The Ministry of Economy, Industry and Commerce (MEIC) implemented several measures this week to increase quality and competition among Costa Rican businesses.
On Monday, the ministry presented “Costa Rica Califica” (“Costa Rica Qualifies”), a new certification program for small and medium businesses, according to a statement from MEIC. Through the program, businesses that meet standards of product quality, environmental protection, social responsibility and prevention of labor risk, as established by the Costa Rican Technical Norm Institute (INTECO), can receive a seal of approval from the ministry.
The certification process is voluntary and allows businesses “to demonstrate to their clients that they meet the highest standards of quality, which without a doubt will open many doors,”Vice-Minister Jorge Woodbridge said in the statement.
For more on the program, see www.calidadcostarica.go.cr.
Yesterday, the ministry’s Competition Promotion Commission held a conference entitled “Competition Policies and the Investment Climate in Costa Rica,” with participants including World Bank competition policy expert K.S. Kheirmani and Canadian Ambassador Mario Laguë, MEIC spokesman Guillermo Rojas told The Tico Times. The conference was part of a process through which the World Bank and Canadian Cooperation Agency provide consultants to improve competition in the telecommunications and rice sectors.
During the conference, held at the Marriott Hotel in San José, the consultants presented preliminary findings, and participants discussed strategies for attracting foreign investment to Costa Rica, Rojas said.
