The customs union between Guatemala and Honduras favors small companies in particular, as they do not have to deal with the costly and slow procedures for export and passage through customs offices.
Although it does not yet cover the entire tariff universe, the effective customs union between Honduras and Guatemala will facilitate trade between both countries and this will have a positive impact on the development of both economies.
An adequate legal framework is needed for the healthy and steady development of institutions engaged in microfinance.
The Association for Research and Social Studies (ASIES) has published a study on the essential institutional strengthening of microfinance in Guatemala, with its own data and references it reports from the Secretariat for Economic Integration (SIECA) on "The Importance of the Micro Financial Sector in Central America ".
The Commercial Office of Central America CATO has a website where Central American companies can promote their products to export to the Asian island.
With the aim of promoting Central American SMEs and boosting Taiwanese investment, the Commercial Office of Central America together with the Embassy of Honduras in Taiwan has inaugurated the website www.cato.com.tw , which allows entrepreneurs in the region to showcase their products in the Taiwanese market.
SMEs in developing countries could generate jobs and significant growth by taking advantage of the market opportunities offered by clean technologies.
From a report by the World Bank:
SMEs in developing countries could generate significant growth and jobs if they take advantage of market opportunities that offer clean technologies, which reach up to $1.6 trillion.
The State's role is not to teach entrepreneurs how to do things, but to remove obstacles so that they can create wealth.
Editorial
It is remarkable how the role of the State has been misrepresented, especially in some countries in the region. The primary functions of governments are being carried out at half measures or not being done at all: the insecurity of people and goods is increasing, justice is neither swift nor effective, health and education services are only for those who can afford them, and public infrastructure is a far cry from the taxes that correspond to paying for it.
International bureaucrats are touring Central America offering up the ALADI as a means of doing business with South American countries, while the president of Argentina is preventing firms in her country from using ports in Uruguay.
Editorial
Our comments are the same as they were one year ago when Uruguayan diplomats toured the area in order to promote a free trade agreement with Mercosur; in terms of trade integration, South America is a bag of cats where what prevails is the will of two giants, Brazil and Argentina, with the aggravating circumstance that the current government of President Fernández de Kirchner, in the exact same manner as his deceased predecessor Néstor Kirchner, manages and controls Argentinian international trade by pandering to the needs of immediate populist policies, regardless of the agreements they have signed.
While governments spend fortunes on consultants to promote SMEs, the imbalance between their expenses and their income is the main threat to employers.
An article in Elfinancierocr.com reports that Danilo Montero, executive director of the Costa Rican Association for Development Organizations (Acorde) noted that "... The main risk to the national economy in 2014 threatening micro, small and medium enterprises is the fiscal deficit. "
A promotion exercise is being carried out of the "Best Service" certification in the region in order to improve service and positioning of SMEs in tourism.
In order to improve the service and prestige of small and medium tourism enterprises in the region, the Federation of Tourism Chambers of Central America (FEDECATUR) is promoting the "Best Service" certification.
Small and medium enterprises in the region, especially in the food sector, have great opportunities to export to the European market.
This was explained by Ingrid Figueroa, director of the Regional Center for the Promotion of MSMEs (Cenpromype), an agency of the Central American Integration System (SICA).
Aspects such as quality, standards, certifications and seals of approval are elements that European consumers evaluate before acquiring goods that are produced in the region, therefore this must be made known to the producers. "For a small company that has not met the requirements of the European market it can be a complex issue," she said.
The National Bank for Production and Housing in Honduras has hiked interest rates for new loans to micro and small enterprises.
Laprensa.hn reports: "The information was confirmed by the executive vice president and general manager of the Covelo Foundation, Juan José Lagos, who explained that the decision was based on resolution 77-04-2013 taken by the board of the National Bank for Production and Housing (Banhprovi) last April. "
In Nicaragua, Honduras and El Salvador large scale traders and exporters are leveraging the ability of small farmers assuring them market space.
For example, in Nicaragua, 228 dairy producers who are members of the Cooperative 'Cooperativa de Productores de Leche El Triunfo RL ' (Cooproleche) are no longer exposed to having to sell their product at any price .
From November 27 to December 1 the Fair of the Americas will be held in Florida, USA, an event which involves some 500 SMEs from Central America.
This event is considered the largest showcase for Central American products in America. "At its launch in Nicaragua, Eduardo Arroyo, president of the Fair of the Americas, encouraged entrepreneurs to participate in the event, which will guarantee being put in contact with a market of 300 million consumers ...", reported Laprensa.hn article.
The private sector in Honduras is protesting that the tax amnesty will not benefit small entrepreneurs .
In a letter sent by Mario Bustillo, director of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Tegucigalpa (CCIT) to the Finance Secretary, Wilfredo Cerrato, the official explained that persons and corporations whose declared gross income was lower than $1.57 million were excluded from the amnesty.
In April and May, two Peruvian trade mission will visit Panama, Costa Rica and Guatemala in search of business opportunities.
The Exporters Association of Peru (ADEX) has organized two trade missions from companies from various sectors and foreign trade students from Peru.
Gestion.pe reports that "the first exploration mission from the imports and logistics sector will be held from 16th to 20th of April in Panama and aims at learning about the trade and development opportunities in this country which trades with the world more than $18 billion and through which passes 14,000 ships and more than 12 million containers a year. "
Colombian SMEs see an opportunity to position themselves in Central America, alongside the corporations from that country that have already landed in the region.
Examples are Sirius and Cosméticos Bachué, two companies out of the nearly 200 SMEs interested in finding a place for their products in Central America and the Caribbean.
"Alvaro Gomez, director of the trade office Proexport in Costa Rica, said the country needs to double its power generation levels over the next eight years. This opens up great opportunities for electrical companies, like Sirius, in a country which in 2012 exported goods and services worth $274.4 million," noted an article in Elcolombiano.com.