EU will negotiate access for bananaMonday, October 13, 2008 The European Union is willing to negotiate better access for Central American banana within the framework of the bi-regional agreement of association. The chief European negotiator, Rupert Schlgemilch, said to EF that the solution for banana is not only in Geneva, since this negotiation is about a preferential agreement, he cannot imaging the possibility of excluding banana and leaving it to be resolved by the WTO. Central American shrimp will have better access to the EUFriday, October 10, 2008 Central American shrimp farms will have better conditions in the EU market, after tough negotiations yesterday between the parties. The official offer was to receive the product with a 3% tariff that would be eliminated in 7 years, the top negotiator for Costa Rica, Roberto Echandi, reported yesterday from Guatemala Negotiating teams for Central American prepare strategyTuesday, August 19, 2008 The teams are fine-tuning a regional strategy to pressure the EU to begin discussions on sensitive topics such as sugar, banana, and fruits. Preparatory round 14 for the Association Agreement (AA) with the European Union (EU) began in Guatemala, with almost 100 negotiators in attendance to discuss market access, origin rules, technical obstacles to trade and intellectual property, among others. European trade offer to be analyzed in JulyTuesday, June 17, 2008 Central America hopes to achieve a new exchange of offers of access to the markets of the European Union in the second week of July. The meeting will be held just before the third round of negotiations on a trade association between the two regions. Panama’s Integration Into SIECA WelcomedMonday, July 2, 2012 Industrials in Costa Rica are celebrating the incorporation of Panama into SIECA, seeing the country as a first–rate ally for industry in Costa Rica. A statement from the Chamber of Industries in Costa Rica reads: Conflict looms with Europe over banana tariffsWednesday, May 7, 2008 A conflict is looming over the European Union's decision to impose a tariff of 176 euros per metric ton on bananas imported from Latin America. The issue will be on the agenda for talks among trade officials attending next week's summit in Lima of Latin American and European leaders. Guatemala Could Push Back EU AgreementThursday, April 15, 2010 If the European Union does not make more flexible its postures, Guatemala would request Central America to push back the signature of the agreement. Economy Minister Rubén Morales stated that if the country does not receive more benefits than the current Generalized Preference System (SGP-plus), Guatemala could recommend against signing the agreement. EU Suspends Meeting with Central AmericaWednesday, July 1, 2009 EU countries have decided to temporarily suspend negotiations to reach an association agreement with Central America. Sources state that “The idea is to continue as soon as possible. All the other Central American countries (Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Nicaragua) have been informed and they have agreed. Sugar is Key Topic in CA and EU AgreementThursday, June 25, 2009 The EU conditioned increasing sugar quotas on a wide list of benefits for dairy products, passing over ceramics and even services. José Orive, Executive Director of Sugar Producers of the Central American Isthmus (AICA, acronym in Spanish) noted that: “Europe continues to be reluctant to change their position.” Central American coffee producers defend their interests before the EUTuesday, November 4, 2008 The topic will be one of the points for discussion during the International Coffee Week being organized in Costa Rica from November 13-15. The executive president of the Costa Rica Coffee Institute (ICAFE), Ronald Peters, said to the La Prensa Libre" daily that Costa Rica and the rest of Central America will continue to advocate for the adoption of a strict rule of origin in order to prevent Europe from importing coffee from other places in the world and that would make Central America tariff-free. Central America begins consultations to better offer to EUMonday, October 27, 2008 Central America is preparing its next commercial offer that should be presented in Brussels (Belgium) in January. The region should restart a series of consultations with the productive sectors, but this time it should include those that have been in the so called F basket, which is for those products that need special treatment or which are simple excluded from the negotiations. Significant Progress in Negotiating FTAs with EFTAFriday, June 8, 2012 Technical teams from Central America and the European Free Trade Association (Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein) are making good progress in the second round of negotiations on an FTA. From a press release from the Costa Rican Ministry of Foreign Trade: Pending Task For CA: Distribute the Quotas Negotiated With EUWednesday, May 19, 2010 The region must now define how to distribute the import and export quotas negotiated with the European Union. Central America obtained a regional sugar export quota of 162.000 metric tons, and a meat quota of 9.500 metric tons. El Salvador Will Participate in Upcoming EU NegotiationsMonday, May 3, 2010 The Economy Ministry denied allegations that El Salvador would be absent from the next negotiation round of the Association Agreement with the European Union. The statement by Hector Dada comes a few days after Daniel Ortega, Nicaraguan president, said that both his country and El Salvador would not participate in the next round. Negotiations Between EU and CA ContinueMonday, April 26, 2010 Even after long sessions, the European Union and Central America have been unable to close the commercial chapter of their Association Agreement. Central American countries are still demanding larger access quotas for products deemed ‘sensitive’ (sugar, products with high sugar concentration, meat and rice) and better tariffs for tropical fruits such as banana. |
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