Nicaragua: Federation of European Chambers of Commerce CreatedFriday, February 22, 2013 EUROCAM is initially made up of the German, Spanish and Italian Chambers of Commerce in Nicaragua. "A delegation from the European Commission (EC) for Central America and Panama today in Managua introduced the Federation of European Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Nicaragua (Eurocam), the first to be formed after the signing of the partnership agreement between the two regions" , noted an article in Euronews.com. El Salvador Concedes its EU Sugar QuotaMonday, October 21, 2013 Nicaragua is able to sell 10,163 metric tons duty free to the EU. Altogether, the Central America's total export quota adds up to 150,000 tons. Guatemalan Exports to Europe Up 17%Wednesday, November 26, 2014 Holland was the country that bought the most goods sold by Guatemala to the European Union between January and September, which totaled $684.76 million, 17% more than in the same period in 2013. The goods most exported to the European Union (EU) are textiles, nickel, vegetables and coffee, with the main destinations being the Netherlands which recorded purchases of $219 million, followed by Belgium with $86 million, Germany with $79.5 million and Spain with $78.6 in the first nine months of the year. New Round CA – EU With PanamaMonday, March 22, 2010 A negotiation round for an association agreement between Central America and Europe starts this week, covering commercial aspects. Pending topics include access for Central American agriculture products to Europe (banana and sugar) and sustainable development. Central America Requests Greater Access to EU MarketTuesday, March 23, 2010 To close the Association Agreement with the European Union, Central American countries request greater market access for agricultural goods. Regarding banana, Central American countries want to pay a comparable tariff to the one recently agreed in an FTA between the EU and Peru and Colombia. Portugal Interested in Salvadoran SugarFriday, April 9, 2010 Delegates from Lisbon-based “Refinería de Azúcar Reunidas” (RAR, Spanish for Reunited Sugar Refineries) stated their interest in purchasing raw sugar. In light of the impending commercial treaty with the European Union, a delegation from the sugar industry visited El Salvador, and conducted technical visits to plantations. Slight Progress in EU NegotiationTuesday, April 20, 2010 Rubén Morales, Guatemalan Economy Minister, said there was some progress in the market access topic, but refused to give details. The head of the Costa Rican delegation, Roberto Echandi, also reported advances in rules of origin. EU and CA Close Sustainable Development ChapterThursday, April 22, 2010 Central America won’t face commercial sanctions for failing to comply with environmental or labor regulations. Additionally, the chapter forbids countries from reducing labor or environmental standards in order to attract investment. 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. EU Agreement to Include Honduras and PanamaFriday, January 22, 2010 Benita Ferrero-Waldner, EU's Trade commissar, said she is pleased with the inclusion of Panama in the agreement. The involved parties hope to sign the Agreement on May 18th, in Madrid, Spain. EU and CA to Resume NegotiationsMonday, February 1, 2010 Negotiators from Central America and the European Union are gathered in Brussels, deciding how to restart the negotiations for an association agreement. Such negotiations were suspended by the EU in July 2009, after the Honduran political crisis. EU Negotiation Will Resume on February 22Wednesday, February 3, 2010 At an “informal” meeting in Brussels, the delegations agreed on a work plan and the schedule of the next negotiation round. Verónica Rojas, Nicaragua’s trade vice minister, explained that Central American negotiators will hold preliminary meetings on February 15, 18, 19 and 20. CA Analyzes Including Panama in the EU AgreementWednesday, February 10, 2010 The Council of Commerce Ministers of Central America will meet on February 17. At their meeting in Guatemala, the ministers will analyze which methodology to use for including Panama in the Association Agreement with the European Union. Panama Incorporated to EU-CA NegotiationThursday, February 11, 2010 The Central American countries, with the exception of Nicaragua, accepted the incorporation of Panama in the negotiation for an Association Agreement with the European Union. At a meeting in Panama, the chancellors of SICA countries (Central American Integration System) signed a document in which they acknowledge that the incorporation of Panama to the agreement will help increase the goods and services offered by the region. Negotiation Between EU and CA At Risk For Honduran CrisisMonday, June 29, 2009 The European commission will receive the Honduran Ambassador in order to examine the consequences of the coup d’ état on the negotiations of the agreement. The commissioner Benito Ferrero-Waldner said that “it is a crucial question” to know if the meeting in July will be still be held…if Honduras withdraws from the table, “the whole process will be paralyzed.” |
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