The role of small and medium enterprises in EU-Central American trade negotiations

Since December 2005, the Generalised System of Preferences Plus (GSP +) scheme has regulated preferential access to EU markets for Andean and Central American countries concerning all industrial and certain agricultural products. In regards to the following bilateral trade negotiations, small and medium enterprises (SME) and SME support institutions have strived to play an active role in shaping the framework of trade relations conditions between the EU and Central American.

Therefore, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) and InWEnt (Capacity Building International) organised the conference “Política Comercial en Centroamérica: Desafíos para la Pequeña y Mediana Empresa” in Costa Rica from 20-23 November 2006. The conference addressed government representatives and SME partner organisations of GTZ and InWEnt within the region, fostered discussions and networking, and analysed how these negotiations can be utilised by SME and business development institutions to enhance the framework conditions for SME in interregional trade. adelphi provided its expertise on trade and environment and SME promotion by providing a background paper and key-note speech.