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(...) The authorities stated that there are instances where a court may refer to the provisions of a treaty to which Jamaica is a party even though it has not been incorporated into domestic law. [2]

[2] This could possibly occur, for example, in relation to certain environmental and human rights matters.

Table 2.1 Selected trade-related legislation, revised, amended or newly issued since 2011
Area Legislation
(...)
Bills to be enacted (...)
Shipping (Pollution Prevention, Response, Liability and Compensation) Bill (still not enacted into law)

In WTO negotiations, Jamaica is a member of the following groups: the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) group of countries, G-90 (ACP, African Group and LDC), G-33 (agriculture), "W/52 Co-sponsors" (geographical indications), and Small and Vulnerable Economies (SVEs). Jamaica emphasizes that special and differential treatment must be a fundamental pillar of the work of the WTO and must be appropriately reflected in any outcomes in the negotiations. Jamaica is a proponent of the WTO Work Programmes on Small Economies, supporting the view that the needs and priorities of SVEs must be addressed fully and in all areas of the WTO. Therefore, Jamaica: (...)
b. advocates that the scope and structure of any disciplines of fisheries subsidies must be flexible in design and implementation, including the provision of technical assistance and capacity-building support that may be needed ; (...)

Table 2.6 Comparison of incentives
Fiscal Incentives Act (FIA) SEZa Act
Border taxes:
Exemption from stamp duty/additional stamp duty/environmental levy √f √
(...)

(...) The Environmental Protection Levy (EPL) on all manufactured goods (locally-produced and imported) entered into force on 1 June 2015 (Section 3.1.5).

Table 3.2 International trade taxes as a share of total tax revenue, 2013/14-2016/17
(per cent)
Type 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17
(...)
Environmental levy n.a. n.a. 0.6 0.6

Jamaica charges other taxes and fees which in most cases apply to both domestic and imported goods: the General Consumption Tax, the Special Consumption Tax, the Environmental Protection Levy, the Customs Administrative Fee, the Standard Compliance Fee, as well as basic and additional stamp duties.

The Environmental Protection Levy (EPL) was introduced in FY 2007/08; it applied only to imports at a rate of 0.5% of the c.i.f. value. As from 1 June 2015, the EPL applies to the sale of all manufactured goods, locally produced and imported, including from CARICOM.

Import prohibitions are applied for health, security, moral or environmental considerations, or under international conventions (Box 3.1).

Box 3.1 Import prohibitions, 2017
(...)
Articles prohibited under other acts or international conventions (...)
Goods covered by the Basel Convention on Hazardous Wastes
Substances included in the Montreal Protocol on Protection of the Ozone Layer
Endangered species according to the CITES Convention