Following Costa Rica's decision to impose requirements on the entry of avocados grown in Honduras, Costa Rican businessmen believe that these unilateral measures could generate trade retaliation for the country.
Arguing that molecular biology tests detected the presence of the Avocado Sunblotch viroid in shipments from Honduras, the Costa Rican State Phytosanitary Service (SFE) decided to start taking samples to analyze Honduran avocados.
As a result of the blockade that has been in place since July 2020 on the entry of animal products from Costa Rica into the Panamanian market, Costa Rican exports to Panama are reported to have fallen and companies such as Dos Pinos are reporting losses in the millions.
The trade conflict began when Panama informed the National Animal Health Service (SENASA), an agency of Costa Rica's Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG), of the decision not to extend export authorization to a list of previously authorized Costa Rican establishments that have been trading in the Panamanian market for many years.
As a result of the blockade to the entrance to the Panamanian market of products of animal origin coming from Costa Rica, on January 11 the Costa Rican government requested to the WTO the application of the mechanism of consultation with Panama.
The trade conflict began in July 2020, when Panama informed the National Animal Health Service (SENASA), an agency of the Costa Rican Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG), of the decision not to extend the export authorization to a list of Costa Rican establishments previously authorized and which have been trading in the Panamanian market for many years.
The company Oceana Gold has paid the $8 million it owed because of the international arbitration case it lost against the Salvadoran state and has announced that it has no plans to continue mining activities in the country.
With the payment of $8 million plus interest, an end has been brought to the litigation that began years ago between Pacifi Rim, now Oceana Gold, and the Salvadoran state.
A deferral has been made for a compliance panel which was requested by Panama to verify whether or not Colombia has complied with the WTO ruling in the dispute over Panamanian textile and footwear tariffs.
Laestrella.com.pa reports that "...Panama called on the World Trade Organization (WTO) to establish a panel to determine whether or not Colombia complied with the organization's ruling which put pressure on Bogotá to withdraw a tariff on imports of Panamanian textiles, clothing and footwear."
The Public Prosecutor's Office has frozen the company's property, vehicles and bank accounts, because it has not yet paid the $8 million plus interest owed from an international arbitration case which it lost to the Salvadoran State.
From a statement issued by the Attorney General of El Salvador:
The Attorney General of the Republic managed to freeze buildings, vehicles and bank accounts owned by the mining company Oceana Gold, formerly Pacific Rim, for non-payment of court costs to the State of El Salvador, under an international arbitration case initiated by the mining company with the International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), which it lost and in which it was ordered to pay eight million dollars for expenses incurred by the country.
The Mexican government has filed a complaint with the WTO against Costa Rica over the imposition of restrictions on imports of avocados, in place since May 2014.
Mexican authorities are tired of waiting and have decided to initiate a process with the World Trade Organization in order to resolve the problem, only days after Costa Rica suggested, as a possible solution to the conflict, the implementation of a laboratory test for imports of the fruit.
In the arbitration process a ruling was made in favor of Panama's bar on import registrations for juices that did not meet the requirements for fruit content.
The problem began in November 2015 when Panama decided to restrict the entry of nectarsfrom Guatemala for failing to comply with labeling rules and the minimum amounts of fruit that such drinks must contain under Panamanian rules.
Raising taxes exclusively on Colombian products is one of the measures that Panama could take until Colombia starts to comply with the WTO ruling.
The Panamanian government has asked the World Trade Organization (WTO) for authorization to use trade measures against Colombia, worth $210 million, equivalent to the effects that the imposition of Colombian tariffs had on the Colon Free Zone.
A change of minister in Costa Rica will aid in increasing the cost of sugar via an import tariff hike, harming consumers and the food industry, and increasing protection for the powerful sugar lobby.
EDITORIAL
The decision taken by the new chief of the Ministry of Economy reflects a clear interest in meddling in a process that should be resolved at a technical and non-political level.The decision to declare whether or not dumping occured in a particular market and what measures should be taken in response, corresponds to the office of Trade Defense, and should be free from any possible political bias.
The South American country has until 22 January 2017 to implement the recommendations and rulings established by the Dispute Settlement Body of the WTO.
The announcement of the WTO comes after Colombia announced the replacement of the controversial mixed tariff by a threshold of $10 / kg for clothing and between $6 and $10 per pair of shoes, and the temporary application of maximum tariffs of 40% and 35%, respectively and above that threshold, a tariff of 15%.
Preventing the participation of Colombian companies in the tender processes is one of the actions proposed by Panamanian businessmen as a retaliatory measure to the conflict over tariffs.
"More forceful and effective action"is what the Panamanian Association of Business Executives is demanding of the Varela government, to defend the interests of Panama in the conflict over thecollection of fees in Colombia on imports of textiles and footwearcoming from the Colon Free Zone.
Colombia is replacing the controversial mixed tariff with a threshold of $10 / kg for clothing and between $6 and $10 per pair of shoes, and will temporarily apply the maximum tariffs of 40% and 35%, respectively, and above the threshold, a tariff of 15%.
The Panamanian government has expressed its opposition to the new measures implemented by Colombia.The Minister of Commerce and Industry, Augusto Arosemena said the neighboring country"... can not adopt in parallel through supposed customs controls, measures which violate other obligations on market access and customs valuation, still less substantiate them using arguments that were rejected in two legal cases, as the supposed justification of enforcing laws on money laundering.
An end has been reached to the additional time period requested by Colombia to continue charging the 10% tariff on textiles and footwear coming from the Colon Free Zone, but it is not known whether they will continue to implement the measure.
The World Trade Organization (WTO) ruled in favor of Panama and ordered Colombia to stop charging the tariff, but despite this, the South American country extended the measure until November.
Jaguar Energy Guatemala has announced that it won the international arbitration case against China Machine New Energy Corporation, which has to pay the former entity $149 million.
According to the company, as a result of the decision from the arbitral tribunal, the power plant based on coal will remain its property, and the Chinese company will have to pay $149 million.
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