Bush Administration Signs Joint Statement of Commercial Cooperation with Costa Rica
 
October 30, 2002
 

United States Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade Grant Aldonas and Costa Rican Minister of Foreign Trade Alberto Trejos have signed a joint statement aimed at boosting commercial cooperation between the two countries.  Under the terms of the joint statement, the two countries will work together on a plan to facilitate cooperative initiatives and explore new avenues for mutual trade endeavors. The joint agreement highlights several activities to achieve that goal, including: organizing the exchange of information on major infrastructure and commercial opportunities in each country through expanded and shared databases; increasing the flow and sharing of information on electronic commerce, technical standards, small business development and manufacturing quality improvements; and facilitating trade missions to Costa Rica and the United States, particularly from small and medium-sized businesses.   The statement represents a first step in the broader trade capacity building exercise underway between the U.S. and the five members of the Central American Economic Integration System as they prepare to launch formal, free-trade-area negotiations early next year.  A working group will submit a work plan for consideration by the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Ministry of Foreign Trade of Costa Rica by January 2003.  A copy of the Secretary's statement is available at http://www.ita.doc.gov/media/PressReleases/october2002/costarica_en_101602.html.