After the Legislative Assembly ratified the country's accession to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the business sector is of the opinion that this will help consolidate the institutional reforms needed to make the State more efficient.
The Assembly informed that by approving in the second debate the bill 22.187, which contains the agreement on the terms of accession, the deputies gave the green light to Costa Rica's accession to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
After 5 years of managing the admission to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the Council of the organization agreed to formally extend the invitation to the Central American country to become the 38th member.
The incorporation will allow the country to participate in more than 300 committees and groups to decide on equal terms in the development of innovative solutions to common challenges, such as the emergency in the face of COVID-19, issues associated with climate change and the fourth industrial revolution, among others, reported the Costa Rican presidency.
After the country has completed the 22 required assessments called for in the roadmap, in the coming months the organization's Council should take the decision to invite the country to formally become a member.
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) issued its formal opinion favorable to the work that the country has been doing to address the recommendations provided by this committee since 2016, in areas such as macroeconomic and fiscal stability, inclusive economic growth, increased productivity and promotion of competition, among others.
Panamanian authorities announced that as of September 2020, it will begin to exchange financial information automatically with the South American country.
Negotiations between the two countries began in 2019 and at the technical meetings they agreed on the mechanisms that will be used to automatically double-track the information.
The two countries signed an action plan to determine the steps to be taken to achieve a Mutual Recognition Agreement for their Authorized Economic Operators and to facilitate international trade operations.
Once the Mutual Recognition Agreement is signed, the companies that are part of the Authorized Economic Operators Program in Costa Rica will obtain more agile conditions, facilitation of international trade operations, application of best practices in security standards, use of information, and control of traceability, informed the Costa Rican government.
On January 24, the bilateral agreement known as "Open Skies" came into force, which considers flights between both countries as domestic.
The agreement reached between the two countries, which aims to promote tourism and investment, was announced by the vice presidents of Guatemala, Guillermo Castillo, and El Salvador, Felix Ulloa.
The Congress approved the Association Agreement between the United Kingdom and Central America, which aims to protect trade relations between the two economies within the framework of the Brexit process.
In the Ordinary Session held on November 27, Decree 11-2019 was approved, with which the Agreement establishing an Association between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Central America is approved, informed the Congress.
The agreement to be signed in 2020, aims to make a strategic alliance and promote both countries in the multi-destination format.
The governments of Panama and Jamaica, represented by Tourism Ministers Ivan Eskildsen and Hon Edmund Bartlett, respectively, agreed to sign a multi-destination agreement next year to strengthen tourism relations and increase tourist arrivals, according to the Panama Tourism Authority (ATP).
The protocol allowing Guatemalan companies to sell live cattle in the neighboring country will come into effect on December 15, 2019.
After the negotiation process between Mexican and Guatemalan authorities has concluded and the sanitary regulations for the entry of animals have been approved, the Central American country has the green light to start selling live cattle.
Deputies of the Guatemalan Congress ask that the agreement that regulates the commercialization of antibiotics and ophthalmological steroids, recently approved by the Executive Branch, be repealed.
Controversy between representatives of the legislature and the executive began after the Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistance (MSPAS) approved Agreement 181-2019 on August 7, 2019, which stipulates that antimicrobial drugs (oral and parenteral antibiotics) and ophthalmic steroids must be sold with a prescription. See full agreement.
The Cortizo administration is preparing a bill to create the Integrated Control System at the border with Costa Rica, with the aim of simplifying the transit of people, vehicles and goods between the two countries.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Panama reported that Alejandro Ferrer, head of the institution, with the support of the Director of the Customs Authority of Panama, Tayra Barsallo, presented to the Cabinet Council, the draft law approving the framework agreement to implement integrated binational control systems at the border crossings between Panama and Costa Rica (Paso Canoa, Rio Sereno and Sixaola).
The signed association agreement "guarantees Central American countries that with the departure of the United Kingdom from the European Union, there will be no legal vacuum and trade relations with that country will be interrupted and tariff preferences will be maintained, with all legal guarantees for Central American exporters to the United Kingdom."
The government of Guatemala informed that Julio Dougherty, Vice-Minister of Integration and Foreign Trade, together with the Ministers of Economy and Foreign Trade of Central America and the United Kingdom Ambassador in Costa Rica, Ross Denny, signed in Managua the document that establishes the Association Agreement that constitutes the mechanism to attend the preferential commercial relations regulated with the United Kingdom through the Association Agreement between Central America (CA) and the European Union (AACUE), on the occasion of BREXIT.
Varela administration signed 19 agreements with the Asiatic giant, including the meat, sea and fruit exports from Panama, and technological cooperation mechanisms.
In addition to the Free Trade Agreement between the two nations, the fourth round of negotiations took place weeks ago, and within the framework of the visit of Chinese President Xin Jinping to Panama, bilateral agreements on tourism, trade and agriculture were signed.
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:
October 31st, 2018. To accelerate the reduction of mutual tariff preferences granted to a list of 61 products traded in the Guatemalan and Cuban markets, according to the Partial Scope Agreement (PSA) in force since 2001, this Wednesday, trade authorities of both countries signed in Havana, the so-called "Second Protocol to Modify the Deepening of the PSA between Guatemala and Cuba."
The agreement between the Salvadoran and Canadian governments is intended to promote new airline routes from both countries.
The agreement to ease trade and tourism between the two nations was signed in Canada's capital by Canadian minister Marc Garneau and El Salvador's ambassador in Canada, Tania Molina Avalos.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of El Salvador announced that the bilateral agreement on air transport is intended to promote trade, tourism and investment between the two countries, as well as to strengthen international services provided by the airlines selected by each party.
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