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Dominican Republic


Dominican Republic has yet to fully access Dr-Cafta trade deal
Dominican Republic still has some 10 commitments pending to fully access the Free Trade Agreement signed with the United States and Central America (DR-CAFTA), and for that reason confronts a situation defined as "serious" against its other competitors.
Costa Rica, free trade fewer jobs
Costa Rica’s PAC party (Citizen Action) president Otton Solis has warned of the potential increase in unemployment if CAFTA-DR, the free trade treaty with the United States, is approved.
Dominican Republic is ratified as head of Customs group for the Americas
Dominican Republic was ratified as country president of the Intellectual Property Work Group for the American Hemisphere, in recognition of the Customs Agency’s (DGA) work in copyrights, as the DR-CAFTA trade agreement and international treaties stipulate.
Dominican Republic seeks Caribbean consensus on Free Trade with EU
Dominican Republic should manage a consensus with the Caribbean Community countries (Caricom) to establish a joint negotiation that leads to the Economic Association Agreement with the European Union.
Four trade deals on the horizon
International Trade Minister David Emerson says the successful completion of Canada’s first free trade deal in six years will signal the country’s re-emergence as a player on the global trade scene.
Anti-CAFTA leaders launch offensive
Leaders of the National Coordinator for the Fight Against CAFTA announced plans yesterday to hold demonstrations outside the Supreme Court, the Supreme Elections Tribunal, and the Legislative Assembly on Thursday.
Dominican Republic’s Free Trade with Canada would boost investments
Dominican Republic could become a key regional center for the re-export of merchandise and services, through the mechanisms in the United States-Mexico-Canada trade triangle after it signs free trade pacts with the two latter countries, said the Foreign Ministry’s head of Trade Negotiations today.
Consumers wait in vain for FTA price reductions
The president of the Dominican Association of Wholesale Importers (ASODAI) Manuel Cabrera says that price reductions are being introduced gradually with the tariff reductions that have come about with the entry into effect of the DR-CAFTA treaty. However, fewer products than originally hoped are affected.
CAFTA referendum in Costa Rica postponed
The Supreme Elections Tribunal (TSE) announced yesterday that it is postponing a nationwide referendum on the Central American Free-Trade Agreement with the United States (CAFTA) from Sept. 23 to Oct. 7 as a high court examines whether the assembly violated its procedures in its handling of legislation related to the pact.
Court in Costa Rica to Review CAFTA at Legislators’ Request
At the request of a group of legislators, the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court (Sala IV) will review a controversial trade pact before Costa Rican citizens vote on it, according to a statement released Friday by the Judicial Branch.
Trade challenges for Dominican Republic
On paper, the Dominican Republic is one of most dynamic countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. Last year the economy of this country of 9 million people, which shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti, expanded at 10 percent. Politically the Dominican Republic is seen as one of the region’s most stable democracies.
Dominican car buyers still await Free Trade’s lower prices
The local automotive market hasn’t benefited in the 3 months of the since the Dr-Cafta trade pact took effect, said the ex-president of Acofave, which groups the auto maker’s representatives.
Don’t forget to read the trade deal’s fine print
It’s a trade negotiator’s nightmare. The Costa Rican Supreme Court has announced plans to review the United States-Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) to assess the impact of that agreement upon civil liberties and human rights.
Business Chambers: We’ll Open Books When Asked
Representatives from Costa Rican business chambers said yesterday that they’re happy to publish information on campaign donations for the upcoming free-trade referendum - but only if the Supreme Elections Tribunal (TSE) asks them to do so.
Dominican Senate to pass legislation in adherence to Free Trade
The Senate is set to modify the General Concessions Law so the Dominican Republic adheres to its commitments in the Free Trade Agreement with the United States and Central America.
Prices up instead of down
Prices of articles included in the free trade agreement between the Dominican Republic, Central America and the United States, DR-CAFTA, which is already in effect have not come down. If anything, they have increased. Small businesses are claiming that wholesale prices are more expensive.
Free Trade doesn’t protect Dominican journalists, expert says
A lawyer expert in trade said that while the Free Trade Agreement with the U.S. and Central America (DR-CAFTA) protects professional services via a law that governs them, such as lawyers, doctors, accountants, speakers and television hosts, work in the media can be exerted by any foreigner, because the law that governs it doesn’t demands the condition of Dominican or an affiliation with any union.
The paradoxes of a “democrat”
For those who do not know it, it is at the very least paradoxical that it was precisely President Oscar Arias, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize and impassioned defender of “democracy,” who attempted to block a citizens’ initiative that would approve the convening of a referendum to decide on the Costa Rican people’s approval or not of a free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States.
Costa Rican deputies for FTA consultation
Costa Rican deputies who oppose a free trade agreement with the US demanded on Monday a consultation about the project before holding a binding referendum to solve the controversy over the issue.
Costa Rica may vote down US trade
Costa Rican President Oscar Arias Saturday announced that he will submit to the Legislative Assembly a proposal for a direct referendum over free trade agreement with the US.