Because of the behavior of exports made to the United Kingdom, Germany and Italy, between 2017 and 2018 the sales of the Central American country to the member states of the European Union fell from $307 million to $280 million.
According to figures from the Centro de Trámites de las Exportaciones (Cetrex) last year, exports from the country to the United Kingdom reported a 11% decrease over 2017.
During the first eight months of the year, the Central American country generated $600 million in sales to Eurozone countries, 4% more than reported in the same period of 2017.
According to figures from the Bank of Guatemala, the Netherlands is the destination of Guatemalan exports that showed the greatest dynamism between January and August, with sales of $235 million, an increase of 14% over what was reported in 2017.
During the first five months of the year the country sold abroad for $4.719 billion worth of goods, which is equivalent to an increase of 6.4% over the same period in 2017.
According to the figures of the Foreign Trade Promoter (Procomer), from January to May, exports from Costa Rica to the other countries in the Central American region totaled $1.049 billion, 9% more than the $959 million registered in the same period in 2017.
Sauces and preparations, flavorings for food, fruit preserves, animal feed and cleaning products are some of the goods where there are opportunities in the Finnish market.
From the study "General Mapping of Finland", prepared by Procomer Costa Rica:
Finland is the 13th economy of the European Union (GDP $251.176 mm, 2016, 5 times that of CR).It is recognized as the 3rd least corrupt state in the world, for its highly educated population (100% literacy) and also is highlighted in various indexes related to competitiveness, and innovation among other things.
In the last ten years, exports from Costa Rica to countries in the European Union grew from $840 million in 2007, to $1.678 billion in the third quarter of this year.
Medical devices, bananas, pineapples, and coffee are some of the products responsible for most of the growth in exports to European countries in recent years. For example, as of September of this year, Procomer figures indicate that "... the European Continent represented 22% of sales this third quarter, with a total of US $1.753 billion (+ US $146 million). Among the main drivers, were: banana, with exports to Belgium, the United Kingdom and Ukraine; medical devices, which boosted exports to Belgium and the Netherlands; as well as greater exports of pineapples to Portugal and coffee to the Netherlands." See "Costa Rica: Foreign trade figures as of September 2017"
Almost $100 million is the export value of the over 500 species and three thousand varieties of ornamental plants, cut flowers and foliage shipped in 2015.
Of the total production of flowers, ornamental plants and foliage,80% goes to the international market, while the remaining 20% is sold locally.In 2015 salesabroad totaled $95.3 million, and between January and August this year the figure has already exceeded $70 million.
Exporters of ornamental plants are waiting for government approval in order to be part of the delegation which will request the reopening of the European market, which has been closed since May 2015.
The Chamber of Producers and Exporters of Plant Products (Caprodex) argues that the request was made on July 8 to the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG) and there has not yet been a response to the request to attend on September 22 the meeting to be held in Brussels to demand the reopening of the market for ornamental plants from Costa Rica.In May2015the European Union banned ornamental coffee plants from Costa Rica and Hondurasin order to prevent the entry of the bacteria Xylella fastidiosa.
The high demands for quality standards, traceability and safety constitute a barrier to making the most out of the Agreement.
In the view of representatives from the Nicaraguan export sector, it has not been possible to make the most out of the association agreement with the European Union in its first two years, due to, among other things, unfavorable international prices, as has been the case of products such as sugar, coffee , cocoa, oil and alcohol.
Between January and October 2014 the South American country exported 18% more fresh fruits to the European Union, as a result of the tariff benefits arising from the agreement.
From a statement issued by the Costa Rican Foreign Trade Promotion Office (Procomer):
The tariff benefits coming from the Free Trade Agreement between Colombia and the European Union (EU) are promoting new exports, said ProColombia.
The quotas for duty free export of beef, rice and tuna negotiated in the Agreement with the European Union are not being exploited to the fullest extent by local producers.
Lack of certification by the meat processing plants for export, the crisis in the agricultural sector and the absence of incentives to produce exportable foods are some of the factors which, in the opinion of producers, are preventing the country from taking advantage of the tariff benefits granted to country under the Economic Association Agreement (AA).
Holland was the country that bought the most goods sold by Guatemala to the European Union between January and September, which totaled $684.76 million, 17% more than in the same period in 2013.
The goods most exported to the European Union (EU) are textiles, nickel, vegetables and coffee, with the main destinations being the Netherlands which recorded purchases of $219 million, followed by Belgium with $86 million, Germany with $79.5 million and Spain with $78.6 in the first nine months of the year.
The sale of synthetic fibers increased by 133% between November 2012 and March 2013.
Statsistics from the Central Reserve Bank (BCR) reveal that between November 2012 and March 2013, exports of synthetic fibers to Europe increased from $1.4 million to $3.4 million, which is 133%.
"In other categories, food products such as honey increased sales by 29.8%, going from $4.3 million to $5.6 million."
Free training will be given on how to complete the Verification of Origin Questionnaire and EUR-1 Movement Certificate for exporting to the EU.
From a press release issued by the Guatemalan Association of Exporters (Agexport):
In order to provide an information service to exporters regarding the Origin Verification Questionnaire and EUR-1 Movement Certificate, through the medium of SEADEX WEB, the Single Window for Export, VUPE, at AGEXPORT, free training sessions will be given on days 9, 15 and 22 of January 2014, for companies exporting to the EU so that they can enrich their knowledge about filling in the questionnaire.
The elimination of tariffs on agricultural products and flexible rules of origin for products such as tuna, textiles and plastics are part of the changes incorporated in the Agreement.
The Minister of Economy, Sergio de la Torre said that in the next few years Guatemala's exports to Europe could be doubled, as has happened with the other trade agreements that the Central American nation has signed.
Agencies in charge of the certification of organic products for export must meet new regulations set by the European Union.
From a press release by the State Phytosanitary Service:
In 2014 new regulations will govern EU organic products.
The MAG will support certification agencies and producers in complying with new requirements.
From January 2014 Certifying Agencies for organic products and the Phytosanitary Service (SFE by its initials in Spanish) at the Ministry of Agriculture will have to comply with the new rules established by the European Union with the objective of ensuring in more detail the implementation of the requirements that define a product as an organic vegetable.
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