At the moment Central America is a region of great opportunities and is constantly developing. Economic integration is the area where the Central American region shows the greatest convergence and progress. However, it still faces significant challenges to continue advancing in competitiveness, trade facilitation, and the deepening of the integration process.
Despite efforts to reduce tariffs and improve market access, significant trade barriers still exist that limit development and economic growth. Therefore, organizations such as SIECA (Secretariat of Central American Economic Integration) prioritize the implementation of regional strategies and policies to improve trade and competitiveness.
An example of this is the “Central American Strategy for Trade Facilitation and Competitiveness” which was adopted in December 2015 and constitutes the general framework for the region's commercial development and greater economic integration. Within this strategy, we find the initiative “Roadmap for the Establishment of the Central American Customs Union 2015-2024”This initiative, which aims to provide international technical assistance to strengthen business and institutional capacities in the area of intellectual property, is articulated within the framework of the Association Agreement between the European Union and Central America (AACUE), together with the actions implemented by the Central American Regional Economic Integration Project (INTEC) funded by the European Union.
Boleo Global has had the opportunity to participate in this project, carrying out a total of five studies for each signatory country of the Agreement between the EU and Central America, that is: El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama, with the exception of Costa Rica.
In each of them, a national product eligible for protection under a geographical indication, designation of origin, or collective trademark has been identified. Once the product was identified, its potential in both the national and European Union markets was examined, and a roadmap for marketing the product in the European market.
The products chosen in the mentioned countries are the following:
- In El Salvador, the feasibility of the National Beekeeping Commission of El Salvador (CONAPIS) acquiring a collective trademark or geographical indication called, Miel El Salvador.
- In Guatemala, the feasibility of the Association of Cities of Light acquiring the Designation of Origin of Moringa from Guatemala.
- In Honduras, the possibility of the Geographical Indication Association Coffee "El Paraíso" acquiring the geographical indication of Café El Paraíso.
- In Nicaragua, the feasibility of the Nueva Segovia Coffee Growers Association (ASOCAFENS) acquiring the Dipilto Coffee Designation of Origin.
- Panama, the feasibility of the S/M Cacao Bocatoreña Cooperative, RL (COCABO) acquiring the Bocas del Toro Cocoa Designation of Origin.
These types of projects and measures are essential to fostering the growth of Central American exports to the regional market, and specifically to the European Union. In this way, Central American countries are positioning themselves as leaders in foreign markets and, at the same time, contributing to economic and social development. from the Central American region.
Paula Turunen Cruz
Jesús Bores Lazo