The required health and phytosanitary protocols were signed in order to authorize the export of tuna, fresh pineapple and prawns.
From a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Trade:
San Jose, September 29, 2015. As part of the visit by Minister Zhi Shuping, maximum chief of the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the PRC (AQSIQ) required health and phytosanitary protocols were signed, authorizing the export of tuna and fresh pineapple from Costa Rica to China, and negotiations for the entry of Costa Rican shrimp to that market were concluded.
Despite being a major producer of canned tuna in Europe, Italians import 87,000 tonnes a year in order to meet domestic demand.
From an article by the Costa Rican Foreign Trade Promotion Office (PROCOMER):
Italy consumes a significant amount of tuna, in canned form and yellow fin and bluefin tuna, which is equivalent to about 141,000 tons per year, 2.3 kg per capita, valued at $1.47 billion.
Each of the Central American countries are entitled to export a minimum of 160 tons, with flexibility of origin.
Each of the countries has been assured 4% of the four thouand metric tons which correspond to exports to the European Union.
According to Salvador's Deputy Minister of economy, Mario Hernandez, the agreement establishes that among the six countries of Central America, 24% of the quota will be distributed equally, ie 4% or 160 metric tons.
Countries such as the Netherlands import 98% of their canned tuna in different varieties, including in water, in olive oil, in sunflower oil, and with hot sauce, among other varieties.
From an article by the Costa Rican Trade Promotion Office (PROCOMER):
98.5% of the tuna that is imported from Holland is of the canned variety and in comes different formats, in water, in olive oil, in sunflower oil, and with hot sauce, among other varieties.
The signing of EU Association brings up the outstanding issue of export quotas for the allocation of tuna and beef from Central American countries.
The agreement establishes a quota of 4 metric tons (TM2) for tuna and 9,500 tons for beef, with an annual increase of 475 tons. At the time Central America has yet to resolve internally how to allocate such quotas.
Tuna companies are hoping that the 4,000 metric ton quota for export to Europe will be distributed proportionally.
The Spanish company Calvo, which operates processing and canning plants for the fish, has expressed interest in having the largest possible proportion of the quota of 4,000 metric tons of tuna available for export to the Europe region.
This quota was allocated under the Association Agreement negotiations between the Isthmus and the European Union.
Sardimar and Calvo Group are involved in a dispute over tariffs generated by the implementation of the multilateral treaty imposed by the US-Central America Treaty.
The Spanish-owned Calvo Group has a tuna processing plant in El Salvador from which it exports to Costa Rica - among other places - having paid the country a customs duty of 15% until January 2009, and afterwards taking advantage of CAFTA benefits by not paying the tariff for tuna in oil and paying 2.2% for tuna in water. This will obviously hurt the local sales of Costa Rican-owned Sardimar, which is protesting, stating that the situation violates the provisions of the General Treaty of Central American Integration since Calvo Group operates in a free trade zone in El Salvador and is exempt from most national and municipal taxes and Sardimar considers this a subsidy in disguise.
In 2009, the Costa Rican company is planning to consolidate its brand in the UK, Spain and Germany.
According to reports on nacion.com "Sardimar also plans to sell Tonnino, its gourmet tuna, in Belgium, Holland, and Luxemburg, said Gabriela Munoz, Business Development manager at the company.
"These are countries with characteristics that are similar to the market we are already in, and they consume a significant amount of canned fish," she commented."
The US extended the tariff benefits and market access to textile and tuna companies for two more years - until September 2010.
These commercial advantages were established in 2000 in an expansion of the so called Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI).
The extension of these benefits was included in the Farm Bill which was passed by the American Congress last June. The bill is a package of internal agricultural aid.