In Costa Rica, the Contentious Administrative Court ruled in favor of the companies who accused the government of damaging the local market, after the Solis administration banned the import of Mexican avocado in 2014.
The conflict, which remains unsolved, dates back to several years ago, when in May 2014 Costa Rican authorities decided to ban the import of avocados from Mexico, arguing the existence of the disease known as sun spot.
The Legislative Assembly approved in the first debate the bill prohibiting the commercialization of plastic straws throughout the national territory, as well as the purchase of single-use plastic in all state institutions.
In addition, the marketing and free delivery of plastic bags to the final consumer in supermarkets and commercial establishments whose purpose is to carry the goods to their destination is prohibited, explains an official statement.
Changes in legislation restricting the use of disposable plastic containers and packaging force companies to look for other options, some of which could be up to five times more expensive.
President Alvarado signed the law that prohibits the importation, commercialization and delivery of expanded polyethylene containers, better known as styrofoam, in any commercial establishment.
The prohibition shall become effective twenty-four months after the entry into force of the Law, which shall be subsequent to its publication in the official newspaper La Gaceta.
In Costa Rica, the Legislative Assembly ratified the ban on the import, marketing and distribution of expanded polystyrene containers, better known as styrofoam.
With the approval in Second Debate of file 19.833 "Addition of an article 42 bis, a paragraph d) to article 50 and the transitory XIII, XIV and XV to the Law for the Integral Management of Waste, No.
The Panamanian government's decision to raise the tariff on meat imported from Nicaragua from 3% to 30% to allow local producers to compete has so far shown no clear results.
In September 2018, the Panamanian government decided to establish barriers to the entry of Nicaraguan beef by raising the import tariff from 3% to 30%. This has not had the expected effects, as the prices paid to local producers have not risen.
The Directorate General of Taxation has suspended the decree that prevented agencies and distributors from importing latest model vehicles, corresponding to 2018.
The restriction on imports of 2018 models came into effect in October last year, when the Ministry of Finance issued Decree No. 39941-H.
The situation is seen internationally as a crude protectionist maneuver by a government divided internally between respecting the obligations in signed free trade agreements and an outdated protectionist stance on the part of of uncompetitive national production sectors.
EDITORIAL
The Solis administration has postponed negotiations with Mexico for the lifting of the ban on imports of avocados from that country, while awaiting new phytosanitary studies.
The irreconcilable positions of both countries over phytosanitary measures for the Mexican product form the backdrop to a possible arbitration panel with the world trade body.
Since Costa Rica stopped issuing permits for the entry of Hass avocados from Mexico, for phytosanitary protectionism reasons, (the country argues they are protecting themselves from the disease known as sunspot), neither country has managed to convince the other through technical and political methods to reopen the market.
Establishing areas free of the sunblotch pest and certify them according to international standards is what Mexico has proposed in order to sell avocados to Costa Rica once again.
The proposal submitted by Mexico to the Ministry of Foreign Trade of Costa Rica and the State Phytosanitary Service (SFE) includes the establishment of certain areas of fruit cultivation which are certified to be free of the pest.
At a time when local pork producers are pushing to limit imports, the National Animal Health Service has suspended the import of pork from three processing plants in Chile.
The decision comes after the National Animal Health Service in Chile carried out an inspection of six processing plants exporting pork to Costa Rica. The decision to suspend the three plants is based on an alleged breach of health and safety standards.
Given the prohibition of entry imposed by Costa Rica, avocado exporters are trying to sell the fruit in new destinations, foreseeing a drop in prices after the next harvest.
Lower prices are expected in two months, at the moment of the strongest stage of the harvest, which they hope to sell in other countries in the region such as El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua.
Guatemala and Mexico have joined forces in their complaints to the WTO over restrictions on the importation of Hass Avocados.
The concerns of these two countries were presented at the monthly meeting of the Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures of the World Trade Organization, where Guatemala and Mexico also expressed concern about the trade impact of the measure imposed by Costa Rica.
A "national scientific table" will analyze the reasons for the restriction on imports of the fruit from Mexico and seek alternatives to reactivate the purchases.
The objective of the analysis is to verify the existence of scientific foundations in the decision of the Phytosanitary Service of Costa Rica to ban the import of the fruit from several countries.
Guatemala and Mexico have triggered a mechanism of "commercial concern" over restrictions on the importation of Hass avocado imposed by Costa Rica.
There will be a period of 60 days for Costa Rica to respond to the concerns presented by the delegations from Mexico and Guatemala in the Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures at the World Trade Organization.
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