Using resources from the European Union and the Nicaraguan government, a program will be financed which focuses on the transformation of the cattle value chain and the implementation of a sustainable production model.
The institutions promoting the program reported that "... through this program, the European Union (EU) is making available to the GRUN a total of €20 million, which will be administered by the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation for the Development (AECID), which is also contributing 500 thousand euros, and there will also be a counterpart contribution from the Government of €1.2 million."
In October 2017 production limits and the "out of -quota" production concept will eliminate for the manufacture of biofuel and industrial non-food products.
The current production quota for sugar according to the European Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), which applies to the 28 countries in the bloc, is 13.5 million tons per year.The production capacity of sugar producers in the European bloc is higher than the quota, therefore eliminating production limits will lead to a lowering of prices due to excess supply, similar to what has already happened in the milk market following the elimination of production quotas.
In Europe an amendment has been approved to protect banana producing countries in the bloc from Latin American competition.
The commission voted to "automatically activate a safeguard clause" for bananas from European overseas territories, said the French lawmaker Younous Omarjee from the Socialist Party, in a statement.
With $80 million from the IDB and the European Union modernization works will be undertaken at five land border crossings.
According to Jose Adan Aguerri, president of the Superior Council of Private Enterprise (COSEP), "...'First there was an IDB contribution of approximately US $60 million and we have managed to negotiate, according to what was reported at the Roatan summit, a week ago, the EU providing another US $20 million'. "
A drinking water distribution network measuring more than 125 kilometers will carry drinking water to the Miskito indigenous communities in the northern plain of Sising, Kuakuil, Boom Sirpi and Yulu Tingni.
From a statement issued by the EU Delegation in Nicaragua and Panama:
First stage completed to ensure drinking water for more than 160 thousand inhabitants of Bilwi
Food entering the European Union will now be overseen by a new system of health inspections to verify compliance.
From a statement issued by the Foreign Trade Office of Costa Rica:
On November 17, a new system comes into force to control health alerts according to Decision 2015/1918 of the European Commission, published in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) on 24 October.
It is increasingly clear that the European welfare state is not sustainable and it is imperative to make reforms in order to create capitalization systems.
EDITORIAL
Latin America has made progress in these reforms, although in many of its countries, including in Central America, private pension systems are simply younger siblings to the state systems operating under the concept of intergenerational solidarity, suffering not only from limitations on the freedom of all contributors to deposit their savings in the pension fund of their choice, but also the powers of managers of these funds to invest in securities other than government ones.
Central American exports destined for the EU in the first quarter of 2014 totaled $1,021,600,000, down 10.5% compared to the same period in 2013.
From a report entitled "Central America's Bilateral trade with the EU: Evaluation of the first quarter of 2014" by SIECA:
Part IV of the Association Agreement between Central America and the European Union (EU-CA) took effect for each of the Republics of the Central American side in 2013.
Soybeans, corn and cotton are the main GM crops in Brazil, a country that accepts and promotes genetically modified foods.
In Brazil the number of hectares planted with genetically modified soybeans, corn and cotton amounts to 36.6 million, varieties of crops which according to producers reduce costs, increase production and generate higher profits.
During the event, which will take place 1 and 2 October in Panama, there will be discussion of the benefits associated with renewable energy projects in the region.
From a press release issued by the National Environmental Authority (ANAM):
The Energy and Environment Partnership with Central America (EEP) will hold the XXII Regional Sustainable Energy Forum on 1 and 2 October in Panama.
European authorities noted that as long as there are border controls, custom and tariffs, Central America's Integration process won't be complete.
For many years Central American countries have been trying to create an economic integrated block, but now the Association Agreement with Europe requires them to step on the gas and fully complete it.
Stefano Gatto, head of the EU mission in El Salvador, commented that the region is "obliged" to establish a unified tariff code (which should come into force three years after the agreement), remove non-tariff barriers to imports and other issues to facilitate commerce.
Meanwhile, a new meeting between the economy and trade ministers of Central America will take place on May 5th, in Guatemala.
Even though there are many rumours about it, there still nothing confirmed regarding the resumption of the negotiations between Central America and Europe, after the parties failed to reach an agreement on the most sensitive topics for both.
The European Union will assist Banana growers from Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific with $259 million.
These resources are intended to make the sector more competitive.
Such initiative is in response to an agreement struck in December 2009 between the EU and other banana exporters, mostly Latin Americans, which sought to reduce the preferential treatment given to ACP countries.
"The European Union will not admit a mandate change for Central America to negotiate without Honduras".
Such were the words of Marco Vinicio Ruiz, Costa Rican Commerce Ministry, "who had insisted on that idea with his homologous in the region", according to PrensaLibre.cr.
EU's decision will stagnate, for a second time, negotiations between the isthmus and the European Union.
The EU withdrew quality requirements for several fruits and vegetables, while Canada is reporting a decrease in production.
Quality requirements for 26 fruits and vegetables where removed by the European Union, but they were maintained for 10 products, the most sensible for the region, although they will enjoy more permissiveness.
Regarding Canada, "the official statistics authority of the Canadian government expects a drop in fruits and vegetables crops, as a result of less area planted", published Prensalibre.cr. "In spring 2009 there were 528 thousand acres planted with fruits and vegetables, 3% less than the same period of 2008."