Exclusion of Industrial Products in Costa Rica - Colombia FTA

In the fourth round of negotiations, Costa Rica is asking for the exclusion of detergents, plastics, paper, glass, and other industrial products from the trade agreement.

Thursday, February 7, 2013

The Ministry of Foreign Trade (Comex), is calling for the elimination of some products from the trade agreement currently being discussed with Colombia such as soaps and detergents, plastics, paper and cardboard, timber, sanitary ware and glasses, which is contrary to the interests of Colombia who in the first round of negotiations called for the inclusion of the entire industrial sector in the agreement.

According to Luis Obando, trade adviser for the Chamber of Industries of Costa Rica (CICR by its initials in Spanish), the list was drawn up with due coordination between the Comex, responsible for negotiations, and entrepreneurs.

Colombia is much more cautious in agriculture, where it could even manage to provide for some sectors being outside the FTA. For example, corn, palm oil and wheat flour have a price band mechanism in the Colombian domestic market, which could lead the country to ask for them to be excluded, reported Nacion.com.

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