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.
The difficulties and obstacles highlighted by exporters in intraregional trade reveal the serious shortcomings of the much vaunted concept of Central American Integration.
Chambers representing exporters in Central American countries believe that instead of moving towards the integration of the region, the slow progress of the customs union and the high costs of transport is retracting from it.
From the border with Mexico up to Darien in Panama, customs offices are hindering trade and conspiring against the region's development.
According to the Corporation of Guatemalan Customs Agents (CAAG), delays suffered by transport carriers alone make goods 5% more expensive for Central American consumers. But added to this is 30% for sanitary and phytosanitary barriers and non-tariff measures that are applied in each country.
They will ask the Central American Court of Justice to annul CAUCA, which recently came into force on August 25.
Oscar Ramos Valverde, president of the Confederation of Customs Agents of Central America and the Caribbean, informed Prensa Libre that they are to present the case to the Court (which is based in Nicaragua) today, and will asked that resolutions 223-2008 and 224-2008 of the Ministerial Council for Economic Integration (Comierco), which contain the new Uniform Customs Code for Central America (CAUCA IV) and its regulations (Recauca)be annulled.