The European Partnership Agreement (EPA) is due for full implementation and Caribbean countries including St. Lucia are working towards that end.

Under the agreement, countries will be able to trade goods and services more freely.

The CARICOM secretariat and Caribbean Export Development Agency are spearheading consultations with architect bodies throughout the sub-region to develop minimum requirements under a mutual recognition agreement. This will enable architects to take full advantage of the provisions in the EPA.

Trinidad, Barbados and Jamaica, who are advanced in the regulation of the sector, are assisting the OECS in the draft. The process will require legislative input by governments.

Concerns about the ability of the regional professionals to compete successfully with their counterparts from Europe have been brushed aside by the officials who argue that they are trained in the first world countries with a large number maintaining registration in Europe.