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Costa Rica, Colombia Worry About EU's Banana Policy
Colombia and Costa Rica Friday expressed their concern over the impact the European Union's new banana commercialization policy would have on their products.
The policy, which "limits demand while leaves open the free supply of Latin American products to protect ACP (Africa, Caribbean, Pacific) countries through preferences of almost infinite protection," will cause a drop in the price without improving consumer price conditions, the two countries said in a statement.
Last Thursday, the European Commission discussed the issue in Brussels with the representatives of the main four EU banana suppliers -- Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador and Panama.
Colombia and Costa Rica insisted on a quota system for substantial suppliers "to prevent the fall in the price for Latin American producers, with the subsequent impact on their countries in terms of rural labor, poverty and income."
Colombia also asked to discuss ways of accommodating the interests of every party involved while abiding by the regulations and principles of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
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