Panama Opens Embassy in MoroccoMonday, April 21, 2014 The Panamanian government intends to promote bilateral trade and use the country as a gateway to Africa. With the opening of the embassy Panama will be able to explore new options for trade and commerce with Morocco. Panama - China FTA: Fourth Round of NegotiationsTuesday, November 13, 2018 From November 19th to 23rd, the fourth round of negotiations will take place in Panama City, where issues related to the protection of sensitive products of the Central American country will be addressed. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry reported that in the previous three rounds of negotiations, progress has been made on intellectual property, sanitary and phytosanitary measures. Tension Growing Over Panama-Colombia Trade DisputeThursday, January 12, 2017 The Panamanian government has announced that until the dispute over tariffs is resolved, it will keep in abeyance the agreement signed with Colombia to buy two ships for $30 million. As part of the trade dispute caused by the tariffs imposed by Colombia on imports of Panamanian footwear and textiles, the Varela administration has announced the suspension of a contract signed in October with Cotecmar, a company linked to the Colombian Defense Ministry. Details Fine-Tuned for Panama-China FTA NegotiationWednesday, January 17, 2018 As a preliminary stage to negotiations for the signing of a Free Trade Agreement, authorities in both countries have started a feasibility study. According to the Minister of Commerce and Industries, Augusto Arosemena Moreno, "Panama's primary interest is to boost foreign investment, mainly of added value, making Panama a distribution center for the region and boosting Panamanian exports to the Asian market." $38 million in Trade between Panamanians and ChineseMonday, September 18, 2017 Coffee, wood, scrap and seafood are some of the goods negotiated by Chinese and local entrepreneurs as part of the first Asian trade mission to Panama. In the short term, business between Chinese and Panamanians could increase in other areas, such as the agroindustrial sector, as representatives from Chinese phytosanitary control entities are expected to visit in the coming days. Nestle Purchasing Center in PanamaThursday, January 21, 2016 The global food company may have chosen the country to set up a purchasing center in order to meet demand from the entire Latin American region. According Anpanama.com review, the minister Augusto Arosemena announced that the food company Nestle has opened a regional purchasing center in Panama. The Road to FTA with China BeginsMonday, July 9, 2018 With topics such as e-commerce and regulatory framework on the agenda, the first round of negotiations to establish a Free Trade Agreement between Panama and the Asian giant have begun in Panama City. Authorities stated that during the first negotiations Panama will be represented by some 25 members of the Negotiating Commission of Free Trade Agreements of the Ministry of Commerce and Industries (MICI) and will also be able to count on the participation of more than 40 unions from the productive sector. Panama: Health System ModernizationWednesday, October 3, 2018 Adapt the country's sanitary norms to international standards and unify food import and export systems is part of the plan proposed by the Varela administration. In order to take advantage of commercial agreements and increase exports to the European and North American markets, the government is working to consolidate its health systems. Panama: New Law for Colon Free ZoneMonday, March 28, 2016 MEPs have given the green light to legislation that modernizes the legal framework of the free trade zone, including the consolidation of business operations under other schemes. From a statement issued by the National Assembly of Panama: France-Panama Chamber of CommerceThursday, February 25, 2016 The new business entity seeks to convene 100 companies in two years, and foster business development, trade and investment between Panama and the European country. The Franco - Panamanian Chamber of Commerce (CCFP) is a non profit organization that seeks to bring together the business sector of both countries to promote business development, trade and investment. Ruling in Favor of Panama in Conflict with Guatemala Over Fruit JuicesFriday, February 24, 2017 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 nectars from Guatemala for failing to comply with labeling rules and the minimum amounts of fruit that such drinks must contain under Panamanian rules. Dubai Commercial Office in PanamaWednesday, February 28, 2018 The Chamber of Commerce of Dubai will be setting up a regional office in Panama, from where it also intends to explore business in other countries of the region. From a statement issued by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce of Panama: Panama: Retaliation Against ColombiaWednesday, November 15, 2017 If the request by the Panamanian Ministry of Commerce and Industries is approved, a new tax of up to 40% could be established on the dividends distributed by Colombian companies. In response to a decision by the Colombian government to extend the import tariff for footwear and textiles from Panama for two more years, the Panamanian Ministry of Commerce and Industries has asked the Foreign Ministry to apply the retaliation law, which has been in place since October of last year and which penalizes companies from countries that discriminate against Panama. FTA Panama - China: First NegotiationsMonday, May 28, 2018 Two weeks after the first official round of negotiations and with the aim of aligning criteria, the Panamanian government has started a process of consultations with the business sector. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry reported that " ...The consultation process seeks to align the vision of the government institutions and agree on objectives with the private sector to define the points of greatest interest that the Panamanian team will present in the negotiation rounds." Panama Raises Import TariffsThursday, February 23, 2017 Starting from March 15, new tariffs are in effect for imports of coffee, wooden boards, paper towels, aluminum and certain wires and cables from countries with whom no trade agreements are in force. The measure comes into effect on March 15, 2017, and is added to the Executive Decree which temporarily increases the duty on imports of items such as flowers, coal, clinker and clothing, starting from 15 February. |
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