It is time for transparent information to be given on which Central American governments continue to obstruct the essential unification of border formalities.
EDITORIAL
The Council of Ministers for Economic Integration (Comieco) which met in Managua on September 4 and 5 ended, as always happens in these meetings with public officials, with a statement of good intentions including promises to "work on the standardization of procedures at border posts and a regional strategy for trade facilitation," objectives which have been stated often and which up to now are far from being realised.
Five regulations signed by the COMIECO will facilitate trade within the region and minimize the cost of economic exchange.
The Council of Ministers of Economy (Comieco) agreed to sign 5 regulations to standardize the use of packaging and labels at the regional level, in order to facilitate trade and minimize costs of economic exchange in the isthmus, reported Agencia Guatemalteca de Noticias.
Businessmen from the Isthmus are urging governments to work together to achieve integration.
The Advisory Committee on Central American Economic Integration (CCIE), representing the region's private sector, recently met in Managua and decided to expedite the process to move towards economic integration in Central America.
One of the aspects which the committee wishes to emphasize is the need to prioritize Central American interests contained in the integration methods over any bilateral trade agreement with other countries.
The Government filed a motion to rescind the appointment of Ernesto Torres Chico as head of SIECA.
"What we're asking for is the application of due process, transparency and respect for institutions, so not to impose a Secretary General in violation of the procedures and mechanisms established in the Central American instruments" said Minister of Foreign Trade, Anabel González.
From the 11th to the 13th of February, advancement will be pursued regarding the integration of customs and the duties for bananas and sugar, issues still pending in the negotiations with the EU.
PrensaLibre.com publishes in its website: "The Vice President and Panamanian Chancellor, Samuel Lewis Navarre, declared that there still is not a concrete date scheduled for the next round that Central America and the EU will coordinate in an attempt to achieve progress in negotiations and to conclude the talks next May, as they have had anticipated."