Latin American banana deal in the pipeline

fruitnet.com
Carl Collen | 04 February 2009 | Print | Download | Comment | Share

Costa Rican officials are anticipating that a new EU banana deal will be in place by February

Costa Rican foreign trade minister Marco Vinicio Ruiz has revealed that Latin American banana exporting countries are anticipating a new EU banana deal to be agreed in February.

According to Insidecostarica.com, a deal to end the long-running dispute is also anticipated by Ecuador - one of the most vocal exporters against the EU's banana import tariffs on Latin American bananas.

"It's been said in this same week that the EU will make an offer, will do something, in February," Mr Ruiz said. "I definitely believe that the EU wants to solve the problem."

Latin American nations have previously complained to the World Trade Organisation that current EU import tariffs unfairly favour ACP countries.