Arbitrators working under the framework of DR-CAFTA have ruled that Costa Rican exports within this trade agreement in El Salvador should receive the tariff preferences provided for in the text.
From a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Trade of Costa Rica (COMEX):
Defending the interests of the country as part of the effective administration of the treaty
The Costa Rican Chamber of the Food Industry states that it would be unacceptable to change the treatment given to the products in existing bilateral treaties.
From a statement issued by the Costa Rican Chamber of Food Industries (CACIA):
Country should not rush to deprotection of product by joining the Pacific Alliance
- CACIA participating this week in sectoral meetings convened by the Ministry of Foreign Trade, in order to assess conditions applicable to Costa Rica in this group.
Guatemalan businesses are complaining about the existence significant differences in import and export tariffs in each country and are demandig that they be leveled in order for them to compete on equal terms.
Companies argue that products from India coming into the country pay fees of 15%, and in some cases do not pay anything while to enter India, Guatemalan products incur tariffs of up to 70%, depending on the product.
With the modifications negotiated for Partial Scope Agreement Panama will obtain new preferences for 73 tariff lines and improvements in 31 lines, related to agricultural and industrial products.
From a statement issued by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry of Panama (ICIM):
The Minister of Trade and Industry, Meliton Arrocha, expressed his satisfaction at the completion of negotiations of the First Protocol Amending the Partial Scope Agreement with the Republic of Cuba, at the formal signing ceremony to be held in Havana, Cuba, November 7.
The guild is analyzing looking for new markets to buy raw materials for the manufacture of textiles, if the US does not renew the tariff preferences.
The Tariff Preference Level (TPL) expires on December 31 and if it is not renewed the Nicaraguan textile industry will be looking for new suppliers such as India, China and Chile, which have lower supply than in the United States.
The country wants to take advantage of the tariff preferences it has to export shoes to the United States and the European Union so as to attract foreign investment to the sector and turn it into an export platform.
From a statement by Pro Nicaragua:
All footwear manufactured in Nicaragua has duty free access to the United States, the European Union and other important markets.
In the first round market access issues, rules of origin, customs procedures, sanitary and phytosanitary measures and technical barriers to trade were reviewed.
The aims of the first round of renegotiation are to provide updates and open spaces to new sectors not covered by the partial agreement signed in 1986 and for the November 17 a second round will be start which will be concluded in early 2015.
While the textile sector accounts for over 90% of total exports to the USA under the FTA, lack of training and compliance with requirements is preventing other sectors from taking better advantage of the trade agreement.
Lack of training, compliance requirements and inability to make the necessary investment to produce on a large-scale are some of the challenges faced by the sectors who are failing to take advantage of the trade agreement with the United States faces.
Access to the Mexican market for flowers, watermelons, melons, beef offal, processed chicken, seafood and cocoa will be given in the first five year period.
The free trade agreement with Mexico, approved on its third reading by the National Assembly of Panama, is a prerequisite for the country to enter the Pacific Alliance, but has yet to be ratified and published in the Official newspaper La Gaceta, for its full entry into force.
With opposition from agro-industry, the government has initiated the processes required to join the trade bloc, including a consultation period, which runs until the end of the year.
Entry into the block requires a greater commercial opening than that established in free trade treaties negotiated between Costa Rica and member countries, Mexico, Colombia, Peru and Chile, which is why productive sectors such as agriculture and industry oppose it.
The FTA approved on its first reading by the National Assembly excludes sensitive products such as beef and chicken, dairy, pork, palm oil and plastic products, paper and aluminum, among products.
The bill for ratifying a trade agreement with Mexico excludes agricultural and agro industrial goods which are sensitive to Panama ; such as chicken meat, eggs, dairy products, pork, pork sausages, coffee, wheat flour, rice, palm oil, sauces, tomato paste, potatoes, onions, sugar, juice, fruit drinks, soda plastic products, paper and aluminum.
On October 1 there will be an auction in Panama of the duty free import of 2000 metric tons of nonfat dry milk, 17,000 tonnes of whole milk powder and 45,000 tonnes of maize.
Through the National Commodity Exchange (Baisa) the remainder of the 2014 trade promotion treaty (TPC) quota with the United States will be auctioned. The auction is scheduled to be start at 10:00 am.
Analysis of the impact of the Trans-Pacific Partnership on the region.
The competition which sectors such as textiles could face is one of the elements raising questions among employers in the region, compared to the real benefits that could be accrued if Central America participates in the Strategic Economic Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP).
The presence of direct competitors, such as countries like Vietnam, in the textile sector, and the possibility of losing dominance in the American market due to trade rules that TPP countries must meet, is unsettling the productive sectors in the region and forcing a reckoning of the pros and cons of a possible entry to the block to be undertaken.
Administrators of the Colon Free Zone are promoting its re-exportation services through business appointments with companies other than those in traditional markets.
In order to mitigate the effects of trade restrictions imposed by Colombia and losses from the drop in business with Venezuela, major customers of the Colon Free Zone (CFZ), authorities are changing strategy in order to attract companies from other markets, such as South America.
The government has authorized a reduction from 40% to 0% tariffs on imports of corn until December 31, 2014.
From Cabinet Decree 27 of August 5, 2014 published in the Official Newspaper La Gaceta 27598-B:
"There is a need to temporarily modify the tariff duty on imported maize in order to reduce the cost of importing one of the main ingredients for the production of animal feed (...