The second phase of the International Merchandise Customs Transit (TIM) project in the customs zones of Central American countries begins.
After the pilot project is conducted at El Amatillo customs zone between Honduras and El Salvador, it is expected to be extended to the customs zones in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama.
The agreement allows the free movement of some 6,200 products, 94% of the trade between the three countries involved, Guatemala, El Salvador and now Honduras.
The three nations have almost 70% of the trade within the region, which in 2008 reached $6.4 billion.
Laprensahan.com published: "The agreement excludes the trade of sugar, unroasted and roasted coffee, petroleum products, alcohol and distilled alcoholic beverages due to the countries’ protective measures, officials said."
With an increase of 16% annually over the past five years, trade between the countries of Central America is the real force behind regional integration.
Despite the comings and goings with which governments have handled the process of integration, intra-regional trade continually progresses. In recent years, the numbers in the exchange of goods and services between the countries of the region have doubled, surpassing $6.3 billion per year.
The European Union again noted its interest in an integrated Central America where there is a free flow of investments, goods and services.
The seventh round of negotiations of the Association Agreement between the European Union and Central America opened in Honduras with the explicit indication by Petros Mavromichalis, political negotiator of the EU that "regional integration remains a subject of great importance for us.
Jorge Daboub, president of the Salvadoran Chamber of Commerce, speaks about the benefits of the recent Customs Union between Guatemala and El Salvador.
Urías M. Gamarro, in a phone interview for PrensaLibre.com, asks him: "What are the most important benefits brought by this iniciative?"
"From 2002 to 2008, commerce between both countries has tripled, meaning that this Central American Union efforts are very important when facing the adversity of the world economy. I think it will be very positive for both countries and will force the rest of the countries to integrate."
At the same time that they are making the final step in the elimination of the border for the passage of goods, both countries are calling on the rest of Central America to do the same.
The article in Mipunto.com says that "In Central America, El Salvador and Guatemala have led the customs unification process, which has been contemplated and pushed for since 2003 in the region." ...
The program which has been in place since last July seeks to provide facilities to exporters and importers at Customs offices in the region.
Elheraldo.hn reports "that it is now in place at Customs at El Amatillo (Honduras and El Salvador) and Guasaule (Honduras and Nicaragua), where the results, according to Alvaro Sarmiento, coordinator of the Sieca Customs and Border Crossing Management project, have been satisfactory in speeding up the shipment of merchandise.
The Federation of Chambers of Commerce on the Central American Isthmus (FECAMCO) urged the governments of CA to carry out concrete negotiations for the integration of Panama into SIECA.
The president of the entity, Costa Rican Carlos Federspiel, said to Acan-Efe that in the face of the financial crisis that started in the US "it is necessary to strengthen intra-Central American trade and for Panama to be integrated into the economic system of the region and other agreements such as the Agreement of Association with the EU."
Progress made by the Central American Isthmus regarding integration do no meet the expectations of the European Union.
Although they are aware that the topic depends on the will of the region's governments, they are expecting that the integration and customs union will advance at a rhythm similar to that of negotiations for the agreement of association.
The presidents of the region have back-to-back meetings today in El Salvador and tomorrow in Mexico, to discuss regional integration and the re-starting of the Plan Puebla Panama.
Presidents from Central America, Mexico and Colombia will meet Saturday in the Mexican city of Villahermosa, where the theme will be Plan Puebla Panama. Lurking in the background is another topic that will likely arise: political tension between Colombia and Nicaragua.
State of the situation november 2007, of the economic integration process of the Central American region, basically refers to the legal institutional framework and insertion of Central
American into international trade.
Intitutional legal scope, Central American trade with the world, Central American free trade zone, Central American customs union and the insertion of Central America into the world economy.