It is announced that technical groups from the governments of El Salvador and Guatemala began negotiations in London to conclude a new trade agreement.
Now, there is a possibility that the agreement the region seeks to sign with the European country will not be consolidated, since it is not yet clear how the process of Britain's exit from the European Union will be carried out, an issue that is generating great tension between the British Parliament and Prime Minister, Theresa May, at this very moment.
On November 12th, the VII Round of Negotiations for the inclusion of El Salvador in the integration process towards the free transit of individuals and goods between Guatemala and Honduras began in San Salvador.
The negotiations between the three countries will last the entire week and it is expected that this round of dialogues will address issues related to the customs, migration, sanitary and phytosanitary challenges facing El Salvador.
The FTA with Panama and the agreement with El Salvador, both in the negotiation stage, are part of the commercial opportunities that the Asian nation seeks to consolidate in the region in the short-term.
The third round of negotiations to conclude the trade agreement between the Central American country and the Asian nation began in Panama City. This session will deal with trade barriers, customs procedures and trade facilitation.
In the fourth round of negotiations to incorporate El Salvador into the customs union process with Guatemala and Honduras, issues such as internal taxes, phytosanitary measures and tariffs, among others, will be discussed.
From a statement issued by the Ministry of Economy of El Salvador:
The IV Round of negotiations for the incorporation of El Salvador into the process of Deep Integration towards the Free Transit of People and Goods between the Republics of Honduras and Guatemala, began today in San Salvador.
In this third round of negotiations, discussion will take place on the border model to be implemented to incorporate El Salvador into the integration process initiated by Guatemala and Honduras.
From a statement issued by the Ministry of Economy of El Salvador:
February 12.The city of Tegucigalpa, Honduras, this week becomes the site of the third round of negotiations for the incorporation of El Salvador into the process of deep integration started by Guatemala and Honduras, informed the Vice Minister of Economy, Dr. Luz Estrella Rodríguez.
The South American country aims to increase exports of non-traditional sectors such as metalworking, white goods, construction, wood, plastics, the agro-industry and pharmaceutical products.
A fourth round of negotiations for a partial scope trade agreement between Honduras and Ecuador has drawn to a conclusion.
From a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Ecuador:
In the seventh round of negotiation all chapters were finalised and what is left pending are technical matters from the list on access and origin which will be addressed in a final meeting.
From a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Trade of Costa Rica:
San Jose, October 31, 2016.- Today the seventh round of negotiations of the Free Trade Agreement between Central America and Korea came to a close in Seoul, South Korea. This meeting, which took place from October 24 to 31, enabled the parties to move towards a final agreement.
In the VI round agreements were reached on the chapters on Government Procurement, Employment and Dispute Resolution, and the in next round they will define the final document for technical and legal review.
From a statement issued by the Ministry of Economy and Finance in Guatemala:
Guatemala, October 5, 2016.The teams negotiating the FTA between Central America and South Korea held a sixth round of negotiations from September 26 to 30 in Managua, Nicaragua with the conclusion of three more chapters.
Sanitary and phytosanitary measures, technical barriers to trade, rules of origin and competition rules were defined and progress was made on issues of tariff reduction.
From a statement issued by the Ministry of Economy in Guatemala:
The teams negotiating the FTA between Central America and South Korea ended the V round of negotiations with conclusions to four chapters of the treaty and progress made on two other issues.
Central American coffee will incur 0% tariff in 10 years, while bananas, vegetables and baby vegetables will be shielded from the entry into force of the agreement.
In the fifth round of negotiations which will be held in Seoul from August 8 to 12 it is expected that progress will be made on the definitions for the treatment of 9% of the universe of products that have not yet been analyzed.
Negotiations have been finalised on the environmental chapter and progress made on Trade Facilitation and the texts of the chapters on sanitary measures, technical barriers and government procurement.
From a statement issued by the Ministry of Economy of Guatemala:
Guatemala, May 30, 2016. From 23 to 27 May, the Guatemalan delegation of negotiators met with their Central American and Korean counterparts to advance negotiations of a Free Trade Agreement between Central America and South Korea.
In the third round issues such as market access, trade defense, institutional arrangements, dispute settlement, sanitary and phytosanitary measures were discussed.
From a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Trade of Costa Rica:
San Jose, March 02, 2016.- The third round of negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement between Central America and South Korea was held from 22nd to 26th of February in San Francisco, in the United States.
In the first round held in South Korea modalities and staging categories for trade were defined.
In Seoul, Korea, the First Round of Negotiations of the Free Trade Agreement between Central America and -TLC- South Korea was held.
After signing the general framework of negotiations last July, the Central American Work teams met from 21 to 25 September, with their counterparts from the Ministry of Trade, Economy and Energy of South Korea.
Several years after conversations began, Central America and South Korea finally started the formal negotiations for a free trade agreement.
From a statement issued by the Government of Guatemala:
In Houston, Texas, the Minister of Economy of Guatemala, Sergio de la Torre, and his Central American counterparts in charge of foreign trade, met with Korean Minister of Commerce, Industry and Energy Yoon Sang-Jick, to start negotiating the Free Trade Agreement between the Republic of Korea and the Central American republics.
On 26 and 27 November, the Hotel Real Intercontinental in San Jose, Costa Rica will host a business meeting between China and Latin America.
The China Latin America and the Caribbean Business Summit is the most important business meeting for trade and investment between Latin America and the Asian giant, which seeks to promote and strengthen trade and investment opportunities which have opened up between China and Latin America in recent years.