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Costa Rica


Costa Rica advances in free trade talks with China, Singapore
Both accords are expected to be finalized within the first half of 2010.
China proves tough negotiator for Costa Rica
During the second round of free trade negotiations last week, China’s negotiating team discussed allowing 94 percent of Costa Rican goods to access the Chinese market, but left out key products such as coffee, sugar, beef, pork and chicken.
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.
China courts Costa Rica; expands its presence in Washington’s backyard
Costa Rica and China may seem to be an unlikely pairing; however, both governments have moved to deepen their ties and cement regional integration based on the pursuit of a free trade agreement, which was brought a step closer by the completion of the first round of negotiations on January 19.
Costa Rica, Singapore set to negotiate free trade agreement
Costa Rica and Singapore will begin negotiating a free trade agreement on April 20, the foreign trade ministry announced on Thursday.
European Union and Central America for Partnership in 2009
The European Union (EU) and Central America started on Monday the sixth round of negotiations for a Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the commitment to speed up the process so that it can be signed in 2009.
China and Costa Rica begin free trade talks
China and Costa Rica on Monday began talks for a free trade treaty under which the Central American nation hopes to export meat, plants, fruit and coffee to the Asian giant
Costa Rica-S’pore FTA talks
Costa Rica and Singapore on Tuesday announced their intent to start talks on a bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
China, Costa Rica to launch trade talks
China and Costa Rica will launch free trade talks in January and hope to seal a deal by 2010, Chinese President Hu Jintao said Monday during his first visit to a Central American country.
Ending 4-year battle, Costa Rica approves CAFTA
Costa Rica is finally ready to join the Central American Free Trade Agreement.
Costa Rican economist says CAFTA is a bad deal
Costa Rican economist and former presidential candidate Ottón Solís spent the spring at the University of Florida as the Bacardi Family Eminent Scholar, teaching a course on free-trade agreements in the Americas at the university’s Center for Latin American Studies.
Go Ahead Given For Approval Of Remaining TLC Bill
The Sala Constitucional (Constitutional Court) resolved in record time the appeal by legislative members of the Partido Acción Ciudadana (PAC) and Frente Amplio parties on the constitutionality of the Intellectual Property bill, the last of the "complimentary" laws that is required to be passed by the Legislative Assembly to ratify the Tratado de Libre Comercio (TLC) - free trade agreement with the United States.
Costa Rica and Panama ratify free trade agreement
Costa Rica’s Legislative Assembly ratified in second and final debate a free trade agreement with Panama that will open up the commercial channels between the neighboring nations.
Costa Rica given more time to ratify free trade deal
October 1 was the deadline for Costa Rica to ratify and join the Central American Free Trade Agreement with the United States (CAFTA). However, Costa Rica now has until January 1, 2009, to ratify the trade deal.
Opinion of the Office of the Ombudsperson of Costa Rica on the Budapest Treaty
The Budapest Treaty on the International Recognition of the Deposit of Microorganisms for the purposes of patent procedure is not in line with the norms and ethical principles of Costa Rica. Civil society, the scientific community and the different congregations should have had a more broad discussion on this Treaty including its ethical, environmental, social, economic and legal implications. Unfortunately, this did not happen and the decision to vote the US-DR-CAFTA, with its obligation for Costa Rica to accede to the Budapest Treaty, at referendum was not taken with a generalized prior informed consent.
Costa Rica court strikes down CAFTA bill for overlooking indigenous
Costa Rica could miss its Oct. 1 deadline to pass law reforms needed to enter the Free Trade Agreement with the United States (CAFTA) because of a legal snag in the final bill on intellectual property: Nobody thought to ask the country’s indigenous people.
Costa Rica top court blocks US trade pact approval
Costa Rica’s highest court on Thursday overturned an intellectual property law demanded by the US prior to the enactment of the Central American Free Trade Agreement. The Constitutional Court ruled that lawmakers improperly passed the bill — which included provisions on biodiversity — without consulting Indian groups.
Costa Rica: Social groups to protest tomorrow for the independence of the courts from the executive
Dozens of organizations of the Movimiento Social (Social Movement) will be convening on Tuesday in front of the Poder Judicial de Costa Rica, in downtown San José, to demand the magistrates of the Corte Plena (Full Court) its independence from the powers of the State and reject its alliance with the Poder Ejecutivo (Executive branch of the government).
Clock ticks on free trade pact with US
As Costa Rican lawmakers return today from a weeklong vacation, time grows tight to pass two laws required to implement the Central American Free-Trade Agreement with the United States (CAFTA). Lawmakers must pass a bill amending the agreement, as well as a bill that strengthens intellectual property rights, before an Oct. 1 deadline.
Costa Rica targets trends for greater food exports
Costa Rican food companies are focusing on major trends like organics and social values to build their export platform, as an association agreement between the EU and Central America is expected to be reached in 2009.