NewsWhore
04-09-2007, 05:50 PM
The wonderful world of "alphabet soup" allows headline writers to say that the free trade talks with the European Union, due for a major session in Jamaica this week, will be attended by the Foreign Minister Carlos Morales, since the Dominican Republic Trade Representative, Julio Ortega Tous has been sent to Colombia as the new ambassador there. According to the Diario Libre, the Coordinating Office of Trade Negotiations, formerly headed by Ortega Tous, is charged with working out the free trade agreement with the EU before year's end. To that end, the team, now without its leader, will meet with Caricom representatives this Thursday in preparation for the next round of talks that will start on 17 April in Santo Domingo. At this meeting the Caricom nations have to come to an agreement that will allow the fulfillment of the "free circulation of goods" clause required by the EU in order for the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) to begin in January of 2008. For the Dominican Republic, the discussions of the milk and sugar protocols are of vital importance. "Free circulation" implies that EU goods would pay import duties in the first country of entry and then circulate duty free amongst the participating nations.
A major sticking point is the fact that the best ports are in the DR, which means that most of the merchandise would be imported here, but this will require some sort of deal whereby the other nations can receive some income from the imports.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#5)
A major sticking point is the fact that the best ports are in the DR, which means that most of the merchandise would be imported here, but this will require some sort of deal whereby the other nations can receive some income from the imports.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#5)