Costa Rica expects answers about entry into the OECD

oecd

Costa Rica has made efforts to join the OECD on taxation for example

Minister of foreign trade, Anabel González, participates this week at the headquarters of the Organization for cooperation and economic development (OECD) in Paris, France, in order to ensure that Costa Rica should be incorporated into the Forum.

The OECD on the other hand, is in final discussions on a possible extension of this organization; in recent years it has been contemplating the entry of eight potential candidates, among them Costa Rica, Colombia, Peru, Bulgaria, Romania, Cyprus, Latvia and Lithuania.

Since 2010 Costa Rica began its approach to the OECD, promoted by the Government of current President Laura Chinchilla; as part of this approach is promoted the participation of the Central American country in various forums, committees and working groups.

The participation of Costa Rica is mainly guided by the Minister of foreign trade, Anabel Gonzalez, who was also participating to the post of Director of the World Trade Organization.

In recent months has intensified the involvement and approach to this forum, the investment to achieve this goal, especially in terms of fighting corruption, green growth, promotion of technological innovation and science.

There has been in the same way a strong lobbying effort to ask certain Member countries for support to the country in order to achieve membership in the OECD, in this process have involved other representatives of the Government as the Ambassador of Costa Rica to the WTO, Ronald Saborío.

OECD decision who belong to his group by different criteria, including the merits of each candidate, their level of participation and contribution in committees, working groups, the subscription that make legal instruments and also the forums that have been present.

The Organization in the same way seeks to transcend other considerations apart from the influence of the candidate countries, as considerations of geopolitical type, balance and regional weight of this country in the OECD and the governance of the organization. The way in which countries make decisions at the WTO, among others is also taken into account.

Posted by Costa Developers

China approves Costa Rican beef exports

costadevelopers.com

Permission from the Chinese government for Tico dairy products is in a final stage of evaluation.

Chinese officials reported Today that Costa Rica is officially included in the list of countries authorized to export beef to that country.

During an August tour of Asia by Costa Rican President Laura Chinchilla, officials from both countries announced the forthcoming opening of the market for Costa Rican beef, pending delivery to the Asian country of health certificates.

Foreign Trade Minister Anabel González said that China’s approval “is a win for the agricultural export sector, because that market offers great potential for our businesses, and we will continue working on the identification of potential niche markets for Costa Rican products.”

Costa Rica already has approval for entry into China of bananas and cattle hides, and is working on the approval for pork, chicken, seafood, pineapple and melon. Permission for dairy products is in its final stage, according to PROCOMER.

During the first year of entry into force of the China-Costa Rica Free Trade Agreement, exports from Costa Rica to China increased 70 percent compared to the same period the previous year, before the trade agreement was implemented.

Posted By Costa Developers

INVESTMENT OPTIONS IN CHICAGO

Costa Developers

Foreign Trade Minister to meet with representatives, of high-tech and consulting companies in the Windy City.

Officials from the Foreign Trade Ministry (COMEX) and the Costa Rican Investment Promotion Agency (CINDE) traveled to the U.S. city of Chicago for a series of meetings to promote the country as a competitive destination for foreign companies in high-tech sectors.

On Monday, Foreign Trade Minister Anabel Gonzalez will meet with four Illinois-based companies who already have operations in the country, and on Tuesday, CINDE officials will meet with 30 possible investors and consulting firms.

Gonzalez will give a keynote speech on the competitive advantages of Costa Rica and the ongoing development of high-tech sectors.

The minister will highlight Costa Rica’s top-five position among Latin American countries in this year’s World Competitiveness Ranking, published by the World Economic Forum.

According to CINDE, the country attracted 34 new investment projects in 2011, which, added to the companies that expanded their current operations, generated 7,700 new jobs.

Costa Developers