Thursday 07 August
2008, San José, Costa
Rica
TLC Almost A Reality As
September Deadline Fast
Approaches
Poll Indicates
Drop In Insecurity
Law Banning Parental
Beatings Puts PANI To
Work
Costa Rica Elected To
UPU Council
Bus Fare Hike Approved
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TLC Almost A Reality As
September Deadline Fast
Approaches
The Tratado de Libre
Comercio (TLC) - Free
Trade Agreement with the
United States - is
almost a done deal with
the approval of the last
of the "parallel laws"
receiving approved in
first debate.
Thirty six legislators
voted in favour, while
fourteen voted against,
the law that deals with
changes and additions to
intellectual property.
Yesterday's vote
practically completes
the Legislature's work
on discussing and
approving the 12
parallel laws that were
required to be approved
before the TLC could go
into force.
Due to the legislature's
slow process of
approving the required
bills, Costa Rica
received a postponement
from the United States
and other Central
American members to the
trade deal to allow it
more time, moving the
date to have the deal in
force from March to the
end of September, when
Costa Rica, to take part
in the trade deal, must
have ratified the
agreement and advise the
Organization of American
States (OAS) as such.
Although all the
parallel laws have now
been dealt with, the
trade deal still has far
to go, as it still
requires second debate
and approval. The TLC
was approved in first
debate last October.
Objecting to many parts
of the trade deal is the
Partido Acción Ciudadana
(PAC) which vowed to
send yesterday's
approval of the
intellectual property
bill to the Sala
Constitucional
(Constitutional Court),
wanting a decision of
the court to ensure that
the bill does not
conflict with the
Political Constitution
of the country.
One of the products
covered by the
intellectual property
bills is medication and
the production of
generic medication in
Costa Rica.
For his part, Francisco
Antonio Pacheco,
president of the
Legislative Assembly,
expressed relief that
the end to the long and
harduous task of
approving the TLC is
almost near.
"I am with great
satisfaction. I fell
relieved as I am being
freed of a great
responsibility. It has
been a long and hard
process. I am still
bitter, however, as this
could have all been
completed eight months
ago, allowing us to have
move ahead on many of
the projects", said
Pacecho.
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