Questions over changes made to Costa Rica’s intellectual property law may prevent the nation from meeting the October 1 deadline for adopting the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA).
Costa Rican voters ratified CAFTA last year, but the Constitutional Court ruled last week that the changes, made by the Legislative Assembly, were invalid. Because they were made without consulting with indigenous groups, the modifications have been found to be in violation of Convention 169 of the International Labor Organization.
The United States demanded the changes before the agreement goes into effect. The bill in question included provisions on biodiversity as well as intellectual property. Costa Rican legislators have already altered other laws to make the country more open to competition; the ruling overturned on September 11 was the last such proposal. CAFTA opponents have been buoyed, as the appeal was filed in an attempt to block the implementation of the agreement.
Observers believe that the Constitutional Court’s ruling will prevent the legislature from resolving the issue by the October 1 deadline, although the Court has stated that it will do “everything possible” to make sure that Costa Rica’s entry into CAFTA isn’t negatively affected. A spokesperson for the National Liberation Party agreed.
