Business in Paraguay, Asuncion

The aims of the subject “Foreign Trade and Business in the Republic of Paraguay” are the following:

1. To analyse the Paraguayan Economy and Foreign Trade (Import, Export, FDI)
2. To know the business opportunities in the Republic of Paraguay
3. To explore the Paraguayan trade relations with the country of the student
4. To know the Paraguayan Trade Agreements
5. To develop a business plan for the Paraguayan Market

Paraguayan Free Trade Agreements and Market Access

1. Paraguay and the Latin American Economic Area
2. MERCOSUR
   1. MERCOSUR Free Trade Agreements (FTA): Andean Community, Mexico, Peru, Chile, India, Egypt, Israel, European Union, Southern African Customs Union (SACU), Global System of Trade Preferences among Developing Countries (GSTP)
3. Latin American Integration Association (ALADI)
4. Andean Community (associate member)
5. Paraguay has bilateral Free Trade Agreements (FTA) with the European Union (EU), India, and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)
6. Mexico-Paraguay Economic Complementation Agreement
7. Union of South American Nations (UNASUR)
8. Latin American and Caribbean Economic System (SELA)
9. Protocol Relating to Trade Negotiations Among Developing Countries (PTN)

Trade Facilitation Programs

1. World Trade Organisation (WTO)
   1. WTO General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS)
   2. WTO Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS)
   3. WTO Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT)
   4. WTO Agreement on Preshipment Inspection (PSI)
   5. WTO Agreement on Safeguards (SG)
   6. WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA)
2. World Customs Organisation (WCO)
   1. Revised Kyoto Convention (RKC)
3. Convention on the Carriage of Goods by Sea (Hamburg Rules, UN)
4. International Bureau of Containers and Intermodal Transport (BIC)
5. International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO, Chicago Convention)
6. International Maritime Organisation (IMO)
   1. Convention Relating to Temporary Admission (Istanbul Convention) - not a member
7. Customs Convention on Containers (CCC, UN) - not a member

American Trade and Economic Organisations

1. Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)
2. Organisation of American States (OAS)
3. Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC)
4. Africa-South America Summit (ASA)
5. Forum for East Asia-Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC)
6. Summit South American-Arab Countries (ASPA)
7. Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC)
   1. European Union-CELAC Summit

Global Economic Organisations

1. United Nations (UN)
   1. Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
   2. International Trade Centre (INTRACEN)
   3. World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO)
2. World Bank (WB)
3. International Monetary Fund (IMF)

The Republic of Paraguay.

1. Paraguay has significant water resources; the Guarani Aquifer System is the largest fresh water reserve in the World
2. The Paraguayan rivers make their land very suitable for soybeans and cotton (main Paraguayan export products)
3. Borders of the Republic of Paraguay: Brazil, Bolivia, and Argentina
4. Paraguay has two official languages: Spanish and Guarani
5. Capital of Paraguay: Asunción
6. Paraguayan Population: 7 million people
7. Paraguayan Area: 406,752 square kilometres
8. Independence of Paraguay from Spain: 1811
9. Abolition of Slavery in Paraguay: 1842
10. African Diaspora in Paraguay: 0.2 million people (3.5% of the Paraguayan population)

Religion in Paraguay: Christianity (Catholicism: 6 million)

Paraguay belongs to the Latin American Economic Area of the Western Civilisation

Paraguayan Economy.

1. The Economy of the Republic of Paraguay (America) is small and open, with extensive reliance on the international trade and local commerce
2. The Paraguayan economy is based on a few agricultural products production and export (soybeans and vegetable oils) and meat
3. Business related to import and consumer products re-export is strong in the informal economic sector
4. The Paraguayan services sector represents 49% of the gross domestic product
5. The Paraguay-Parana Waterway is intended to develop the logistics system between the Parana region (Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina)
6. The production structure of the Republic of Paraguay has undergone profound changes, such as the agriculture
7. The Paraguayan gross domestic product showed a negative growth rate of -3.8%.
8. The Itaipu hydroelectric dam is a joint venture between Paraguay and Brazil located on the Parana River; the dam is the world's largest hydroelectric central. The energy produced by Itaipu would be enough to supply electricity consumption worldwide for two days
9. The currency of Paraguay is the Paraguayan Guarani (PYG)
10. New Law on Public-Private Partnerships

Foreign Trade of Paraguay.

1. Total Paraguayan exports: 13,116 million dollars
2. The main Paraguayan export products are soybean (47%), vegetable oils (52%,) and meat products (5%)
3. The SOFIA System is a computerised customs clearance system that interacts directly with the Customs Brokers, transportation Companies, Custodians, Customs Officials, and organisations related to International Trade
4. Paraguay was suspended of the MERCOSUR in 2012-2013