Unless intra-regional trade in chemical contents and residues, micronutrients and food preparations is regulated in a balanced manner, trade relations in Central America could face obstacles in the future.
Trade between Central American countries is essential, since a considerable proportion of foreign sales by local companies are destined for other markets in the region.
A new information platform aims to identify the main disadvantages faced by companies that transport goods through the region in customs and paperwork management.
The Central American Economic Integration Secretariat (Sieca) presented the Trade Incidences Platform, which will compile information on the disadvantages that companies have in the areas of customs, transport, sanitary procedures, phytosanitary, import or export.
Honduran businessmen will be visiting Peru from April 1st to 5th to explore trade and investment opportunities.
The mission will be led by Assistant Secretary for Economic and Trade Integration and consists of 25 entrepreneurs from the construction, coffee, agribusiness and tourism, sectors among others.
"This mission will be a great opportunity for Honduran businessmen interested in doing business in Peru, as well as for identifying investments for Peruvian entrepreneurs in our country," said President of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce of Honduras, Obdulio Hernandez.
The authorities at customs offices in Guatemala and Honduras have opened new routes for regional transit of goods between the two countries.
The aim of the opening of new routes at the borders between the two countries, in El Florido and Agua Caliente, is to streamline regional trade which has been blocked because of the protests over the application of a fee of $18 in Salvadoran customs offices for X-ray inspection of trucks.
Since its return to Petrocaribe in May this year Honduras has not received a single shipment of oil from the South American country.
The President-elect Juan Orlando Hernandez will have the task of defining whether the country remains within Petrocaribe or looks for alternatives to imported hydrocarbons.
An article in Laprensa.hn reports: "For the third time there has been a failure in the arrival of the first shipment of fuel from Petrocaribe which was expected this December and therefore the new government will pursue negotiations with Venezuela and decide whether or not to continue this initiative, government sources confirmed yesterday.
The apparent impossibility of reaching agreements with Switzerland on agriculture and exclusions at the industry level, has stalled negotiations for a FTA with the European Free Trade Association.
Melvin Redondo, Undersecretary of Foreign Trade, confirmed that Honduras and Guatemala have halted negotiations with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), comprising of Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.
The Honduran government expects to conclude the negotiations in the next round, on February 14th.
Melvin Redondo, Honduran negotiator, said that they hope to resolve the market access issues, primarily regarding pork, textiles and clothing.
"Large companies are interested in the textile sector, and mining and agricultural investments are subject to the outcome of the negotiation" added Redondo.
The partial trade agreement will only include products and exclude services. Negotiations are estimated to be completed in June of this year.
Honduras is looking forward to a partial agreement, which will include some 400 tariff lines for products such as snacks, shoe polish and poultry products like chicken and eggs.
Some of the products of interest to Cuba are "drugs, cigarettes and products in the agribusiness sector."
Deputy economy ministers of Central America and the Dominican Republic met in San Salvador to evaluate the region's trade agreements with other countries.
Central America and the Dominican Republic signed the Cafta accord with the United States in 2004, and the Central American countries are currently negotiating an association with the European Union.
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