Costa Rica To Push Agreement with the EU

Facing the suspension of negotiations, next week the country will begin an offensive with the objective of achieving an agreement.

Thursday, July 2, 2009

The Costa Rican negotiator before the European Union, Roberto Echandi, said that given the political situation in the region, they can look for alternative solutions, such as achieving a technical closing of the agreement.

La Nacion interviews Roberto Echandi on its website: “There are many ways to do it…The message from Costa Rica will be that the priority for the European Union in Central America should be to strengthen democracy, strengthen the rule of law, and the fight against poverty. One way to achieve this is through a Partnership Agreement.”

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EU and CA Close Sustainable Development Chapter

April 2010

Central America won’t face commercial sanctions for failing to comply with environmental or labor regulations.

Additionally, the chapter forbids countries from reducing labor or environmental standards in order to attract investment.

Roberto Echandi, head of the Costa Rican delegation, commented that “…this chapter is one of the most important breakthroughs achieved so far at the VIII negotiation round”.

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This was one of the most debated topics of today’s negotiation, commented Roberto Echandi, Costa Rica’s chief negotiator.

“Additionally, there are still disagreements in sustainable development.

Central American Industrial Goods To Enter Europe Without Tariffs

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The region achieved an important result, as industrial goods will be able to enter Europe without paying tariffs.

Costa Rica’s trade ministry (Comex) believes this will make investors feel safer.

“Roberto Echandi, chief negotiator for Costa Rica, informed the Europeans liked another proposal by the region to include a special safeguard for these products.

European Union hints at sweet deal on trade

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The European Union might be willing to apply trade concessions to Central America under the enhanced Generalized System of Preferences (GSP-Plus), giving the region the equivalent of most-favored nation status. The possibility arose during talks between the two blocs.

Rupert Schlegelmilch, the EU's chief trade negotiator, told reporters that he well understood Central America's wish to apply GSP-Plus, which is designed for the world's most vulnerable nations.

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