With a new methodology, the Banco de Guatemala determined that the value of the informal economy already adds up to the equivalent of 22% of the Gross Domestic Product.
The new calculation used by the Banco de Guatemala (Banguat) to measure national production now includes the measurement of the informal economy, mainly its participation in productive activity.
The higher the percentage of wages paid by employers, the less formal employment will be generated, particularly affecting unemployed young people and distorting the economy by rewarding informality.
This is notorious in Costa Rica, where despite sustained growth of the economy in recent years, unemployment remains at around 10% of the economically active population, and informality represents around 40% of employment.
The Executive has proposed that individuals and business organizations that operate informally pay a single tribute of $20 a year.
The Guatemalan vice president, Roxana Baldetti proposed formalizing the informal economy through payment of a single annual tax of $20 which would apply to micro, small and medium enterprises operating in this segment of the economy.
The Board of the Central Bank says that any attempts to control prices and restrict competition will drive the informal economy.
Nacion.com reports that "The Government submitted, in late August, to the Legislative Assembly a Bill on Consumer Rights in relation to Usury in Credit Cards."
"... The initiative defines as usury loans rates which exceed twice the average of the last three months of the average lending rate of National Financial System, calculated by the Central Bank. Currently, the rate in colons is 15.88%, therefore that the cap would be of 31.76%. Anything over this would result in intervention by the Ministry of Economy, Industry and Commerce (MEIC) to regulate the market. "
In 2006 there were 957.017 insured people and Panama in 2011, the number exceeded 1,2 million, indicating that the informal sector of the economy has declined.
From a press release from the Ministry of Economy and Finance:
According to the publication "Panama in Figures", from the National Institute of Statistics and Census, in 2006 in Panama had 957.017 registered for social security and for 2011, the number exceeded 1,2 million, indicating that the informal sector of the economy has declined . This is a great reference for estimating the level of formality of the economy, because as people are insured, their working relationship and commercial operations are formalized, said the Director of Economic and Social Analysis at the Ministry of Economy and Finance, Roger Alvarado.