DR: New US exigencies for integration onto Free Trade

Dominican Today | 11 May 2006

New U.S. exigencies for integration onto Free Trade

Santo Domingo.- The United States reportedly threatened to leave the Dominican Republic out of the Free Trade Agreement with Central America and the U.S. (DR-CAFTA), if local authorities do not accept other requirements aside from the original negotiation.

The new legal requirements would allegedly have to be met before the first of July, in order to certify the country along with the rest of Central American countries.

The principal demand posed by the United States relates to Law 173 on product brands agents and representatives, for which the U.S. now is demanding a regulation.

Also, they demand creating a law by the Dominican congress that penalizes transnational blackmail and another that would regulate government purchases.

Industries Association president, Yandra Portela, said that another hurdle to enter the CAFTA tis the low levels of competitiveness of the country with respect to the rest of the countries which goods will enter duty-free into the national market.

“The Dominican Republic is beneath all of the Latin American countries; the reality is that we have serious competitiveness problems,” cautioned Portela.

source : Dominican Today

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