Search

As at November 2014, a total of 44 technical regulations were in force in Barbados. They relate to health, public safety, food, labelling and environmental protection. There are 151 BNSI Specifications and 21 BNSI Codes of Practice. This information was previously available online at the BNSI website, but as at October 2014, the website had been under maintenance for several months.

The Plant Protection Section, which is the National Plant Protection Organization (NPPO) of Barbados, encompasses Entomology, Plant Pathology, Pesticide Control Board, and the Plant Quarantine Unit. Its functions are to protect, and where possible, enhance the agricultural crop resources of the island through the provision of research, developmental, regulatory and extension services in the area of pest and disease management as well as to assist in the implementation of the National Strategic Plan of Barbados 2006-25. The Plan emphasizes certain priority crops: cotton, sugar, hot pepper, herbs and spices, sweet potatoes, yams and onions. The mandate of Plant Protection is the phytosanitary security and conservation of Barbados’ agricultural plant biodiversity through the identification of plant pests and diseases and the provision of environmentally sound control practices. The authorities have noted that this mandate must be fulfilled whilst satisfying domestic, regional (CARICOM), hemispheric (EU-CARIFORUM EPA) and international (WTO/SPS) standards. Plant Protection is also involved in ensuring food security, and in guaranteeing that good agricultural practices and food safety (HACCP policy) policies are adhered to. Plant Protection has set as its goals: the preparation of a country pest list, conducting pest risk analyses and surveillance for economically important pests and diseases; promoting integrated pest management; ensuring availability of safe and quality pesticides for protecting crop production from the ravages of pests and diseases; and testing bio-pesticides and other chemicals generally regarded as safe (GRAS).

Under the Environmental Policy Initiatives manufacturing firms are entitled to a 150% tax rebate on attainment of recognized environmental certification such as ISO 14000, the Green Globe Programme or the Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design (LEED) certification.

As part of its enforcement mandate, the FTC (Fair Trading Commission) has been granted ample investigative powers, including those of self-initiating an investigation, and may declare certain business activities as illegal. During 2008-14, the FTC conducted 78 inquiries and investigations of anti-competitive conduct. (…) The investigations conducted by the FTC during that period were related to telecommunications, distribution, mining/quarrying, and waste processing/treatment, among others (Table 3.10). The practices investigated included: excessive pricing (1); predatory pricing (1); refusal to supply (2); and price squeezing (1); and other anti-competitive conduct (3).

Table 3.10 Main Competition Policy Cases Rulings by the FTC, 2008-14
Exclusionary Conduct (Diceabed Barbados Ltd vs Sustainable Barbados Recycling Centre)

Case/allegation: Diceabed Barbados Ltd. made a complaint to the FTC that the Government of Barbados (GoB) paid the Sustainable Barbados Recycling Centre (SBRC) a Consolidated Tipping Fee (CTF) of BDS$60 per tonne on recycled materials, but not to other companies who recycle. It was argued that the policy is unfair and may have harmful effects on competition.
Initiation: June 2013

Ruling: The FTC established that the payment of a CTF to SBRC was unlikely to cause competitive concerns in the relevant market. This was due to the contractual relationship between SBRC and the GoB, established by an international tender, the stringent environmental and health standards required and the contractual obligation on the part of SBRC to accept all municipal waste. As such, the FTC determined that there was no credible justification for Diceabed’s entitlement to a CTF or equivalent.
Termination: February 2014

Table 3.11 Overview of IPR protection, 2014
Patents
- Area/law: Patents Act 2001, No. 18; Patents Regulations, 1984- S.I. 1984 No. 84
- Coverage: An invention that is novel, involves an inventive step, and is industrially applicable.
Rights of plant breeders and developers of new plant varieties specifically protected.
- Duration: 20 years from the filing date accorded to the applicant.
- Exclusions and limitations: Inventions involving, discoveries, scientific theories and mathematical methods, diagnostic methods, methods for treatment of human beings and animals by surgery or therapy, plant and animal varieties and biological processes for the production of plants other than microbiological processes, and the products of those processes and inventions, the commercial exploitation of which would be contrary to public order or morality or which is prejudicial to human or animal health or to plant life or to the environment.
Compulsory licences can be issued, subject to reasonable payment. if exploitation by the patent owner is found to be anti-competitive.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and Water Resource Management is responsible for agricultural policy in Barbados. There is currently no general legislation governing the sector as a whole, however, at the time of the last review, the authorities indicated that the first draft of a Sustainable Agricultural Development Bill was to be considered in June 2008. In the context of the current review the authorities indicated that the Bill has since stalled.

Table 4.3 Agricultural incentive schemes, 2014
- Incentive scheme: Agricultural Incentives Programme
- Description: Duty-free concessions on: planting material, machinery and equipment, agricultural chemicals, veterinary medicaments, hand tools, irrigation machinery and equipment, organic farming, some types of vehicles (under certain conditions), as well as special inputs.
Technical assistance funding (75% of the activity) and working capital funding are also available.
A re-tooling rebate also provides duty free concessions.
- Eligibility: Qualifying farmers and farmers' organizations.

Table 4.3 Agricultural incentive schemes, 2014
- Incentive scheme: Scotland District Investment and Development Fund
- Description: (…)
Orchard development subsidy to promote the production of approved fruit trees and the overall afforestation of the District (BDS$5 per tree for a maximum of 1,000 trees per farmer).
- Eligibility: Agricultural and agri-related projects in the Scotland District.

Malaysia's 2007 Biosafety Act entered into force on 1 December 2009, upon expiry of a grace period of two years. This enabled the stakeholders to understand its requirements by, inter alia, carrying out capacity-building activities. It requires the National Biosafety Board (NBB) to evaluate and approve living modified organisms (LMOs) before release onto the market for food, feed, or processing. This applies to any genetically modified organisms (GMOs) that may be found in corn and soybeans imports. A Genetic Modification Advisory Committee (GMAC) provides expert advice to the NBB on application. (…) No genetically modified seed for planting is approved for import or for confined trials. Biotechnology related activities benefit from tax and non-tax incentives (sections 3.4.1.3 and 3.4.2.1.1).