Central America closer to free trade with EU
02 July 2013, 09:44 CET
(SAN JOSE) - Costa Rica on Monday officially approved launching the first free trade area between all of Central America and the European Union, bloc to bloc, officials said.
The approval, by lawmakers in San Jose, means that of all the Central American nations have now approved the deal except for El Salvador, a month before the zone is to come into being.
The Association Agreement between Central America and the EU is scheduled to take effect August 1.
If El Salvador has not approved it by then it must wait a year to sign on fully.