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Central America


EU still committed to signing free trade accord with C.America
A senior European Union official on Monday stressed the 27-nation bloc’s commitment to signing a free trade agreement with Central American nations.
Peru to negotiate FTA with Central America in May
Peru will begin negotiations to sign a Free Trade Agreement with Central America in May next year, Peru’s Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism
EU: Negotiations between the EU, Central America and the Andean countries concerning patents
According to Latin American trade unions and organisations, patenting has had devastating consequences for biological diversity in several Latin American countries. Yet neither the patent rules proposed in the association agreement between the EU and Central America nor the bilateral trade negotiations taking place between the EU and Colombia and Peru have taken account of such criticism.
EU agreement on hold pending Honduras crisis
The Honduran crisis is delaying trade agreement negotiations between Central America and the European Union, as diplomats wait to see how the political situation there plays out.
Falling out and falling apart?
The June coup d’état in Honduras was a body blow to political integration in Central America. The old idea of a protected and privileged trade area does not make any sense now in the light of globalisation, "so the concept of open integration was adopted. But that needed to be translated into concrete terms and this was not done."
EU targets free trade deals under Swedish presidency
The first trade priority for the upcoming Swedish presidency of the European Union is to close the free trade agreement with South Korea
Put the brakes on the EU-Central America trade deal!
Right now, the EU-Central America Association Agreement is being actively negotiated and the European Commission is desperate to get it finalised by July. Yet, there are many concerns from civil society in both Central America and the European Union about the pace and content of these trade negotiations. Concerns are being voiced by some Central American governments too.
Central American, EU officials meet on Association Agreement
Trade negotiators from the European Union and the Central American nations met in Brussels last week and agreed to renew negotiations for an Association Agreement
Central America and the European Union resume negotiations for an Association Agreement
There is a commitment to conclude the negotiation of the three pillars of the agreement in the month of July 2009.
Costa Rica denies blocking negotiation with EU
On April 1, Nicaragua withdrew from FTA talks with the EU in Honduras as it failed to gain support of other Central American countries on the fund proposal for regional development, in which it suggested the EU accounts for 90 percent and Central America 10 percent. Nicaragua accused Costa Rica of demanding "in the last moment" to review the proposal.
EU-Central America Association Agreement: Rejection by social movements of EU FTAs
With Nicaragua leaving the negotiation table, the 7th round of negotiations between the EU and Central America has been suspended. With this, the aggressive policies of he EU have been brought to a halt for the time being.
Progress in negotiations of trade agreement between CA and EU
Increased flexibility of the rules of origin, market access, services, dispute resolution, regional approach, competition and procurements are the advances made in the sixth round of negotiations of the Free Association Agreement between the European Union and Central America according to Romulo Caballeros, Minister of Economy of Guatemala.
Eurochambres favours EU-Central America association agreement
Speaking at the EU-Central America Private Sector Forum, in Brussels on 28 January, Eurochambres’ Secretary-General Arnaldo Abruzzini urged political leaders not to miss the favourable momentum to conclude an association agreement (AA) between the EU and Central America, to the benefit of businesses in both regions.
EU and Central America pursue negotiations for an Association Agreement
The European Commission and Central America — Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua; and Panama as observer — will meet in Brussels from 26 to 30 January 2009 for the sixth round of negotiations leading to an Association Agreement between the two regions. In addition, the Commission is announcing a €15 million aid package to support the strengthening of regional institutions in Central America and the participation of civil society in the process.
EU trade agreement with Central America may force ACP countries out of banana business
The banana companies in African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) States maybe forced out of business following the European Union’s decision to negotiate a Free Trade agreement (FTA) with Central American countries in what the ACP Group describes as on “too generous” terms.
EU free trade agreement with Central America to include ethanol
The European Commission has offered to permanently scrap import duties on ethanol from Central America as part of ongoing discussions over an Association Agreement between the two regions.
Central America, the Caribbean and the impact of the European trade agenda
Latin American businessmen have long been lobbying for free trade agreements with the EU.
Latin America’s free trade agreements with the European Union - An agenda for domination
The EU is currently negotiating FTAs with Central America, the Andean Community of Nations and Mercosur. Its objective is to use these agreements to complete the privatisation process, to remove restrictions on European property and activity in the region, to acquire full access to natural resources and to obtain guarantees that European companies will be able to operate with clear advantages over national companies. Moreover, all these concessions granted to European companies are to be protected from any political changes that the peoples of the region might want to undertake in the future.
Central America: Commission holds fourth round of negotiations for an Association Agreement
The European Commission, negotiating on behalf of the European Union, and Central America will meet in Brussels from 14 to 18 July 2008 for a fourth round of negotiations in view of an Association Agreement between the two regions.
Costa Rica: EU not interested in free-trade agreement
Costa Rican officials announced they are not satisfied with the market opening proposal issued by the European Union (EU) prior to the beginning of the fourth round of negotiations for an eventual EU-Central America agreement. Costa Rican trade officials stated that they “do not perceive an interest on the part of the Europeans to advance the process.”