Costa Rica promises to safeguard exporters' interests against U.S. tariff proposal

Costa Rica's Ministry of Foreign Trade pledged on Wednesday to safeguard the interests of its productive and export sector. The commitment follows a U.S. proposal to impose tariffs of 10% or 12.5% on goods from various economies. The U.S. Trade Representative's Office (USTR) cited insufficient measures to prevent imports of goods produced through forced labor in third countries as the reason for the proposed tariffs.

The U.S. proposal specifically targets 60 economies, including Costa Rica, Mexico, Argentina, and Canada, for not adequately blocking imports linked to forced labor. For Costa Rica, the proposed tariff stands at 12.5%. The U.S. policy, however, allows for exclusions on certain products, consistent with Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974.

The Costa Rican government noted that several key agricultural exports, such as coffee, pineapple, bananas, and orange juice, might be eligible for these exclusions. The USTR's proposal is subject to a public consultation process and hearings before a final decision is made. The ministry stated it will closely monitor the next phase and coordinate necessary actions to participate in the public consultation, aiming to protect national export interests.

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The Ministry will closely follow the next phase of the process and coordinate the necessary actions to participate in the public consultation, with the objective of continuing to safeguard the interests of the Costa Rican productive and export sector.