Panama stays interested in negotiated solution about the banana import

The Panamanian minister of Commerce, Alejandro Ferrer, indicated that Panama is still interested in reaching a solution to the banana import conflict with the European Union through negotiations. Last week the country formalised its participation as a third country in the Ecuadorian WTO procedure, in which an arbitration panel will decide on a verdict on the European banana imports. However, it is questionable if WTO arbitration and negotiation can be paralleled at all, as the intervention of a dispute resolution commission of the WTO generally does polarize the positions of the different stakeholders.

Publication date: April 10 2007Author: André van der Wiel Copyright: www.freshplaza.com