Arguing that imports were growing unusually high and local production was being undermined, in June of this year the Alvarado administration decided to increase the tariff on sugar entering the country to 79% and for a period of three years.

At first the news was not well received by Brazil, since the South American country decided to raise before the World Trade Organization (WTO), a process to exercise the right of suspension, which consists in eliminating a certain tariff concession to one or more export products from Costa Rica.

Canada is the other country that joined Brazil's actions, since the North American nation warned the WTO that there is the possibility of imposing compensation against Costa Rica's decision to raise tariffs on imported sugar.

Duayner Salas, Minister of Foreign Trade, told Nacion.com that "... Canada's action is neither a complaint nor the beginning of a process against Costa Rica in the WTO. What Canada has notified the Council for Trade in Goods is its intention to reserve the right to apply suspension of tariff concessions."

Salas added that "... Costa Rica and Canada have maintained a frank and open dialogue on their assessments regarding a possible compensation for the effects of the imposition of a safeguard on imports of refined sugar. Such talks are still ongoing to date, so we will have to wait to know the outcome of these talks."

Source: Nacion.com

More on this topic

Sugar: Brazil to Resume its Complaint against Costa Rica

April 2021

On April 26, Brazil will reactivate again on the agenda of the World Trade Organization, the complaint against Costa Rica for the imposition of a safeguard to increase the tariff on sugar.

The dispute began when in June of this year the Alvarado administration decided to increase to 79% and for a period of three years, the tariff on sugar entering the country. The argument for raising the percentage was that the unusual growth of imports was harming local production.

Consequences of Protectionism

November 2020

Based on the willingness of Costa Rican authorities to raise the tariff on imported sugar from 45% to 73%, Brazil decided to raise the entry taxes on four animal products from Costa Rica.

Months ago, the private sector has been warning of the possibility that the country's trading partners would apply reciprocal measures because of Costa Rica's unilateral decision to raise entry taxes on imported sugar.

Sugar Tariffs: Brazil Denounces Costa Rica

October 2020

After the Costa Rican authorities raised the tariff on imported sugar from 45% to 73%, the South American country decided to raise before the World Trade Organization, a process to exercise the right of suspension.

In June of this year, the Alvarado administration decided to increase to 79% and for the term of three years, the tariff on sugar entering the country.

Protectionism in Times of Crisis

June 2020

Arguing that the unusual growth in sugar imports is harming local production, the Alvarado administration decided to raise the tariff on products entering Costa Rica from 45% to 73% for a three-year period.

The Ministry of Economy, Industry and Commerce (MEIC) concluded the investigation requested by the Agricultural Industrial League of Sugar Cane (LAICA) and 4 mills, on the safeguard measure against imports of solid state, granulated sugar, known as white sugar, used for domestic and industrial consumption, justifying a deterioration in the main economic indicators of the National Production Branch (RPN), details an official statement dated June 15.