Central America Integration regional integration Central American Integration System International Commerce Secretariat for Central American Economic Integration Association Agreement between Europe and Central America Central American Customs Union CAFTA-DR Exports & imports Custom regional financial integration Business Integration Customs union General Treaty of Central American Economic Integration Tariffs

"Geography is destiny"

Annual growth in trade between Central American countries from 1960 to the close of 2008 averaged 11.7%, increasing from $30 million to $6.3 billion.

Thursday, July 8, 2010

"Geography is destiny,” Napoleon would often say, and Central America is a clearly a case in point. As far as trade is concerned, the region’s countries are one, and in terms of business it is essential to take this into account.

In an article on his blog, Desde Guate (From Guatemala), Oscar E. Mendizábal summarizes 50 years of Central American integration, “a process that, in its origins, was almost parallel to the evolution of the European Union since 1957”.

In recent years, the free trade agreements signed with the USA and Europe have forced taking steps towards integration: unified customs, a common customs tariff (AEC) and the elimination of trade barriers.

Source: desdeguate.blogspot.com

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Central American Integration System Secretariat for Central American Economic Integration

Countries

Central America

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General Treaty of Central American Economic Integration regional integration regional financial integration free trade agreement AACUE implications Association Agreement between Europe and Central America CAFTA-DR Central America Integration International Commerce Exports & imports

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Central American ministers review progress on free trade

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