The law which required packages of meat beef and pork products to have a label indicating the country of origin is no longer in effect.
After repeated resolutions from the World Trade Organization, which authorized Canada and Mexico to implement economic retaliation measures worth more than $1 billion, the US Congress has finally decided to remove the law that requires labeling of all red meat products which are sold in the retail market in the country.
As part of a strategy to position internationally cocoa produced in Guatemala the regional union of producers are working on a seal of origin and traceability.
The initiative by the Mesoamerican Organization of Cocoa and Fine Chocolate (Amacacao) is to create a mechanism to certify the origin, quality and traceability of the final product, in order to increase international positioning and increase exports.
Exporters anticipate that with the stamp bearing the geographical indication, bananas entering the European Union will be more competitive.
From a statement issued by the National Banana Corporation:
Recently the European Union-Central America Association Council formalized the use of a Geographical Indication (GI) called Banana from Costa Rica, a quality seal that identifies the origin and prestige of the fruit.
A new business model focused on providing high-quality coffee and from designated sources has started operations in Costa Rica, aimed at discerning consumers.
Five coffee shops have started up using this business model which allows consumers to choose the origin of their coffee and choose among five methods of extraction of the beverage. These new coffee shops "...
Coffee from a single-origin is beginning to position itself as a premium choice over coffee blends from multiple sources which are offered by coffee shops worldwide.
From a statement issued by the Foreign Trade Promotion Office of Costa Rica (Procomer):
Dunkin Donuts is intensifying its participation in the search of a quality coffee. Recently it offered a new packaged roasted Colombian coffee certified by the Rainforest Alliance, which is the first single-origin coffee to be sold by this coffee chain.
At the first meeting of the Council of the European Partnership Agreement - Central America raised the eventual accession of Croatia and topics related to denomination of origin.
From a press release issued by the Ministry of Economy and Commerce in El Salvador:
On June 27, in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, held the first meeting of the Association Council, the highest institutional body of the Association Agreement between Central America and the European Union, to oversee the fulfilment of the objectives of the Agreement and its application. This meeting was held between Ministers and senior officials, under the trade part of the Agreement.
The president of the Dominican Republic has warned the U.S. government about the impact the Trans- Pacific treaty in the textile sector in the region.
From a statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Dominican Republic:
On November 27, President Danilo Medina sent a communication to the President of the United States, Barack Obama, in which it reiterated its concern expressed during the meeting held in San José, Costa Rica, in May, in connection with the negative impact which could come from the Trans- Pacific Economic Partnership Agreement (TPP) on the textile and clothing industry in the signatory countries of the DR -CAFTA and the region, if certain special concessions that could cause changes in the management and values of hemispheric trade, and on a worldwide level.
The Industrial Property Registry has currently only three trademarks of origins in force: Costa Rican coffee, Costa Rican bananas and cheese from Turrialba.
In November 2012 a designation of origin was registered for Turrialba cheese after 6 years of paperwork but it has not been used for matters other than the control of Property Registry.
Nacion.com reports: "Despite having at hand the ability to protect its production with a denomination of origin (DO) or geographical indications (GIs) in order to prevent trade in imitations, things are moving slowly in Costa Rica ".
The country has launched an international promotion of the initiative in order to position the guarantee of origin of Costa Rica Coffee.
The main objective is to obtain a distinct recognition in grain prices. "What follows now is to start working on certification. Today we have only just launched the idea, we need to develop a protocol and send the proposal to our most significant trading partners," said Xinia Chaves, Deputy Minister of Agriculture..
Italy has asked the Public Registry of Costa Rica for an extenstion of one month to defend three of the six GIs for cheeses under discussion.
The request was made at the Public Registry on September 13 when documentation was presented in defense of the cheeses, Emmental Provolone Valpadana and Manchego. "The appellation of origin of the latter is Spanish, but Italy is taking up the case", reported Nacion.com.
It is an issue to keep in mind to add value to Central American export products and to avoid trade disputes.
Months ago the Guatemalan Congress ratified a number of amendments to the Copyright Act in order to protect Geographical Indications and Designations of Origin as provided by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and requested within the Association Agreement with EU.
Conflicts over designations of origin or geographical indications are becoming more common.
An article in Elfinancierocr.com reports that "Costa Rica should identify appropriate channels for conflict resolution if it wants to increase its share in the market with products which are protected by designation of origin (DO) or geographical indication (GI)."
Cheese Producers in Costa Rica and El Salvador opposed the registration of the Italian brands Provolone Valpadana , Fontina, Gorgonzola and Parmigiano Reggiano.
The Association Agreement with the European Union (AA) will not come into force on August 1 for Costa Rica and El Salvador, but on October 1, as long there is a resolution to the conflict caused by Costa Rican and Salvadoran dairy producers who expressed their opposition to the registration of geographical origin of Italian cheeses.
The seal which refers to Colombian beans became the first denomination of foreign origin to be accepted in Switzerland.
The certification process lasted five years, but from now on the Confederation will protect the coffee from this country as a unique product in the world.
"The application for Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) was filed on January 31 last, after five years of negotiations", reported Prensalibre.com.
Regulations have been approved governing schemes involving quality seals such as those designating origin, protected geographical indications, guaranteed traditional specialties and reserved terms.
A statement from the Foreign Trade Promotion Office (PROCOMER) reads:
The Council of the European Union has adopted regulations regarding the quality of agricultural products and foodstuffs