No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeArchiveEU, Central America negotiations to resume Wednesday

EU, Central America negotiations to resume Wednesday

Negotiations for an association agreement between the European Union (EU) and Central American countries will pick up again Wednesday, after back-to-back midnight talks ended in a stalemate last week.

EU representatives had requested time to review some of the arguments of their Central American counterparts and are expected to present their response in Guatemala on Thursday.

“I don´t want to create an expectation that this will come to an end,” said Costa Rica´s outgoing foreign trade minister, Marco Vinicio Ruiz. “But the signals are good.”

Ruiz said he would not close the negotiation until Costa Rica feels it has a fair offer, and if that can´t be accomplished in time for the May 18 summit in Madrid, the talks will go on.

“There is no hurry in this,” Ruiz told reporters after a press conference Monday. “If the conditions are good, we will finish. If not, we will continue.”

Of greatest concern to Ruiz is that Europe heavily subsidizes the production of powdered milk, and while European officials are offering Central American producers a quota of 5,000 tons, Ruiz believes that this region´s producers will not be able to compete.

“We can´t have free trade where there´s a subsidy of this magnitude,” Ruiz said. “Under current circumstances, it´s totally impossible for us to close (the deal). We hope ( Europe has) reflected on this and they are coming with an alternative that is of more interest to us.”

When the eighth round of trade talks began in Brussels, 15 to 20 items were on the table for discussion. Now, only three remain, Ruiz said, indicating that negotiators have made progress.

According to Ruiz, nearly all the Central American countries are united in the negotiation process. The only country to express reservations has been Nicaragua, of which Ruiz said, “No one can make them (move forward.)”

Trending Now

Obesity in Costa Rica: A Growing Health Crisis After 35 Years of Change

Recent studies claim that about one-third of adults in Costa Rica are considered obese and another third overweight. Which means about two-thirds of adults...

When Will Poás Volcano National Park Reopen? Here’s What We Know

Although Poás Volcano has entered a more stable phase and the alert level has been lowered to green, the national park will remain closed...

Costa Rica Pushes USA to the Brink but Falls in Penalty Heartbreak

If you just caught the end of the USA vs. Costa Rica Gold Cup quarterfinal, you probably feel like you need another cup of...

Costa Rica Leads AI Adoption in Small Businesses Across Latin America

Costa Rica is standing out as a regional leader in artificial intelligence (AI) adoption, particularly among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). About 50% of...

Chiquita Brands Leaves Panama Amid Protests, Talks Underway to Resume

Laid-off workers from the U.S.-based banana company Chiquita Brands said on Monday that they are hoping for the company’s return to Panama, after it...

Costa Rica Introduces New ₡500 Coin: Old One No Longer Valid

Visitors to Costa Rica this month should be aware of an important change to the country’s currency. As of Tuesday, July 1, the old...
Avatar
spot_img
Costa Rica Tours
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica