Based on the willingness of Costa Rican authorities to raise the tariff on imported sugar from 45% to 73%, Brazil decided to raise the entry taxes on four animal products from Costa Rica.
Months ago, the private sector has been warning of the possibility that the country's trading partners would apply reciprocal measures because of Costa Rica's unilateral decision to raise entry taxes on importedsugar.
In Costa Rica, the Chamber of Commerce opposes the agreement signed between the rice sector and the government, which maintains the fixing of the price and the 35% tariff on grain imports.
The decision was made on August 23rd in the framework of the meeting in which the National Production Council (CNP), the National Rice Corporation (CONARROZ) and the Ministries of Economy, Industry and Commerce (MEIC) and Agriculture and Livestock (MAG) participated.
Following an appeal filed by the importing company La Maquila Lama with the Costa Rican authorities, the government decided to reduce the additional tax on sugar purchased abroad from 34.27% to 27.68%.
With the reduction decreed by the Ministry of Economy, Industry and Commerce (MEIC), a decision that was published on August 18 in The Gazette, the total tax applied to imported sugar will be 72.68% (45% original plus 27.68% of the safeguard), which is slightly less than the 79.27% (45% original plus 34.27%), which was in force until before the enacted amendment.
Arguing that the unusual growth in sugar imports is harming local production, the Alvarado administration decided to raise the tariff on products entering Costa Rica from 45% to 73% for a three-year period.
The Ministry of Economy, Industry and Commerce (MEIC) concluded the investigation requested by the Agricultural Industrial League of Sugar Cane (LAICA) and 4 mills, on the safeguard measure against imports of solid state, granulated sugar, known as white sugar, used for domestic and industrial consumption, justifying a deterioration in the main economic indicators of the National Production Branch (RPN), details an official statement dated June 15.
In Costa Rica, sugar producers are asking the government to raise tariffs or entry taxes on imports, and importers are opposing, as this would raise the final price to the consumer.
In July 2019, the Sugar Cane Industrial Agricultural League (LAICA) asked the Ministry of Economy, Industry and Commerce (MEIC) to launch an investigation with the aim of imposing additional tariffs on imported sugar, arguing that purchases from abroad would damage local production.
With the approval of a decree declaring beef and all its edible offal as sensitive products, importers in the country will not be able to opt for tariff exemptions.
The Cabinet Council approved Cabinet Decree No. 29 dated December 10, 2019, which declares as sensitive products for the national economy all beef, whether fresh, chilled, frozen, salted, smoked, or processed, as well as all edible bovine offal, whether fresh, chilled or frozen, reported the Ministry of Agricultural Development (MIDA).
As of January 2020, electric vehiclesimported into El Salvador and Honduras will be exempt from the import duty, which was 30% in El Salvador until now.
In Nicaragua, the tax exemption that benefited the import of products such as canned sardines, prepared soups, toilet soap, rubber gloves, among others, was eliminated.
With this change, the products concerned will be applied the Import Tariff Rate (DAI), which is a tax contained in the Central American Import Tariff and is applied to products from countries outside the Central American region, on the value of them, the taxes have variable rates that can range between 5% and 15%.
Panama appealed against the first instance ruling, which concluded that Colombia's restrictive customs control measures do not violate WTO rules.
From the statement of the Ministry of Commerce and Industries of Panama:
November 20th, 2018. The Ministry of Commerce and Industries (MICI) on behalf of the Government of Panama filed an appeal against the first instance ruling that found that the restrictive customs control measures implemented by Colombia do not infringe the rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO). In this appeal, Panama claims errors in the interpretation of the rules on import restrictions and customs valuation that were argued in Colombia's request for review of its compliance with the judgments in Panama's favor.
In Panama, the agribusiness sector and the government agreed to review all legal details to assess an increase from 15% to 30% in the import tariff for mozzarella cheeses.
This week, the country's dairy agribusiness sector met with President Juan Carlos Varela and representatives of the Ministries of Agricultural Development and Trade and Industries.
Since November 1st, the Honduran government decided to reduce from 35% to 25% the import tariffs for steel sheets and other related products.
According to businessmen in the sector, the action taken by the authorities seeks to ensure the supply of steelsheets and other similar products at national level, as well as ensuring product price stability.
Both countries agreed to include threads, fabrics and clothing in the batch of items that are already subject to tax relief, as part of the Free Trade Agreement in force.
The Ministry of Economy of Guatemala informed that the trade between both countries will experience a significant increase because of the recent signature of several agreements that expand the productive value chains.
Shrimp, mangoes, confectionery, non-alcoholic beverages and electric accumulators are some of the products that will have tariff benefits with the signing of the Partial Scope Agreement between both countries.
From the press release of the Ministry of Economy of Guatemala:
In Costa Rica, the government has decided to establish an additional tariff of 11.67% on imports of brown rice, for purchases exceeding 6,367 tons.
With this new protectionist measure taken by the government, which will apply from September 21 to December 31 of this year, the current tariff will increase from 35% to 46.67%.
A second round of negotiations to extend the partial scope agreement has concluded, with the approval of new rules on origin for trade between both countries.
The Ministry of Economy of El Salvador reported that one of the greatest achievements of this meeting was the completion of the negotiation on the market access table, with El Salvador reaching around 120 tariff codes that will be subject to improvements in tariff preferences.
Operating Company dedicated to the manufacture of gluten-free and sugar-free products, OHNE brand. The OHNE brand has 8 product lines: square bread, sweet...
español
2744
