The rum industry is important for the Caribbean region, providing valuable foreign exchange earnings, government revenues and quality jobs, often in rural areas where there is little or no other industrial activity.

As an export-focused industry, changes in access arrangements in key markets such as the EU can have a potentially large impact. In the light of the EU’s Association Agreements with Central America, Peru and Columbia, and the arrangements currently under negotiation such as those with India and Mercosur, this paper undertakes an impact assessment study in order to examine the effects of evolving trade policy changes on CARIFORUM rum producers and exporters.