The parties have opposing positions and this led to the current situation where no agreement has been reached. The renegotiations were started in late 2011, as the treaty did not include modern standards regarding services and conflict resolution.

However, everything became complicated when Canada requested that Costa Rica open the market to potatoes and fresh onions. "... The Canadian reaction arose because of Costa Rica's request to improve access for certain industrial products, with particular interest in textiles and apparel goods", reported Nacion.com.

According to Alvaro Saenz, president of the National Chamber of Agriculture and Agribusiness (CNAA), Canadians requested the entry of potatos and onions in exchange for some Costa Rican industrial products entering the country. "Impossible, we are not going to accept that ever, the issue was originally well negotiated and that it is how it will ..." he said.

Source: Nacion.com

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