Trade and investment relations between Korea and Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) have come a long way. As the two economies embraced trade liberalization in the early 1990s, their bilateral trade grew at an impressive annual rate of 11.5%—reaching a record high of US$57 billion in 2021. The trade boom came along with US$26 billion in investments by Korean firms in the … [Read more...] about Korea and Latin America and the Caribbean: Partners for Sustainable Trade and Investment
Technical measures: the not so visible barriers to trade
When you buy a new TV, you don't expect to get an electric shock while plugging the cord into the outlet or burn your hand while handling the remote control. The truth is that no one expects to suffer a misfortune when they get ready to watch their favorite show or streaming series. That is why most countries in the world impose regulations on the marketing of many goods - not … [Read more...] about Technical measures: the not so visible barriers to trade
Digital acceleration: a unique opportunity for service exports from Latin America and the Caribbean
More than two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, digitization has clearly accelerated in many areas of the global economy. With technology at their fingertips, society, the productive system, and the state now have more ways than ever to take advantage of the opportunities of the internet age. The unprecedented advance of the online world has made hybrid jobs and flexible … [Read more...] about Digital acceleration: a unique opportunity for service exports from Latin America and the Caribbean
How are Global Shipping Disruptions Affecting Latin American Freight Rates?
In a recent blog post, we showed that shipping costs have substantially increased since the beginning of the pandemic and that such an increase was primarily associated with imports from Asia. In this new post, we explore whether and, if so, how such developments generated a domino effect on the transportation costs faced by Latin American and Caribbean countries … [Read more...] about How are Global Shipping Disruptions Affecting Latin American Freight Rates?
Why Agricultural Exporters Should Consider Organic Certifications
Organic agriculture is a rapidly expanding market that can provide countries in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) with opportunities to differentiate their products and diversify their foreign sales away from commodities. To understand this potential, we examine the effects of organic certification on firms’ foreign sales. In so doing, we focus on two Latin American … [Read more...] about Why Agricultural Exporters Should Consider Organic Certifications