SAN JOSE, Costa Rica, (CentralAmericaData) – Unless intra-regional trade in chemical contents and residues, micronutrients and food preparations is regulated in a balanced manner, trade relations in Central America could face obstacles in the future.
Trade between Central American countries is essential, since a considerable proportion of foreign sales by local companies are destined for other markets in the region.
In addition to political, social, economic and health crises, unbalanced regulations, or the lack of them, are factors that could harm trade flows between Central American countries in the future.
Melvin Redondo, head of the Secretariat of Central American Economic Integration (Sieca), told Prensalibre.com that “… the region must bet on the facilitation of the exchange of goods and services, as well as on the coherence between health and trade issues, given what has been experienced in the last months due to the appearance of the new coronavirus, as well as the near future.”
Given the high mobility and consumption of food products in Central America, it is important to address issues related to food safety and the incorporation of technical trade regulations to exercise controls in these exchanges, Redondo points out.
In this sense, there must be a balance, since many countries have faced regulations that are based on health issues, but which translate into rules that affect trade, so it is necessary to find a balance between legitimate health objectives and trade objectives.
According to the Sieca representative, “… a series of regulations are being observed on goods that are of interest to Central America that have to do with contents and residues of chemical products, micronutrients, acceptable levels of food preparations and intellectual property.”
In any case, putting this discussion into balance is not easy and the experience itself is difficult to reconcile, concludes the specialist.
Source: prensalibre.com
