European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced on Wednesday, September 16, that Canada has been invited to become its first associate member, a new status within the EU about which details are unknown.

This is part of a search for new partnerships with Canada in key sectors, such as technology, critical raw materials, energy and defense, critical minerals, and AI, the EC President said during her 2026 State of the Union address in Strasbourg.

Von der Leyen told MEPs and international guests: “We share an ocean, a set of values, and a way of seeing the world. And now we are going to build our shared future as well,” referring to Canada and its offer of new status.

Canada is not part of the European Union, “but it shares the same values ​​as the EU, such as human rights, democracy, and the rule of law, essential criteria for becoming a member state.”

M.Pino

Source: euronews

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The Central Bank of Ecuador’s (BCE) recent report on economic growth placed the indicator at 2 % for the month of June, with the main contributions coming from the services (2.6 %), manufacturing (3.8 %), construction (3.4 %), and trade (2.1 %) sectors.

“This result reflects greater dynamism in most economic activities, which offset the contractions recorded in oil and mining, as well as in agriculture, livestock, forestry, and fishing,” the BCE stated in a press release.

The services sector is the main contributor to the monthly growth indicator, with a year-on-year expansion of 2.6 % and a contribution of 1.2 percentage points. This is directly related to the increase in electricity generation and greater lending activity in the financial system.

The trade sector grew by 4.0 % compared to the same period in 2025 and contributed 0.6 percentage points to the indicator’s growth. Manufacturing saw growth of 4.2 %, and construction grew by 3.9 %.

Contraction in other sectors

In the oil and mining sector, the report revealed a contraction of 3.4 %, largely due to a reduction in domestic crude oil production and the volume of mining exports.

This is compounded by a 1.5 % reduction in areas such as agriculture, livestock, forestry, and fishing, “in a context of lower export volumes of cocoa, bananas, and fisheries and aquaculture products, according to data from the Central Bank of Ecuador.”

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Source: bancaynegocios

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Venezuela and Brazil strengthen bilateral trade. In a recent meeting of government representatives, both countries analyzed topics such as the transportation sector and vehicle imports.

In this regard, “during a meeting between the Minister of Foreign Trade, Johann Álvarez Márquez, the Brazilian Ambassador to Venezuela, Glivania Maria de Oliveira, and Alex Giacomelli, Ambassador and Secretary of Trade Promotion of Brazil, the officials evaluated mechanisms to accelerate bilateral trade, especially in the sale of vehicles.”

For both nations, the automotive and transportation sectors are key to trade, in addition to the modernization of customs regulations.

At the meeting, both delegations “agreed to expand the trade balance with a promotional agenda, including trade fairs and the development of joint value chains with Colombia to supply domestic and regional markets, the Ministry of Foreign Trade reported.”

M.Pino

Source: bancaynegocios

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Curaçao’s Minister of Economic Development, Roderick Middelhof, recently indicated that the island is considering eliminating the visa requirement for Venezuelans, a measure that would help revive tourism from the country.

According to the official, local authorities are working to “restore the conditions that previously existed to facilitate the entry of travelers to the island.”

The minister stated in an interview: “We are currently evaluating the possibility of removing the visa requirement again, because Venezuelans have had a period when they didn’t need a visa to enter here. So, what we want to do right now is refocus on that, attracting tourism from Venezuela as well.”

The official also announced that next year Curaçao “will have a special fund to invest in Venezuela and promote the island within the national tourism market.” In this regard, he highlighted the benefits of the imminent resumption of tourism from Venezuela, as it will contribute to strengthening the sector.

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Source: contrapunto

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The president of Consecomercio, José Gregorio Rodríguez, recently announced that the organization submitted a proposal to the U.S. Chargé d’Affaires in Venezuela, John Barrett, regarding a free trade agreement for the non-oil sector.

According to Rodríguez, during the meeting, “business representatives indicated that making progress on this matter is a high-impact objective for national economic activity because it is an issue that concerns us all.”

The proposed free trade agreement between the two countries seeks to establish a “bilateral framework focused on reducing tariffs on a variety of goods, thereby diversifying Venezuelan exports to the North American market, prioritizing products such as shrimp, seaweed, coffee, and cocoa.”

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Source: alnavio

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Recent data on Costa Rica’s economic growth indicate that the first quarter of the year has been positive, thanks to the boost from tourism and trade.

Specifically, sources indicate that “tourism and Costa Rican goods exports marked the first months of 2026 with significant growth, while remaining the mainstays of the country’s economy amidst an international context that authorities describe as complex.”

According to figures from the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT), from January to March the Central American country registered a record 959,738 tourists arriving by air (8.5 % more than in the same period of 2014), marking six consecutive months of growth.

Regarding tourism, it is important to highlight that Costa Rica is home to approximately 6% of the planet’s biodiversity, making it an attractive destination for tourists, in addition to its adventure sports, volcanoes, and beaches ideal for surfing.

Costa Rica’s Minister of Tourism, William Rodríguez, stated: “The current tourism and global context is extremely challenging, but it motivates us to continuously improve our product and strengthen our sustainable tourism development model.”

Regarding exports, which have boosted the economy, data from the Costa Rican Foreign Trade Promoter (Procomer) indicates that in the first quarter of the year, sales of goods reached $3.383 billion, representing a 6 % increase compared to the same period of the previous year.

The main exported products were medical devices, with a 44 % share, mostly from US companies operating in Costa Rica; pineapples (6 %), bananas (4 %), syrups and concentrates for beverages (3 %), and coffee (2 %).

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Source: swissinfo

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The meeting between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, originally planned for March, will now take place in Beijing on May 14 and 15. The two leaders will discuss key issues such as trade, technology, security, and the Middle East conflict.

The two leaders met last October in South Korea. According to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, “the new date coincides with estimates that the Iran war could end within four to six weeks, although the Chinese government has called for an immediate cessation of attacks and warned that the conflict could spiral out of control.”

Another topic the leaders will discuss is “coordinating positions regarding the war in Ukraine, in an international context marked by geopolitical tensions and trade disputes.”

The US president considered the meeting “momentous” and indicated that he will later receive Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, at the White House.

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Source: ensegundos

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During a visit to Venezuela this week, representatives of the British government met with their counterparts in Caracas to assess bilateral relations and explore new opportunities in trade, tourism, and education.

In this regard, “Harriet Thompson, Director for the Americas at the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), and Catherine O’Neill OBE, Deputy Director and Head for Latin America, inspected the facilities of the former Ambassador Hotel during their visit to Caracas and announced its upcoming reopening as the Hotel Londres.”

They also held another meeting with representatives of the Venezuelan-British Chamber of Commerce, with students from the British Council in Venezuela, and with the Chevening Scholarship program, which allows Venezuelans to pursue master’s degrees at universities in the United Kingdom.

Regarding the former Ambassador Suites Hotel, previously owned by the Ambassador chain, a subsidiary of Hilton, it became the Hotel Londres, managed by a British consortium in charge of its renovation since 2022. The initiative between the two governments will transform the hotel into a five-star establishment.

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Source: ultimasnoticias

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With the signing of the trade agreement between the United States and Taiwan, tariffs on Taiwanese exports are reduced by 15 %, benefiting US products in local markets.

As international media report, “Taiwan has agreed to eliminate or reduce 99 % of tariff barriers on US products, in addition to providing preferential market access for US industrial and agricultural exports,” including automobiles, meat products, and minerals.

According to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, “Taiwan has committed to resolving long-standing non-tariff barriers, such as accepting U.S. vehicles manufactured according to U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards” without additional requirements.

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Source: bolsamania

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In Venezuela, the national budget for 2026 has increased fivefold compared to the budget established for the current year. According to information provided by Executive Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, the figure is 5.02 trillion bolivars.

Rodríguez presented the figure to the National Assembly during the first week of December, highlighting that 77.8 % of the resources will be allocated to social investment.

The official also addressed the budget formulation process, explaining that it included popular participation “through community assemblies, which, according to her, aims to ensure that national priorities are linked to the needs of the population.”

In total, the 2026 budget is equivalent to 5,968,785,870 bolivars, representing “a significant increase compared to the 2025 budget, which was 906,459 million bolivars. In nominal terms, public spending has more than quintupled in just one year.”

Social development and community outreach are priorities for next year, as is the defense and security of Venezuela.

M.Pino

Source: finanzasdigital

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