The Minister of Economy, Gabriela García, reported yesterday, at a press conference, about the advances in the proposal to reduce or eliminate tariffs that will be presented to the US government.
In that sense, the Secretary of Social Communication of the Presidency, Santiago Palomo, commented that Guatemala will present a formal proposal to reduce or eliminate tariffs, which are based on respect between the two countries and the history of bilateral cooperation.
In addition, he said that the dialogue is active with authorities in that country, after the Donald Trump administration imposed a 10% tariff to more than 180 countries, including Guatemala, and that it is one of the lowest percentages of the measure.
Work axes
Palomo said that President Arévalo already met with the private sector. Also, work with a technical, diplomatic and unified roadmap.
In addition, Ambassador Hugo Beteta – in Washington – maintains constant communication with the United States trade office, added.
Given this situation, we work on several axes, including the public and private sectors, which affirmed their willingness to maintain constant collaboration under an open and constructive dialogue to identify and respond to the effects presented in the country by the United States decision.
They will also work in internal and external strategies. From the American nation, the diplomatic route will be worked in the search for a decrease or elimination of the tariff load.
In the country there will be efforts to simplify procedures, licenses and permits that allow promoting competitiveness and investment, and thus stimulate economic activity.
Coordination
Garcia reported that the approaches for negotiation with the USA. And the search for solution for commercial barriers are two issues that are carried out in parallel.
One refers to the technical part that is in charge of the Ministry of Economy, and consists of reviewing each non -tariff barrier, such as the eight that are indicated and working with those responsible for seeking solutions, such as the Ministries of Agriculture, Health, Communications, Economy, Labor, Labor and SAT.
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He explained that the themes of the eight barriers basically refer to cumbersome procedures, process agility, and even many of these have already been working since last year, and now what is being done from the different ministries or institutions is to review the process.
To date it has been found, for example, in the case of the SAT, that many of the observations made by the USTR to the country were already solved. “That made us think that perhaps the communication of the USTR was not totally up to date,” Garcia said.
Now that point of the SAT is being reviewed that is already resolved to send a report to the USTR and indicate that it is related to that barrier that it mentions is already completed.