The temporary entry of business people, and sanitary and phytosanitary measures are among the topics to be discussed at this meeting.
From February 4th to 8th in Mexico City, a fourth round of negotiations will be held for the signing of an FTA between Panama and Mexico. Some of the topics to be covered in this new round are: temporary entry of business people, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, intellectual property, and others.
Market access, rules of origin and procedures, public procurement and services and investment will be discussed in a mini round of negotiations in Panama City.
From 13th to 17th of January a mini round of negotiations for the signing of the FTA with Mexico will be held in Panama.
From a press release issued by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry of Panama:
The elimination of tariffs on agricultural products and flexible rules of origin for products such as tuna, textiles and plastics are part of the changes incorporated in the Agreement.
The Minister of Economy, Sergio de la Torre said that in the next few years Guatemala's exports to Europe could be doubled, as has happened with the other trade agreements that the Central American nation has signed.
Once the trade agreement is signed between the two countries tariffs that the South American nation excises on textiles and leather from the CFZ will be removed.
The information was confirmed by President Ricardo Martinelli, after a meeting with his Colombian counterpart. The president said that the trade agreement will be signed next week.
According to Martinelli, the tariff is applied only to countries that do not have an FTA with Colombia.
In the next six years, the EU will invest in regional customs strengthening which it considers essential for harnessing the benefits of the AA.
Laprensa.com.ni reports: "With the support of the Central American Economic Integration Secretariat the EU will start a Support Programme for Central American Economic Integration and Implementation of the AA".
The current $550 million from the annual sales of Guatemalan products and services to Mexico could double with the entry into operation of the unified FTA between that country and the Central Americans.
Guatemalans are hoping that exports to the Aztec nation will double with the entry into force of the agreement which unifies the Mexican FTA's that were held separately with Costa Rica, Nicaragua and the CA-3.
The current total amount of Mexican investment in Panama exceeds $2 billion, an amount that is expected to increase with the signing of the FTA for which negotiations have started.
From a press release by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry of Panama:
From July 30 to August 2 , the First Round of Negotiations in the subscription of a Free Trade Agreement between the Republic of Panama and the United Mexican States will be held at the Radisson Summit Hotel & Golf Panama Panama City.
The entry into force of the Association Agreement between Central America and the European Union encourages projects to increase honey production in Nicaragua.
Currently production is less than 500 tonnes per year, equivalent to 0.09% of what was imported globally last year (518,818 tonnes). According to Luz Marina Arana, coordinator of marketing research of the Center for Export and Investment (CEI), although Nicaraguan honey has entered duty free since 2004, with the entry into force of the trade agreement, "the new rules will stabilize trade and expand the possibility of new markets. "
An agreement between parliamentarians has pushed forward the ratification process, which was stuck due to the resistance of the sugar industry.
"The treaty affected the sugar business, which is the reasons why the agreement could not be approved," said one of the congressmen who requested anonymity.
An article in Prensalibre.com reports that "With 113 votes in favor, the Free Trade Agreement with Peru was approved, having been postponed since the last special session, due to the fact that there was an attempt to approve it as a matter of national emergency with less votes than required by law. "
The trade agreement will bring one of the most dynamic economies in the world, which has a per capita GDP close to $51,000, closer to the Costa Rican economy.
From a press release by the Ministry of Foreign Trade of Costa Rica (COMEX):
Monday, July 1, will see the entry into force of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Costa Rica and Singapore, which brings the Costa Rican economy closer to one of the largest in the world.
The apparent impossibility of reaching agreements with Switzerland on agriculture and exclusions at the industry level, has stalled negotiations for a FTA with the European Free Trade Association.
Melvin Redondo, Undersecretary of Foreign Trade, confirmed that Honduras and Guatemala have halted negotiations with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), comprising of Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.
The aims would be to increase the list of imports and exports to 200 products, in order to boost trade between the two countries.
This was announced by Panama's ambassador in the Dominican Republic, Alberto Castillero, who added that the Dominican Government has a special interest in strengthening bilateral trade agreements with the increase in the list of products in order to increase the export of agricultural and livestock products from that country.
When the Free Trade Agreement was signed in 2003 sales to the Asian island by Panama totaled $11.7 million, whereas in 2010 they reached $44.8 million.
Panamaamerica.com.pa reports that "the Council for the Development of Trade with Taiwan (TAITRA) states that Panama is one of the countries which has received the most benefit out of those which have free trade agreement (FTA) with them".
Although the subject of the Colon Free Zone remains an obstacle, next Tuesday will see the start of the seventh round of negotiations on the free trade agreement between the two countries.
Panama's interest in joining the Pacific Alliance forces it to close a FTA with each of its members, including Colombia.
After the sixth round of negotiations, held in Colombia in March, the Colombian delegation welcomed the progress on customs cooperation and mutual assistance, but the issue of the Colon Free Zone (CFZ) continued without an agreement between both parties.
Negotiations for the signing of the trade agreement between the two countries may come to a conclusion in the seventh round to be held in Panama in late May.
This will happen regardless of the lawsuit that the Government of Panama intends to file against the World Trade Organization (WTO). "The FTA negotiations with Colombia have absolutely nothing to do with the WTO lawsuit challenging taxes imposed by the country on goods from the Colon Free Zone (CFZ), and it is not dependent on this issue being resolved," said the Minister of Trade and Industry, Ricardo Quijano.