Second Meeting to Update Costa Rica – Canada FTA

Costa Rica hopes to negotiate an agreement to allow non-discriminatory access to the Canadian market to Costa Rican service providers. It also seeks the elimination of tariffs on digital products transmitted electronically.

The information was provided via a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Trade (Comex).

"Part of the Costa Rican requests also include preferential access for Costa Rican exports from free zones as well as improved access for textile products. In 2011 exports to Canada grew by 11.77%", reported Elfinancierocr.com.

Source: elfinancierocr.com

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Free Zones and Textile Under Negotiation Costa Rica - Canada

April 2012

Costa Rica has emphasized the importance of achieving preferential access for exports from free zones and having more flexible rules of origin for textiles.

From a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Trade of Costa Rica:

Ottawa, April 20, 2012. The third round of negotiations of the modernization process of the Free Trade Agreement with Canada ended today.

Costa Rica and Canada to Update FTA

August 2010

By the end of the year the countries are scheduled to meet in order to include services, intellectual property and public sector contracts in their Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

These topics are not included in the current FTA negotiated in 1999 and in force until 2002 but are part of the DR-CAFTA.

Required Improvements to the Costa Rica - Canada FTA

February 2012

The elimination of nontariff barriers is the main request being made by Costa Rican businessmen negotiating updates to the trade agreement.

Although access to the Canadian market is wide open, Costa Rican exporters are still facing many non-tariff related barriers. These obstacles are related to technical, phytosanitary and sanitary issues, labeling, origin of primary products, etc.

Costa Rica and Canada to Broaden FTA

December 2009

Both countries will study broadening their FTA to include telecommunications and insurance.

The Free Trade Agreement(FTA) signed in 2002 didn't foresee the opening of the telecomm and insurance markets in Costa Rica.

Michaëlle Jean, Canada's General Governor, remarked that "both countries will also study the possibility of establishing direct flights, as a way to foster the arrival of Canadian tourists to Costa Rica.