DR-CAFTA Agreement and liberalization of trade in services: Evidence from Costa Rica

Context and objective In January 2009 and after the first referendum approval in the country, Costa Rica entered the Dominican Republic-Central American Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA), which was preceded by complex negotiation, ratification and implementation processes. Besides liberalization of trade in goods (eliminating tariffs and reducing non-tariff barriers between member countries), the DR-CAFTA agreement also includes important...