US Congressional Delegation Promotes CAFTA In Costa Rica,
Leroy Baker, Tax-News.com

A high-level delegation of United States Congressmen is visiting Costa Rica this week in an attempt to persuade the government of President Abel Pacheco to ratify the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) - Tratado Libre de Comercio (TLC), as it is known locally -  and to warn that the country risks being marginalized as a regional trading partner if it remains outside of the agreement.

Signed into law by US President, George W. Bush in April, the CAFTA is designed to reduce trade barriers between the United States and the Central American signatories, which comprise Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua.

CAFTA would immediately eliminate duties on more than half the value of US farm exports to the region, expand IP protections and open telecommunications and other markets.

Costa Rica's government wants to move towards freer trade with the country's partners, but legislators and the unions are not so sure. After some delay, President Abel Pacheco submitted the CAFTA to the Legislative Assembly in late October, in the face of threatened strikes. The legislative process is expected to take several months, but the outcome is seen as likely to be positive.

The business community had been demanding that Pacheco send the agreement to the assembly, saying that by waiting, Costa Rica could lose business opportunities, foreign investment and jobs. After the approval of CAFTA last month by Nicaragua, Costa Rica remains the only signatory country that has not ratified the agreement.