The GSD have issued a statement calling on Government to publish their Business Manual and provide an operational guidance on importation procedures.

A statement from the GSD follows below:

In response to the recent Government statement issued by Minister Arias Vasquez regarding the  implementation of the Treaty, we note with concern the continued attempt to repackage the narrative  in an attempt to conceal previously botched processes. Mrs Arias Vasquez ought to stop playing  politics and address the substantive challenges facing businesses on the ground. 

The initial implementation deadline of 10th April 2026 has now been moved. It is clearly evident and  obvious from the eleventh-hour scramble that the Government was not adequately prepared to  support businesses through what is a complex and operationally demanding transition. This lack of  readiness has created uncertainty and avoidable disruption across multiple sectors. Businesses simply  cannot plan, comply, or operate efficiently without clear and actionable guidance from the  Government, particularly Mrs Arias Vasquez whose direct political responsibility it is to lead on this as  the Minister for Business. 

The GSD has consistently advocated for real and practical engagement with businesses from the start:  meaningful consultation at shop-floor level to properly understand real operational requirements.  Effective policy must be informed by practical realities, not assumptions. 

On the eve of the original deadline for implementation of the Treaty, the trade associations continue  to raise urgent concerns regarding the lack of detail and clarity around the importation processes  which remain insufficiently defined.  

The Government is still promising to produce a Business Manual to support Treaty implementation  yet this is something they had previously committed to do. This document should have been delivered  well in advance of the 10th April deadline to allow adequate preparation time. The undeniable and  uncomfortable fact for the Government is that, as matters stand, it has not been published leaving  businesses without a critical resource. What would have happened if the Treaty had proceeded to  implementation tomorrow? 

Craig Sacarello, shadow Minister for Business, Trade and Industry commented that, “Transparency,  timely communication, and structured guidance are essential. Businesses are ready to adapt and  comply, but they require certainty and practical support from the Government in order to do so  effectively. 

We urge the Government to: 

• Publish the Business Manual without further delay 

• Provide detailed, definite operational guidance on importation procedures

• Maintain ongoing, structured engagement with businesses

The success of Treaty implementation depends not on messaging, but on execution and to that extent  the success of the transition will depend on whether or not this engagement is cosmetic or whether it  is meaningful.”