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Under the National Export Initiative (NEI), the Administration continues to actively pursue implementation work focused, inter alia, on improving trade advocacy and export promotion efforts, and pursuing policies at the global level to promote strong, sustainable, and balanced growth, while on 22 September 2010, the President released his strategy for global development, which contained as one of its three pillars, a policy focused on sustainable development outcomes that places a premium on broad-based economic growth, democratic governance, game-changing innovations, and sustainable systems for meeting basic human needs

Under the new FIL (Foreign Investment Law), foreign investment is to be approved if it: supports the objectives of the national development plan, activities lacking money and technology, and those still not exercisable by the citizens; develops job opportunities; promotes and expands exports; produces import substitution goods; facilitates technology development; supports projects requiring large investment; encourages energy saving, and the exploration and extraction of new energy, as well as sustainable energy development (such as new bio-based energy); develops modern industry; conserves the environment; (…) and meets the short- and long-term domestic utilization of state energy resources.

During the review period, the OECS has further strengthened the enabling environment to overcome severe human resource, economic and financial challenges by binding resources together and this is evident in the signing of the Protocol of Eastern Caribbean Economic Union and the resultant new initiatives:
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iv) Launching of the OECS Climate Change Project on 13 July 2011 in St. Lucia. The Reducing Risk to Human and Natural Assets Resulting from Climate Change (RRACC) is funded by the USAID and seeks to enhance the overall, long term capacity of the OECS region to respond to climate change impacts through concrete and adaptation measures;

Since the last U.S. Trade Policy Review, the United States has achieved significant results on trade and environment matters in multiple fora, including through regional and bilateral trade initiatives.

In late 2011, the EU agreed to grant Cabo Verde GSP+ status by giving it preferential access to EU markets reserved for countries that have ratified 27 international conventions on human rights, labor rights, good governance and environmental Protection.

Table A1.6 Inward foreign direct investment by sector, 2013-16
2013 2014 2015 2016 % of total FDI
Total 117.59 119.56 126.27 126.00 100.0
(…)
Water conservancy, environment and public facilities 1.04 0.57 0.43 0.42 0.3

During the period under review, China has continued encouraging FDI as well as joint ventures between Chinese and foreign companies, particularly in areas in which it has a strategic interest. FDI has been encouraged in areas such as high-end manufacturing, high-tech industries, service industries, new energy, and energy-saving environmental protection industries. (...) FDI involving investments in Chinese domestic enterprises might be subject to national security reviews if the project is related to defence, or is deemed to have an influence on national security. Foreign-invested projects (FIPs) in China are subject to verification (approval) or to record-filing. Projects subject to verification are listed in a specific Catalogue, while most projects not included in it are subject to record-filing. Verification requires the examination of the investment project, and a number of conditions need to be met. Record-filing is a simplified process and is generally used in FIP applications not deemed to have a negative impact on national security, the environment or public interest.

Table 3.5 Prohibited imports, and goods subject to the special import regime, 2015
Goods subject to the special import regime - Authorizing agency
Poisons and toxic substances, narcotics - Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Industry, or Ministry of Health (depending on the case)
Goods regulated by the Montreal Protocol (tariff lines 2903.16.00, 2903.32.00, 2903.71.00, 2903.72.00, 2903.73.00, 2903.74.00, 2903.75.00, 2903.49) Ministry of Trade and Ministry of the Environment

Haiti is not party to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), although it does apply its directives.

The main objectives of the tax reform that entered into force in January 2014 were to:
(...)
v. introduce socially responsible taxes to protect people's health and the environment; (...)