. The legal system is a mix of common and civil law.  Discretionary decisions of Ministers are 
reviewable by courts from the level of  the High Court.  At the lowest judicial level, Magistrates courts 
                                                      
11 IMF online information.  Viewed at:  http://www.imf.org/external/country/LCA/index.htm. 
12 IMF (2006). WT/TPR/S/190/LCA Trade Policy Review 
Page 8 
 
 
deal generally with minor civil and criminal matters .  Serious civil and criminal cases are dealt with 
by the High Court, with appeals to the Eastern Caribbean Court of Appeal.  The Privy Council in 
London is the final Court of Appeal for Saint Lucia.   All courts, from the level of the High Court, are 
vested with authority to interpret and enforce the Saint Lucia Constitution, as well as all trade-related 
laws.  In the St. Lucian legal system, internationa l agreements may be invoke d before national courts 
only if enacted into domestic law. 
28. The Constitution of St. Lucia is its supreme law and all other laws that do not conform to it 
are void to the extent of the inconsistency.  The Sain t Lucian Parliament is subject to the terms of the 
Constitution, which contains a number of entrench ed provisions.  In 2004, the Government of 
St. Lucia established the Constitutional Reform Co mmission (CRC) to review the Constitution and 
make proposals for amendments.  Membership of  the CRC includes representatives of both the 
Government and Parliamentary Opposition, as well as members drawn from a number of civil society organizations.  The CRC commenced its work in J une 2006 and is expected to submit its initial report 
to Parliament within two years.  Any amendments  will require at least a two-thirds majority and 
referenda in some cases. 
29. The CRC will inquire into St. Lucia's possible acce ssion to the appellate jurisdiction of the 
Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), a regional su perior court established by the Governments of 
CARICOM with original (trade) jurisdiction for d ealing with disputes over interpretations of the 
Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas.  Accession to the appellate jurisdiction of the CCJ would involve an 
amendment of St. Lucia's Constitution. 
(2) T
RADE POLICY FORMULATION AND IMPLEMENTATION  
30. Up to the end of 2006, responsibility for WTO issues and trade policy implementation was 
vested in the Trade and Legal Department of the Mini stry of External Affairs, International Trade and 
Civil Aviation.  Responsibility has since been sh ifted to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and 
Commerce.  This newly created Ministry has res ponsibility for WTO issues, and for the design and 
implementation of trade policy generally.  The ne w arrangement is intended to promote greater 
institutional synergies, as well as greater participa tion of private-sector stakeholders in the trade 
policy formulation process.  St. Lucia has six indi viduals working on trade-related issues;  only two 
attended to trade matters on a full time basis, and none focus exclusively on WTO issues.  
31. In addition to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Commerce, trade policy formulation is 
influenced by a number of other ministries and govern ment departments.  These include the Ministry 
of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the Mini stry of Economic Affa irs, Economic Planning, 
National Development and Public Se rvice Affairs, and the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation.  
Trade and investment policy implementation is al so assisted or facilitated by the National 
Development Corporation (NDC), the Customs and Ex cise Department of the Ministry of Finance, 
and the Saint Lucia Bureau of Standards.  Overa ll economic  policy is handled by the Ministry of 
Finance, which is responsible for preparing of  the national budget and managing national economic 
policy, in concert with input and estimates from thir teen other ministries, not including the office of 
the Prime Minister. 
32. The authorities note that trade policy harmonization has improved during the period under 
review:  the Council on External Trade and Inter-Minis terial Council have assi sted in the promotion 
of a coherent trade policy.  The Council on External Trade draws from a wide cross-section of 
agencies, including Government and the privat e sector, to advise government on trade policy 
formulation and negotiations.  The Inter-Ministeria l Council aims to oversee coherent implementation 
of various trade obligations. Saint Lucia WT/TPR/S/190/LCA 
 Page 9 
 
 
33. St. Lucia regards participation in the WTO as cr itically important, in light of concerns about 
preference erosion and its effects on banana exports  and agriculture more generally.  Therefore, it 
views its engagement in the Doha Round, in partic ular, as a priority.  St. Lucia is hopeful that 
participation in the multilateral system will enable it to bring attention to the issue of preference 
erosion, and lead to greater recognition of th e needs and peculiarities of "small and vulnerable 
economies."13  One other objective for St. Lucia is to mainstream trade policy into wider economic 
objectives.14 
34. St. Lucia also coordinates with other countries in the Eastern Caribbean and a number of 
regional bodies in formulating trade policy positions .  St. Lucia often adopts common trade positions 
with other OECS or CARICOM Members, while  regional organizations such as the CARICOM 
Regional Negotiating Machinery (CRNM), help it to  execute trade negotiations in particular 
(see Overview Report Chapter II(4)).  This approach  is largely necessitated by human and financial 
constraints.  The authorities also note that the est ablishment of the OECS technical mission in Geneva 
has facilitated greater participation in the WTO. 
(3) F OREIGN INVESTMENT REGIME  
35. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Commerce,  (Ministry of Commerce)  is responsible for 
foreign investment policy in St. Lucia.  The St. Lucia National Development Corporation (NDC) is in 
charge of attracting foreign investment.  In Oct ober of 2001, the legislation establishing the NDC was 
amended  to enable it to focus exclusively on foreign investment promotion.15 
36. With two exceptions, foreign investment in St. Lucia is not subject to any restrictions and 
foreign investors receive national treatment.  The fi rst exception is a requirement to obtain an Alien 
Landholders Licence for non-national investors seeki ng to purchase property.  Under the Alien 
Landholding Act, foreign investors must obtain a licence to purchase land, shares or debentures in a company.  Licences are granted subject to submission of an application to Cabinet and the payment of 
the requisite licence fees, which amount to 7.5% of the value of the property purchased.  The licence 
is obtained from the Ministry of Economic Affair s, Economic Planning, Na tional Development, and 
Public Service (Ministry of Planning) and must be registered by a lawyer registered to practice in 
St. Lucia.  Once granted, licences are permanent and do not require renewal. 
37. Under the Trade Licences Act No. 5 of 1985, fo reigners establishing a company in St. Lucia 
require a trade licence, obtainable from the Minist ry of Commerce, when more than 49% of the 
company's shares are held by foreign nationals or, if shares are not issued, when the company is 100% 
foreign owned.  Licences are renewed annually and ar e required by all foreign companies.  However, 
licences are granted once applied for by foreign comp anies.  National investors do not require a trade 
licence. 
38. The Government has identified information t echnology, agriculture, hotel development, 
manufacturing, and financial services as priorities for expansion and investment.  Incentives to 
potential investors are offered through tax holidays a nd other tax concessions (see Chapter III(3)(ii)).  
Licences are not required for investment in these area s.  Unless granted an exemption under the Fiscal 
Incentives Act, foreign investment profits are subject to a 30% company tax rate since 2003. 
                                                     
 
13 Speech by the Honourable Petrus  Compton.  Viewed a t:  http://www.stlucia. gov.lc/addresses_and_ 
speeches/petrus_compton/wto_must_do_more_for_small_ vulnerable_countries.htm. 
14 Joint statement by the Government of St. Luci a and IMF staff at the co nclusion of the 2005 
Article IV Consultation Discussions with St. Lucia.  Viewed at:  http://www.imf .org/external/np/ms/2005/ 
072505.htm. 
15 Governor General of St. Lucia, "Throne Speech 2 001".  Viewed at:  http://www. slugovprintery.com. WT/TPR/S/190/LCA Trade Policy Review 
Page 10 
 
 
39. Double taxation arrangements exist with other CARICOM countries by virtue of the Revised 
Treaty.  St. Lucia has not concluded any double ta xation or bilateral investment treaties with non-
CARICOM countries.  However, there is a bilateral investment treaty with the United Kingdom and a 
Tax Information Exchange Agre ement with the United States. 
(4) I NTERNATIONAL RELATIONS  
(i) World Trade Organization 
40. Prior to independence, St. Lucia applied GA TT de facto as member of the metropolitan 
territory of the United Kingdom.  St. Lucia became a GATT contracting party on 13 April 1993, under Article XXVI:5(c) with its rights and oblig ations under GATT retroactive to the date of 
Independence, on 22 February 1979.
16  St. Lucia is an original Member of the WTO and extends at 
least MFN treatment to all its trading partners. 
41. There is no single Uruguay Round Act, but many of the WTO Agreements have been 
incorporated into domestic law in Acts of Parliame nt and Regulations (see Chapter III).  To the extent 
that the Agreements are incorporated into nationa l legislation, private individuals can invoke WTO 
provisions before national courts. 
42. Under the GATS, St. Lucia made initial commitme nts on tourism, recreational, financial, and 
maritime transport services (see Chapter IV).  St . Lucia did not participate in the extended WTO 
negotiations on telecommunications or on financial ser vices.  St. Lucia submitted an initial offer on 
services in March 2005 in the context of the DDA nego tiations.  It has not submitted a revised offer 
(May 2007).17 
43. Since 2001, St. Lucia has made more notifica tions to the WTO than any other OECS-WTO 
Member (Table II.1).  The increased level of no tifications since 2001 reflects increased human and 
technical resources, although constraints remain. 
44. St. Lucia has also been active in the WTO in the context of the Doha Development Round.  
St. Lucia has strongly advanced the argument that sp ecial and differential is integral to the negotiating 
process.18  It has also joined with other members of  the CARICOM in pushing for flexibilities for 
small and vulnerable economies in the negotiation pr ocess.  St. Lucia has advocated the adoption of 
flexibilities and the recognition of principles of non-reciprocity in NAMA, and has highlighted the need for the negotiations to take account of the consequences of preference erosion for developing 
and particularly small, vulnerable economies (SVEs).
19  St. Lucia has also supported a request by a 
number of developing members of the WTO for an  extension period for pr oviding export subsidies 
until 2018.20  St. Lucia regards these subsidies as important  to help it integrate more fully into the 
multilateral system, given what it sees as weakne sses associated with its status as a "small and 
vulnerable economy."  St. Lucia has also attempte d to advance the DDA agenda generally, in the 
                                                      
16 GATT document L/7225. 
17 For further information see WTO online information.  Available at:  http://www.wto.org/english/ 
tratop_e/serv_e/s_negs_e.htm. 
18 Statement by former St. Lucia's Minister of Trade, Honourable Petrus Compton, 31 October 2005.  
Viewed at:  http://www.stlucia.gov. lc/addresses_and_speeches/petrus_compton/wto_must_do_more_for_small_ 
vulnerable_countries.htm. 
19 WTO document WT/MIN(05)/ST/112, 16 December 2005. 
20 WTO document G/SCM/W/535 12 April 2006. Saint Lucia WT/TPR/S/190/LCA 
 Page 11 
 
 
context of its UN membership.21  In the ACP-EC joint ministerial sessions, St. Lucia has lent support 
to regional and wider ACP efforts to encourag e a successful conclusion to the Doha Round. 
Table II.1 
Notifications to the WTO, 2001-07 
WTO Agreement Description Document symbol 
Agriculture (paragraph (ii), 
G/AG/2) 
 No export subsidies granted during the period 1996-2000
 G/AG/N/LCA/1, 1 March 2004 
GATS (Article V7a) Notification as pa rt of CARICOM of the removal of 
restrictions to the right of establishment and the provision 
of services among members  S/C/N/229, 19 February 2003 
Import Licensing Article 1.4(a) 
and Article 8.2(b)  Rules and procedures in place 
 G/LIC/N/1/LCA/1, 17 October 2002 
G/LIC/N/1/LCA/2, 18 October 2006 
Import Licensing Article 5 Liquid bleach  included in relevant schedule 
List of products and contact points  G/LIC/N/2/LCA/1, 13 March 2002 
G/LIC/N/1/LCA/1, 17 October 2002 
Import Licensing Article 7.3 Replies to questionnaire  on import licensing G/LIC/ N/3/LCA/1, 17 October 2002 
G/LIC/N/3/LCA/2, 31 August 2004 G/LIC/N/3/LCA/3, 6 September 2005 
G/LIC/N/3/LCA/4, 6 October 2006 
 
Subsidies and Countervailing Measures (SCM) (Article 25.1) New and full notification pursu ant to Article XVI.I of 
GATT and Article 25 G/SCM/N/71/LCA, 20
 March 2002 
G/SCM/N/71/LCA/Corr.1, 8 November 2002
 
Subsidies and Countervailing 
Measures Article 27.4 Extension of transition period for elimination of export 
subsidies 
Updating Notification 
Updating Notification  G/SCM/N/95/LCA, 3 July 2003 
G/SCM/N/99/LCA, 3 July 2003 
G/SCM/N/123/LCA, 7 July 2005 
G/SCM/N/128/LCA, 7 July 2005 G/SCM/N/123/LCA/Corr.1, 19 July 2005 
G/SCM/N/128/LCA/Corr.1, 19 July 2005 
 
 Requests pursuant to document G/SCM//39 
Updating Notification 
Revision of Notification Updating Notification G/SCM/N/74/LCA, 7 January 2002 
G/SCM/N/114/LCA, 6 July 2004 
G/SCM/N/114/LCA/Rev.1, 3 August 2004 G/SCM/N/146/LCA, 3 July 2006 
 
Technical Barriers to Trade 
(Article 10.6) Adoption of standards for various pr oducts G/TBT/N/LCA/1, 12 February 2002 
G/TBT/N/LCA/2, 19 February 2002 
G/TBT/N/LCA/1-41 
5 September 2003-24 November 2005 G/SCM/N/155/LCA, 9 July 2002 
 
TRIPS (Article 63.2) Various laws and regulations IP/N/1/LCA/2, 18 August 2004 
IP/N/1/LCA/T/2, IP/N/1/LCA/T/1, 
IP/N/1/LCA/P/1, IP/N/1/LCA/L/2, 
IP/N/1/LCA/G/2, IP/N/1/LCA/D/2, all 1 September 2004 
 
TRIPS (Article 69) Contact point IP/N/3/Rev.6, 1 March 2002  
 
Source: WTO Secretariat. 
45. St. Lucia has not been a plaintiff or defendant in  any case before the DSB.  It has been a third 
party in three cases (European Communities – Regime  for the Importation, Sale and Distribution of 
Bananas;  United States – Sections 301-310 of the Trade Act 1974;  and United States – Import 
Measures on Certain Products from the EC).22  In November 2006, Ecuador submitted a request for 
                                                      
21 Statement by former Ambassador to the United Nations, Julian Hunte, 22 September 2005.  Viewed 
at:  http://www.un.org/webcast/ga/60/ statements/sailuc050922eng.pdf. 
22 WTO documents WT/DS27/78, 9 September 1997, WT/DS152/R, 22 December 1999, and 
WT/DS165/AB/R, 11 December 2000. WT/TPR/S/190/LCA Trade Policy Review 
Page 12 
 
 
consultations under Article 21.5 of  the DSU and Article XXII of the GATT 1994.  St. Lucia requested 
to join the consultations.23 
(ii) Preferential agreements and arrangements 
46. St. Lucia is a founding member of CARICOM, established by the Treaty of Chaguaramas 
(see Overview Report Chapter II(4)).  Through a progressive revision of the original Treaty of 
Chaguaramas, CARICOM has created the basis for the establishment of the CARICOM Single 
Market and Economy.  Under the terms of the revi sed Treaty, St. Lucia is regarded as a "less 
developed country" or LDC.  In 2004, St. Luci a enacted the revised Treaty into domestic law.24  The 
authorities note that some implementation issues remain outstanding, including CARICOM 
competition policy, anti-dumping and countervailing measures, and harmonized customs regulations.  
CARICOM members have signed bilateral trade agre ements with Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, the 
Dominican Republic, and Venezuela. 
47. St. Lucia pursues many trade policy objectiv es through CARICOM, which facilitates the 
pooling of technical resources in trade policy development and implementation.  Through its 
membership in CARICOM, St. Lucia has been  engaged in the trade negotiations between 
CARIFORUM (a negotiating partne rship involving CARICOM and the Dominican Republic) and the 
EC, with the aim of finalizing an economi c partnership agreement (EPA) in 2007. 
48. St. Lucia is also a founding member of the OECS and enjoys a high level of cooperation on 
trade policy matters with other WTO OECS Members,  in the areas of WTO negotiations, and others, 
including the EPA negotiations with the EC, which began in 2004. 
49. St. Lucia's exports are granted preferential access to the EC market, under the Revised 
Cotonou Agreement between the ACP and the EC.  Exports from St. Lucia also enjoy preferential 
access to the Canadian market through CARIBCAN.  St. Lucia is also a beneficiary under the U.S. 
Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI).25  The share of exports from St. Lucia under the CBI and 
CARIBCAN is low (Table AI.3). 
50. Exports of a number of St. Lucia's products ar e eligible for the Generalized System of 
Preferences (GSP) schemes of Australia, Canada , the European Communities, Japan, New Zealand, 
Switzerland, and the United States.  The range of pr oducts varies according to each country's scheme. 
III. TRADE POLICIES AND PRACTICES BY MEASURE 
(1) MEASURES DIRECTLY AFFECTING IMPORTS  
(i) Customs procedures, documentation, and registration 
51. St. Lucia is the only OECS member country th at is also a member of the World Customs 
Organization.  Customs procedures are contained in Act No. 36 of 1968, as amended, the Customs 
(Control and Management) Act No. 23 of 1990 a nd its regulations, the Customs Control and 
Management (Amendment) Act No. 25 of 2005.  Impor ts require up to seven documents.  The c.i.f. 
value of the goods imported must be stated, and accom panied by bills of lading or airway bills.  An 
                                                      
23 WTO online information.  Available at:  http://w ww.wto.org/English/tratop_e/dispu_e/cases_e/ds27_ 
e.htm. 
24 Caribbean Community (Movem ent of Factors) Act 2005. 
25 USTR online information.  Viewed at:  h ttp://www.ustr.gov/Trade_Development/Preference_ 
Programs/CBI/Section_Index.html. Saint Lucia WT/TPR/S/190/LCA 
 Page 13 
 
 
importer of goods is also required to file a co mmercial invoice and the single administrative document 
(SAD).  CARICOM goods require a certificate of origin.  Where necessary, the appropriate import or export licence, certificates required under the Plant Protection Act, the Pesticide Control Act, or 
health and meat inspection certificates mu st also be attached to the SAD. 
52. Customs uses the Automated System of Customs Data (ASYCUDA) computer system.  The 
electronic data interface (EDI) feature of ASYCUDA++ allows for submission of declarations to Customs via the Internet.  The authorities state th at implementation of the ASYCUDA++ pilot project 
in Vieux Fort significantly improved the efficiency of the Customs Department, reducing the processing time for clearing goods.  Customs clearan ce generally takes about 24 hours;  it may take 
48-72 hours for the importers to receive the goods.  St. Lucia Customs and Excise includes a feature 
on its website that allows users to calculate the fu ll range of duties that would be owed on an import 
of a given product at a given value.
26 
53. Importers must register in order to obtain an importer code number (used in the ASYCUDA 
database to identify the shipper).  Customs brokers ar e not required.  All declarations to Customs are 
subject to verification prior to clearance.  St. Lucia developed a risk-assessment strategy in 2006, 
based on the higher risks associated with certain impo rters.  The authorities estimate that no more than 
5% of commercial imports are inspected;  the majority of these inspections are on imports by firms identified as high risk. 
(ii) Customs valuation 
54. St. Lucia has not notified its customs valuation regime to the WTO, nor did it respond to the 
WTO checklist of issues on customs valuation.  St. Lucia did not invoke the special and differential 
treatment provisions in Article 20 of the Agreem ent on the Implementation of Article VII of GATT 
1994 (Customs Valuation Agreement).
27 
55. Valuation methods and procedures on imported goods  are specified in the Second Schedule of 
the Customs (Control and Management) Act No. 23 of  1990.  According to the authorities, the law 
follows the principles of the GATT Customs Valuati on Code.  Freight and insurance are included in 
the calculation to the extent that th ey have been incurred by the buye r.  Under the Act, the transaction 
value is used, in principle, for the valuation of  goods, failing which the methods described in the 
GATT Customs Valuation Code are followed in the order prescribed.  St. Lucia uses neither minimum 
import prices nor reference prices.  The transaction value is used for about 75% of imports. 
56. Controls and verification are carried out by th e Valuations Branch in the Department of 
Customs and Excise.  Some sensitive imports, such as  used cars, consumer electronics, and high-value 
clothing are subject to closer scrutiny.  All used vehicles are subject to examination, and about one in ten of consignments for the other sensitive items are scrutinized closely.  Th e authorities indicate that 
it is quite common to find discrepancies in the decl arations for used vehicles, but that the risk-
assessment strategy implemented under ASYCUDA++ has led to a reduction in under-invoicing, and 
has made the process of examination more efficient.   The Comptroller of Customs, in accordance with 
Act No. 6 of 1993, may adjust the customs value of goods, within one year of entry, if this has been found to be incorrect.  Goods are not seized while an  investigation is in pl ace, and duties are assessed 
on the transaction value, pending the result of the investigation. 
57. Under the Customs (Control and Management ) Act No. 23 of 1990, disputes relating to 
customs valuation or the amount of duty payable may be heard by the Comptroller of Customs or by 
                                                     
 
26 This feature is accessible at:  h ttp://www.customs.gov.lc/index2.htm. 
27 WTO document G/VAL/W/155, 26 September 2006. WT/TPR/S/190/LCA Trade Policy Review 
Page 14 
 
 
Customs Appeal Commissioners appointed by the Mi nister with responsibility for Customs.  The 
Comptroller or the appellant may appeal to the High Court against any decision of the Commissioners 
that involves a question of law or a question of mixed law and fact.  Decisions of the High Court may be appealed to the Court of Appeal. An importer mu st pay the assessed rate of duty prior to disputing 
the assessment;  if the importer obtains a lower assessment, the excess payment will be refunded. 
(iii) Rules of origin 
58. St. Lucia has not notified to the WTO either pref erential or non-preferen tial rules of origin.
28 
59. St. Lucia applies the rules of origin for merc handise adopted by CARICOM in June 1998.  
Under the CARICOM Safeguard Mechanism (Artic le 164), derogations from rules of origin 
requirements are possible, but only for imports from the CARICOM more developed countries 
(see section III(1)(vii)(b).  Duty-free treatment can be accorded even if originating goods are not 
shipped directly between member states, provided th at the good is not modified and does not enter the 
commerce of the transit country.  St. Lucia, like other CARICOM members, was expected to 
implement the rules of origin contained in the Amended Schedule I of the revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, based on the 2007 HS from 1 January 2007.  This has not yet been done in any OECS 
country.  The authorities indicate that they hope to implement HS2007 and the rules of origin 
corresponding to the new nomenclature in late 2007.  
(iv) Tariffs, and other charges on imports 
60. Tariffs continue to be a major source of govern ment revenue.  In 2006, taxes on international 
trade raised EC$345 million, representing some 53 .5% of total government current revenue and 
57.1% of tax revenue.  Customs duties totalled EC$94.9 million, or 14.7% of central government 
revenue in 2006.  The authorities note that the rise in revenue that year was significantly influenced 
by a 12.2% increase in revenue from international tr ade.  Other trade-related taxes include the service 
charge on imports (10% of revenue), and the e nvironmental levy (2.9%).  The consumption duty on 
imports represented some 17.2% of total government revenue in 2006. 
61. The 2006 Budget Address acknowledged that trad e negotiations now under way would force 
the Government to re-assess its tax regimes, partic ularly with respect to import duty and the excise 
and consumption taxes.  In this respect, the Govern ment has announced that a value-added tax system 
will be introduced by May 2008. 
(a) MFN applied tariff structure 
62. St. Lucia grants at least MFN treatment to all its trading partners. 
63. St. Lucia has applied the CARICOM Common External Tariff (CET) since 1991.  Since 
2000, it has applied Phase IV of the Schedule of CE T reductions.  Changes in the CET take place at 
CARICOM level, although ultimate authority for tari ff rate changes rests with Parliament. Exceptions 
to the CET are agreed between CARICOM member s and must be applied by the Council on Trade 
and Economic Development (COTED).  The tariff h as changed very little since Phase IV of the CET 
reductions was applied in 2000. 
64. Under the CET, competing capital goods are subj ect to a 15% tariff, competing intermediate 
inputs to a tariff of 20%, and non-competing fina l goods, general manufactured goods, agri-industry 
products, and garments to customs duties of 25-30%.  Exceptions to the CET are included in the Lists 
                                                     
 
28 WTO document G/RO/W/106, 29 September 2006. Saint Lucia WT/TPR/S/190/LCA 
 Page 15 
 
 
A, B, C, and D.  CARICOM member s have greater flexibility in tariffs applied to the items included 
in Lists A (e.g. foodstuffs) and C (e.g. spirits, beer , tobacco, firearms, motor vehicles, some electrical 
appliances, and jewellery and precious stones), as th e rates applied by each country are individually 
listed.  In general, the rates for items in List A are lower than the CET minimum, while the rates 
applied to items in List C are generally higher. 
65. The tariff schedule notified by St. Lucia to the WTO is in HS 2002 and had, in 2006, 6,352 
lines at the 11-digit level.29  Duties are levied ad valorem except on seven HS items that carry specific 
duties.30  There are no seasonal tariffs, nor goods subject to  tariff quotas.  Tariff rates range from 0 to 
70%.  Some 28.7% of tariff lines are subject to inte rnational peaks, and 6.3% to domestic peaks.  
Some 39.1% of the lines are duty free (Table III.1).  St. Lucia applies a customs service charge (CSC) 
of 5% on the c.i.f. value of most imports, with specific exemptions (section (v)). 
Table III.1 
Structure of the tariff schedule, 2006  
1. Total number of tariff lines 6,352 
2. Non- ad valorem  tariffs (% of all lines) 0.1 
3. Non- ad valorem  tariffs with no AVEs (% of all lines) 0.1 
4. Tariff quotas (% of all lines) 0.0 
5. Duty-free tariff lin es (% of all lines) 39.1 
6. Dutiable lines average rate (%) 16.4 
7. Domestic tariff "peaks" (% of all lines)a 6.3 
8. International tariff "peaks" (% of all lines)b 28.7 
9. Bound tariff lines (% of all lines) 99.5 
 
a Domestic tariff peaks are defined as those exceed ing three times the overall average applied rate. 
b International tariff peaks are defined as those exceeding 15%. 
 
Source:  WTO Secretariat calculations, based on data provided by the authorities of St. Lucia. 
66. The simple average MFN tariff in 2006 was 10%  (Table III.2), roughly the same as in 2001.  
When the CSC is added, that average rises to 15% .  Almost one third of tariff lines on agricultural 
products are subject to a rate of 40%.  The maxi mum applied rate is as high as 70% (75% with the 
CSC) for some kinds of arms and ammunition, 45% (50% with the CSC) for alcoholic beverages and 
cigarettes, and 35% (40% with the CSC) for motor vehicles, all included in List C. 
67. All CARICOM members may maintain tariffs at  rates below the CET for goods included in 
the List of Conditional Duty Exemptions to the CET.   The List also states the purposes for which the 
goods may be admitted into the importing member state free of import duty or at a rate lower than the 
CET.  St. Lucia, as a less developed country within CARICOM, may import all inputs duty free 
instead of at the CET rate of 5%.  There is also a List of Items Ineligible for Duty Exemption, which 
includes goods that may not be exempted in part or  in whole from tariffs, nor imported at a reduced 
rate for use in an approved industry under so me incentives programmes.  Goods on the list are 
generally produced in the CARICOM in quantities cons idered adequate to justify the application of 
tariff protection. 
                                                      
29 The authorities note that, pending the adoption of HS2007, St. Lucia uses the tariff in HS1996 at the 
six-digit level, with break-outs  at 7 digits.  The 11-digit level is reached by adding zeros. 
30 HS0701.90 certain potatoes, EC$1.65 per 100 kg;  0703.102 shallots, EC$65 per 100 kg;  0710.10 
potatoes (cooked or uncooked) frozen, EC$0.88 per 100 kg;  0901.21 coffee not decafinated, EC$0.44 per kg;  
0901.22 coffee decaffeinated, EC$0.44 per kg;  1701.999 other (icing sugar), EC$6 .60 per 100 kg;  2203.001 
beer, EC$10 per liquid gallon. WT/TPR/S/190/LCA Trade Policy Review 
Page 16 
 
 
Table III.2 
Summary analysis of the MFN tariff, 2006 
MFN 
Description No. of 
lines Average 
(%) Range 
(%) Coefficient 
of variation 
(CV) Final bound 
average 
(%) 
Total 6,352 10.0 0 - 70 1.2 65.3 
HS 01-24 1,107 19.2 0 - 45 0.9 117.2 
HS 25-97 5,245 8.0 0 - 70 1.2 54.7 
By WTO category      
WTO Agriculture 1,042 16.7 0 - 45 1.0 116.2 
   Animals and products thereof 147 14.5 0 - 40 1.2 120.6 
   Dairy products 24 6.3 0 - 20 1.0 100.0 
   Coffee and tea, cocoa, sugar, etc. 173 17.1 0 - 40 0.9 111.2 
   Cut flowers, plants 56 8.8 0 - 40 1.6 100.8 
   Fruit and vegetables 255 25.4 0 - 45 0.6 121.3 
   Grains 29 15.0 0 - 40 0.8 116.6 
   Oil seeds, fats and oils and their products 95 16.7 0 - 40 1.1 124.8 
   Beverages and spirits 97 24.1 0 - 45 0.6 133.8 
   Tobacco 10 19.5 0 - 45 1.1 104.8 
   Other agricultural products n.e.s. 156 4.2 0 - 40 1.7 101.5 
WTO Non-agriculture (incl. petroleum) 5,310 8.6 0 - 70 1.2 55.3 
   WTO Non-agriculture (excl. petroleum) 5,271 8.6 0 - 70 1.2 54.9 
     Fish and fishery products 155 26.9 0 - 45 0.7 113.5 
     Mineral products, precious stone s and  metals 410 8.1 0 - 30 1.2 55.1 
     Metals 713 4.3 0 - 35 1.7 50.8 
     Chemicals and photographic supplies 992 7.1 0 - 40 1.0 52.4 
     Leather, rubber, footwear and travel goods 168 11.1 0 - 30 0.8 51.5 
     Wood, pulp, paper and furniture 314 8.4 0 - 25 0.9 63.6 
     Textile and clot hing 949 12.3 0 - 30 0.9 52.8 
     Transport equipment 187 8.5 0 - 35 1.6 62.4 
     Non-electric machinery 593 2.8 0 - 35 2.7 51.3 
     Electric machinery 269 7.5 0 - 35 1.5 50.0 
     Non agriculture articles n.e.s. 521 12.5 0 - 70 1.0 55.3 
   Petroleum 39 6.9 0 - 25 1.1 104.5 
By ISIC sectora      
Agriculture and fisheries 428 20.7 0 - 45 0.9 112.4 
Mining 116 5.5 0 - 30 1.5 53.0 
Manufacturing 5,807 9.3 0 - 70 1.2 62.3 
By HS section      
  01  Live animals & products 309 19.8 0 - 45 1.0 117.6 
  02  Vegetable products 402 18.3 0 - 40 0.9 116.9 
  03  Fats & oils 53 25.1 0 - 40 0.7 140.0 
  04  Prepared food etc. 343 18.9 0 - 45 0.7 113.8 
  05  Minerals 202 5.2 0 - 30 1.1 61.9 
  06  Chemical & products 930 6.9 0 - 40 1.0 55.3 
  07  Plastics & rubber 234 7.7 0 - 25 1.0 51.4 
  08  Hides & skins 84 8.6 0 - 20 1.0 62.5 
  09  Wood & articles 121 9.5 0 - 20 0.6 53.0 
  10  Pulp, paper etc. 170 6.1 0 - 25 1.4 53.5 
  11  Textile & articles 935 11.9 0 - 30 0.9 54.2 
  12  Footwear, headgear 66 18.7 0 - 30 0.5 50.0 
  13  Articles of stone 195 8.8 0 - 25 0.9 51.3 
  14  Precious stones, etc. 61 15.7 0 - 30 1.0 73.5 
  15  Base metals & products 707 4.7 0 - 35 1.6 50.8 
Table III.2 (cont'd) Saint Lucia WT/TPR/S/190/LCA 
 Page 17 
 
 
MFN 
Description No. of 
lines Average 
(%) Range 
(%) Coefficient 
of variation 
(CV) Final bound 
average 
(%) 
  16  Machinery 896 4.7 0 - 35 2.0 50.8 
  17  Transport equipment 197 8.2 0 - 35 1.6 61.7 
  18  Precision equipment 248 8.3 0 - 30 1.2 56.7 
  19  Arms and ammunition 20 41.0 0 - 70 0.7 79.2 
  20  Miscellaneous manufactures 171 15.1 0 - 35 0.5 70.6 
  21  Works of art, etc. 8 20.6 20 - 25 0.1 50.0 
By stage of processing      
First stage of processing 834 15.9 0 - 45 1.1 95.5 
Semi-processed products 1,827 4.0 0 - 40 1.3 53.5 
Fully-processed products 3,691 11.6 0 - 70 1.0 64.7 
 
a Bound rates are provided in HS96 classifica tion and applied rates in HS2002; therefor e there may be a difference between the 
 number of lines included in the calculation. 
b ISIC (Rev.2) classification, excluding electricity (1 line). 
 
Source:  WTO Secretariat estimates, based on data provided by the authorities of St. Lucia. 
(b) Bound MFN tariffs and undertakings on quotas 
68. St. Lucia bound all tariff lines, with the exception of two (at the HS 92 four-digit level) during 
the Uruguay Round;  the exceptions were fresh cr ustaceans and molluscs (HS 0306 and 0307).  The 
rest of HS chapter 3 and all agricultural products (WTO definition) were bound  at a ceiling level of 
100%, with some exceptions above that rate.  Tariffs on products included in headings HS 25-97, 
other than products included in Annex I of th e WTO Agreement on Agriculture, were bound at a 
general rate of 50%, with over 200 exceptions at the HS four-, six- or seven-digit level for which the 
bound rates range between 73% and 220%.  The aver age bound rate is 65.3%, with a 116.2% rate for 
agricultural products, and 55.3% for non-agricultural products.  A large number of  products subject to 
binding exceptions are considered sensitive produ cts and are also subject to import licensing 
requirements. 
(c) Tariff and tax concessions 
69. Import duty exemptions are available for beneficiary industries under St. Lucia's incentives 
schemes (section (3)(ii)), (Table III.3). The Governme nt grants banana farmers 100% exemption from 
import duty and consumption ta x on most production inputs. 
Table III.3 
Tariff concessions, 2001-06 
 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 Total 
Applications (number) 27 18 24 32 36 43 180 
Approvals (number) 23 16 22 28 30 39 158 
Service charge waived on raw material (EC$'000) 11 15 26 51 122 2,883 3,109 
 
Source : Information provided by the St. Lucian authorities. 
70. The Government used tax and tariff concessions as an instrument to help prepare for the 2007 
Cricket World Cup.  Various form s of tax relief were granted under laws such as the Cricket World 
Cup (Tourism Accommodation) Incentives Act No. 6 of 2005, and the Cricket World Cup (Tourism Accommodation) Incentives (Amendment) Act No . 27 of 2006, among others.  The temporary 
enactments came to an end in April 2007. WT/TPR/S/190/LCA Trade Policy Review 
Page 18 
 
 
(d) Tariff preferences 
71. St. Lucia grants duty-free access to imports from other CARICOM countries that satisfy the 
rules of origin, in accordance with treaty obligati ons, except those where exceptions are granted under 
the safeguard provisions of the CARICOM Treaty.  Preferential imports are, however, subject to the 
customs service charge. 
(v) Other levies and charges 
72. St. Lucia applies a customs service charge (CSC) of 5% on the c.i.f. value of most imports.  
The CSC is authorized by the Customs (Service Charge) Act No. 10 of 1989, as amended in 1994, 1995, and 1999.  The Act provides a schedule of exempted articles, including an exemption for all 
classes of raw materials and packaging materials im ported by local manufacturers, certified as such by 
the Ministry of Commerce for use in the manufact ure of goods;  that waiver accounted for some 
EC$3.1 million in revenue forgone during the 2001 -06 period (Table III.3).  Other exemptions 
concern goods imported by the Gove rnment and certain related institu tions (e.g. public libraries);  
diplomatic missions and certain goods of OECS officials;  newspapers, trade catalogues, and 
advertising matter;  and certain goods used by a pproved airlines.  The CSC is applied to CARICOM 
imports.  Charitable institutions are eligible fo r exemptions from both import duties and the CSC;  
some of these organizations are scheduled as exem pt in the law (e.g. the Saint Lucia Red Cross 
Society and the Save the Children Fund), while ot hers may obtain such treatment upon the advice of 
Cabinet.  In the Uruguay Round, St. Lucia left bla nk the column "other duties and charges" in its 
schedule, which in practice is equivalent to having entered "zero".
31  The authorities indicated their 
interest in making a technical rectification.  They also  noted that it was the intention of St. Lucia at all 
times to bind its other levies and charges, but that the authorities had not been aware of the procedures 
to do so in 1994. 
73. Like other OECS countries, St. Lucia is consider ing a value-added tax regime.  In early 2007, 
the Government stated its intent to introduce the VAT by 1 May 200832;  however, in August, it was 
envisaging its introduction within two years.  Some other taxes (discussed below) may be repealed or 
amended. 
74. Most goods, including imports, as listed in th e Consumption Tax (Replacement of Schedule 
Order) No. 32 of 1993, are subject to a general cons umption tax (GCT).  The GCT applies mostly to 
non-agricultural goods and is applied on the c.i.f. value of imports plus the tariff.  The GCT was applied on the wholesale price of domestic goods until  Act No. 48 of 2006 amended the 1993 Act to 
make the ex-factory price the base for calcula tion for domestic goods.  Food and essential items, 
totaling 380 tariff lines (6% of the total), are zero-rate d.  For most other items, the rates vary between 
5% and 35%.  Most items are subject to rates of either 10% (2,103 tariff lines) or 5% (1,333 lines);  the 35% rate applies to 303 items.  Special rates are set for cigarettes containing tobacco (70%);  
aerated and malt beverages in metal containers (a specific duty of EC$3.17 per container);  and wine, 
vermouth, or grape must (a specific duty of EC$5 pe r litre).  The payment of the consumption tax may 
be partly or totally waived for approved enterpri ses benefiting from an incentive scheme.  Statutory 
Instrument No. 124 of 2006 reduced the consumption tax rates on certain food items:  rates of 5% and 
10%, were reduced to 0% and 5%, respectively.  The authorities note that this was to address concerns 
over rising food prices. 
75. Revenue from the consumption tax is lost when ever international oil prices increase and the 
Government does not make commensurate adjustme nts.  When oil prices peaked in 2006, the 
                                                     
 
31 WTO document WT/DS302/R, 26 November 2004. 
32 Government of St. Lucia (2007), p. 41. Saint Lucia WT/TPR/S/190/LCA 
 Page 19 
 
 
consumption tax rate was negative, meaning that the Government was subsidizing gasoline and LPG 
gas.  The 2006-2007 Budget Address observe d that this policy was unsustainable.33  This prompted a 
change of policy and by August 2006 shifts in in ternational prices and adjustments in the tax rates 
applied ensured that gasoline and diesel prices we re no longer subsidized.  However, despite an 
announcement in the 2007-2008 Budget Address, that re tail prices for LPG would increase as of May 
200734, LPG continues to be subsidized, with reta il price controls unchanged since 2000 (mid 2007). 
76. Excise taxes are regulated by Excise Tax Act No. 29 of 1999.  The excise tax on imports is 
determined on the c.i.f. value.  The tax must be pa id before the goods enter St. Lucia.  The excise tax 
is levied on the wholesale price of domestically prod uced goods or services.  Goods subject to the tax 
are included in the First Schedule of the Excise Tax Act, and comprise mainly spirits, motor vehicles 
and parts, and propellant powders.35   Rates may be specific (in the case of spirits) or ad valorem (in 
the case of propellant powders and motor vehicles).  Rates for motor vehicles rates range from 30.5% to 85%, as amended by S.I. 63 of 2004. 
77. The Environmental Protection Levy Act No. 15 of 1999, as amended in 2002, imposes a tax 
on most imports, but does not apply to domestically produced goods.  Specific rates are set for motor 
vehicles, tyres, used refrigerators and freezers, and ba tteries.  A general rate of  1.5% is applied on the 
c.i.f. value of goods in containers of plastic, gl ass, metal, or paperboard, and on empty containers 
made of those materials.  All other imports , except for clothing, footwear, foodstuffs, and 
pharmaceuticals, are subject to a rate of 1%.  In the 2007-2008 Budget Address, the Government 
proposed to retain the current rate of EC$1,000 on new vehicles, but to reduce and consolidate the 
taxes on used vehicles from the current EC$6,000-12,000, depending on age, to a single rate of 
EC$4,000.
36 
                                                      
33 Government of St. Lucia (2006), p. 13. 
34 Government of St. Lucia (2007), p. 41. 
35 The full list of items subject to excise taxes, as provided in the First Schedule of Act No. 29 of 1999, 
is as follows, by HS heading: beer (220300102, EC$2 /litre;  220300101, 220300104, 220300109 EC$0.94/litre);  
stout (220300201, 220300203, 22030020, EC$0.44/litre);  undenatured rum (EC$3.49/litre);  wines, vermouth 
(EC$5/litre);  brandy, other spirits obtained by di stilling grape, whiskies (22083010, 22083090), vodka 
(22086000), gin and Geneva (22085010, 22085090), ot her spirits (22089090, EC$15/litre;  rum and taffia 
(220840101, 220840109, 22084090, EC$10/litre);  propella nt powders, prepared explosives, safety and 
detonating fuses; percussion or detonating caps, igniters (36010000, 36030000, 85%); fireworks (36041000, 
60%);  buses and mini-buses (8702.1010, 8702102 0, 87021030, 87021050, 87029010, 87029030 87029050, 
50%);  other motor vehicles with compression (87021040, 87021090 87029020, 87029040, 34%, 870290, 81%);  
other motor vehicles for transport (87029090, 30.5%);  vehicles for snow; golf cars etc (87031000, 40%);  other 
motor vehicles (87032190, 87032290, 8703232, 87033190, 30.5%;  87032330, 87032410, 87033310, 60%;  87032340, 85%;  87032490, 95%;  87033210, 45%;  8 7033220, 61%;  87033230, 55%;  87033240,  87033390, 
87039000, 75%);  dumpers (87041000, 50%);  G.V. Ws (87042110, 87042210, 87042310, 87042390, 87043110, 
87043210, 40%);  87042190, 87043190, 87043290, 87049000, 55%;  87042290, 50%;  crane lorries (87051000, 
60%);  concrete-mixer lorries (87054000, 60%);  other special purpose motor vehicles (87059000, 60%);  bodies 
for vehicles (87071000, 8 7079010, 87079090, 40%);  mount ed brake lining, gear bo xes (87084010) drive axles 
with differentials (8 7085010), non-driving ax les (87086010), road wheels and parts and accessories (87087010), 
suspension shock-absorbers, (87088010), radiators (87089110), silencers and exhaust pipes (87089210), 
clutches and parts (87089310), steering wheels (87089410), other parts (87089910), all for tractors, all 40%;  motorcycles for the transport of goods (87111010, 87112010, 87113010, 87114010, 45%);  other worked trucks 
for the transport of goods (87119010, 45%);  saddles of motorcycles (87141100, 40%);  other parts and 
accessories of vehicles (87141900, 40%);  cartridges (930 61000, 95%);  parts (9 3062910, 930630 10, 95%). 
36 Government of St. Lucia (2007). WT/TPR/S/190/LCA Trade Policy Review 
Page 20 
 
 
(vi) Import prohibitions, restrictions, and licensing 
78. St. Lucia has notified its import-licensing pr actices to the Committee on Import Licensing, 
and has replied to the WTO questi onnaire on import-licensing procedures.37  The authorities noted in 
the context of this Review that the import-licen sing regime was adopted to facilitate the regulation 
and monitoring of imports and for national security, public health, public safety, animal health, and 
moral issues. 
79. The import-licensing system is regulated pr incipally by the Customs (Management and 
Control) Act No. 23 of 1990, the External Trade Act No. 5 of 1968, and the External Trade (Restricted Imports) Order, S.I. No. 31 of 1996.  All licences covered under the External Trade Act 
No. 5 (Table III.4) are processed by the Ministry of  Trade, Industry, and Commerce.  However, other 
types of import licence are administered by ot her agencies under other regimes.  The authorities 
indicate that the External Trade Act is under revi ew (as of mid 2007), in order to bring it into 
compliance with CSME commitments. 
80. Prohibited imports are listed in Part I of the Third Schedule of the Customs (Management and 
Control) Act.  The products listed are not accompan ied by a tariff classification because some of them 
are either much broader than a single set of ite ms (e.g. food unfit for human consumption), while 
others relate to items that are more specific than  the descriptions in tariff classifications (e.g. some 
kinds of knives and pistols).  Other prohibited go ods include counterfeit coins;  opium;  shaving 
brushes from Japan;  indecent or obscene materials;   publications associated with black magic;  
matches containing white or yellow phosphorus;  and goods that are prohibited by any other 
enactment of the State.  Restricted imports (subject to special permission or non-automatic licensing) 
are listed in Part II of the Third Schedule of the Cu stoms Act, and include:  narcotics;  certain gold 
and silver articles;  arms and ammunition;  explos ives;  radio and television transmission equipment, 
except with a licence from the Mini stry of Communications;  solid rubber tyres;  left-hand-drive 
motor vehicles;  handcuffs;  spirits, beer, and wine other than in glass or stone bottles;  chain saws;  
animals or plants for which trade is regulated by CI TES;  goods bearing the coat of arms of St. Lucia;  
tobacco and cigarettes unless in whole and complete packages. 
81. The External Trade (Restricted Imports) Order, S.I. No. 31 of 1996 contains the schedules 
relating to goods subject to import licensing.  Goods  listed in the Order's Second Schedule are subject 
to non-automatic licences when imported from non- CARICOM countries (Table III.4).  The Third 
Schedule applies to products that require an im port licence when imported from any OECS or 
CARICOM country;  all these products are included al so in the Second Schedule and hence require a 
licence when imported from any country.  The Four th Schedule lists goods that require an import 
licence when imported from CARICOM countries other than OECS States and Belize.  The authorities indicate that consideration is being gi ven to shortening the list of goods in the second 
schedule, and eliminating the Third and Fourth Schedules. 
82. Licences applications are usually presented within  24 hours of arrival of goods, but may be 
presented before clearing customs;  they are usuall y processed within 48 hours.  All persons, firms, 
and institutions are eligible to apply for licences.  No licensing or administrative fees are charged, and 
there is no deposit or advance payment requirement.  Licences are non-transferable.  Applications are 
approved automatically except for those that fail to m eet the ordinary criteria (especially the filing of 
an invoice with a certificate of origin) and items covered under the Fourth Schedule of the External 
Trade (Restricted Imports) Order, S.I. No. 31.
38  Goods included in the Second Schedule are 
technically subject to non-automatic licensing, but  according to the authorities, in practice these 
                                                      
37 WTO documents G/LIC/N/1/LCA/ 2, 18 October 2006, and G/LIC/N/3/LCA/4, 6 October 2006. 
38 WTO document G/LIC/N/3/ LCA/4, 6 October 2006. Saint Lucia WT/TPR/S/190/LCA 
 Page 21 
 
 
applications are rejected only if they are not made  in proper form.  Applicants are informed of the 
reason for refusal, and may appeal to the Permanen t Secretary or to the Minister for Commerce, 
Investment and Consumer Affairs. 
Table III.4 
Import-licensing requirements, 2006  
Second Schedule:  Goods that require a licence when imported from outside the Caribbean Common Market: 
Baby chicks, point of lay pullets  (Ex 01.05);  meat and edible m eat offal (Chapter 2 );  fish, fresh, frozen or chilled (HS 03. 01-03.04);  
fish, smoked (HS 0305.40);  crustaceans and mo lluscs fresh, chilled, frozen  or salted etc (HS 03.06; 03.07) ; fresh milk (HS 04 01.001);  
eggs in shell (HS 0407);  honey, natural (HS 04.09);  Christmas trees (live) (HS 0602. 909);  vegetables, fresh or chilled (HS 0 7.01-
07.09);  vegetables, preserved by freezing (HS 07.10);  dried le guminous vegetables shelled (HS 07.13);  arrowroot, sweet potat oes and 
other similar roots and tubers, fresh or dr ied, whole or sliced (HS 07.14);  coconuts,  cashew nuts fresh or dried (Ex HS 08.01) ;  bananas, 
fresh or dried (Ex HS 08.03);  pineapple, avocados, mangoes, guavas, fresh or dried; citrus fruits, fresh or dried (Ex HS 08.04 );  citrus 
fruits, fresh or dried (HS 08. 05);  ground coffee (HS 0901.20);  pepper, piment o (HS 0904);   vanilla (HS 0905.00);  cinnamon 
(Ex HS 09.06);  cloves (HS 0907.00);  nutmeg, mace (Ex HS 09.08);  thyme, saffron, bay leaves, gi nger, curry and other spices 
(HS 09.10);  rice (HS 10.06);  wheat flour (Ex HS 1101.00);  edible oil (HS 15.07-15.15);  margarine, imitation lard and other prepared 
edible fats (HS 15.17);  sausages and the lik e of meat, meat offal or animal blood (HS 16.01);  other prepared or preserved mea t of offal 
(HS 16.02);  chicken patties (HS 1602.39);  beef patties (HS 1602.509);  prepared or preserved fish  (fish burgers, fish fingers  and fish 
patties) (Ex HS 16.04);  crustacean s and molluscs, prepared or pr eserved (HS 16.05);  cane or beet  sugar and chemical pure sucr ose in 
solid form (HS 17.01);  pasta products (HS 19.02);  cakes (Ex HS 1905.009);  jams, fr uit jellies, marmalades (HS 20.07);  mango  
chutney (Ex HS 2008.004);  fruit and vege table juices including coconut milk and coconut cream (HS 20.09);  baking powder 
(HS 2102.30);  tomato ketchup and tomato sauce (HS 2103.20);  pepper sauce (HS 2103.901);  browni ng, Bar B-Q sauce and mixed 
seasoning (Ex HS 2103.90);  ice cream (HS 2105.001);  aerated beve rages, malt and other non-alcoho lic carbonated drinks and ora nge 
squash (HS 22.02);  beer (HS 2203.001);  ci garettes (HS 2402.20);  other tobacco pro ducts (HS 2402.90);  oxygen in cylinder 
(HS 2804.40);  carbon dioxide in cylinder (HS 2811.21);  acetylene in cylinder (HS 2901.0 02);  body filler, putty (HS 32.14);  soaps 
(toilet) (HS 3401.11);  liquid and household bleach (HS 3402.204 and 3402.205);  candles (Ex HS 3.406);  PVC pipes (Ex HS 39.17 );  
plastic foam (Ex HS 3921.001);  tyres rem ould, recapped, retreaded (E x HS 40.12);  wooden mouldings , (Ex HS 44.09);  wooden doo rs 
(HS 4418.20);  broom and mop handl es (Ex HS 44.17);  mats, other straw mats a nd matting (HS 4601.20);  ba skets and waste paper bins 
of vegetable plaiting materials (Ex HS  46.02);  toilet paper (HS 4818.10);  cardboard boxes (Ex HS 48.19);  cheque books 
(HS 4907.009);  printed advertisements (Ex HS 49.11);  fibre mats of vege table plaiting materials (Ex HS 46.01 and Ex HS 57.02) ;  
panties, half slips and nighties (Ex HS 61.08 and Ex HS 62.08);  brassieres (HS 6212.10);  concrete blocks (HS 6810.11);  galva nized 
sheets (Ex HS 72.08-72.12);  structures and parts of structures of iron and steel (HS 73.08);  structures of aluminium (HS 76.1 0);  
aluminium widows and doors (Ex HS 7610.10);  welded tanks, unlined  and fabricated from steel or iron (Ex HS 73.09 and Ex HS 
73.10); welded tanks of aluminium (Ex HS 76.11);  solar water heaters (HS 8419.10);  ferrules and ferrule straps (HS 8481.00);  
domestic and commercial meters for measuring volumes of wate r (HS 9028.20);  chairs and other seats (HS 94.01);  other furnitur e (HS 
94.03);  mattresses (HS 9404.20);  brooms and mops (Ex HS 96.03);  gambling machines (Ex HS 95.04). 
Third Schedule:  Goods that require an import licence when imported from any OECS or CARICOM country: 
Fish, fresh, frozen or chilled (HS 03.01-03.04); smoked fish  (HS 0305.40);  crustaceans and mollu scs fresh, chilled, frozen or salted etc. 
(HS 03.06 and 03.07);  fresh milk, not including UHT milk (HS 0401.001);  rice (HS 10.06);  wheat flour (HS 1101.009);  chicken  
patties (HS 1602.39);  beef patties (HS 1602.509) ;  prepared or preserved fish (fish bur gers, fish fingers and fish patties) (E x HS 16.04);  
crustaceans and molluscs, prepared or pres erved (HS 16.05);  cane or beet sugar (H S 17.01);  ice cream (HS 2105.001);  concrete  blocks 
(HS 6810.11);  ferrules and ferrule straps (HS 8481.00);  and domest ic and commercial meters fo r measuring volumes of water 
(HS 9028.20). 
Fourth Schedule.  Goods that require an import licence when im ported from CARICOM countries other than OECS States and 
Belize  
Curry powder; (HS 0910.50);  pasta products (HS 19.02);  aerat ed beverages (HS 22.02);  malt beverages (HS 2201.902);  beer 
(HS 2203.001);  candles (Ex HS 34.06);  oxygen in cylinders (HS 2804.40);  carbon dioxide in cylinders; (HS 2811.21);  acetylen e in 
cylinders (HS 2901.002);  solar water heaters (HS 8419.10);  chairs  and other seats of wood and upholstered fabric (HS 9401.60) ;  and 
other furniture of wood and up holstered fabric (HS 9403.60). 
Source : External Trade (Restricted Imports) Orde r, Statutory Instrument, No. 31 of 1996. 
83. Certain types of goods are subject to import licensing for reasons of health and safety.  
Various government agencies or officials are responsible for such licensing (Table III.5). WT/TPR/S/190/LCA Trade Policy Review 
Page 22 
 
 
Table III.5 
Import licensing agencies and laws 
Agency Area of responsibility Law 
Ministry of Trade, 
Industry, and Commerce Administers the licensing 
system in relation to trade 
in goods.  External Trade (Restricted Imports) Order S.I. No. 31 of 1996. Imports of 
restricted goods not specifically covere d by any legislation are subject to 
licensing requirements under the Customs (Management and Control) Act. 
Ministry of Agriculture, 
Forestry, and Fisheries Sanitary and phytosanitary 
measures Plant Protection Act No. 21 of 1988; Animals (Diseases and Importation) 
Ordinance Cap 41. Imports of plants and plant parts require written 
permission from the Plant Protection and Quarantine Unit of the Ministry of Agriculture, under the Plant Protection Act No. 22 of 1988. 
Pesticide Control Board Pesticides Imports of pesticid es require an import permit under the Pesticide Control 
Act No. 7 of 1975. 
Ministry of Health and Labour Relations Controlled drugs Drugs (Prevention and Misuse ) Act No. 22 of 1988 requires an import licence 
for controlled drugs  
Commissioner of Police Firearms and ammunition Firearms Act No. 8 of 1995, as amended by the Firearms Act No. 9 of 2003, 
provides that imports of arms, ammunition, and explosives require a licence 
 
Source:  G/LIC/N/1/LCA/2 (18 October 2006), as supplemente d by information supplied by the authorities. 
(vii) Contingency measures 
(a) Anti-dumping and countervailing measures 
84. St. Lucia notified its anti-dumping and count ervailing legislation to the WTO in 1995.39  
Several WTO members posed questions to St. Lucia in 1996 on issues relating to its laws (including 
on how the WTO Agreements on Anti-Dumping a nd Subsidies and Countervailing Measures are 
applied and incorporated into St. Lucia's domestic  legislation, and whether St. Lucia planned to 
amend its legislation in line with the Uruguay Round Agreements.40  St. Lucia has not yet responded 
to these questions (mid 2007).  No anti-dumping inv estigations have been conducted in St. Lucia 
since it became a WTO Member.  There have been no investigations requested during the period of 
this Review. 
85. St. Lucia's anti-dumping and countervailing measure s legislation is contained in Act. No. 25 
of 1964, also known as the Customs Duties (Dumping a nd Subsidies) Ordinance, which entered into 
force on 19 December 1964.  St. Lucia has not amended its legislation since becoming a Member of the WTO in 1995, and there are no regulations in place to implement the Ordinance.  The 
responsibility for investigations would fall with the Minister in charge of trade, who also has the 
power to apply anti-dumping and countervailing duti es.  The Ordinance stipulates that the Minister 
must not exercise the power to apply duties if it appears that to do so would conflict with the provisions of Articles VI and XVI of the GATT. 
(b) Safeguards 
86. St. Lucia did not avail itself of the special safeguard provisions of the WTO Agreement on 
Agriculture, nor of the right to use the transitiona l safeguard mechanism in the Agreement on Textiles 
and Clothing. 
87. St. Lucia does not maintain any safeguard measures.  It has no domestic legislation governing 
safeguards, but the use of safeguards is perm itted by CARICOM rules.  As a CARICOM less 
                                                     
 
39 WTO document G/ADP/N/1/LCA/1, G/ SCM/N/1/LCA/1, 24 November 1995. 
40 Questions posed by:  Argentina (WTO document G/ADP/W/321, G/SCM/W/329, 2 April 1996);  
the EC (G/ADP/W/327, G/SCM/W/335, 12 April 1996);  Hong Kong, China (G/ADP/W/346, G/SCM/W/354, 
15 April 1996);  Korea (G/ADP/W/363, G/SCM/W/372,  16 April 1996);  the United States (G/ADP/W/388, 
G/SCM/W/399, 24 April 1996);  and Venezuela (G/ADP/W/370, G/SCM/W/380, 16 July 1996). Saint Lucia WT/TPR/S/190/LCA 
 Page 23 
 
 
developed country, St. Lucia may invoke the special provisions in Chapter 7 of the Revised Treaty of 
Chaguaramas when necessary to impose safeguard  measures.  Article 150 (Safeguard Measures) 
entitles a disadvantaged country to limit imports of  goods from other member states for up to three 
years, and to take such other measures as COTED may authorize.  These provisions superseded those 
of Articles 84 and 29 of the original CARICO M Treaty (Safeguards).  St. Lucia has invoked 
CARICOM special provisions for cement (2006-08) and white sugar (periodically). 
(viii) Technical regulations and standards 
88. St. Lucia made its first notification to the Co mmittee on Technical Barriers to Trade in early 
2002, and made another 44 notifica tions between that time and April 2006.  These notifications cover 
a wide range of issues, including a technical regul ation adopted for the labelling of prepackaged food, 
and proposed technical regulations for hotels and other accommodation, for vinegar, and for plugs and 
socket outlets.41 
89. The Standards Act No. 14 of 1990 is the main  law regulating the use and application of 
technical regulations and standards in St. Lucia.  The St. Lucia Bureau of Standards (SLBS), under 
the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Commerce, is  responsible for the preparation of standards and 
technical regulations, and is th e national standards body.  The SLBS engages in certification, 
laboratory testing, inspection, legal metrology, and monitoring and standardization activities.  The 
SLBS is the national enquiry point and notificati on body under the TBT Agreement.  It is also a 
member of the regional standards body CROSQ , and a subscribing member of ISONET, the 
Caribbean Common Market Standards Council, and the Pan American Standards Commission.  In 
October 2001, the St. Lucia Bureau of Standards adopted the TBT Code of Good Practice.42  St. Lucia 
became a full member of the International Organi zation for Standardization (ISO) in July 2004. 
90. Technical regulations and standards are devel oped as well as adopted or adapted (i.e. adopted 
with modifications) from existing regional or interna tional standards;  the same technical regulations 
and standards are applied to imports  and exports.  ISO and IEC standa rds are generally the first source 
for national standards, and technical regulations, fo llowed by those of major trading partners.  The 
Standards Council, comprising members of both the public and private sector, is responsible for the 
adoption of standards and technical regulations.  These are developed in accordance with the WTO 
Code of Good Practice. 
91. The SLBS receives requests for standards from the general public, national organizations, 
technical committees, etc.  Based on these requests, proposals are made to the SLBS Council and, if 
approved, are submitted to a technical committee for development.  Draft documents are made 
available for comment during a 60-day period.  If a st andard is intended to be mandatory (i.e. become 
a technical regulation), it is notified to the WTO a nd a regulatory impact assessment is conducted.  A 
final draft is then prepared, taking into account  any comments received, and presented to the SLBS 
Council.  If a technical regulation is approve d by the Council, a notice is published in the Gazette  and 
newspapers, and copies are made available for purchase.  The SLBS Council may recommend to the 
Minister that a standard be made mandatory (tec hnical regulation) if it is deemed necessary for 
reasons of health and safety.  This step cannot be taken without review by the Attorney General’s 
office. 
92. The development and maintenance of standa rds by the SLBS takes place through technical 
committees and their subsidiary bodies, which undert ake continuous review, amendment, updating, 
                                                      
41 WTO documents G/TBT/N/LCA/ 8, 1 December 2003;  G/TBT/ N/LCA/25, 2 March 2004;  
G/TBT/N/LCA/38, 26 September 2005, and G/TBT/N/LCA/45, 24 April 2006. 
42 WTO document G/TBT/CS/N/135, 6 November 2001. WT/TPR/S/190/LCA Trade Policy Review 
Page 24 
 
 
and harmonization.  These activities are based closel y on the ISO/IEC Guide 59, ISO/IEC Directives 
Part 1, and the WTO Code of Good Practice for the Preparation, Adoption, and Application of 
Standards. 
93. Certification is granted only against an ex isting standard, and generally based on 100% 
testing.  The SLBS is intended to be St. Luci a's national laboratory accreditation body.  Product-
testing is the shared responsibility of the Ministry of Health and Labour Relations;  the Ministry of 
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries;  and the Ca ribbean Environmental Health Institute.  Type 
approval is accepted in determining conformity to a standard.  The SLBS is the only certification body 
in St. Lucia.  Under the Standards Act, No.14 of  1990, the SLBS implements a conformity-assessment 
programme for technical regulations.  The level of  conformity assessment required for a particular 
product or service is commensurate with the level of ri sk involved.  The risk is determined as part of 
the Regulatory Impact Assessment carried out during the standards-development process.  For high-risk products, conformity is based on third-part y assessments;  first-pa rty assessments are accepted 
from suppliers of high-risk products who have cer tified quality and safety management systems in 
place.  Suppliers’ declarations are accepted for low-risk commodities. 
94. Compliance with technical regulations for both domestic and imported products is governed 
by the Compulsory Standards Compliance programme implemented in 2001.  This programme has inspectors who check products at the port and on th e shelves.  To ensure compliance, the import-
monitoring system allows for the review of documentation on all imports with specific emphasis on products subject to technical regulations.  The market surveillance system is used to conduct 
warehouse inspections of imports prior to local sal e and distribution.  Market surveillance activities 
also involve spot checks of items retailed in th e domestic market.  Locally manufactured goods are 
also inspected at the plant level, as well as on the retail market for compliance with technical 
regulations. 
95. Between 2000 and 2006, 27 intern ational standards were adopted by the SLBS, of which six 
were mandatory (i.e. technical regulations).  Th ose new technical regulations brought the total of 
technical regulations in force at year-end 2006 to 33.  In addition, the SLBS has developed 
100 standards in the areas of food products a nd food safety, agricultural produce and practices, 
chemicals and chemical products, construction and en gineering, environmental management, tourism, 
and advertising. 
(ix) Sanitary and phytosanitary measures 
96. St. Lucia has made no notifications to the SPS Committee (mid 2007).  The enquiry point on 
SPS matters is the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry.
43   St. Lucia is still operating under 
the statutes that predate the SPS Agreement, but the au thorities indicate that there have been efforts to 
develop new laws that are compliant with the SPS Agreement.  These laws have not yet been 
introduced in Parliament. 
97. The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry is responsible for the implementation of 
sanitary and phytosanitary measures.  The Veterina ry and Livestock Division of the Ministry is 
responsible for sanitary issues, while the Plant Pr otection Division is responsible for phytosanitary 
issues.  The Environmental Health Department of the Ministry of Health and Labour Relations deals 
with environmental issues, and the SLBS provides food safety ce rtificates for certain foods. 
98. St. Lucia is a member of the Codex Alimentari us Commission and a contracting party to the 
International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC);  it  is not a member of the World Organisation for 
                                                      
43 WTO document G/SPS/ENQ/21, 21 February 2007. Saint Lucia WT/TPR/S/190/LCA 
 Page 25 
 
 
Animal Health (OIE).  St. Lucia uses internati onal standards, guidelines, or recommendations as the 
basis for its SPS measures:  all standards are based  on IPPC, Codex, or OIE guidelines or standards. 
99. Risk analysis is mostly qualitative, rather th an quantitative, due to the absence of laboratory 
facilities and other resources.  Pest risk analyses are based on the country of origin and the product 
concerned, taking into consideration the impact of the introduction of the pest, and whether the risk of 
a specific consignment is low, medium, or high.  These assessments are based on published pest lists, 
information from relevant foreign agencies, and on ou tbreaks in foreign countries.  Third parties such 
as regional body or international or ganizations have not undertaken risk assessments on behalf of 
St. Lucia.  Nevertheless consideration is bei ng given to establishing a CARICOM regional body to 
deal with these issues. 
100. St. Lucia does not have any rules or laws in place on the import or sale of genetically 
modified organisms, but is a signatory to the Cartagena Protocol.  The authorities indicate that imports of products that are labelled as GMOs are not treated  differently.  Certification is still required that 
imported meat was not obtained from animals treated with hormones. 
101. St. Lucia does not maintain inventories of SPS measures in force;  the authorities were unable 
to indicate how many measures had been introduced since 2001.  St. Lucia has not entered into any 
agreements concerning SPS measures e.g. on e quivalence of SPS measures, food inspection or 
certification systems.  In general, imports of any plant or animal product must be accompanied by an 
import permit;  a phytosanitary certificate;   or an animal health certificate.
44  Imports of live animals, 
plants, and plant parts are subject to quarantine regulations under the Plant Protection Act No. 21 of 
1988.  A permit issued by the Chief Veterinary Offi cer is required for imports of any live animals, 
carcasses or parts thereof, under the Anim al (Disease and Importation) Ordinance. 
102. Under the Plant Protection Act No. 21 of 198 8, and the Plant Protection Regulations, St. 
Lucia S.I. No. 66 1995, written permission from the Crop Protection and Quarantine Unit of the 
Ministry of Agriculture is required for imports of pl ants and plant parts.  The Third Schedule of the 
Plant Protection Regulations includes a list of major crops that, would pose a pest problem if imported 
in an unrestricted manner.45  The schedule specifies the type of restriction that applies for specific 
products, the countries to which the restriction a pply, and the reasons for applying it.  Typical 
restrictions are permits or quarantine requirements;  in some cases, however, there are import prohibitions.
46 
103. Admissibility of fruits and vegetables for impor tation must be determined by the Plant 
Quarantine Service when the import permit applicati on is submitted.  Plant Quarantine officers carry 
out inspection and certification of produce for expor t;  they also review import applications.  All 
produce entering and leaving St. Lucia must be certified free of pests and diseases.  All articles, the entry of which presents a pest risk to the agricultu re of Saint Lucia, are subject to examination on 
arrival in St. Lucia;  plant products are subjected to inspection at the port of entry.  A number of 
inspectors conduct visual inspections for pests;  an entomology laboratory, provides backup for 
inspections for pests.  In general, however, tes ting generally requires the use of overseas laboratories 
                                                     
 
44 Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Regulations for the Importation of Plant and Animal 
Products.  Viewed at:  http://www.slumaffe.org/A griculture/Research/Quarantine/quarantine.html. 
45 The list includes cereals, fruit, grain and pasture legumes, oil and plantation crops, vegetable crops, 
ornamentals and cut flowers, forest species and products, herbs and spices, and wild plants, grasses, aquatic plants, and parasitic plants. 
46 The full text of the Regulations, including its schedules is available in the website of the Caribbean 
Pest Information Network online information.  Viewed at:  http://caripestnet.org/dynamicdata/data/docs/st_ lucia_plant%20protection %20 regulations- 1995.pdf. WT/TPR/S/190/LCA Trade Policy Review 
Page 26 
 
 
(e.g. in Barbados, the United States, and the United Kingdom) because national facilities lack the 
necessary personnel, supplies, and accreditation.  St . Lucia imports agricultural products from a small 
number of countries.  New import sources are subject to stricter examination than existing suppliers.  
Trading partners that will be affected by an SPS me asure are informed by St. Lucia through peer-to-
peer contacts.  If the action is taken via an order or legislation, it appears in the Gazette.  
104. All consignments of plants entering St. Lu cia must be accompanied by a phytosanitary 
certificate issued by officers of the Crop Protecti on Unit, based on the International Plant Protection 
Convention (IPPC) of 1951.  The Crop Protection Unit also provides phytosanitary certificates for export.  Imports of plants and animals into St. Lu cia also require export permits from the country of 
origin.  Imports of pesticides require an import pe rmit issued by the Pestic ide Control Board.  The 
Pesticide Control Board regulates the registration of new pesticides and importa tion of pesticides, and 
the Plant Protection Board develops and reviews the regulations governing the import and export of 
commodities. 
(2) M
EASURES DIRECTLY AFFECTING EXPORTS  
(i) Documentation, export taxes and restrictions 
105. Exporters (like importers), are required to re gister with Customs in order to obtain an 
ASYCUDA identification number.  The documentation re quired for all exports are:  an export bill;  
commercial invoice and certificate of origin;  and a ma ster’s receipt (original airway bill or bill of 
lading).  For some types of exports additional documen ts are required, such as veterinary certificates, 
health certificates, and export permits.  Exports must be accompanied by a signed shipping bill (Form 
19) as proof of export.  There are four different e xport procedures:  outright exportation (designated as 
E1), temporary exportation (E2), re-exportation (E3) , and transit (S8).  Goods exported for repairs 
face duties on the cost of repairs;  an invoice showing the cost must be presented upon the reimportation of the repaired item.  Exports are not  normally inspected, except in cases of suspicions 
regarding drugs or other illegal activity. 
106. St. Lucia applies no taxes or levies on exports.  Exports are exempt from internal taxes.  
Restricted exports are listed in Part III of the Third Schedule of the Customs Act of 1990, they 
include:  narcotics and drugs;  ginger and dry co conut, except under licence from the Ministry of 
Agriculture (not enforced);  goods b earing the coat of arms of St. Lucia;  and rare or threatened plants 
and animals unless accompanied by a permit issued by the CITES authorities. 
107. Export-licensing requirements apply for any go ods covered by CITES; the administering 
agency is the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheri es.  The same Ministry has jurisdiction over exports 
of certain seafood for which open and closed seaso n practices are used: these goods are subject to 
export-licensing during the open season, and are pr ohibited during the closed season.  Exports of 
lobster, conch, and sea eggs are prohibited during the “closed season”, which is notified annually by 
publication in the media. 
(ii) Export subsidies, financing, support and promotion 
108. St. Lucia's last notification to the WTO Comm ittee on Agriculture regarding export subsidies 
was made in 2004, when it notified that it that it  did not provide such su bsidies to agricultural 
products during the calendar years 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000.
47  The authorities stated in the 
context of this review that St. Luci a still does not provide such subsidies. 
                                                      
47 WTO document G/AG/N/LCA/1, 1 March 2004. Saint Lucia WT/TPR/S/190/LCA 
 Page 27 
 
 
109. Cabinet’s authority to grant incentives is found in  the Customs Act No. 23 of 1990.  St. Lucia 
has notified to the Committee on Subsidies and Co untervailing Measures (SCM), the Free Zone Act, 
No. 10 of 1999, the Micro and Small Scale Business Enterprises Act, No. 19 of 1998 and the Fiscal Incentives Act, No. 15 of 1974 Article 27 of the SC M Agreement as providing benefits to exports.
48  
The authorities stated in the context of this Review  that they had made these notifications out of an 
abundance of caution, but did not consider that  the programmes in question actually constituted 
subsidies that were economically significant or le gally actionable.  A decision taken on 27 October 
2006 by the Committee on Subsidies and Counterv ailing Measures provides for the extension and 
continuation of the transition period until 31 December 2007 for these programmes, under Article 
27.2(b) of the SCM Agreement.49 
110. The Government of St. Lucia has stated th at with the assistance of the Commonwealth 
Secretariat, it is revising its incentives acts in order to make them WTO compatible.50  This process is 
at an advanced stage, and the authorities anticipate the development of WTO-compatible amendments 
to the existing incentives regime before the next Review is conducted.  St. Lucia considers these 
programmes essential for the attraction of investment a nd the survival of its manufacturing sector, and 
intends to continue to implement them in ke eping with its WTO obligations, including phase-out 
provisions.  St. Lucia noted that this would have to be conducted over an extended period given the 
small size and extreme fragility of its economy and manufacturing sector.51  In this light, St. Lucia and 
the other OECS countries, together with eight other WTO Members, made a proposal in early 2006 that would extend export subsidies to 2018.
52  In the view of these countries, export subsidies are 
necessary in light of the fact that these countries are particularly vulnerable and unable to fully and 
better integrate into the multilateral trading system and benefit from the positive aspects of 
international liberalization.  In July 2007, the General Council decided to extend the date to 2015.  
Members benefiting from the extension must take, from 1 January 2008, the necessary internal steps 
with a view to eliminating export subsidies under th e programme before the end of the final two-year 
phase-out period.  In addition, from 1 January 2008 and no later than 31 December 2009, the Member 
must notify each beneficiary under the programme indicating that no export subsidies within the 
meaning of SCM Article 3.1(a) will be granted or  maintained beyond the end of calendar year 2015.53 
111. In accordance with the Free Zone Act, No. 10 of 1999, imported merchandise entering a free 
zone for commercial purposes is duty free, and is not subject to quotas or any import restrictions.  Import-licensing requirements do not apply, in genera l, to free zones, with the exception of goods 
restricted for safety or health reasons.  Other bene fits include:  tax credits in accordance with the 
number of nationals employed on a continuous basis;  exemption from income tax during the first five 
years of operations and the possibility to carry fo rward total net losses accrued during this five-year 
tax holiday and deduct them against profits in the three years following the tax holiday.  Individual companies operating outside a specific free zone may also be granted free-zone status.  The free-zones 
                                                     
 
48 WTO documents G/SCM/N/74/LCA, 7 January 2002;  G/SCM/N/71/LCA, 20 March 2002, and 
Corr.1, 8 November 2002;  G/SCM/N/99/LCA, 3 July 2003;  G/SCM/N/114/LCA/Rev.1, 3 August 2004;  
G/SCM/N/123/LCA, 7 July 2005;  G/SCM/N/128/LCA, 7 July 2005, and Corr.1, 19 July 2005;  
G/SCM/N/146/LCA, 3 July 2006;  G/SCM/N/155/ LCA and G/SCM/N/160/LCA, 9 July 2007;  and 
G/SCM/Q3/LCA/1-9, 8 April 2002 to 10 October 2005. 
49 WTO documents G/SCM/87/Add.4, 13 November 2006, G/SCM/88/Add.4, 13 November 2006, and 
G/SCM/89/Add.4, 13 November 2006. 
50 WTO document G/SCM/Q2/LCA/2, 10 October 2005. 
51 WTO document G/SCM/N/123/LCA, G/SCM/N/128/LCA, 7 July 2005. 
52 WTO document G/SCM/W/535, 12 April 2006.  The eight other Members were Barbados, Belize, 
Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Fiji, Jamaica, Mauritius, and Papua New Guinea. 
53 The proposal to extend the period is contained in WTO documents G/SCM/W/542, 2 July 2007 and 
G/SCM/W/535, G/SCM/W/542/Suppl.1, 9 July 2007. WT/TPR/S/190/LCA Trade Policy Review 
Page 28 
 
 
regime is outside the scope of the Fiscal Incentives Act;  a company may benefit from either of these 
two regimes, but not both.  The Free Zone Act No. 10 was amended by the Free Zone (Amendment) 
Act No. 3 of 2004 on the value of goods exported fro m free zones into St. Lucia's customs territory.  
Goods produced in the free zones may be imported into the national customs territory only upon 
payment of import duties;  these sales are excluded from the income tax bene fits listed above.  All 
laws applicable to goods imported into St. Lucia ap ply to goods leaving a free zone for the customs 
territory of St. Lucia.54 
112. There are two main industrial fre e-zone areas in St. Lucia, bot h located in Vieux Fort;  only 
one is active.  A third free zone, located in Cul- de-Sac, is devoted exclusively to the import and 
transhipment of petroleum products.  Eight manuf acturing operations in St. Lucia have free-zone 
status; some are located in zones, and some are designated for this treatment as individual firms.55  
Some firms located in the Vieux Fort zone operate as bonded warehouses for the distribution of imported goods to other CARICOM countries:  ther e are 13 regional distribution companies in free 
zones:  The Free Zone Management Authority (FZM A) grants licences to trade within a designated 
free-zone area:  enterprises conducting trade and i nvestment activities in manufacturing, financial 
services, telecommunications, professional services, a nd other activities may appl y to operate within a 
free zone;  licences are specific to a business. 
113. The Government of St. Lucia provides no export credit, insurance, or guarantee programmes. 
However, exporters may make use of the insura nce and export credit guarantee facilities provided by 
the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB), coveri ng political and commercial risks, although they 
are currently not used.  Exporters may also receive export promotion support from the OECS Export 
Development Unit (EDU). 
114. St. Lucia does not have an export-promotion agen cy.  The authorities indicated in the context 
of this Review that there is considerable demand fo r such an agency from the private sector, and that 
the matter is under review.  In particular, there is strong interest in establishing a body that can 
provide market intelligence and other information n eeded by prospective exporters.  In the 2007-2008 
Budget Address it was noted that Government ha d made provision for the establishment of an 
Agricultural Marketing and Promotion Agency, and th at among the functions of this institution would 
be the establishment of a National Market Information System (see section (3)(iii)).
56 
(3) MEASURES AFFECTING PRODUCTION AND TRADE  
(i) Legal framework for business and taxation 
115. Foreign or local individuals wishing to establis h a business in St. Lucia have various options:  
sole proprietorships;  partnerships;  corporati ons;  joint ventures;  and branches of foreign 
corporations.  Companies must register with the Registrar of Companies.  A company must be incorporated and registered through an attorney/la wyer registered and operating in St. Lucia.  A 
foreign corporation that registers with the Registra r of Companies pays a flat fee of EC$3,125, which 
covers a range of items including the Certificate of Incorporation and a filing fee for the business 
name.  A local for-profit company pays a flat fee of EC$850. 
                                                     
 
54 St. Lucia Customs and Excise online information.  Viewed at:  http://www.customs.gov.lc/ 
index2.htm. 
55 The manufacturing companies with free-zone status are:  Astro-Lab, Cariman, Ltd., Coiltek, Data 
Delay Devices, Honeywell, Manumatics, and North Amer ican Assemblies, which all deal with electronics 
assembly;  and National Glove (work gloves). 
56 Government of St. Lucia (2007), pp. 16-17. Saint Lucia WT/TPR/S/190/LCA 
 Page 29 
 
 
116. Non-nationals must obtain a licence to purchase property in St. Lucia (see Chapter II(3)).  
Other permits may also be required, depending on wh ether land is to be deve loped, and whether the 
proposed development has environmental implicati ons or concerns food operations.  All foreign 
individuals and companies who inte nd to conduct business in St. Lucia and own more than 49% of the 
company shares require a trade licence (at a cost of  EC$1,000) issued by th e Ministry of Trade, 
Industry, and Commerce.  The application is consid ered by the Trade License Advisory Board, which 
makes recommendations to the Minister.  The process takes some 6-8 weeks.  The licence is issued 
annually and expires on 31 December of the year in which it is granted. 
117. The principal link between investors and gove rnment entities is the St. Lucia National 
Development Corporation (NDC).  The Interna tional Business Companies Act No. 40 of 1999 
governs the incorporation, regulation, and opera tion of companies that do not conduct business in 
St. Lucia (see also Chapter IV(3)(ii)).  Non-resi dents may hold shares in a company incorporated in 
St. Lucia, but the investment must be appropriately funded from external sources. 
118. Corporate profits are taxed at 30% unless the enterprise benefits from the provisions of the 
Fiscal Incentives Act (tax holidays of up to 15 y ears) or the Tourist Incentives Act No. 7 of 1996 
(Chapter IV(3)(v)).  A withholding tax of 25% is pa yable on capital expenditure on gross earnings by 
non-residents, and a 10% withholding tax is due on most contractual obligations.  Capital gains are 
not subject to income tax.  The property tax (stamp  duty), payable on the conveyance, transfer, or sale 
of any immoveable property, is set at 2% on the pur chaser, and at a variable rate on the vendor.  When 
the vendor is not a citizen of St. Lucia or the company is not registered in St. Lucia, the rate is 10%.  
When the vendor is a citizen of St. Lucia or the compan y is registered in St. Lucia, the rate is 2.5% for 
properties in the range of EC$50,000-75,000, 3.5%  for properties in the range of EC$75,000-150,000, 
and 5% for properties over EC$150,000.  There is  no sales tax on properties below EC$50,000, 
regardless of the nationality of the purchaser or the seller. 
(ii) Incentives and assistance 
119. St. Lucia's investment policy has been g eared towards encouraging and developing 
agricultural, manufacturing, and services activities.  Particular emphasis has been on activities that 
satisfy the Government's broad economic policy goal s of poverty reduction, creating new employment 
opportunities, increasing foreign exchange generati on and savings, and diversifying the economic 
base.  A large number of incentives have been put in place throughout the years to promote these 
goals, based primarily on exemptions from taxes and tariffs. 
120. The procedures for granting incentives differ from those laid out in the Fiscal Incentives Act 
No. 15 of 1974, which offers a range of incentives to manufacturers.  These include a tax holiday up 
to a maximum of 15 years;  a waiver on impor t duties and consumption tax on imported plant 
machinery and equipment;  a waiver of import duties and the consumption tax on imported raw 
materials and packaging;  and the possibility to carry  forward losses for up to five years.  Under the 
Act the length of the tax holiday varies according to the company's contribution to the domestic 
economy, measured in terms of local va lue added, which is defined precisely.57  Enclave enterprises, 
those producing exclusively for export to countri es outside the CARICOM, and capital-intensive 
enterprises (capital investment of at least EC$25 mi llion), are eligible for tax holidays independently 
of the local value added generated.  The longest tax holidays are to be granted to enterprises in 
Group I, and by enclave and capital-intensive enterp rises.  However, according to the authorities, 
while the Act refers to local value added as a criteri on for the granting of incentives, in practice this is 
                                                      
57 The classification of enterprises for the award of benefits under the Fiscal Incentives Act is:  Group I:  
local value added of 50% and over, tax holiday of 15 years;  Group II:  25% to 49%, 12 years;  Group III:  10% to 24%, 10 years;  Enclave:  no requ irement, 15 years;  Capital-intensive industry:  no requirement, 15 years. WT/TPR/S/190/LCA Trade Policy Review 
Page 30 
 
 
not a consideration.  They noted that the polici ng of a local-content requirement would place too great 
a burden on limited government resources, and that  other considerations, such as equity and 
employment creation are taken into account when deciding whether to grant incentives. 
121. Applications for incentives under the Fiscal Incentiv es Act are made to the Minister of Trade, 
Industry, and Commerce, and to the Chairman of the National Development Corporation.  Cabinet 
approval is required, based on the recommendation of the Minister, and that recommendation is, in 
turn, influenced by the analysis conducted by the Mi nistry staff.  The criteria examined include some 
laid out in the 1974 Act, and others in the Speci al Development Areas Act No. 2 of 1998, which 
address, inter alia , the location of the proposed investment.  The Ministry received 76 applications for 
incentives during 2001-06, 69 of which were granted.   The authorities estimate that EC$137.5 million 
of revenue was forgone due to the fiscal incen tives programme during 2001-05 (Table III.6).  
Although data are collected on revenue forgone, there is a view among the St. Lucian authorities that 
the investments receiving these incentives would no t have taken place if the investors had been 
required to pay taxes, and thus it is not correct  to refer to revenue "f orgone" under the programme. 
Table III.6 
Fiscal incentives, 2001-06 
 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 Total 
Applications 21 13 9 9 14 10 76 
Approvals 21 13 7 9 11 8 69 
Revenue forgone (EC$'000) 30,327 39,477 28,258 24,670 25,540 n.a. 137,514 
 
n.a. Not applicable. 
 
Source : Information provided by the authorities. 
122. St. Lucia grants other incentives to manufactur ers ineligible for benefits under the Fiscal 
Incentives Act.  Duty-free concessions on machinery, raw materials, and packaging may be granted to 
enterprises that do not qualify for the full range of  fiscal incentives. Authorit y for these concessions is 
provided by the Customs Act No. 36 of 1968,  as amended, and the Customs (Control and 
Management) Act No. 23 of 1990.   These incentives are granted by Cabinet, and according to the 
authorities, the criteria are the sa me as those used in the admini stration of the Fiscal Incentives Act 
(e.g. poverty alleviation, employ ment generation, etc.).  The Micro and Small Scale Business 
Enterprises Act No.19 of 1998 also provides for incen tives, but this law has not entered into force. 
123. A consumption tax rebate for manufacturers, in e ffect during 2000-02, proved to be too costly 
to government revenue and has been repealed .  This measure entitled a manufacturer to a 
consumption tax allowance, based on the achievement  of criteria agreed upon with the Ministry of 
Trade, Industry, and Commerce.  These criteria incl uded employment generation, level of investment, 
type of product line, export share, and domestic market share. 
124. The Special Development Areas Act No. 2 of 19 98 seeks to promote more balanced economic 
development in St. Lucia.  It offers special incentives to investors carrying out or financing development activities in the less developed areas.  Qualifying activities include the development of 
conference centres, residential complexes, and co mmercial or industrial buildings;  the improvement 
or expansion of tourism-related services;  and agriculture-based activities.   Incentives available 
include exemption from income tax on interest received  in respect of a loan to an approved developer, 
and exemptions from the payment of import duty,  stamp duty, and consumption tax on inputs for 
construction or renovation.  Decisions under this Act are made by Cabinet, and the incentives are 
administered by the Office of Private Sector Relations. 
125. Incentives are also granted for tour ism activities (see Chapter IV(v)). Saint Lucia WT/TPR/S/190/LCA 
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126. The business sector may request funding from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB).  
Loans from ordinary capital resources, are at an a nnual rate of 6% (public sector) or 8% (private 
sector), with a repayment period of up to 22 years.  Loans from special fund resources are granted to St. Lucia at an annual interest rate of 2.5%, with a repayment period of 30 years, including a grace 
period of 10 years.
58 
(iii) Competition policy and regulatory issues 
(a) Competition policy 
127. Although the Protection Against Unfair Compe tition Act No. 1 of 2001, which entered into 
force on 1 March 2002, refers to prohibiting unfair competition "the law is not concerned with the 
economic regulation of competition, but instead deals with protecting consumers from unfair 
industrial or commercial practices.59  For example, the law does not deal with mergers and 
acquisitions or abuses of dominance or collusion between firms.  The Act covers industrial or 
commercial activities that are contrary to honest pr actices, and that may cause confusion with respect 
to other enterprises, or that may mislead the public , or that may discredit another person's enterprises 
or activities.  The Act applies to any practice in  the course of commercial or industrial activity, 
including the provision of professional services, likely to mislead consumers. 
128. The Ministry of Consumer Affairs is responsib le for administration of competition policy, but 
its authority is circumscribed by the limited extent of national law.  Adjudication of matters arising 
under the Act is by the Courts;  it places no administrative responsibilities on the Registry of Companies and Intellectual Property.  The Act does not provide for any institution or body to monitor 
acts, approve mergers and acquisitions, or conduct other inquiries.  Only civil remedies may be 
obtained under the Act;  there has been no litigat ion, and no sanctions have been applied. 
129. St. Lucia has signed Chapter VIII revising th e CARICOM Treaty, which provides for the 
enactment of harmonized competition legislation in  CARICOM members.  Once the Protocol enters 
into force, it is expected that a National Competiti on Authority will be created to deal with domestic 
competition issues, while the CARICOM authority will deal with issues at the CARICOM level.  The 
authorities indicate that a model CARICOM competition law is being considered within the Attorney 
General’s chambers (mid 2007).  The initiative ma y lead to the establishment of a proposed 
subregional OECS Competition Authority. 
(b) Price controls 
130. The Ministry of Consumer Affairs is responsib le for the administration of price controls.  
Price Control Order No. 27 of 1999 sets prices eith er by fixing maximum pric es for certain goods and 
services, or by defining allowable percentage ma rkups for controlled goods.  Section A of the 1999 
Order establishes maximum wholesale markups for im ports of some products based on the "landed 
cost" of a good
60:  in most cases, a 10% or 15% markup is allowed in some the maximum is 7.5%.  
Maximum retails prices are set at 10%, 15%, or 18% above the wholesale price.  The maximum for 
                                                      
58 CDB online information.  Viewed at:  http:// www.caribank.org/CDBWebPages.nsf/Basicinfo/$File/ 
Basicinformation1.pdf?OpenElement. 
59 See Protection against Unfair Competition (Commencement) Order No. 9 of 2002.  For the text of 
the 2001 Act see WIPO online information.  View ed at:  http://www.wipo.int/clea/docs_new/pdf/en/lc/ 
lc008en.pdf. 
60 Calculated as the total of:  the c.i.f. value;  1% of  the invoice value;  9% of the c.i.f. value;  and the 
customs duty and/or consumption or excise tax payable on the good.  Goods in section A include:  baby foods, cereals, flour, garlic, milk, onions, peas and beans, potatoes, rice,  and school supplies. WT/TPR/S/190/LCA Trade Policy Review 
Page 32 
 
 
school supplies is 30% over the landed cost or, for do mestically produced goods, the ex-factory price.  
Goods and services listed in Section B, which include other imports and domestically produced 
goods, are subject to maximum prices at the ex-factor y, depot, warehouse, delivery vehicle, or farm 
level; or at the wholesale and retail level.61 
(c) State-owned enterprises and privatization 
131. St. Lucia has not notified to the WTO the existenc e of any state trading enterprise, as defined 
by Article XVII of the GATT. 
132. Bulk rice, bakers’ flour, and bulk sugar may be  imported only by the Ministry of Trade, 
Industry, and Commerce.  According to the authorit ies, the purpose of this policy is to support the 
government’s drive towards poverty alleviation and to  maintain price stability on staples.  Sales of 
these products have fluctuated between EC$26.9 an d EC$28.9 million in the 2000/01-2004/05 period. 
133. The St. Lucia Marketing Board (SLMB), a statutory body, acts as a wholesaler, purchasing 
fruit and vegetables from farmers to sell to the St. Luci an supermarket, hotel and restaurant trade, and 
for sale in its own retail outlets.  The SLMB imports out-of-season goods but does not have a monopoly, and pays duties and the customs service ch arge on all imports (Chapter IV(1)).  The 
St. Lucia Fish Marketing Corporation (SLFM) bu ys fresh catch from fishermen and sells it to 
wholesalers, processors, fish markets, and hotels and restaurants. 
134. Other enterprises totally or partially owned by the Government include:  the National 
Development Corporation (investment promotion); the St. Lucia Air and Sea Ports Authority;  the 
St. Lucia Electricity Company (LUCELEC);  the Wa ter and Sewerage Corporation;  the St. Lucia 
Tourist Board;  and the Housing and Urban Devel opment Corporation.  The St. Lucia Development 
Bank was absorbed by the Bank of St. Lucia, in wh ich the Government is a shareholder, in 2002. 
(iv) Government procurement 
135. St. Lucia is not party to the WTO Plurilatera l Agreement on Government Procurement.  The 
value of goods and services purchased by the Cent ral Government was some EC$91 million in fiscal 
year 2005 (some 4.7% of GDP).
62  Central Government procurem ent in 2006 totalled EC$234 million, 
of which EC$93 million in goods and services a nd the rest in capital goods (Table III.7). 
136. Government procurement is regulated by a Ce ntral Tenders Board (CTB) established through 
Finance Act No. 3 of 1997, and implemented by  Procurement Regulation No. 37 of 1999.  The 
Ministry of Finance is responsible for providing the guidelines for direct procurement and for the tendering process.  Under the Finance Act, Tenders  Committees are established within individual 
government agencies and ministries, for procurement of most goods, works or services not exceeding 
EC$100,000.  Computers, furniture, and suppli es are under the responsibility of the Central 
Procurement Unit of the Ministry of Finance.  The CTB is the sole procurement agency for contracts 
over EC$100,000. 
137. Contracts may be subject to either selective or  competitive tendering.  Competitive tendering 
accounts for the vast majority of purchases.  Where selective tendering is cho sen, tenders are invited 
from entities selected from a register of suppliers.  If  the tender is competitive, a notice is posted in 
the St. Lucia Gazette  and in local or overseas newspapers (required only for International Bank for 
                                                     
 
61 The goods in Section B are:  br ead, cement, copra, flour, kerosene, mogas, gasoline, diesel oil, 
propane gas, rice, and sugar (per 100 lb. bag). 
62 ECCB (2006a). Saint Lucia WT/TPR/S/190/LCA 
 Page 33 
 
 
Reconstruction and Development and Inter-American Developmen t Bank projects).  Competitive 
tenders are open and anyone can participate irrespec tive of nationality;  they are awarded to the best-
value supplier, which the authorities indicate is not necessarily the one offering the lowest price, since 
qualitative considerations are also taken into account. 
Table III.7 
Central government procurement, 2000-06 
(EC$ million)  
Expenditure 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 
Travel & subsistence 6.63 8.41 8.13 8.10 8.13 8.69 8.72 
Hosting and entertainment 0.36 0.36 0.31 0.33 0.36 0.18 0.40 
Passages 0.39 0.51 0.37 0.33 0.37 0.79 0.29 
Training 6.60 6.69 7.04 8.66 6.15 7.22 8.69 
Office and general 2.62 2.92 2.96 2.75 1.94 2.98 3.56 
Supplies and materials 10.95 9.93 11.61 11.59 12.26 13.87 15.03 
Stationery 0.07 0.02 0.02 0.02 0.02 0.01 0.01 
Stamps and stamped stationery  0.06 0.17 0.17 0.30 0.26 0.43 0.09 
Utilities 7.25 8.19 8.04 12.19 13.11 17.12 18.18 
Tools & instruments 0.21 0.32 0.17 0.22 0.20 0.21 0.16 
Communication expense 4.83 8.40 3.22 8.27 14.92 6.95 7.48 
Operating and maintenance 14.29 15.17 12.51 10.36 10.59 10.42 12.38 
Rental of property 8.42 11.04 12.19 14.68 17.37 19.22 21.59 
Hire of equipment and transport 0.60 0.61 0.78 0.95 1.05 1.09 1.09 
Professional and consultancy 1.05 1.41 1.52 2.31 1.20 1.50 1.81 
Insurance 2.00 2.02 1.95 2.22 2.53 2.23 2.08 
Advertising 0.06 0.04 0.06 0.09 0.21 0.40 0.55 
Miscellaneous 0.36 0.31 0.32 0.37 0.49 0.65 0.80 
Total 66.77 76.52 71.40 83.73 91.1 93.95 102.92 
Change  14.6% -6.7% 17.3% 8.8% 3.1% 9.5% 
Capital expenditures 90.61 73.72 82.87 130.11 93.95 140.47 141.98 
Total 157.38 150.23 154.26 213.84 185.10 234.42 244.91 
 
Source : Information provided by the authorities. 
138. St. Lucia maintains a short list of potential suppliers, but bids are welcome from all parties.  
Procurement notices are posted electronically in most cases.  Preferences are generally not given to local suppliers, but may be granted when after-sales  service is considered crucial to the procurement 
decision.  Preferences are not granted for local or regional goods.  The authorities note that the 
selection criteria for selective tendering are based on:  reliability;  consistenc y of quality of product;  
price;  services provided; ability to service needs;   extent of business done with the competition;  
profitability;  terms of payment;  viability and long- term prospects of the business;  ability to provide 
up-to-date information on current industry trends ;  guarantees and warranties;  market standing;  
effective marketing;  research and development; supplier distance;  and reputation in general. 
139. In the 2007-2008 Budget Address, the Government of St. Lucia stated that the Ministry of 
Trade, Industry, and Commerce would embark on a Domestic Trade Promotion Programme to encourage St. Lucians and visitors to consume lo cally produced goods and services.  The address also 
noted that Government, as a major consumer of goods and services, would play its part in purchasing 
a greater percentage of its goods and services from local producers.
63 
                                                      
63 Government of St. Lucia (2007), p. 24. WT/TPR/S/190/LCA Trade Policy Review 
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(v) Intellectual property rights 
140. St. Lucia is a member of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and a 
signatory to a number of international agreemen ts on intellectual property rights (Table III.8). 
Table III.8  
Membership in international instruments on intellectual property rights 
Convention/Agreement Accession 
The Convention Establishing the World Intell ectual Property Organi zation (1970) 21 August 1993 
The Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary  and Artistic Works, Paris Text (1886) 23 August 1993 
The Paris Convention for the Protection of Indus trial Property, Stockholm  Text (1883) 9 June 1995 
International Convention for the Protection of Perf ormers, Producers of Phonograms, and Broadcasting 
Organizations (Rome Convention, 1961) 17 August 1996 
The Patent Cooperation Treaty (1970) 30 August 1996 
Nice Agreement 18 December 2000 
Convention for the Protection of Producers of Phonogr ams Against Unauthorized Duplication of Their 
Phonograms (1971) 2 April 2001 
Vienna Agreement Establishing an Intern ational Classification of the Figurative Elements of Marks (1973) 25 December 2001 
WIPO Copyright Treaty (1996) 6 March 2002 
WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty (1996) 20 May 2002 
Washington Treaty on Intellectual Property in Respect of Integrated Circuits (1989) Not yet in force 
 
Source:  World Intellectual Property Organization, online information.  Viewed at:  http://www.wipo.int. 
141. Domestic legislation has been updated on copy right, trade marks, geographical indications, 
industrial designs, undisclosed information, and la yout designs.  Legislation in other areas, such as 
patents, trade marks and plants varieties was passed  in 2001, but is not yet in force (early 2007).  
St. Lucia has notified its legislation on intellectual property to the WTO64;  it was reviewed in April 
2001, before several of these laws entered into force.65  St. Lucia’s contact point for issues related to 
intellectual property is the Attorney General.66 
(a) Trade marks 142. The Trade Marks Act No. 22 of 2001 was under consideration at the time of St. Lucia's last 
TPR.
67  It has since been enacted, and implemente d by the Trademarks Regulations Statutory 
Instrument No. 17 of 2003.68  The 2001 Act replaces the trade mark legislation contained in the 
Commercial Code of 1917, as amended.  Section 201 of the 2001 Act repealed the provisions of Title 
X (patents, designs and trade marks) of the Co mmercial Code Cap 244 of the St. Lucia Revised 
Ordinances 1957.  Trade Marks Act No. 23 of 2001 entered into force on 1 April 2003, as provided 
for by the Trade Marks Act (Commencement) Order No . 16 of 2003.  Under this legislation the period 
of protection for trade marks is ten years down fro m 14 years under the old law.  The legislation 
makes provision for well-known trade marks and includes several remedi es for infringement, 
including provisions relating to the in tervention of Customs in certain cases. 
(b) Patents and industrial designs 
143. Patents are currently protected under the Pa tents, Designs and Trademarks, Title X, 
Commercial Code, Ch 244, Revised Laws of St. Lucia 1957.  This legislation makes provision for 
local registration of patents and for the registration of patents granted in the United Kingdom.  These 
                                                      
64 These notifications are included in the WTO documents of the  IP/N/1/LCA series. 
65 WTO document IP/Q-Q4/LCA/1, 16 October 2001. 
66 WTO document IP/N/3/Rev.9, 8 November 2005. 
67 The text is reproduced in WTO document IP/N/1/LCA/T/1, 1 September 2004. 
68 The text is reproduced in WTO document IP/N/1/LCA/T/2, 1 September 2004. Saint Lucia WT/TPR/S/190/LCA 
 Page 35 
 
 
patents have the same rights and privileges as the United Kingdom patents and is purely an extension 
of these rights in St. Lucia.  The legislation does not provide for international applications filed 
according to the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) and is very archaic in its approach to patent 
administration.  This law will be super seded by the Patents Act No. 16 of 200169, which is intended to 
replace the existing patent law provisions, but as of May 2007 was not yet in force.  No instructions 
have been issued relating to the commencement date  of the Patents Act.  The new Act will introduce 
the concepts of novelty and inventive step for pa tentability and allow for compulsory licensing in 
various cases. 
144. Since St. Lucia became a member of the PCT in  1996, a number of applications have been 
filed under the Treaty, but none has been granted b ecause the present legislation does not provide for 
international applications filed acco rding to the PCT.  The authoriti es state that the average pending 
time for the grant of a patent is one week (re-re gistration only), while the corresponding figure for an 
industrial design is four months. 
145. Industrial designs are regulated by the Industr ial Designs Act No. 2 of 2001, and by the 
Industrial Designs Regulations – Statutory Instrume nt No. 50 of 2003, both of which entered into 
force on 1 June 2003.  Act No. 2 provides protection fo r industrial designs that satisfy the requirement 
of novelty and that are not contrary to public orde r and morality.  Protection is for five years, and may 
be renewed for two further five-year periods.  This Act repealed Part II of Title X of the Commercial 
Code, Ch. 244, Revised Laws of St. Lucia 1957.  Th e regulations specify the procedures, forms, and 
fees to be applied under the law. 
(c) Copyright 
146. Copyright Act No. 10 of 1995 grants protection for copyright and makes provision for 
computer programs and compilations of data.  It introduces specific provisions in relation to 
performers, sound recordings, and broadcasts.  Pr otection is for life plus 50 years;  for sound 
recordings, films, broadcasts or  cable programmes it is 50 years from the end of the year in which 
they were made.  For typographical arrangement s of published editions, copyright protection is 
25 years from the end of the calendar year in which the edition was first published.  Under Section 51 
of the Act, the owner of copyright in a published work, film or sound recording may restrict the import of infringing copies. 
147. Copyright may be transmitted by licensing.  Ther e is no formal registration of copyright.  The 
Copyright Act was amended by the Copyright (Ame ndment) Act No. 7 of 2000 to include protection 
of the moral right of producers of phonograms, to  extend the existing economic rights and the scope 
of civil remedies, and to deal with the establis hment of collective societies.  The Copyright 
(Importation Restriction) Regulations 2000 (S.I. No . 113 of 2000) detail the implementation of the 
Act and identify the forms, fees and other requireme nts associated with the administrative procedures.  
The Copyright (International Organizations) Order (S .I. No. 112 of 2000) extended the application of 
section 147 of the Copyright Act of 1995 (copyright v esting in certain international organizations) to 
agreements that have been negotiated in the WTO and a number of other inte rnational organizations.  
The law applies to works that did not originate in St. Lucia through the various conventions that the 
country has signed; it does not refer to works wh ere the vested interest is an international 
organization. 
                                                     
 
69 The text is reproduced in WTO document IP/N/1/LCA/P/1, 1 September 2004. WT/TPR/S/190/LCA Trade Policy Review 
Page 36 
 
 
(d) Other intellectual property rights 
148. The Geographical Indications Act No. 4 of 2 000, which entered into force on 1 May 2003, 
provides for a system of protection for geographical  indications.  The Act provides for the institution 
of civil proceedings to prevent the unlawful use of geographical indications and imposes criminal 
sanctions for deliberate wrong use.  The Act further establishes a system of protection that is not 
dependent on registration, although registration of the geographical i ndications raises a presumption 
that it is a geographical indication within the meani ng of the Act.  Reference is also made to the 
power of the Registrar not to register a trade mark that conflicts with a geographical indication.  The 
Geographical Indications Regulations (S.I. No. 54 of  2003), which also entered into force on 1 May 
2003, specify the procedures, forms, and fees to be applied under the law. 
149. The Layout-Designs (Topographies) of Integrated Circuits Act No. 3 of 2000, which entered 
into force on 1 May 2003 protects layout-designs of integrated circuits agai nst reproduction, import, 
sale and other distribution.  The right to protectio n belongs to the creator and this right may be 
assigned or transferred.  The term of protection is te n years either from the filing date or from the date 
of first commercial exploitation.  The Act provi des for registration of layout-designs without 
examination of the originality of the design, th e applicant’s entitlement to protection, or the 
correctness of the facts stated in the applicati on.  The Layout-Designs (Topographies) of Integrated 
Circuits Regulations (S.I. No. 49 of 2003), which al so entered into force on 1 May 2003, specify the 
procedures, forms, and fees to  be applied under the law. 
150. Undisclosed information is protected by the Pr otection Against Unfair Competition Act No. 1 
of 2001 (in force since 2001), which regulates acts and practices in the course of industrial or 
commercial activities that mislead the public and disc redit another enterprise or activities.  This Act 
places no administrative responsibilities on the Registry of Companies and Intellectual Property;  its operation is solely in the hands of the Court. 
(e) Enforcement 
151. St. Lucia responded to the WTO checklist on enforcement issues in 2001.
70  T h e  
administration of intellectual property laws in St. Lucia falls under the responsibility of the Office of 
the Attorney General.  St. Lucia has a system of  registration for industrial and intellectual property 
rights with the exception of copyri ght, for which there is no registration.  The application and 
registration process takes place at the Registry of Companies and Intellectual Property and involves 
the submission of applications in duplicate, paymen t of the requisite fees, a nd an examination.  The 
Registry is also responsible for implementation of IP policy. 
152. The 1995 Copyright Act introduced provisions on civil and criminal proceedings against any 
person or organization infringing copyrights through the making for sale or hire, or the importation of goods.  Remedies for infringement of economic ri ghts include seizure of infringing copies, and 
damages.  Infringement of copyright is punishable with a fine of up to EC$2,500 for each article, and 
up to 12 months’ imprisonment.  Remedies for infri ngement of moral and related rights include the 
right to restrict the importation of infringing goods .  Under the Copyright (Importation Restriction) 
Regulations (S.I. No. 113) of 2000 right holders ma y request that infringing copies be treated as 
prohibited goods, and their importation banned for five years.  The legislation with respect to layout 
designs, geographical indications, industrial designs , and protection against unfair competition also 
contains enforcement provisions , including seizure of imports. 
                                                     
 
70 WTO document IP/N/6/LCA/1, 20 March 2001. Saint Lucia WT/TPR/S/190/LCA 
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153. Under the Patents Act, civil proceedings may be brought by a patent owner in respect of any 
act alleged to infringe the patent.  The remedies include an injunction restraining the defendant from 
infringement, an order for the defendant to deliver up or destroy any patented  product or relevant 
article, damages in respect of the infringement, an  account of the profits derived by the defendant 
from the infringement, and a declaration that the patent is valid and has been infringed by the 
defendant.  Penalties under the Act can be a fine of  up to EC$10,000 and/or imprisonment for up to 
three years. 
154. Under the Trade Marks Act, a court may grant relief in an action for an infringement of a 
registered trade mark in the form of an injunction and, at the option of the plaintiff, damages or an 
account of profits. Violations of the Trade Mark s Act can result in fines of up to EC$250,000.  
Enforcement provisions exist in all intellectual prope rty laws of St. Lucia, even when they are not 
explicitly laid out in the law, insofar as suits may be brought to the civil courts. 
IV. TRADE POLICIES BY SECTOR 
(1) AGRICULTURE  
155. Agriculture has continued to lose share of GDP during the period under review, falling from 
6% of GDP in 2000 to 3.1% in 2005 (including for estry and fisheries, but excluding agri-business).  
This relative decline reflects partly the stronger gr owth of other sectors, but also the contraction in 
agriculture, particularly in traditional activities, su ch as the banana industry.  The sector has been 
faced with problems such as reduced production, expo rts, income, profitability, and competitiveness 
in recent years, as well as by the erosion of prefer ences.  Crops account for over 60% of value added, 
livestock generates 12%, and fisheries 26%;  the contribution of forestry to GDP is very small.  The 
main agricultural products are bananas, which repr esent some 95% of all agricultural exports, other 
fruits, vegetables, and roots. 
156. The banana industry has continued to lose ground during the review period.  It accounted for 
just 1.1% of current GDP in 2005, down from 2.8% in 2000.  The industry was severely affected in 2005 by a plant disease and by the destruction of over 1,400 acres under banana cultivation by 
hurricane Ivan in 2004.  The authorities consider that, negotiations for the conversion of the EC 
banana import regime from a multi-quota and tariff regi me to a single tariff structure in 2006, added 
uncertainty to the industry.
71  Despite banana production losing GDP share, exports increased in value 
terms between 2000 and 2004;  how ever, export revenue fell by 23%  to EC$41.5 million in 2005, 
reflecting a 29.1% contraction in production, to 30,007 tonnes. 
157. The performance of the banana industry in recent years has been aided by the Banana 
Production Recovery Plan (BPRP), which aimed to rationalize production and improve production 
efficiency.  The BPRP and the Banana Rehabilita tion Programme have provi ded financial support for 
land preparation activities, a tissue culture programme  and pest monitoring.  Also, St. Lucia, like 
other ACP countries, has received compensatory aid from the EC under the Special Framework of 
Assistance (SFA), and previously under the STABE X, to meet export losses in the banana sector;  
total aid is estimated at some €153 million between these schemes.72  Government policy in 
agriculture is focused on managing the long term decline in banana production, with a view to 
improving banana commercia lization and promoting agricultural dive rsification.  The six main banana 
exporting companies are:  the St Lucia Banana C ooperation (SLBC), which accounts for over 40% of 
exports;  the Tropical Quality Fruit Company (T QFC);  the Agricultural Commodity and Trading 
                                                      
71 Government of St. Lucia (2006a). 
72 IMF (2006). WT/TPR/S/190/LCA Trade Policy Review 
Page 38 
 
 
Company (ACTCO);  the Independent Banana Fa rmers (BF);  and Salva tion Banana Marketing 
Company (SBMC). 
158. The other main crops are fruit and tree crops, including;  traditional vegetables (tomato, 
lettuce, cabbage, etc.) and non-traditional vegetables (broccoli, cucumber, eggplant, spinach, etc.).  
Production is geared mainly to the domestic market (Table IV.1). 
159. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFFE) formulates the overall 
agricultural policy framework and sector-specific po licy measures.  The role of the MAFFE involves 
monitoring production, processing, and marketing activiti es for crops, livestock, and fisheries, as well 
as managing natural renewable aquatic resources, and land and water devoted to farming.  The 
MAFFE is also responsible for protecting the e nvironment.  The MAFFE conducts several support 
programmes and services, such as:  the Crop Production and Improvement Programme, geared at producing quality crops;  the Livestock Production Programme, aimed at partially satisfying the 
protein requirements of the population;  the Agri cultural Health and Surveillance Programme, geared 
at preventing the entry of harmful pest and diseases;  the Land and Water Management Programme, aimed at conserving the land and water base for sust ainable agricultural production;  and the Agro-
Industry Development Programme, geared at faci litating the domestic production of processed 
agricultural commodities.
73 
Table IV.1 
Value of domestic purchases of selected agricultural goods, 2001-06 
(EC dollars) 
Crop category 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006a 
Fruit and tree crops 1,746 1,196 2,240 1,855,593 1,709,930 2,201,744 
Musa 838,277 539,089 403,845 449,011 502,071 596,531 
Traditional vegetables 2,137,234 1,627,406 1,749,251 1,739,755 1,605,639 2,182,385 
Non-traditional vegetables 1,435,515 1,130, 929 1,433,268 1,394,581 1,481,313 1,814,185 
Roots and tubers 1,387,262 1,002,328 1,027,007 1,093,240 935,231 1,378,695 
Condiments 371,706 363,586 412,965 375,873 370,326 424,376 
Total 7,915,785 5,859,467 7,266,062 6,908,054 6,602,511 8,597,917 
 
a Preliminary data.  
Source:   Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. 
160. The Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Co mmerce has the import monopoly on bulk rice, 
bakers’ flour, and bulk sugar.  The Government is also involved in the agriculture sector through the role of statutory bodies, such as the St. Lucia Ma rketing Board (SLMB), which acts as a wholesaler, 
purchasing fruit and vegetables from farmers to sell to the St. Lucian supermarket, hotel, and 
restaurant trade and for sale in its own retail outlets.
74  The SLMB imports out-of-season goods such 
as cabbage, lettuce, tomato, carrot, and sweet potat o.  This body does not have a monopoly, however, 
and it pays duties and the customs service charge on a ll imports.  Farmers are not obliged to sell to the 
SLMB, which purchases directly from farmers at established farm gate prices, which are posted 
weekly but subject to change.  Prices are not subs idized.  The SLMB controls approximately 5% of 
imports of fruit and vegetables, and purchases appr oximately 15% of domestic production.  In the 
2007-2008 Budget Address, the Government announ ced plans to restructure and reorganize the 
SLMB and rename it the Agriculture Marketing and Prom otion Agency.  The aim of this reform is to 
end the SLMB's position as a statutory body, and transfer its ownership to agricultural producers and 
                                                      
73 MAFFE online information.  Viewed at:  http ://www.slumaffe.org/Agriculture/Agri__Programmes/ 
agri__programmes.html. 
74 The SLMB is regulated by the St. Lucia Mark eting Board Act No. 18 of 1967 as amended. Saint Lucia WT/TPR/S/190/LCA 
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consumers, and the public at large.75  In the 2007-2008 Budget Address, the Government announced 
plans to establish a Banana Production Management  agency to sustain the provision of production-
related technical and other support services to the industry.76 
161. The St. Lucia Fish Marketing Corporation (SLFM ), which is not a statutory body, buys fresh 
catch from fishermen and sells it to wholesalers, pro cessors, fish markets, and hotels and restaurants.  
Most of the national catch is sold directly to consumers and hotels, and the SLFM is only a residual purchaser.  In the 2007-08 Budget Address, the Go vernment announced that the SLFM would be 
placed under new management in which pr ivate participation would be invited.
77 
162. Despite agriculture's small and shrinking contri bution to GDP, the Government considers it to 
have great potential for food security, rural devel opment, and sustainable livelihood, income, and 
employment growth.  The authorities note that there is a prevalence of small-scale agriculture, limited use of improved technologies, and limited market ability of both traditional and non-traditional 
agricultural products.  This has limited the pot ential growth of the sector, while encouraging 
inefficiency and lack of competitiveness.  In r esponse they have devised an agricultural policy and 
strategic plan that seeks to provide the framework and guidelines for an environment that facilitates 
investment and long-term growth in the sector.
78  The plan is aimed at increasing the efficiency and 
competitiveness of agriculture, by promoting comme rcialized farming, facilitating access to credit, 
and supporting producers' organizations.  Other aspects include promoting the adoption of new 
technology to decrease the costs of production;  im proving marketing;  expanding and diversifying 
agriculture, forestry, and fisheries production;  and legislative and policy review and reform. 
163. Agricultural products enjoy higher tariff protection than non-agricultural goods.  The 2006 
applied MFN tariff on imports of agricultural produc ts (WTO definition) averaged 16.7%.  Using the 
ISIC classification, the average tariff on agricult ure and fisheries was 20.7% in 2006.  Some 
agricultural products, such as fruit and vegetables,  animals and products thereof, beverages and 
spirits, coffee, and tobacco, benefit from higher than  average protection (Table III.2).  Import duties 
on some agricultural goods, like certain potatoes, sha llots, coffee, and icing sugar are set at specific 
rates (Chapter III(1)(iv)).  Tariff quotas are not used .  Import licences are required for a large number 
of agricultural imports from non-CARICOM countries,  including meats, chicken, vegetables, rice, 
wheat, coffee livestock, fish, crustaceans, molluscs, and edible fats (Table III.4).  A few products 
require a licence even when imported from other CA RICOM countries:  imports of all plants, fruit 
and vegetables must have a permit from the Plant Quarantine Unit of the MAFFE (Chapter III(1)(ix)).  
St. Lucia has not notified any SPS measure to the WTO. 
164. Fiscal incentives available to th e agriculture sector include import duty and consumption tax 
concessions.  Incentives are administered under the St. Lucia Agricultural Development Regime.  All 
local enterprises are eligible for concessions unde r the regime, although it seeks to promote greater 
accessibility for farmers and fishers through legall y established cooperatives, since the authorities 
hope this will promote greater production efficiencies.79  Applicants must present a business plan that 
demonstrates the viability of the enterprise and submit an application to the MAFFE for consideration.  
The process for applications where the total estimat ed value of waivers is less than EC$100,000 is 
dealt with at the Ministry level;  requests for c oncessions in excess of EC$100,000 are be considered 
at the Cabinet level.  Available concessions incl ude partial or complete waiver of import duties, 
consumption and excise taxes on most items used in  production of primary or processed agricultural 
                                                      
75 Government of St. Lucia (2007), p. 17. 
76 Government of St. Lucia (2007), p. 19. 
77 Government of St. Lucia (2007), p. 18. 
78 Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (2006b). 
79 Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (2006a). WT/TPR/S/190/LCA Trade Policy Review 
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commodities (e.g. goods vehicles, refrigerated trucks, tr actors, fertilizers, agri-chemicals, medication, 
safety gear, and land preparation tools and equipment).80  Concessions may also be granted for 
procurement of improved plant and livestock varietie s and associated tools and equipment, including 
irrigation infrastructure, energy saving devices, and th e like.  Similarly, in fisheries, concessions are 
granted for imports of vessels and equipment.  There is also a 100% waiver on import duties for 
planting material for cooperatives and 60% for i ndependents, as well as for land preparation and 
irrigation systems;  the latter also receive consump tion tax waivers in the same percentages.  St. Lucia 
has notified the WTO that it does not subsidize exports of agricultural goods.81 
(2) MANUFACTURING  
165. The manufacturing sector, including food processing, accounted for only 4.4% of current 
GDP in 2005, down from 6% in 2000.  Manufacturi ng contracted over the 2000-02 period, but has 
recovered since, particularly in 2005, when the value of output increased by 10.2%.  The most 
dynamic subsectors were food and beverages, paper and paperboard, and electrical subsectors, which 
together account for some 80% of production (Table  IV.2).  Production of electrical products is 
mainly an enclave industry in the industrial free- zone estates in Vieux Fort and Odsan, geared 
primarily for export to the United States and Europe. 
Table IV.2 
Manufacturing production, 2002-06 
(EC$'000) 
Commodities 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 
Food, beverage & tobacco 60, 052,9 64,261.2 69,099. 0 78,015.3 82,559.1 
Wearing apparel 1,464.6 1,011.1 1,039.3 886.4 871.3 
Textiles 4,846.9 7,234.7 - - - 
Corrugated paper & paper board 21, 206.6 20,039.8 20,660.8 19,713.0 21,560.0 
Other paper & paperboard 2,227.5 1,790.5 1,472.0 1,850.6 1,803.1 
Wood & wood products 1,926.8 2,578.9 81.2 69.3 119.0 
Furniture - - - 2,557,411.0 3,026,414.0 
Electrical products 25,368.6 18,477.3 24,529.2 28,279.3 28,094.7 
Basic industrial chemicals 426.0 408.8 836.1 1,287.9 1,522.7 
Other chemicals 4,740.8 5,044.2 4,813.2 6,904.0 7,139.1 
Plastic products 3,157.2 3,014.1 3,295.7 3,442.5 4,055.1 
Rubber products 683.5 571.6 742.4 724.5 838.5 
Printed materials 2,762.9 2,779.0 3,047.6 2,902.4 2,399.9 
Metal products 4,282.8 6,190.3 7,757.0 9,443.7 10,853.3 
Copra & copra derivatives 4,057.0 4,682.7 4,837.2 3,090.5 3,287.8 
Total 137,204.1 138,084.0 142,210.8 159,166.9 168,130.0 
 
- Nil.  
Source : Information provided by the authorities. 
166. The  average MFN tariff on imports of industria l products (ISIC-2 definition) was 9.3% in 
2006, with a peak of 70%.  The highest average ta riffs are applied on food, beverages and tobacco, 
clothing and apparel, footwear, and other manufacturing articles. 
                                                      
80 Typically, the duty waiver is 100% for imports by a cooperative and 60% for imports by 
independents.  Also, imports for cooperatives receive  a full waiver of excise taxes, while imports for 
independents are subject to a reduced rate of 5%. 
81 WTO document G/AG/N/LCA/1, 1 March 2004. Saint Lucia WT/TPR/S/190/LCA 
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167. The Fiscal Incentives Act grants relief from cor porate tax and customs duties to approved 
enterprises for up to 15 years (Chapter III(3)(ii)).  A number of free zones have been established to 
encourage the development of export-orie nted manufacturing (Chapter III(2)(ii)). 
(3) SERVICES  
(i) Main features 168. St. Lucia made sector-specific commitments  under the General Agreement on Trade in 
Services (GATS) in 5 of the 12 services areas (9 of the around 160 services subsectors):  financial 
services (insurance services);  health related and social services (hospital services);  tourism and travel-related services (hotel and resort develo pment and operation);  recreational, cultural and 
sporting services (entertainment and sporting ser vices);  and transport services (maritime and 
auxiliary transport services).  No market access or national treatment limitations were scheduled on 
cross-border supply and consumption abroad.  As for commercial presence, the supply of reinsurance 
services is limited to corporate entities;  and ho tel development is permitted only for projects in 
excess of 100 rooms. 
169. The horizontal section of St. Lucia's services schedule includes limitations on commercial 
presence and movement of natural persons.  The provision of services through commercial presence 
requires foreign service providers to incorporate or establish the business lo cally in accordance with 
the requirements of St. Lucia's Commercial Code.  Service providers may also be subject to the 
requirements of other Acts in areas such as propert y acquisition or lease and rental.  Two of these 
requirements are mentioned in the Schedule:  the requirement to register commercial presence in 
accordance with St. Lucia's Commercial Code;  a nd the prerequisite of a licence for foreign 
individuals and companies wishing to hold propert y in St. Lucia, in accordance with the Alien 
Landholding Act.  The Schedule also includes a reservation of a number of small business 
opportunities for nationals, citing as an example the r oom limitation on hotel and resort development.  
As regards the presence of natural persons, market  access is normally confined to people with 
managerial and technical skills, subject to a labour ma rket test.  St. Lucia has not listed any Article II 
(MFN) exemptions. 
(ii) Telecommunications 
170. St. Lucia did not present an offer in the WT O negotiations on basic telecommunications 
services and has made no commitments in the sector. 
171. Telecommunications in St. Lucia are under the responsibility of the Minister of 
Communications, Works, Transport and Public Utilities.  The National Telecommunications 
Regulatory Commission of St. Lucia is responsible for regulation of the sector.
82  At the regional 
level, the Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority (ECTEL) plays an important advisory and policy-coordinating role (see Overview Report).  The main legislation governing the sector is the 
Telecommunications Act No. 27 of 2000, which deregulated the sector and opened it up to 
competition.
83  This Act is substantially the same as the telecommunications laws of the other OECS 
ECTEL-Member States.  It, inter alia,  specifies criteria for the granting of a licence; universal service 
conditions that may be applied;   and procedures for concluding  interconnection agreements (see 
Overview Report).  The Telecommunications (Tariff)  Regulations (S.I. No. 69) of 2005 stipulates that 
                                                      
82 St. Lucia National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission online information.  Viewed at:  
http://www.ntrc.org.lc. 
83 Telecommunications Act No. 17, 2000.  Viewed  at:  http://www.ntrc.org.lc/Laws%20and%20 
Regulations/Telecommunicat ions%20Act%202000.pdf. WT/TPR/S/190/LCA Trade Policy Review 
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where there is effective competition in the teleco mmunications market, licensees may set tariffs.  In 
services where there is insufficient competition, the NTRC may designate them as a regulated service:  
within 30 days, the telecom provider must file a proposed tariff with the Commission for approval.  
The tariffs for regulated services in St. Lucia are determined in accordance with the Price Cap Plan 
agreed between Cable and Wireless, the incumbent at the time of liberalization, and the ECTEL 
Member States.  This plan applies in St. Lucia from 1 July 2005 to 30 November 2008. 
172. Key changes since liberalization in 2000 have b een:  a major increase in mobile penetration 
(from 6% in 2002 to 64% in 2006), and a correspondi ng increase in local traffic originating from 
mobile phones.  International outgoing traffic from fixed lines and mobile phones has steadily 
increased.  Other indicators, have either fluctuat ed since 2002, showing no clear trends, or have 
remained stable (Table IV.3). 
Table IV.3 
Telecommunications statistics, 2002-06 (March) 
 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 
Telecommunications revenues (EC$ million) 156 169 204 218 233 
Fixed-line penetration (%) 31 32 30 28 24 
Mobile penetration (%) 6 33 60 63 64 
Internet penetration (%) 3 4 4 5 5 
Investment (EC$ million) 21 57 78 35 22 
Employment 360 386 408 428 541 
Local traffic from a fixed line (million minutes) n.a. n.a.  n.a. n.a. 196 
Local traffic from a mobile phone  (million minutes) n.a. 8 51 60 82 
International outgoing traffic (fixed and mobile) (million minutes) 17 18 24 25 34 
 
n.a. Not applicable 
 
Source:  ECTEL. 
173. There are no limits on foreign ownership of te lecommunications companies.  Six individual 
licences have been issued in St. Lucia (May 2006) :  one for fixed public telecommunications;  three 
for public mobile telecommunications;  one for In ternet networks and services;  and one for the 
landing of a submarine cable.  Cable and Wireless, the incumbent, is the only licensed provider of fixed line services.  ECTEL has noted that although there are no legal, policy and regulatory barriers 
to entry into the fixed-line market, competition seem to  be constrained by supply- side restrictions, e.g. 
high capital and sunk costs.  Fixed-line tariffs (with the exception of international calls) are regulated 
by a Price Cap Plan, and in keeping with th is plan some tariffs have been reduced. 
174. Since liberalization, most tariffs for domestic fixed-line calls have been falling, but only 
moderately, following the Price Cap Plan.  For exampl e, off-peak tariffs for local fixed-to-fixed calls 
decreased by some 20% to EC$0.04 per minute between December 2004 and December 2005, while 
peak tariffs for fixed to mobile fell by 6.6%, to EC $0.71, and off-peak tariffs by 8% from to EC$0.69 
over the same period;  peak tariffs for local fixed-to -fixed calls remained at EC$0.07 per minute.  On 
the other hand, the residential fixed line access charge  increased slightly over the review period, from 
EC$24.25 per month in 2002 to EC$26.40 in 2005.  In ternational calls are not subject to the Price Cap 
Plan:  fixed line call tariffs to the United States ha ve fallen by some 45% since liberalization, to a 
minimum of EC$0.90 per minute.  Call tariffs to other ECTEL Members have stayed the same, at 
EC$0.50 per minute.  St. Lucia's legislation do es not explicitly prohibit call-back and by-pass. 
175. Mobile phone services in St. Lucia are provided by Cable and Wireless and Digicel;  there has 
been some consolidation in the market, with the acquisition by Digicel of Cingular Wireless in 2005.
84  
                                                      
84 ECTEL (2006). Saint Lucia WT/TPR/S/190/LCA 
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According to ECTEL, 91% of mobile subscribers ha ve pre-paid mobile phones.  In 2006, mobile-to-
mobile tariffs ranged from EC$0.70 per minute for calls on the same network to EC$0.85 per minute 
for calls between networks.  Mobile-to-fixed line tariffs ranged from EC$0.80 to EC$0.85 per minute.  
Tariffs for mobile-to-mobile and mobile-to-fixed line calls have remained relatively stable since 
liberalization.85  The authorities commented that a number of factors may explain the significant 
increase in mobile penetration rates despite rela tively high mobile tariffs, these include:  the 
introduction of prepaid mobiles, which eliminated th e need for consumers to commit to monthly line 
rental bills, and reductions in the prices of handsets. 
176. Cable and Wireless, the incumbent, remains th e only provider of Internet access.  There has 
been a marked shift from dial-up towards high-speed In ternet access:  81% of Internet subscribers had 
broadband access in 2006, up from 17% in March 2003.86  The authorities note that Cable and 
Wireless introduced an offer to double speed for the same monthly charge. 
177. In 2002, St. Lucia introduced a tax of 10% on calls from cellular telephones, through the 
Mobile Cellular Telephone (Tax) Act, No. 9 of 2002 .  Amendments to the Act in 2003 (Act No. 13) 
stipulate that the tax also applies to pre-paid telephone cards.  In fiscal year 2006/07, revenues from 
the tax were EC$9.05 million.  Telecom operators ar e eligible for fiscal incentives:  under Cabinet 
Conclusion No. 797 of 2002, they are eligible for "100% waiver of import duty and consumption tax 
on equipment and materials for the establishmen t and construction of new telecommunications 
networks subject to verification of the list of  equipment and materials by the Ministry of 
Communications, Works, Transport and Public Util ities prior to importation.  Cabinet Conclusion 
No. 848(b) of 2002, imposed a time restriction of 18 months from the date of issue of the licence. 
(ii) Financial services 
178. St. Lucia's scheduled GATS commitments on fina ncial services cover only reinsurance, where 
market access and national treatment are bound w ith no limitations for cross-border supply and 
consumption abroad, and with some limitations for commercial presence.  St. Lucia did not participate 
in the WTO extended negotiations on financial services. 
179. As with other OECS countries, St. Lucia has taken steps to create a single regulatory authority 
for both offshore and onshore financial services, wi th the exception of domestic banks and credit 
unions.  These responsibilities were taken over by the Ministry of International Financial Services, 
within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in December 2006. 
(a) Onshore financial services Banking 
180. Domestic banks in St. Lucia are regulated by the ECCB.  Onshore banking legislation is 
uniform among all OECS Member States.  The ma in legislation is the Banking Act No. 34 of 2006 
which incorporated amendments to the Uniform Ba nking Act that upgrade the legislation in relation 
to the Basle core principles.  Th ese changes include strengthened oversi ght of financial institutions by 
the ECCB, and more stringent and systematic  reporting requirements by such institutions. 
181. In order to carry out banking business in St. Luci a, banks must be licensed by the Minister for 
Finance and fulfil the conditions required for licensi ng, these include the requirement that banks (both 
local and foreign financial institutions) must have a place of business there;  for foreign companies, 
                                                     
 
85 ECTEL (2006). 
86 ECTEL (2006). WT/TPR/S/190/LCA Trade Policy Review 
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this may be a branch or subsidiary.  Citizens a nd companies of St. Lucia are not restricted from 
borrowing or placing deposits with banks located abroad.  St. Lucia no lo nger maintains exchange 
controls on capital and non-trade current transactions (see Chapter I).  There are no limitations on 
foreign investment in onshore banks in St. Lucia.  Foreign-owned banks licensed and incorporated in 
St. Lucia are subject to the same requirements as locally owned and locally incorporated banks and 
may provide the same services. 
182. There are six commercial banks operating in St. Lucia:  three are branches of foreign banks 
(Bank of Nova Scotia;  First Caribbean Intern ational Bank (Barbados) Ltd;  and Royal Bank of 
Canada);  two are locally incorporated and loca lly owned (First National Bank St. Lucia Ltd. and 
Bank of St. Lucia Ltd.);  and one is a branch that is locally incorporated (RBTT Bank 
Caribbean Ltd).87  In 2006, the weighted average spread  between deposit and lending interest rates 
was 7.7 percentage points (2 .9% deposit, 10.2% lending).88  St. Lucia does not levy any specific taxes 
on financial transactions.  No de velopment bank has been operating in St. Lucia since July 2002, 
when the St. Lucia Development Bank merged with The Bank of St. Lucia, which is a commercial 
bank, but continues to administer a development lo ans portfolio.  There has been some discussion on 
the creation of a new development bank to provid e concessionary lending to higher risk customers.89 
Insurance 
183. No information was available on the number of insurance and reinsurance companies 
registered in St. Lucia, their ownership, legal form or the types of in surance they offered. 
184. Insurance in St. Lucia is regul ated by the Insurance Act No. 6 of 1995, as amended by the 
Insurance (Amendment) Act No. 28 of 2003, and th e Insurance (Amendment) Act No. 3 of 2006.  
New insurance legislation, which would be harmonized among all OECS countries, is at an advanced 
stage of drafting (see Overview Report).  The supervision of the industry is in the hands of the Ministry of International Financial Services. 
185. Only companies or associations of underwriters may provide insurance cover;  they must be 
registered in St. Lucia and obtain a licence to ope rate.  Licensees under the Act must submit financial 
statements annually;  separate revenue accounts mu st be submitted for life insurance and for other 
categories of insurance.  Foreign companies must have  operated for at least five years in their country 
of incorporation before they can be registered to  operate in St. Lucia.  Individuals may transact 
business as intermediaries (insurance agents, brokers, and salesmen), and must be registered under the Act.  Registration fees range from EC$100 to EC$1,5 00 depending on the activity and whether, in the 
case of a broker, the partners holding the majority inte rest are citizens of St. Lucia.  Insurers must  
invest their technical reserves as prescribed in the Fourth Schedule of the Insurance Act;  specific 
provisions apply to pension fund plan investments. 
186. Insurers can be registered for long-term insura nce (ordinary life or industrial life), for general 
insurance (liability, marine, aviation, and transport;  property;  pecuniary loss;  and motor vehicle) or 
both businesses.  Market access is unrestricted for all modes of supply,
 subject to the provisions of the 
Insurance Act in the case of commercial presence, a nd to immigration regulations in the case of the 
presence of natural persons.  Information was not available on whether fore ign-owned companies are 
allowed to provide all types of insurance coverage , nor whether St. Lucian citizens or companies may 
obtain insurance coverage abroad. 
                                                      
87 ECCB online information.  Viewed  at:  http://www.eccb-centralba nk.org/Financia l/fin_banks.asp. 
88 ECCB (2006a). 
89 Government of St. Lucia (2007). Saint Lucia WT/TPR/S/190/LCA 
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187. Under the Act, the minimum paid-up capital requirements are EC$2.5 million for foreign 
companies and EC$1 million for long-term business.   For general business, the requirements are 
EC$1.5 million for foreign companies, and EC$750, 000 for local companies.  Foreign companies 
must also make higher initial deposits, at EC$50, 000 or EC$100,000, compared with EC$25,000 or 
EC$50,000 for local companies, depending on the class of business transacted.  There are specific 
provisions for the maintenance of insuran ce funds for certain classes of business. 
188. There are no nationality restrictions for the re gistration of insurance brokers.  National 
treatment is not applied, however, on deposits paid to provide insuran ce services:  St. Lucian nationals 
or incorporated companies (with majority shareholding by citizens of St. Lucia) pay EC$10,000, 
while foreign nationals or companies pay EC$20,000.   The Act requires insurers to pay an annual 
licence fee ranging from EC$1,200 to EC$3,000;  the fees vary according to the class of insurance 
business transacted and whether the insurer is local or foreign. 
189. A tax is levied on insurance premiums.  In fiscal year 2006/07, government revenue from this 
tax was EC$5.9 million. 
(b) Offshore financial services 
190. Up to date information was not available on th e number of offshore ba nks and international 
insurance companies registered in St. Lucia.  Offshore financial services are regulated by the Ministry 
of International Financial Services. 
191. St. Lucia was not identified as a non-cooperative country by the G7 Financial Task Force 
(FATF).  It has, however, taken some steps over th e period under review to strengthen its institutional 
capacity to address money laundering.  In a 28 Fe bruary 2002 declaration, St. Lucia committed to 
transparency measures, and to share information in  criminal tax matters by 31 December 2003, and in 
civil tax matters by 31 December 2005.  St. Luci a established a Financial Intelligence Authority in 
October, 2003 as an autonomous body.  The agency is empowered by the Money Laundering Prevention Act No. 27 of 2003 and the Proceeds of Crime Act No.10 of 1993 to receive and inspect 
financial transaction reports from financial institutions.  If an investigation finds that there is a basis 
for prosecution, cases are referred either to the police or  the Director of Public Prosecutions.  Since its 
establishment, there has been one successful case prosecuted (for fraud), and as of mid-2007 there 
were two pending prosecutions for money-laundering charges. 
192. The main legislation governing offshore banking in  St. Lucia is the International Banks Act 
No. 42 of 1999 (as amended by Act No. 2 of 2003)  and the main legislation governing  offshore 
insurance companies is the International Insuran ce Act, No. 38 of 1999 (as amended by Act No. 3 of 
2003).  Under the two Acts respectively, offs hore banking and insurance companies must be 
incorporated under the International Business Co mpanies Act No. 40 of 1999 (as amended), must 
have at least one director who is resident in  St. Lucia, and are precluded from doing business with 
residents of St. Lucia.  International banks and international insurance companies must appoint a 
registered agent, and have a registered office in St . Lucia (which may be the office of the registered 
agent).  Under the International Business Compan ies Act, international business companies are not 
subject to exchange controls and may elect to be ex empt from income tax or liable for income tax at a 
rate of 1% on the chargeable income of the co mpany.  Licence application fees and annual licence 
fees apply. 
193. Under the International Banks Act different classe s of licence are granted:  Class A licences, 
for general international banking business, and Class B licences, where licensees may only do 
business with the persons listed at the time of the application.  The minimum paid-up capital WT/TPR/S/190/LCA Trade Policy Review 
Page 46 
 
 
requirements are US$1 million for Class A licen sees, and US$250,000 for Class B licensees.  Banks 
must also deposit US$100,000 into a bank doing  commercial business in St. Lucia.  Licence 
application fees are US$500, and annual licence fe es are US$25,000 for Class A, and US$15,000 for 
Class B licences. 
194. Likewise, under the International Insurance Ac t licences are granted for different types of 
insurance:  Class A licences are for general in surance business only;  Class B licences are for long-
term insurance business only (including captive insura nce);  and Class C licences are for both general 
and long-term insurance.  Minimum capital require ments range from US$50,000 to US$100,000.  In 
addition, a statutory deposit of at least US$50,0 00 must be deposited or invested in a prescribed 
manner. 
(iii) Air transport 
195. St. Lucia has not made any GATS commitments on air transport. 
196. In 2006, there were a total of  409,489 passenger arrivals by air to St. Lucia, significantly 
more than most other OECS Member states, w ith the exception of Antigua and Barbuda.  Most 
carriers operating flights in and out of St. Lucia were from the region, from the United States, United 
Kingdom, and Canada.90  St. Lucia has two airports:  Hewanorra in Vieux Fort, which handles most 
long-haul international flights;  and G.F.L. Charles in Castries, which handles mainly regional flights.  
Both airports are owned by the Government;  this ownership is a de facto situation and not mandated 
in law. 
197. In volume terms, the vast majority of cargo tr ade (exports and imports) is via maritime rather 
than by air transport.  In 2006, just over 3 milli on kg. of goods cargo was passed through St. Lucia's 
two airports (Table IV.4). 
Table IV.4 
Cargo trade by air transport, 2001-06 
(kg.) 
 George F.L. Charles Airport Hewanorra Airport Both 
airports 
 Unloaded Loaded Total Unloaded Loaded Total  
2001 889,791 625,313 1,515,104 532,953 1,441,154 1,974,107 3,489,211 
2002 1,086,625 597,771 1,684,395 710,677 2,017,904 2,728,582 4,412,977 
2003 761,217 485,412 1,246,629 1,227,125 1,409,160 2,636,285 3,882,914 
2004 865,911 512,908 1,378,819 974,807 1,451,917 2,426,724 3,805,543 
2005 759,163 468,133 1,227,296 999,721 1,013,090 2,012,811 3,240,107 
2006 733,351 468,210 1,201,552 1,065,569 987,189 2,052,758 3,254,310 
 
Source:  SLASPA. 
198. Over the review period, improvements have b een made to both of St. Lucia's airports, 
including the upgrade of security systems to meet IC AO standards.  The Government's intention is to 
construct a new terminal building at the George F. L. Charles Airport and to transform the existing 
terminal into a dedicated facility for private aircraft.91 
199. The Government of St. Lucia has a partial shar e in the regional airline LIAT, along with the 
Governments of Antigua and Barbuda , Barbados, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.  In February 
                                                      
90 For a list of the regional and international airlin es flying to and from St. Lucia, see SLASPA online 
information.  Viewed at: http://www.slaspa.com/Airports.htm. 
91 Government of St. Lucia (2007). Saint Lucia WT/TPR/S/190/LCA 
 Page 47 
 
 
2007, Caribbean Star and LIAT, began offering a combined schedule, under the LIAT name, and 
discussions on a merger between the two airlines we re under consideration.  There is one private 
locally owned airline, Inter-Caribbean Express (ICE) , which has a single plane offering charter flights 
to the Grenadines.  The authorities indicated that St. Lucia doesn't restrict foreign investment in 
domestically incorporated carriers. 
200. Overall responsibility for air transport in St. Lu cia rests with the Minister of Tourism and 
Civil Aviation.  The Air Transport Licensing Board, at  the Ministry is responsible for issuing licences.  
At the regional level, regulatory oversight for safet y and security issues is provided by the Eastern 
Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority (ECCAA).  Civil Aviation Act No. 7 of 2005 governs the air 
transport sector.  Under the Act, approval by the Mi nister of Tourism and Civil Aviation is required 
before air transport service licences may be granted.   This Ministerial approval requirement does not 
apply, however, to citizens of St. Lucia, or member states of the OECS or CARICOM;  or a body incorporated in St. Lucia that is substantia lly controlled by citizens of St. Lucia or a 
OECS/CARICOM member state.  Under the Civ il Aviation Act of 2005, the following must be 
considered for the granting of a licence:  existe nce of other air services;  need/demand for the 
proposed service;  and any unfair advantage of the applicant over other operators by reason of the 
terms of employment of persons em ployed.  In addition, the Minister has final authority to suspend 
consideration of the application. 
201. The 2005 Act does not directly impose restrictions on cabotage services, but authorizes the 
Minister to make regulations to control commercia l aircraft services within St. Lucia.  No such 
regulations restricting cabotage,  however, have been issued. 
202. Airports are managed and regulated by the St. Lucia Air and Sea Ports Authority (SLASPA).  
SLASPA's statutory responsibilities are to provide a c oordinated and integrated systems of airports, 
seaports, and port services.
92  Ground handling services are put out to tender by SLASPA;  a number 
of private foreign and local companies provide these services. 
203. St. Lucia is a contracting state of ICAO.  It has ICAO-recorded bilateral air services 
agreements with Canada (1984);  Trinidad a nd Tobago (1985);  and the United Kingdom (1989). 
(iv) Maritime transport 
204. Under the GATS, St. Lucia made market access commitments in maritime transport services 
with respect to international passenger trans port services, and freight transportation services.93 
205. The Minister of Communications, Works, Transport and Public Utilities has overall 
responsibility for maritime transport policy formulat ion and implementation.  St. Lucia has regular 
cargo shipping links with other Caribbean countries, the United States, and the United Kingdom.  In volume terms, the vast majority of cargo is trans ported by sea.  In 2006, over 750,000 tonnes of goods 
cargo was traded through St. Lucia's two main  commercial ports (Castries and Vieux Fort) 
(Table IV.5). 
                                                     
 
92 Saint Lucia Air and Sea Ports Authority Act, No. 10 of 1983. 
93 WTO document GATS/SC/73, 15 April 1994. WT/TPR/S/190/LCA Trade Policy Review 
Page 48 
 
 
Table IV.5 
Cargo trade by maritime transport, 2001-06 
(Tonnes) 
 Castries Vieux Fort Both ports 
 Import Export Total Im port Export Total  
2001 474,399 42,258 516,657 70,326 18,192 88,518 605,175 
2002 425,501 18,749 444,250 69,556 61,268 130,824 575,074 
2003 456,909 15,509 472,418 60,199 68,993 129,192 601,610 
2004 541,875 13,855 555,730 75,889 158,517 234,406 790,136 
2005 543,370 15,836 559,206 68,334 96,161 164,495 723,701 
2006 600,155 15,957 616,112 76,833 75,574 152,407 768,519 
 
Source:  SLASPA. 
206. The main legislation governing maritime tr ansport is Shipping Act, No. 11 of 1994 (as 
amended by Act No.16 of 2000).  Unless authorization is given by the Minister, only St. Lucian ships 
may undertake local passenger and cargo transport in local waters.  As indicated by the authorities, 
this restriction on cabotage is not stipulated in la w, but just applied in practice.  Ownership of 
St. Lucian ships is restricted to St. Lucian c itizens and companies with their principal place of 
business within the country.94  According to the authorities, there is no cabotage in St. Lucia and there 
are no St. Lucian vessels.  There are no restrictions on international maritime passenger and cargo transport services, as bound in St. Lucia's GATS commitments, provided that ships are registered in a foreign registry. 
207. St. Lucia has six official ports of entry:  th e main commercial ports are Vieux Fort in the 
south of the island, and Castries in the north of  the island.  Other sma ller ports are Rodney Bay, 
Marigot Harbour, Soufrières, and Cul-de-sac (which is  an oil terminal).  All ports are owned by the 
Government of St. Lucia and, with the exception of Port Cul-de-sac, are managed by the St. Lucia Sea 
and Air Port Authority (SLASPA).
95  According to the authorities,  pilotage services are mandatory 
and may only be provided by SLASPA. 
208. The authorities indicate that on average, 22 contai ners are unloaded in St. Lucia's ports in an 
hour;  they are looking to raise this to 28 per hour.  Since 2001, there have been steps to upgrade the 
efficiency of ports through the purchase of speciali zed equipment.  In 2003, the costs of freight as a 
percentage of the value of imports in St. Lucia wa s 10.9%, above the developing country average of 
9.1%.96 
209. St. Lucia is a member of the International Ma ritime Organization and has signed a number of 
IMO conventions.  All of St. Lucia's ports are I SPS compliant.  Among the measures taken to achieve 
compliance are:  C.C.T.V. monitoring for the ports;  fencing to the required standards;  and increased 
staffing and security checks. 
(v) Tourism 
210. Under the GATS St. Lucia made specific commitments on hotel and resort development and 
operation (including hotel restaurant services).  W ith respect to commercial presence market access 
commitments relate to hotels and resorts in excess of 100 rooms. 
                                                      
94 Shipping Act, Part III(12).  Eligibility criteria for ow nership of a St. Lucian ship are laid down in the 
Act. 
95 SLASPA online information.  Viewed at:  http://www.slaspa.com. 
96 UNCTAD (2005). Saint Lucia WT/TPR/S/190/LCA 
 Page 49 
 
 
211. Visitor arrivals (stayover) rose gradually from just over 250,000 in 2001 to just over 325,000 
in 2005.  However, in 2006 arrivals fell to so me 302,000 stayover visitors.  In 2006, cruise ship 
arrivals were nearly 360,000, and gross vis itor expenditure was EC$936 million (US$347 million).  
The main sources of stayover tourist arrivals were :  the United States (117,450 visitors);  other 
Caribbean countries (78,464 visitors);  and, the United Kingdom (73,312 visitors). 
212. The Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation is  responsible for formulating and implementing 
tourism policy.  Marketing and promotion activiti es are undertaken by the St. Lucia Tourism Board 
and the private sector St. Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association.97  According to the authorities, the 
Government's objective is to expand accommodati on throughout the island as well as offering 
different types of tourism. 
213. Various tourism-related taxes are levied on hotels and restaurants as well as carriers and 
passengers.  A departure tax, or airport service charge of EC$35 for CARI COM nationals and EC$68 
for non-CARICOM nationals is levi ed on persons leaving St. Lucia by air.  This tax contributed 
EC$6.87 million to government  revenue in FY2006/07.  There is a government tax of 8% on hotel and 
restaurant bills.98  A hotel accommodation tax of US$10 per overseas guest per night of stay for all-
inclusive hotels raised EC$29.45 million in FY2006/07.  A travel tax of 7.5% of the ticket cost raised 
EC$3.95 million.  The Government also levies a crui se passenger head tax of US$6.50 (inclusive of 
an EC$1.50 environmental tax).99  In addition, in 2002, the Government introduced a ticket tax of 
US$5 for all persons flying to St. Lucia;  the reve nue from this tax is targeted at tourism marketing.100  
A departure tax of EC$15 is levied on passengers leaving St. Lucia by boat.  As noted in Chapter I, 
the hotel accommodation tax and the travel tax are e xpected to be incorporated into the VAT in May 
2008. 
214. Under the Tourism Incentives Act No. 7 of 199 6, corporation tax exemptions for up to 
15 years may be granted for approved tourism pr oducts by the Minister for Tourism and Civil 
Aviation, with the approval of the Cabinet.101  The Minister may also grant investors a permit to 
import specified building materials, articles or e quipment free of customs duty and consumption tax, 
or drawback on duties already paid.102  According to the authorities, concessions are granted on a 
case-by-case basis, but are guided by conditions set out in the Act. 
215. In 2005, St. Lucia enacted the Cricket Wo rld Cup (Tourism Accommodation) Incentives Act 
(as amended in 2006) to encourage the developm ent of tourism accommodation to meet greater 
demand anticipated as a result of the Cricket World Cup.  Up until end December 2005, investors in 
accommodation projects could apply fo r various forms of tax relief, including:  percentage relief on 
stamp duty, vendor's tax, property tax and aliens landholding licence fe es;  an income tax holiday; a 
percentage tax credit for financial institutions; an d customs duty exemptions.  More substantial tax 
relief was available to larger projects.  No in formation was available on the revenue forgone as a 
result of benefits provided under the Tourism In centives Act and the Cricket World Cup (Tourism 
Accommodation) Incentives Act. 
                                                      
97 St. Lucia Tourist Board online information.  Viewed at:  http://www.stlucia.org;  and St. Lucia Hotel 
and Tourism Association online information.  Viewed at:  http://www.stluciatravel.com.lc. 
98 St. Lucia Tourist Board online information.  View ed at:  http://www.stlucia.org/planner/travel.asp. 
99 St. Lucia National Development Corporation (2007). 
100 Government of St. Lucia online information.  Vi ewed at:  http://www.stluc ia.gov.lc/primeminister/ 
budgetaddresses/2002_2003_budget_address.htm. 
101 According to the authorities, approved tourism produc ts include any service or facility considered to 
be a tourism project such as hote ls, restaurants and refurbishments. 
102 Organization of American States (OAS) online information.  Viewed at:  http://www.oas.org/ 
TOURISM/incentives/st-lucia.rtf. WT/TPR/S/190/LCA Trade Policy Review 
Page 50 
 
 
216. In mid-April 2007, the Government of St. Lucia implemented a new policy reserving 
investment in hotels below an internationally recogni zed four-star standard for St. Lucian nationals.  
To this end, the Government stopped granting inv estment incentives to foreign nationals for such 
properties.103  Certain other tourism-related activities are r eserved for nationals of St. Lucia, such as:  
the operation of restaurants with the exception of t op-class speciality-type;  a nd the operation of rental 
agencies for homes, villas, and apartments.  A licence may be awarded to non-national companies 
when local investment has not been forthcoming or  appropriate technology is not available locally.104 
(vi) Professional services 
217. St. Lucia did not undertake any GATS specific commitments on professional services. 
218. There is little information available regardi ng St. Lucia's regime governing professional 
services, including the processes for recognizing professional qualifications obtained abroad.  According to the authorities, there is no overa ll legislation on the regulation and licensing of 
professional services in St. Lucia, but a few services sectors are regulated by Government Acts.  For example the legal profession is regulated by the Legal Profession Act 2001.  Licences are handled by 
various government agencies, depending on the pr ofession concerned:  for example the Health 
Ministry is responsible for licensing for medical pr ofessionals;  and the Ministry of Communications, 
Works, Transport and Public Utilities, for engineers.   The Ministry of Education has also recently 
established an accreditation body to validate documents .  St Lucia has not entered into any mutual 
recognition agreements on professional services with third countries. 
219. According to the authorities, no profession is reserved exclusively for nationals.  Information 
was not available on whether any professions require residence in one of the OECS countries or the 
region. 
220. As a result of a CARICOM initiative to enha nce the free movement of skilled persons, 
professional service providers without a work permit, by virtue of being university graduates and CARICOM nationals, may enter and work in St . Lucia under the Caribbean Community Skilled 
Nationals Act (No. 18 of 1996).  A number of st eps are being taken at the national and CARICOM 
levels to give effect to requirements of Chapte r III of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, which 
relates to the right to establishment and to the pr ovision of services within CARICOM.  According to 
the authorities, a Draft Model Professional Bill has been developed at the CARICOM level, which 
inter alia , deals with requirements and procedures for registration and licensing of certain service 
providers, including professional services.  This should form the framework for laws for specific 
professions, to be adopted into natio nal legislation.  To provide its input into this process, St. Lucia 
has organized a consortium of services suppliers at the national level. 
221. St. Lucia is a contracting party to the CA RICOM Agreement Establishing the Council of 
Legal Education.  In Annex III to the agreement,  the Governments of each of the participating 
territories undertakes to recognize that any person hol ding a Legal Education Certificate fulfils the 
training requirements for practice in its territory.
105 
                                                      
103 Government of St. Lucia (2007). 
104 OAS online information.  Viewed at:  http ://www.oas.org/TOURISM/ incentives/st-lucia.rtf. 
105 CARICOM online information.  Viewed at:  http://www.caricom.org/jsp/secretariat/legal_ 
instruments/agreement_cle.jsp?menu=secretariat. Saint Lucia WT/TPR/S/190/LCA 
 Page 51 
 
 
(vii) Other offshore services 
222. Offshore companies, otherwise known as inte rnational business companies (IBCs) in 
St. Lucia are regulated by Internationa l Business Companies Act No. 40 of 1999. 
223. Types of IBCs located in St. Lucia include holding companies; personal investment 
companies; import/export companies;  professional service companies;  intellectual property holding 
companies;  and, finance companies.  No in formation was available on the number of offshore 
companies operating in St. Lucia. 
224. As stipulated in the International Business Co mpanies Act, IBCs may not carry on business 
with St. Lucian residents nor own any property in th e country.  IBCs are, however are allowed to hold 
shares, debt obligations or other securities in comp anies incorporated in St. Lucia, and St. Lucian 
residents may hold its shares.  IBCs are exempt fro m taxes (unless they elect to be liable for income 
tax of 1% on the chargeable income of the comp any), as well as stamp duty, and they are not subject 
to exchange controls.  IBCs must have a registered  agent and a registered office in St. Lucia.  The 
registered office may be the office of the re gistered agent.  There are no minimum capital 
requirements, nor are there citizenship or resi dency requirements for directors or managers. Saint Lucia WT/TPR/S/190/LCA 
 Page 53 
 
 
REFERENCES 
 
ECCB (2006a), Annual Economic and Financial Report 2005 .  Viewed at:  http://www.eccb-
centralbank.org/PDF/AEFR%202005%20-%20Final%20Document.pdf. 
 
ECCB (2006b), Economic and Financial Review , Volume 26, No. 3 September. 
 ECCB (2006c), National Accounts Statistics 2006 .  Viewed at:  http://www.eccb-centralbank.org/ 
PDF/NAC06.pdf. 
 
ECCB (2007), Annual Economic and Financial Report 2006 .  Viewed at:  http://www.eccb-
centralbank.org/PDF/AEFR%202006%20-%20Final%20Document.pdf.  ECTEL (2006), Annual Telecommunications Sector Review, 2006 .  Viewed at:  
http://ectel.int/ectelnew-2/Telecoms%20Market%20Data/Telecoms% 20Sector%20Review%202006. 
pdf. 
 Government of St. Lucia (2006a), Ministry of Fina nce, International Financial Services and Economic 
Affairs, 2005 Economic and Social Review , Castries.  Viewed at:   www.stlucia.gov.lc. 
 
Government of St. Lucia (2006b), Budget Address for the Financial Year 2006-2007 , Castries, April. 
 Government of St. Lucia (2007), Budget Address for the Financial Year 2007/2008 , Castries, April. 
 IMF (2006), St. Lucia:  2005 Article IV Consultation-Staff Report and Public Information Notice on 
the Executive Board Discussion , IMF Country Report No. 06/325, September, Washington, D.C. 
 
Kairi Consultants, Ltd. (2006), The Assessment of Poverty in St. Lucia .  Viewed at:  http://www. 
stlucia.gov.lc/docs/AssessmentOfPovertyInS tLucia/assessment_of_poverty_in_st_lucia.htm. 
 Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (2006a), Agricultural Incentives 2006 .  Viewed at:  
http://www.slumaffe.org/Incentives_brochure.pdf. 
 Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (2006b), National Policy and Strategic Plan.  
Summary Booklet 2006 .  Viewed at:  http://www.slumaffe.org/National_Policy_Strategy_Booklet 
_06.pdf. 
 
St. Lucia National Development Corporation (2007), Guide to Investing in St. Lucia .  Viewed at:  
http://www.stluciandc.com/INVESTMENT% 20GUIDE_UPDATED%20AUGUST%202001.pdf. 
 UNCTAD (2005), Étude sur les Transports Maritimes , Geneva. 
 
Vuletin, Guillermo (2007), "The Size of th e Informal Economy in the Caribbean", Eastern Caribbean 
Currency Union: Selected Issues , IMF Country Report No. 07/97, March.  Viewed at:  
http://www.imf.org/external/ pubs/ft/scr/2007/cr0797.pdf. 
 World Bank (2007), St. Lucia at a Glance .  Viewed at:  http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTOECS/ 
Resources/St.Lucia.AAG.pdf. 
  
APPENDIX TABLES Saint Lucia WT/TPR/S/190/LCA 
 Page 57 
 
 
Table AI.1  
Merchandise exports and re-expor ts by group of products, 2000-06  
Description 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 
  (US$ million) 
Total 43 45 62 62 93 64 .. 
 (% of total) 
Total primary products 72.7 70.9 60.3 57.1 71.5 62.8 .. 
   Agriculture 72.7 70.9 52.7 46.7 36.3 46.3 .. 
      Food 72.3 70.4 52.4 46.5 36.0 46.0 .. 
         0573 Bananas (including plantain s), fresh or dried 50.4 46.8 35.8 26.2 21.4 24.2 .. 
         1123 Beer made from malt 15.3 18.1 11.2 13.9 10.5 16.2 .. 
         1110 Non-alcoholic bevera ge, n.e.s. 3.4 1.7 1.0 1.7 1.2 1.8 .. 
         1124 Spirits 0.1 0.0 1.6 2.0 1.0 1.1 .. 
         0984 Sauce, mixed seasonings and condiments 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.3 0.7 .. 
      Agricultural raw material 0.4 0.5 0.3 0.2 0.3 0.2 .. 
   Mining 0.0 0.0 7.6 10.5 35.2 16.6 .. 
      Fuels 0.0 0.0 7.4 9.8 34.0 15.5 .. 
         3342 Kerosene, medium oils (not  including gas oils) 0.0 0.0 6.3 8.7 5.4 14.6 .. 
Manufactures 26.8 29.1 38.3 41.5 27.6 36.0 .. 
   Chemicals 1.3 2.4 1.4 1.5 2.1 2.4 .. 
         5922 Albuminoidal substances, modif.  starches and glues 0.9 0.8 0.4 0.5 0.4 1.0 .. 
   Other semi-manufactures 3.3 4.2 7.5 6.8 5.4 6.9 .. 
         6421 Packing containers, of paper,  paperboard, cellulose 2.6 3.3 5.6 5.4 3.9 5.1 .. 
   Machinery and transport equipment 11.4 10.5 19.6 22.3 13.7 17.9 .. 
      Other non-electrical machinery 0.5 0.4 3.7 4.1 2.6 6.0 .. 
         7418 Other machinery, plant and similar laboratory 
        equip. 0.0 0.0 0.4 0.3 0.4 1.0 .. 
      Office machines & telecommuni cation equipment 1.6 1.3 6.4 10.4 4.8 4.8 .. 
         7643 Radio or television tran smission apparatus 0.0 0.0 3.3 5.7 2.2 1.9 .. 
         7638 Sound/video or video recordi ng/reprod. apparatus 0.0 0.0 1.2 2.6 1.3 0.8 .. 
         7763 Diodes, transistors, etc. 1.0 1.0 0.9 0.7 0.5 0.6 .. 
      Other electrical machines 6.8 5.5 4.3 3.1 2.8 3.3 .. 
         7725 Switches, relays, fuses etc. for a voltage < 1000 V 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.0 1.3 .. 
         7723 Electric resistors, excl. hea ting resistors;  parts 6.0 4.9 3.1 1.8 2.1 1.2 .. 
      Automotive products 2.2 3.0 2.4 3.0 2.5 2.4 .. 
         7812 Motor vehicles for the transport of persons, n.e.s. 1.9 2.6 1.8 1.7 1.5 0.9 .. 
         7822 Special purpose vehicles 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.2 0.1 0.5 .. 
      Other transport equipment 0.2 0.3 2.7 1.4 1.0 1.1 .. 
   Textiles 0.1 0. 4 1.9 1.7 0.7 0.3 .. 
   Clothing 7.0 8.5 4.0 4.0 2.1 1.4 .. 
   Other consumer goods 3.7 3.1 3.8 5.2 3.3 6.6 .. 
         8973 Jewellery of gold, silver or platinum metals 0.0 0.3 0.5 0.7 0.7 2.5 .. 
         8982 Musical instruments (e xcl. pianos) 0.0 0.3 0.1 0.8 0.1 1.2 .. 
         8215 Furniture, n.e.s., of wood 0.2 0.3 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.3 .. 
Other 0.5 0.0 1.4 1.3 0.9 1.2 .. 
         9310 Special transactions 0.0 0.0 1.4 1.3 0.9 1.2 .. 
 
.. Not available. 
 
Source:  UNSD, Comtrade database (SITC Rev.3). WT/TPR/S/190/LCA Trade Policy Review 
Page 58 
 
 
Table AI.2  
Merchandise imports by group of products, 2000-06 
(US$ million and per cent) 
Description 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 
  (US$ million) 
Total 355 276 315 404 437 475 .. 
  (% of total) 
Total primary products 36.2 41.0 36.5 36.5 42.5 39.1 .. 
   Agriculture 26.0 29.3 25.8 24.5 24.5 24.3 .. 
      Food 23.6 27.0 23.9 22.8 22.9 22.1 .. 
         0123 Poultry, meat and offal 2.2 2.6 2.4 1.8 2.3 2.0 .. 
         1110 Non-alcoholic bevera ge, n.e.s. 1.0 1.3 1.2 1.3 1.3 1.4 .. 
         0989 Food preparations, n.e.s. 0.9 1.1 1.2 1.1 1.0 1.1 .. 
         1124 Spirits 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.1 1.0 .. 
         0484 Bread, baked goods 1.2 1.3 1.2 1.1 1.0 1.0 .. 
         0222 Milk concentrated or sweetened 1.4 1.6 1.3 1.2 1.0 0.9 .. 
         0249 Other cheese; curd 0.7 0.8 0.7 0.7 0.8 0.8 .. 
         0461 Flour of wheat or of meslin 1.5 1.8 1.1 1.4 1.1 0.7 .. 
         0819 Food waste, animal feeds n.e.s. 0.5 0.6 0.5 0.6 0.6 0.7 .. 
         0545 Other fresh or chille d vegetables 0.5 0. 7 0.6 0.5 0.5 0.6 .. 
         0112 Bovine meat, frozen 0.8 0.7 0.7 0.6 0.7 0.6 .. 
         1121 Wine of fresh grapes (inc luding fortified wine) 0.7 0.6 0.6 0.8 0.5 0.6 .. 
         1222 Cigarettes containi ng tobacco 0.4 0.6 0.6 0.5 0.6 0.5 .. 
      Agricultural raw material 2.4 2.3 2.0 1.7 1.5 2.2 .. 
   Mining 10.2 11.7 10.6 12.0 18.0 14.9 .. 
      Ores and other minerals 0.6 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.7 0.6 .. 
      Non-ferrous metals 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 .. 
      Fuels 9.3 10.7 9.8 11.3 17.1 14.0 .. 
         3341 Motor gasolene, light oil 3.5 3.9 4.5 3.9 4.8 4.3 .. 
Manufactures 63.8 59.0 63.5 63.4 57.5 60.8 .. 
   Iron and steel 1.7 1.6 1.4 1.4 1.9 1.7 .. 
   Chemicals 8.2 8.6 8.4 7.3 7.5 7.4 .. 
         5429 Medicaments, n.e.s. 0.9 1.0 0.9 0.8 0.8 0.9 .. 
         5542 Surface-active agents (excl. soap) 0.6 0. 8 0.7 0.6 0.7 0.6 .. 
         5334 Paints and varnishes; plasti cs in solution; etc. 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.5 0.6 0.6 .. 
   Other semi-manufactures 13.5 14.1 13.3 11.6 11.8 12.5 .. 
         6612 Portland cement and similar hydraulic cements 1.3 1.7 1.2 1.2 1.0 1.3 .. 
         6651 Containers, of glass 0.7 0.8 0.7 1.0 0.9 1.1 .. 
         6343 Plywood of sheets <6 mm thickness 1.2 1.0 0.9 0.8 0.9 0.9 .. 
   Machinery and transport equipment 24.6 20.8 23.0 26.2 19.3 21.7 .. 
      Power generating machines 1.9 0.4 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.4 .. 
      Other non-electrical machinery 5.6 4.9 4.8 5.0 3.8 5.6 .. 
      Office machines & telecommuni cation equipment 6.0 5.2 9.5 11.7 5.1 4.9 .. 
         7643 Radio or television tran smission apparatus 0.7 0.5 4.5 7.0 1.8 1.4 .. 
         7523 Digital processing units 1.0 1.2 1.1 0.8 0.8 0.7 .. 
         7641 Electrical apparatus for line telephony 1.0 1.0 0.9 1.3 0.3 0.7 .. 
      Other electrical machines 4.3 3.9 2.7 3.0 3.0 3.3 .. 
         7731 Insulated wire, cable etc.; optical fibre cables 1.0 0.8 0.4 0.5 0.5 0.6 .. 
         7752 Household fridges and freezers 0.5 0.6 0.3 0.4 0.3 0.5 .. 
      Automotive products 5.5 4.9 4.6 5.0 5.1 6.9 .. 
      Other transport equipment 1.2 1.5 1.0 1.2 2.0 0.7 .. 
   Textiles 2.3 1. 9 1.9 1.9 1.4 1.2 .. 
   Clothing 1.7 1.4 2.0 1.8 1.8 1.9 .. 
   Other consumer goods 12.0 10.6 13.6 13.2 13.7 14.4 .. 
         8973 Jewellery of gold, silver or platinum metals 0.0 0.0 2.3 2.7 2.8 3.1 .. 
         8931 Plastics containers, stoppe rs, lids, etc. 1.2 1.1 1.3 1.2 1.5 1.5 .. 
         8853 Wrist watche s, pocket watches and other watc hes 0.0 0.0 0.9 0.8 1.2 1.3 .. 
 
.. Not available.  
Source:  UNSD, Comtrade database (SITC Rev.3). Saint Lucia WT/TPR/S/190/LCA 
 Page 59 
 
 
Table AI.3  
Merchandise exports and re-exports by trading partner, 2000-06 
(US$ million and per cent) 
Description 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 
 (US$ million) 
Total 43 45 62 62 93 64 .. 
  
  America 46.1 48.7 58.4 65.7 72.9 70.9 .. 
    United States 18.5 17.6 20.3 19.6 11.4 14.0 .. 
    Other America 27.6 31.1 38.1 46.2 61.5 57.0 .. 
      Canada 0.7 0.3 0.3 0.7 0.3 0.3  
      Trinidad and Tobago 1.6 2.7 11.7 16.7 10.4 22.5 .. 
      Barbados 11.0 13.4 9.6 8.6 7.0 10.1 .. 
      Grenada 2.9 2.9 3.0 4.0 3.6 5.2 .. 
      Dominica 2.7 2.9 5.3 5.7 4.8 4.7  
      St Vincent and the Grenadines 1.0 1.7 2.8 4.7 2.8 4.1 .. 
      Antigua and Barbuda 4.4 3.1 1.7 1.2 1.1 3.1 .. 
      Netherlands Antille s 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 2.2 .. 
      Guyana 0.8 1.0 0.8 0.9 0.6 1.4  
      St Kitts and Nevi s 1.0 1.2 1.3 1.3 0.9 1.3 .. 
      Bahamas 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.1 0.2 0.6 .. 
      Suriname 0.2 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.4 .. 
      Belize 0.3 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.3  
      Bolivarian Rep. of Venezuela 0.3 0.4 0.2 0.1 0.2 0.2 .. 
      Montserrat 0.4 0.4 0.2 0.1 0.3 0.2 .. 
  Europe 52.2 49.5 40.1 33.2 25.4 28.2 .. 
    EC(25) 52.2 49.5 40.0 33.2 25.4 28.2  
      United Kingdom 50.9 47.2 37.6 30.2 24.0 26.0 .. 
      France 0.3 1.6 2.0 1.2 0.9 1.6 .. 
      Germany 0.8 0.5 0.3 1.6 0.3 0.4 .. 
    EFTA 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0  
    Other Europe 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 .. 
  Commonwealth of Independent Stat es (CIS) 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 .. 
  Africa 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 .. 
  Middle East 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.0  
      United Arab Emirates 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.0 .. 
  Asia 1.0 1.2 0.8 0.4 0.2 0.8 .. 
    China 0.1 0.3 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.2 .. 
    Japan 0.7 0.5 0.7 0.2 0.1 0.0  
    Six East Asian Traders 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.3 .. 
      Chinese Taipei 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 .. 
    Other Asia 0.1 0.3 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.2 .. 
      New Zealand 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1  
      Bangladesh 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.1 .. 
  Other 0.6 0.5 0.7 0.6 1.3 0.0 .. 
      Areas n.e.s 0.6 0.5 0.7 0.6 1.1 0.0 .. 
Memorandum:        
    EC(15) 52.2 49.5 40.0 33.2 25.4 28.2 .. 
    ASEAN 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.1 .. 
    APEC 20.2 18.8 21.4 20.7 11.8 15.0 .. 
    MERCOSUR 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 .. 
 
.. Not available. 
 
Source:  UNSD, Comtrade database (SITC Rev.3). WT/TPR/S/190/LCA Trade Policy Review 
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Table AI.4  
Merchandise imports by trading partner, 2000-06 
(US$ million and per cent) 
Description 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 
  (US$ million) 
Total 355 276 315 404 437 475 .. 
  (% of total) 
  America 71.3 73.7 72.7 73.7 73.7 74.1 .. 
    United States 41.2 41.7 42.7 46.3 45.4 43.9 .. 
    Other America 30.0 32.0 30.0 27.4 28.3 30.2 .. 
      Canada 3.8 3.4 2.8 2.6 2.1 2.3 .. 
      Trinidad and Tobago 14.4 15.8 15.1 13.4 14.2 14.2 .. 
      Barbados 2.8 3.1 2.5 2.2 3.3 3.0 .. 
      Colombia 0.6 0.7 0.4 0.5 0.6 1.1 .. 
      Brazil 0.6 0.6 0.8 0.9 0.9 1.0 .. 
      Honduras 1.0 0.6 0.7 0.6 0.6 0.9 .. 
      Guyana 1.1 1.5 1.0 0.9 1.0 0.9 .. 
      Jamaica 0.8 0.9 1.1 0.7 0.9 0.8 .. 
      Dominica 0.4 0.5 0.4 0.4 0.8 0.7 .. 
      Mexico 0.8 0.6 0.7 0.6 0.4 0.6 .. 
      Bolivarian Rep. of Venezuela 0.5 0.5 0.9 0.4 0.3 0.6 .. 
      Dominican Rep. 0.2 0.4 0.5 0.4 0.4 0.6 .. 
      St Vincent and the Grenadines 1.3 1.2 0.7 1.1 0.7 0.6 .. 
  Europe 17.7 16.2 17.7 17.3 17.2 15.3 .. 
    EC(25) 17.4 15.8 17.0 16.4 16.2 14.2 .. 
      United Kingdom 8.5 9.0 8.7 7.9 7.7 6.5 .. 
      France 2.6 2.4 2.5 1.9 1.8 2.2 .. 
      The Netherlands 1.1 1.5 1.2 1.3 1.3 1.7 .. 
    EFTA 0.3 0.3 0.7 0.8 1.0 1.0 .. 
      Switzerland 0.1 0.1 0.5 0.7 0.9 1.0 .. 
    Other Europe 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.1 .. 
  Commonwealth of Independent Stat es (CIS) 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 .. 
  Africa 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.1 .. 
      South Africa 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.1 .. 
  Middle East 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.2 0.2 .. 
      Israel 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 .. 
  Asia 10.4 9.4 8.8 8.3 8.2 10.1 .. 
    China 2.3 2.0 2.4 2.0 2.1 2.1 .. 
    Japan 4.5 4.2 3.4 3.0 3.3 4.6 .. 
    Six East Asian Traders 1.4 1.6 1.4 1.5 1.3 1.9 .. 
      Thailand 0.3 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.6 0.8 .. 
      Korea, Rep. of 0.2 0.3 0.2 0.4 0.2 0.5 .. 
      Chinese Taipei 0.4 0.5 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.3 .. 
    Other Asia 2.3 1.6 1.6 1.8 1.5 1.5 .. 
      New Zealand 0.5 0.5 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.5 .. 
      Australia 0.7 0.4 0.5 0.7 0.6 0.3 .. 
  Other 0.4 0.5 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.1 .. 
      Areas n.e.s 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.5 0.1 .. 
Memorandum:       .. 
    EC(15) 17.4 15.8 16.9 16.4 16.1 14.1 .. 
    ASEAN 1.1 0.8 0.9 0.9 0.8 1.3 .. 
    APEC 55.9 54.8 54.8 57.6 56.2 57.0 .. 
    MERCOSUR 0.7 0.6 0.9 1.2 1.2 1.5 .. 
 
.. Not available. 
 
Source:  UNSD, Comtrade database (SITC Rev.3). 
 
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