Users of the Public Registration System of Panama will be able to obtain an official certification from their home.
"The agreement between the Department of Commerce and Industries and the Public Registrar means not only financial savings but also saving time for citizens," said the minister of Commerce and Industries, Gisela Álvarez de Porras.
The law regulating electronic commerce in the country became effective with the recent publication in the Official Gazette.
Gisela Alvarez de Porras, Minister of Commerce, welcomed the joint work undertaken by the Government and private sector for the regulation of this law.
Additionally, the Minister referred to the use of information technology and the development of electronic commerce, “as tools to facilitate the optimization and competitiveness of Panamanian productive sectors," according to what was published in Prensa.com.
A new government, pressures from the U.S. for fiscal transparency and the opinion of the business sector make it predictable that the law which regulates them will change.
Lawyers, who would possibly see their intense advising and foreign capital representation activity decreased, oppose any changes to law 32, which would involve greater transparency in company incorporation (Sociedad Anonima) information and it would perhaps detract from the current attractiveness of the regulations to foreigners.
As of June 22, 2009, 93% of bilateral trade will be tariff-free.
The governments of Panama and Guatemala will put into effect the bilateral protocol between the two countries, the Panama - Central America Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which was signed on February 26, 2008.
According to export data supplied by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MICI) in Panama, Guatemala, as a trading partner for Panama, represents an important market for exports of products such as cattle, live oysters, unprinted paper for newspapers, fillets and other fish meat, tuna, fertilized eggs, evaporated milk and hermetically sealed or vacuum packed salmon, among others.
The EU lowered the banana tariff from 250 to 176 Euros per metric ton in 2005, which is still considered discriminatory.
The Minister of Commerce and Industry of Panama, Gisela Alvarez de Porras, made a new appeal to the European Union so that, far from promoting protectionist measures in the exchange of high priority goods for the region, it might promote fair and creative solutions that help resolve, once and for all, the many illegalities that still persist on the current import regime for bananas, which keeps our countries paying fees in excess of 176 Euros per ton.
Colombia had taken tariff measures against Panamanians textiles from the Colón Free Trade Zone.
The World Trade Organization ruled in Panama’s favor in its request to remove the customs measures taken by Colombia against the textiles, clothing and footwear from the Colón Free Trade Zone (ZLC) after two years of dispute.
Colombia has until May 20th 2009 to appeal the WTO ruling.
With the Obama administration the FTA with the US will remain stalled until Panama agrees to transparency and exchange in tax information.
Lobbyists working on behalf of Panama in Washington DC, are seeking the approval of the treaty before the August recess, but the demands of the new administration to adopt policies for Panama to collaborate in the exchange of tax information to prevent tax evasion, make it very unlikely to happen.
The government made preliminary efforts to negotiate a Free Trade Agreement.
The Minister of Trade and Industry, Gisela Alvarez de Porras, stressed the importance of Asian markets for Panamanian products like coffee.
Dialogociudadano.com reported statements from the minister: In the case of South Korea, technical analysis are being made on the feasibility of a business agreement, and they will be handed over to the transition team of the new government, which will take office after the presidential elections next May 3 in Panama."
The second round of negotiations contemplate topics such as goods and services, customs and phytosanitary measures.
The technical teams from Panama and Canada will met today at the Playa Bonita Hotel on the outskirts of the City of Panama to continue negotiations for the signing of a bilateral Free Trade Agreement.
The parties started the second round of talks, presided over by the Panamanian Minister of Trade and Industry, Gisela Alvarez de Porras, which will end on Friday.