Costa Rica Requests Review of Freight Transportation Charges

After Nicaraguan authorities imposed in their customs a $50 payment to each cargo vehicle transiting through their territory, Costa Rica requested a meeting to review the issue.

Friday, April 12, 2019

On March 15 of this year, Nicaraguan authorities began to collect a customs tax on the transportation of cargo in transit or with final destination in the country, which consists of the payment of $50 for each transport unit of goods that passes through land customs.

See "Nicaragua to Charge for Freight Transportation"

As a result of this unilateral measure taken by Nicaragua, Costa Rica's Foreign Trade Ministry (Comex) asked the neighboring country for a meeting to address the issue.

Dyalá Jiménez Figueres, head of Comex, explained to Nacion.com that "... both she and the deputy minister of that portfolio, Duayner Salas, sent notes to Nicaraguan authorities requesting meetings to review the situation. Until Wednesday, April 10, there was no response from the authorities of the neighboring country."

Also see "Costly Break to Regional Trade"

Elías Soley, president of the Costa Rican-American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham), said that "... The measure applied unilaterally by the Nicaraguan authorities threatens progress in the process of Central American integration, because it establishes differentiated treatment for the means of freight transport. This represents a clear infraction of the regulations in force in the region, of the commitments signed by the Central American countries in their multilateral agreements before the World Trade Organization and of the Trade Facilitation Agreement, in which free transit is considered a fundamental pillar.

At the end of March, the Central American Chambers of Commerce expressed their concern about the measure, explaining in a statement that "... The imposition of unilateral measures that threaten the instruments of Central American integration, become obstacles to intraregional trade affecting our second most important market.

¿Busca soluciones de inteligencia comercial para su empresa?

Do you need more information about your business sector?

Request more information:









this site is protected by reCAPTCHA and Google's privacy policy and terms of service.
Need assistance? Contact us
(506) 4001-6423


More on this topic

Cargo Transport: Controversy Continues

July 2020

In response to the restrictions applied to Costa Rican pilots, who are prevented from leaving with cargo from Panama, since July 14 Costa Rica has not allowed trucks with Panamanian plates to leave carrying goods.

Because of the spread of covid-19, Costa Rica was the first country to impose restrictions on cargo transport units from other countries in the region.

Central America Surpasses Commercial Jam

June 2020

After several days of tension generated by the restrictions imposed by Costa Rica on the transport of cargo from neighboring countries, Central American authorities reached an agreement and opened the way at the border of Penas Blancas.

In recent weeks the free transit of goods in Central America had been interrupted.

Legal Process Against Charges for Freight Transportation Initiated

August 2019

Costa Rica recurred to the Central American Trade Dispute Resolution mechanism, for the collection of $50 by Nicaraguan customs authorities to Costa Rican cargo carriers entering the country.

The disagreement began after the Nicaraguan authorities on March 15 of this year began to collect a customs tax on the cargo transport in transit or with final destination in the country, which consists of the payment of $50 for each transport unit of goods that passes through land customs.

Costly Break to Regional Trade

March 2019

Central American businessmen assure that the customs tax on the transport of cargo in transit or with final destination that the Nicaraguan government wants to impose "threatens the instruments of Central American integration, and becomes an obstacle to intraregional trade.

Weeks ago it was reported that from March 15 would begin to collect the customs tax, however, the authorities did not specify what amount will be required from carriers. 


ok