U.S. Blocks Sugar Access For Costa Rica To Gain IPR Changes

The U.S. has been blocking duty-free access for Costa Rican sugar under the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) since the beginning of the year in an effort to pressure the Costa Rican legislature into approving three changes to domestic intellectual property rights laws. The most controversial of these would hinder competition by generic agrochemicals with brand-name herbicides and pesticides in the Costa Rican market. Opponents say the agrochemical IPR change would exceed Costa Rica's obligations under CAFTA, a point...