Areas
Areas > Customs and International Trade Law
Costa Rica has followed in the last years an aggressive policy of integration to the international markets that has allowed that its foreign trade sector be one of the most important and dynamic sector of its economy. As part of this policy, Costa Rica has entered into bilateral (Mexico, Chile, Dominican Republic and Canada), regional (Central American Common Market, Free Trade Area of the Americas) and multilateral (World Trade Organization) free trade agreements.
Some members of our law firm have participated directly in the negotiation of these trade agreements and as such have acquired a deep understanding of the implications that these treaties have to our clients' interests. In addition, some members of our law firm have ample experience in topics related to the application of antidumping and countervailing measures thanks to their prior participation in European Union antidumping investigations as well as antidumping investigations held abroad against coast rican exporters.
As a way to maximize trade opportunities provided by the abovementioned free trade schemes to the different stakeholders, FERNÁNDEZ LOPEZ & ASOCIADOS provides assistance in the following areas:
- Application of international trade treaties, including its different areas: dispute settlement, rules of origin, custom procedures, services and investment, intellectual property, technical barriers to trade, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, etc.
- Particular aspects of interest to companies, trade chambers and associations, related to ongoing negotiations of free trade agreements;
- Unfair trade practices (antidumping and countervailing duties) and safeguard measures;
- Export regimes (free zones and temporary import regime);
- International trade in goods contracts;
- Franchise, distribution and agency contracts;
- International payment mechanisms;
- Competition and Consumer Protection Law.
