Engineering Services and Integrated Engineering Services under the Economic Partnership Agreement

For those engaged in Engineering Services and Integrated Engineering Services, the Barbados Private Sector Trade Team has provided a series of questions and answers designed to address many of the issues you may have regarding access to the EC for your business.

May 08 2012 | Research

May European Engineering Service providers open a business here in Barbados under the EPA?

There is no provision under the EPA allowing EU companies to invest in or establish businesses in Barbados in the Engineering Services sector.  However, when such an investment does take place, Barbados has committed to ensuring that the EU service providers are not discriminated against in favour of domestic suppliers.  Barbados also has not committed to allowing EU nationals to come into Barbados to provide their services in this sector.  Key personnel and graduate trainees are permitted entry only when these skills are not available locally.

Engineering Services

Are Engineering Service providers operating from offices in the EU allowed to provide their services to Barbadians in Barbados?

Yes, under the EPA, EU Engineering Service providers are allowed to work from their home country on projects and with clients here in Barbados.

Engineering Services

How about supplying Engineering Services to consumers from the EU who are here in Barbados?

Service providers in Barbados are allowed to provide their services in the Engineering Services field to EU consumers who are in Barbados without restriction.

Engineering Services

What about the case of an Engineering Services Firm or Professional that wants to provide services FROM BARBADOS to a client in the EU? Does the EPA allow that?

The EPA does allow Barbadian service providers in the Engineering Services field to provide services from their home here in Barbados to a European-based client.  A few countries, however, do impose some conditions.  They are:

Austria & Slovenia:  There is no commitment to provide market access in any sub-sector except the pure planning services sub-sector.

Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Malta, & Portugal: There is no commitment to permit the supply of these services through this form of supply.

Engineering Services

I am an Independent Engineering Services professional and I want to enter into a contract in a member country of the EU. I just want to service my contract. Under the EPA, am I allowed to travel there to work on the contract if I sign?

As an independent Engineering Services professional, you are free to enter into a contract with a firm in the EU, and you may also travel there to work on the contract.  But, there are some general conditions which apply to all countries, and other conditions imposed by certain countries.  The general conditions:

• The person applying for temporary entry must be a self-employed person established in a business in Barbados, and their service contract cannot be for more than 12 months.
• You must have at least six (6) years experience in the Engineering Service Sector.
• As an independent Engineering Services professional, you must have a university degree or equivalent qualification along with any professional qualifications that may be legally required.
• You will be allowed to enter for a cumulative period of not more than six (6) months in any 12-month period (or the length of the contract, whichever is less) – or 25 weeks in Luxembourg.
• You will only be permitted to work on the activity for which you have been contracted and no other business activities.

The specific country conditions on independent Engineering Services Professionals are as follows:

Spain, Italy & Poland:  An economic needs test will be applied.

Finland:  The Barbadian must demonstrate that (s)he possesses special knowledge relevant to the service being provided.

Belgium: An economic needs test will be applied. 

Denmark: An economic needs test will be applied. 

Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Germany, Finland, Hungary, Lithuania, Romania & Slovakia: An economic needs test will be applied. 

Austria: There is a commitment to permit this type of movement for planning services only and in these cases an economic needs test will be applied.

Hungary: Residency is required.

Engineering Services