US trade accord with Panama in force this month

The trade promotion agreement between Panama and the United States will come into effect on October 31, after a four-year wait.

The Panamanian minister of Commerce, Ricardo Quijano, met with United States Trade Representative Ron Kirk in Washington yesterday to exchange letters that set the implementation date.

With the agreement in place, about 88 percent of Panama's agricultural and industrial goods will be able to access the U.S. market free of tax. Last year, trade between both countries reached $2.9 billion.


Full story (in Spanish)