On May 12 and 13 a conference on quality management will be held in San Jose which will focus on the sectors of health and safety.
From a statement issued by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry:
San Jose April 28, 2016. The Ministry of Economy, Industry and Commerce (MEIC), as rector of the National Council for Quality and technical bodies made up of: the National Agency for Standardization (INTECO), the Technical Regulation Body (ORT), the Costa Rican Metrology Laboratory (LACOMET) and the Costa Rican Accreditation Entity (ECA), is promoting the First International Conference on Quality, on May 12 and 13 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel Corobici.
The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources has presented a guide on the technical criteria for the design and construction of butchers and slaughterhouses and the management of wastewater and solid waste.
From a statement issued by the Ministry of Environment (MARN):
Slaughterhouses are the first link in the meat industry, because it is in them that meat for human consumption is obtained, therefore they need to operate using quality standards and all facilities must meet the requirements of proper operation, in order to ensure the health of the population and environmental protection.
Central America must improve the quality standards of its products, learn more about the consumers and simplify processes in order to take advantage of the opportunities of the Agreement with the European Union.
In order to maximize the opportunities provided by the Association Agreement which has been signed with the European Union (EU), Central American companies must have a better understanding of the European market, which has more than 500 million consumers who are demanding in terms of quality and food safety. Furthermore, it is essential to simplify export procedures in order to expedite the process of obtaining permits and other procedures which are reducing export competitiveness in Central America.
The event will be held on August 25th and 26th in Guatemala City and will deal with issues related to quality systems and accessing markets with GlobalGAP certifications.
From a statement issued by the Guatemalan Exporters Association (Agexport):
Managing occupational risks, voluntary agreements for improving the environmental services, and best practices for reducing costs, are some of the central issues which will be addressed at the 2014 International Congress on Quality.
A regional program will support the quality and application of sanitary and phytosanitary measures.
In order to improve access for Central American products to markets the creation of a standardized and internationally recognized Regional System for Quality and Application of SPS Measures has been proposed.
A communiqué from the Central American Economic Integration Secretariat reads:
The Ministry of Economy has launched a National Quality Policy which aims to turn El Salvador into a more competitive country.
A press release from the Ministry of Economy reads:
Economy Minister Hector Dada Hirezi launched this December 13 the National Quality Policy, the aim of which is not only to make a difference by turning El Salvador into a more competitive country, but also one where consumers get higher levels of respect in relation to the supply of goods and services.
The National Assembly has passed a law that will regulate the quality, size and weight of products sold.
In order to standardize the quality of the products that Salvadorans buy and adapt to international standards, the Legislature has approved the "Law for the creation of a Salvadoran Quality System."
When it comes into effect, a period of six months will be given to businesses and the government to take the necessary measures to comply with the new standards.
The European Union and Salvadoran government have joined forces to set up a National Quality System.
The aim is to implement a system that guarantees the quality of products manufactured in El Salvador through a law to be approved by the Legislative Assembly.
This system was developed by the Vice Ministry of Cooperation in development and the Economy Minister and will have a budget of 12.1 million euros provided by the EU over four years.