In light of the recent problems in the dairy trade between Nicaragua and Costa Rica, the Central American exporters union advocates eliminating barriers and facilitating trade.
Elsalvador.com reports that "...Taxes on perfumes in customs offices in Honduras, problems with entry of frozen goods into Costa Rica, meat and dairy going from Nicaragua into Honduras, beef and chicken from Panama to Costa Rica and impediments to the free marketing of milk and dairy products between Costa Rica and Nicaragua are some of the problems that are hampering business growth in the region. "
Despite the antiquity of the efforts for Central American integration and for the Customs Union the obstacles to trade between the countries on the isthmus presented by customs offices are notorious.
The Federation of Chambers and Associations of Exporters of Central America (Fecaxca) is once again calling for policies and common strategies for standards and customs procedures.
They are supporting Costa Rica in the dispute it has with El Salvador over the lack of respect for the DR -CAFTA and they are requesting action to be taken to end the paralysis of intraregional trade at Salvadoran customs offices.
The Federation of Chambers and Associations of Exporters in Central America (Fecaxca) is proposing that the fee of $18 being charged at customs offices in El Salvador be only imposed on goods which have the country as a final destination, and not everything that passes through Salvadoran territory which may be destined for other Central American countries.
FECAEXCA has submitted a regional strategy for the Association Agreement to be an effective tool of investment, business and employment generation.
From a press release issued by the Guatemalan Association of Exporters (Agexport):
Central American exporters meeting in the Federation of Chambers and Associations of exporters from Central America and the Dominican Republic, FECAEXCA, has delivered to its governmental and private initiative authorities a regional strategy for the Association Agreement to be an effective tool for investment, business and generating employment for regional countries.
The Federation of Chambers and Associations of Exporters of Central America have joined their voices with those of businesses to oppose the tax for Attention to Victims of Traffic Accidents.
The Federation of Chambers and Associations of Exporters of Central America (Fecaxca) believes that the tax affects the competitiveness of a regional market in the process of development.
The Central American Customs Union is the most important tool for increasing trade in the region and generating the economies of a scale necessary to compete in the global market.
The Federation of Chambers of Exporters of Central America, Panama and the Caribbean (FECAEXCA) has released a statement in which it urges “the Ministers of Economy of the region to redouble their efforts so that the processes of the Customs Union can acquire the necessary priority and speed and to take actions to complete them”.
The group of Central American export associations has criticized the trade restrictions imposed by the Dominican Republic.
Mónica Araya, head of the Federation of Export Chambers and Associations in Central America, Panama and the Caribbean (Fecaexca), said that the Dominican Republic is using protectionist mechanisms "in industrial products such as plastic and steel".
The Central American Exporters Federation is organizing the I Business Round C.A. – Laredo, from February 24 to 26 in Laredo, TX.
Participating companies will engage in business rounds with potential commercial partners.
“Participants will have 4 forums to choose from. One will cover logistics routes between Central America and Laredo, while another will cover distribution centers”, reported Laprensagrafica.com.
With this alliance, Wal-Mart will promote the inclusion of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) of the region in its international suppliers network.
Under the terms of the agreement it signed with Fecaexca, the Federation of Central American Chambers of Exporters, the company will train SMEs in international commerce and make them part of its business rounds, so they can become Wal-Mart suppliers outside of Central America.
Fecaxca warned that exports from all the countries of the region are being affected by measures blocking free flow of goods.
Nacion.com: "Exporters of the region, represented in the Federation of Export Chambers of Central America (Fecaexca), agreed on Saturday, in Managua, to await a prompt resolution of the Honduran crisis, in order to resume transit of goods in the region, which is paralyzed since September 22."
ANEP of El Salvador calculates the trade embargo with Honduras produced $36 million in losses each day for Central America, as calculated globally.
For the Salvadorian textile industry in particular, the border closing meant estimated losses of $1 million in exports and 4,000 workers sat idle, according to calculations from the Salvadorian Chamber of Textile, Confection, and Free Trade Zones Industries (CAMTEX, acronym in Spanish) published in Elsalvador.com. At the same time, the organization estimates that Honduran factories lost $700,000 in exports to El Salvador.