Costa Rica : Five Years after CAFTA-DR, Assessing Early Results for the Costa Rican Economy

The Dominican Republic - Central America - United States Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) has been fundamental in creating a stable framework for Costa Rica's trade with the United States. For Costa Rica, CAFTA-DR is more than a trade agreement...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: World Bank
Format: Foreign Trade, FDI, and Capital Flows Study
Language:English
en_US
Published: Washington, DC 2014
Subjects:
GDP
TAX
WTO
Online Access:http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2014/06/20149229/costa-rica-five-years-after-cafta-dr-assessing-early-results-costa-rican-economy
http://hdl.handle.net/10986/20010
id okr-10986-20010
recordtype oai_dc
repository_type Digital Repository
institution_category Foreign Institution
institution Digital Repositories
building World Bank Open Knowledge Repository
collection World Bank
language English
en_US
topic ABSORPTIVE CAPACITY
ACCESS TO INSURANCE
ADVERSE EFFECTS
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS
AGRICULTURAL SECTOR
AGRICULTURAL SUBSIDIES
AGRICULTURAL TRADE
AGRICULTURE
APPAREL
APPAREL SECTOR
AUTHORITY IN CHARGE
BENCHMARK
BENEFICIARY
BILATERAL APPROACH
BILATERAL TRADE
BROKERAGE
BROKERAGE FIRMS
BROKERS
CENTRAL BANK
CLEAN TECHNOLOGY
COMMERCIAL CODE
COMMODITY
COMMON MARKET
COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
COMPETITION POLICY
COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT
COMPETITIVENESS
CONCESSIONS
CONSUMER PRICE INDEX
CONSUMER PRICE INDICES
CONSUMER SURPLUS
CONSUMERS
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN
CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE
CROSS-BORDER TRADE
CURRENCY
CUSTOMS
CUSTOMS UNION
DEBT
DOMESTIC CONSUMPTION
DUMMY VARIABLE
ECONOMIC CRISIS
ECONOMIC INTEGRATION
ECONOMIC POLICIES
ECONOMIC STABILITY
ECONOMIES OF SCALE
ELIMINATION OF TARIFFS
ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS
EUROPEAN UNION
EXCHANGE RATE
EXCHANGE RATES
EXPENDITURES
EXPENSE RATIOS
EXPORT GROWTH
EXPORT PERFORMANCE
EXPORT PRODUCTS
EXPORT SHARE
EXPORT STRUCTURE
EXPORTS
EXPOSURE
FINANCES
FINANCIAL CRISIS
FINANCIAL SERVICES
FINANCIAL SYSTEM
FIRM PERFORMANCE
FOREIGN COMPANIES
FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT
FOREIGN INVESTMENT
FOREIGN INVESTORS
FOREIGN TRADE
FREE ACCESS
FREE TRADE
FREE TRADE AGREEMENT
FREE TRADE AGREEMENTS
FREE TRADE AREA
FREE TRADE ZONE
FREE TRADE ZONES
GDP
GDP PER CAPITA
GLOBAL ECONOMY
GRAVITY EQUATION
GRAVITY MODEL
GRAVITY MODELS
GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT
GROWTH RATES
HUMAN CAPITAL
INCOMES
INFORMATION SERVICES
INSTRUMENT
INSURANCE
INSURANCE ACTIVITIES
INSURANCE COMPANIES
INSURANCE MARKET
INSURANCE MARKETS
INSURANCE PENETRATION
INSURANCE PREMIUMS
INSURANCE PRODUCTS
INSURANCES
INSURER
INSURERS
INTEGRATION AGREEMENTS
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY PROTECTION
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
INTERMEDIATE GOODS
INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS
INTERNATIONAL BANK
INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL CRISIS
INTERNATIONAL MARKETS
INTERNATIONAL TRADE
INTERNATIONAL TREATIES
INVESTMENT CLIMATE
INVESTMENT DECISIONS
INVESTMENT FLOWS
JURISDICTIONS
LEGAL FRAMEWORK
LEGAL REGIME
LEGAL REQUIREMENTS
LEGAL SYSTEM
LEVEL OF RISK
LIBERALIZATION
LIBERALIZATIONS
LIFE INSURANCE
LOCAL CURRENCY
MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY
MARKET ACCESS
MARKET DATA
MARKET SHARE
MARKET SHARES
MARKET SIZE
MICROINSURANCE
MONETARY FUND
MONOPOLIES
MONOPOLY
MONOPOLY PROVIDER
MULTILATERAL AGREEMENT
MULTINATIONAL COMPANIES
NATIONAL TREATMENT
NEW MARKET
NEW PRODUCTS
NON-TARIFF BARRIERS
OPENNESS
OUTPUT
PATENT PROTECTION
POLITICAL STABILITY
PORTFOLIO
POSITIVE EFFECTS
POST OFFICE
PREFERENTIAL TRADE
PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT
PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT
PRICE DEFLATOR
PRIVATE INVESTMENTS
PROFIT MAXIMIZATION
PROPERTY RIGHTS
QUANTITATIVE RESTRICTIONS
REAL GDP
REAL GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT
REFERENDUM
REGIONAL TRADE
REGULATOR
REGULATORY AUTHORITY
REGULATORY BODY
REGULATORY FRAMEWORK
REGULATORY FRAMEWORKS
REINSURANCE
RULES OF ORIGIN
SHARE OF INVESTMENT
SMALL BUSINESS
SMALL BUSINESSES
SUPERVISORY AUTHORITY
TARIFF BARRIERS
TAX
TAX BENEFITS
TAXATION
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
TELEPHONE LINES
TELEPHONE SERVICES
TRADE BARRIERS
TRADE FLOWS
TRADE INTEGRATION
TRADE LIBERALIZATION
TRADE PARTNERS
TRADE PATTERNS
TRADE POLICY
TRADE RELATIONSHIPS
TRADING
TRANSPARENCY
TREATIES
TREATY
UNIVERSAL ACCESS
UNIVERSAL COVERAGE
VOTERS
WORLD DEVELOPMENT INDICATORS
WORLD TRADE
WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION
WTO
spellingShingle ABSORPTIVE CAPACITY
ACCESS TO INSURANCE
ADVERSE EFFECTS
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS
AGRICULTURAL SECTOR
AGRICULTURAL SUBSIDIES
AGRICULTURAL TRADE
AGRICULTURE
APPAREL
APPAREL SECTOR
AUTHORITY IN CHARGE
BENCHMARK
BENEFICIARY
BILATERAL APPROACH
BILATERAL TRADE
BROKERAGE
BROKERAGE FIRMS
BROKERS
CENTRAL BANK
CLEAN TECHNOLOGY
COMMERCIAL CODE
COMMODITY
COMMON MARKET
COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
COMPETITION POLICY
COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT
COMPETITIVENESS
CONCESSIONS
CONSUMER PRICE INDEX
CONSUMER PRICE INDICES
CONSUMER SURPLUS
CONSUMERS
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN
CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE
CROSS-BORDER TRADE
CURRENCY
CUSTOMS
CUSTOMS UNION
DEBT
DOMESTIC CONSUMPTION
DUMMY VARIABLE
ECONOMIC CRISIS
ECONOMIC INTEGRATION
ECONOMIC POLICIES
ECONOMIC STABILITY
ECONOMIES OF SCALE
ELIMINATION OF TARIFFS
ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS
EUROPEAN UNION
EXCHANGE RATE
EXCHANGE RATES
EXPENDITURES
EXPENSE RATIOS
EXPORT GROWTH
EXPORT PERFORMANCE
EXPORT PRODUCTS
EXPORT SHARE
EXPORT STRUCTURE
EXPORTS
EXPOSURE
FINANCES
FINANCIAL CRISIS
FINANCIAL SERVICES
FINANCIAL SYSTEM
FIRM PERFORMANCE
FOREIGN COMPANIES
FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT
FOREIGN INVESTMENT
FOREIGN INVESTORS
FOREIGN TRADE
FREE ACCESS
FREE TRADE
FREE TRADE AGREEMENT
FREE TRADE AGREEMENTS
FREE TRADE AREA
FREE TRADE ZONE
FREE TRADE ZONES
GDP
GDP PER CAPITA
GLOBAL ECONOMY
GRAVITY EQUATION
GRAVITY MODEL
GRAVITY MODELS
GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT
GROWTH RATES
HUMAN CAPITAL
INCOMES
INFORMATION SERVICES
INSTRUMENT
INSURANCE
INSURANCE ACTIVITIES
INSURANCE COMPANIES
INSURANCE MARKET
INSURANCE MARKETS
INSURANCE PENETRATION
INSURANCE PREMIUMS
INSURANCE PRODUCTS
INSURANCES
INSURER
INSURERS
INTEGRATION AGREEMENTS
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY PROTECTION
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
INTERMEDIATE GOODS
INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS
INTERNATIONAL BANK
INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL CRISIS
INTERNATIONAL MARKETS
INTERNATIONAL TRADE
INTERNATIONAL TREATIES
INVESTMENT CLIMATE
INVESTMENT DECISIONS
INVESTMENT FLOWS
JURISDICTIONS
LEGAL FRAMEWORK
LEGAL REGIME
LEGAL REQUIREMENTS
LEGAL SYSTEM
LEVEL OF RISK
LIBERALIZATION
LIBERALIZATIONS
LIFE INSURANCE
LOCAL CURRENCY
MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY
MARKET ACCESS
MARKET DATA
MARKET SHARE
MARKET SHARES
MARKET SIZE
MICROINSURANCE
MONETARY FUND
MONOPOLIES
MONOPOLY
MONOPOLY PROVIDER
MULTILATERAL AGREEMENT
MULTINATIONAL COMPANIES
NATIONAL TREATMENT
NEW MARKET
NEW PRODUCTS
NON-TARIFF BARRIERS
OPENNESS
OUTPUT
PATENT PROTECTION
POLITICAL STABILITY
PORTFOLIO
POSITIVE EFFECTS
POST OFFICE
PREFERENTIAL TRADE
PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT
PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT
PRICE DEFLATOR
PRIVATE INVESTMENTS
PROFIT MAXIMIZATION
PROPERTY RIGHTS
QUANTITATIVE RESTRICTIONS
REAL GDP
REAL GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT
REFERENDUM
REGIONAL TRADE
REGULATOR
REGULATORY AUTHORITY
REGULATORY BODY
REGULATORY FRAMEWORK
REGULATORY FRAMEWORKS
REINSURANCE
RULES OF ORIGIN
SHARE OF INVESTMENT
SMALL BUSINESS
SMALL BUSINESSES
SUPERVISORY AUTHORITY
TARIFF BARRIERS
TAX
TAX BENEFITS
TAXATION
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
TELEPHONE LINES
TELEPHONE SERVICES
TRADE BARRIERS
TRADE FLOWS
TRADE INTEGRATION
TRADE LIBERALIZATION
TRADE PARTNERS
TRADE PATTERNS
TRADE POLICY
TRADE RELATIONSHIPS
TRADING
TRANSPARENCY
TREATIES
TREATY
UNIVERSAL ACCESS
UNIVERSAL COVERAGE
VOTERS
WORLD DEVELOPMENT INDICATORS
WORLD TRADE
WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION
WTO
World Bank
Costa Rica : Five Years after CAFTA-DR, Assessing Early Results for the Costa Rican Economy
geographic_facet Latin America & Caribbean
Costa Rica
description The Dominican Republic - Central America - United States Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) has been fundamental in creating a stable framework for Costa Rica's trade with the United States. For Costa Rica, CAFTA-DR is more than a trade agreement. Besides eliminating tariffs and reducing non-tariff barriers between member countries, CAFTA-DR also introduced major changes to the legal framework of member countries, reducing barriers to services, promoting transparency, and ensuring a secure and predictable environment for investors. This report analyses how CAFTA-DR has impacted the Costa Rican economy in the five years after ratification, both on a macro level and in key specific sectors. The report shows that CAFTA-DR is yielding benefits to the Costa Rican economy, but it is too early to provide a complete account just after five years. The agreement has succeeded to further trade integration between Costa Rica, the US, and other CAFTA-DR countries. Exports to the US began increasing several years before the agreement, but CAFTA-DR accelerated the trend. Costa Rica continues attracting FDI above levels observed in other CAFTA-DR countries, with an increasing share from US investors and a focus on medical devices and business services. Online survey and interviews of high-tech firms in free trade zones found that CAFTA-DR was an important factor in the investment decisions. CAFTA-DR ignited an explosion of changes in the telecom and insurance sectors, bringing new regulatory frameworks, competition, product innovations, and price reductions. Consumers are reaping the benefits of improved telecom and insurance services. But some issues remain for those markets to mature. Finally, the concern regarding the potential negative impact on the Costa Rican Social Security Administration's finances due to the intellectual property rights measures have not been observed.
format Economic & Sector Work :: Foreign Trade, FDI, and Capital Flows Study
author World Bank
author_facet World Bank
author_sort World Bank
title Costa Rica : Five Years after CAFTA-DR, Assessing Early Results for the Costa Rican Economy
title_short Costa Rica : Five Years after CAFTA-DR, Assessing Early Results for the Costa Rican Economy
title_full Costa Rica : Five Years after CAFTA-DR, Assessing Early Results for the Costa Rican Economy
title_fullStr Costa Rica : Five Years after CAFTA-DR, Assessing Early Results for the Costa Rican Economy
title_full_unstemmed Costa Rica : Five Years after CAFTA-DR, Assessing Early Results for the Costa Rican Economy
title_sort costa rica : five years after cafta-dr, assessing early results for the costa rican economy
publisher Washington, DC
publishDate 2014
url http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2014/06/20149229/costa-rica-five-years-after-cafta-dr-assessing-early-results-costa-rican-economy
http://hdl.handle.net/10986/20010
_version_ 1764444736333021184
spelling okr-10986-200102021-06-14T10:23:26Z Costa Rica : Five Years after CAFTA-DR, Assessing Early Results for the Costa Rican Economy World Bank ABSORPTIVE CAPACITY ACCESS TO INSURANCE ADVERSE EFFECTS AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS AGRICULTURAL SECTOR AGRICULTURAL SUBSIDIES AGRICULTURAL TRADE AGRICULTURE APPAREL APPAREL SECTOR AUTHORITY IN CHARGE BENCHMARK BENEFICIARY BILATERAL APPROACH BILATERAL TRADE BROKERAGE BROKERAGE FIRMS BROKERS CENTRAL BANK CLEAN TECHNOLOGY COMMERCIAL CODE COMMODITY COMMON MARKET COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY COMPETITION POLICY COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT COMPETITIVENESS CONCESSIONS CONSUMER PRICE INDEX CONSUMER PRICE INDICES CONSUMER SURPLUS CONSUMERS COUNTRY OF ORIGIN CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE CROSS-BORDER TRADE CURRENCY CUSTOMS CUSTOMS UNION DEBT DOMESTIC CONSUMPTION DUMMY VARIABLE ECONOMIC CRISIS ECONOMIC INTEGRATION ECONOMIC POLICIES ECONOMIC STABILITY ECONOMIES OF SCALE ELIMINATION OF TARIFFS ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS EUROPEAN UNION EXCHANGE RATE EXCHANGE RATES EXPENDITURES EXPENSE RATIOS EXPORT GROWTH EXPORT PERFORMANCE EXPORT PRODUCTS EXPORT SHARE EXPORT STRUCTURE EXPORTS EXPOSURE FINANCES FINANCIAL CRISIS FINANCIAL SERVICES FINANCIAL SYSTEM FIRM PERFORMANCE FOREIGN COMPANIES FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT FOREIGN INVESTMENT FOREIGN INVESTORS FOREIGN TRADE FREE ACCESS FREE TRADE FREE TRADE AGREEMENT FREE TRADE AGREEMENTS FREE TRADE AREA FREE TRADE ZONE FREE TRADE ZONES GDP GDP PER CAPITA GLOBAL ECONOMY GRAVITY EQUATION GRAVITY MODEL GRAVITY MODELS GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT GROWTH RATES HUMAN CAPITAL INCOMES INFORMATION SERVICES INSTRUMENT INSURANCE INSURANCE ACTIVITIES INSURANCE COMPANIES INSURANCE MARKET INSURANCE MARKETS INSURANCE PENETRATION INSURANCE PREMIUMS INSURANCE PRODUCTS INSURANCES INSURER INSURERS INTEGRATION AGREEMENTS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY PROTECTION INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS INTERMEDIATE GOODS INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS INTERNATIONAL BANK INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL CRISIS INTERNATIONAL MARKETS INTERNATIONAL TRADE INTERNATIONAL TREATIES INVESTMENT CLIMATE INVESTMENT DECISIONS INVESTMENT FLOWS JURISDICTIONS LEGAL FRAMEWORK LEGAL REGIME LEGAL REQUIREMENTS LEGAL SYSTEM LEVEL OF RISK LIBERALIZATION LIBERALIZATIONS LIFE INSURANCE LOCAL CURRENCY MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY MARKET ACCESS MARKET DATA MARKET SHARE MARKET SHARES MARKET SIZE MICROINSURANCE MONETARY FUND MONOPOLIES MONOPOLY MONOPOLY PROVIDER MULTILATERAL AGREEMENT MULTINATIONAL COMPANIES NATIONAL TREATMENT NEW MARKET NEW PRODUCTS NON-TARIFF BARRIERS OPENNESS OUTPUT PATENT PROTECTION POLITICAL STABILITY PORTFOLIO POSITIVE EFFECTS POST OFFICE PREFERENTIAL TRADE PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT PRICE DEFLATOR PRIVATE INVESTMENTS PROFIT MAXIMIZATION PROPERTY RIGHTS QUANTITATIVE RESTRICTIONS REAL GDP REAL GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT REFERENDUM REGIONAL TRADE REGULATOR REGULATORY AUTHORITY REGULATORY BODY REGULATORY FRAMEWORK REGULATORY FRAMEWORKS REINSURANCE RULES OF ORIGIN SHARE OF INVESTMENT SMALL BUSINESS SMALL BUSINESSES SUPERVISORY AUTHORITY TARIFF BARRIERS TAX TAX BENEFITS TAXATION TELECOMMUNICATIONS TELEPHONE LINES TELEPHONE SERVICES TRADE BARRIERS TRADE FLOWS TRADE INTEGRATION TRADE LIBERALIZATION TRADE PARTNERS TRADE PATTERNS TRADE POLICY TRADE RELATIONSHIPS TRADING TRANSPARENCY TREATIES TREATY UNIVERSAL ACCESS UNIVERSAL COVERAGE VOTERS WORLD DEVELOPMENT INDICATORS WORLD TRADE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION WTO The Dominican Republic - Central America - United States Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) has been fundamental in creating a stable framework for Costa Rica's trade with the United States. For Costa Rica, CAFTA-DR is more than a trade agreement. Besides eliminating tariffs and reducing non-tariff barriers between member countries, CAFTA-DR also introduced major changes to the legal framework of member countries, reducing barriers to services, promoting transparency, and ensuring a secure and predictable environment for investors. This report analyses how CAFTA-DR has impacted the Costa Rican economy in the five years after ratification, both on a macro level and in key specific sectors. The report shows that CAFTA-DR is yielding benefits to the Costa Rican economy, but it is too early to provide a complete account just after five years. The agreement has succeeded to further trade integration between Costa Rica, the US, and other CAFTA-DR countries. Exports to the US began increasing several years before the agreement, but CAFTA-DR accelerated the trend. Costa Rica continues attracting FDI above levels observed in other CAFTA-DR countries, with an increasing share from US investors and a focus on medical devices and business services. Online survey and interviews of high-tech firms in free trade zones found that CAFTA-DR was an important factor in the investment decisions. CAFTA-DR ignited an explosion of changes in the telecom and insurance sectors, bringing new regulatory frameworks, competition, product innovations, and price reductions. Consumers are reaping the benefits of improved telecom and insurance services. But some issues remain for those markets to mature. Finally, the concern regarding the potential negative impact on the Costa Rican Social Security Administration's finances due to the intellectual property rights measures have not been observed. 2014-09-09T20:22:44Z 2014-09-09T20:22:44Z 2014-06-13 http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2014/06/20149229/costa-rica-five-years-after-cafta-dr-assessing-early-results-costa-rican-economy http://hdl.handle.net/10986/20010 English en_US CC BY 3.0 IGO http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/igo/ Washington, DC Economic & Sector Work :: Foreign Trade, FDI, and Capital Flows Study Latin America & Caribbean Costa Rica