How to Strengthen the Regional Integration Process

Transporting a truckload from Guatemala to Costa Rica takes four days, when the journey could be completed in 30 hours.

Thursday, March 24, 2011

The Business Committee for Customs Union launched a campaign to accelerate and complete the integration, attacking in particular mental and cultural barriers which persist in economic actors and in the general population.

An article in Prensalibre.com reported that the president of the Business Committee, Adam Aquino, claimed, “Not being able to facilitate trade results in losses and high costs for Central American consumers. The main causes for slow cargo movement between El Salvador and Guatemala, is the different interpretation officials make of the legal instruments approved by the customs union.

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May 2014

To date the Trade Pillar Committee has not yet been formed with representatives of each of the Central American countries, despite the entry into force of the Association Agreement on January 1st 2014.

Central America has not managed to harmonize and standardize regional interests in order to make use of the Agreement with the European Union.

C.A. Entrepreneurs Urge to Accelerate Integration

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Seasoned in negotiations with Europe, Central American employers are demanding to political sectors to accelerate the process for the economic integration of the isthmus.

50 years after the signing of the General Treaty of Central American Integration, over 40 million people living in the region still do not enjoy the economic benefits and development opportunities that could effectively be consolidated if Central America would act as a single economic unit, much like the European Union.

"Geography is destiny"

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Annual growth in trade between Central American countries from 1960 to the close of 2008 averaged 11.7%, increasing from $30 million to $6.3 billion.

"Geography is destiny,” Napoleon would often say, and Central America is a clearly a case in point. As far as trade is concerned, the region’s countries are one, and in terms of business it is essential to take this into account.

Integration Held Back by Large Obstacles

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In spite of globalization driving various forms of private economic integration, there still remain custom and tariff barriers.

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