INSTITUTIONS RELATED TO INTERNATIONAL COMMERCE

  • NATIONAL COUNCIL ON EXPORTS (CONAPEX)
    The Council makes proposals to the President on national policy regarding the promotion, diversification, and expansion of exports, as well as overseeing policy implementation. CONAPEX is made up of 11 members:

    A. Public Sector

    B. Private Sector
    Five representatives named by the Guatemalan Chamber of Enterprise (CAEM) from the following sectors:
  • NATIONAL EXPORT COORDINATION COMMISSION (CONACOEX)
    CONACOEX coordinates and implements the decisions of CONAPEX, including policies dealing with the promotion, diversification, and expansion of exports. The Commission is made up of one representative from each of the member organizations of CONAPEX.

  • GENERAL OFFICE OF FOREIGN TRADE
    The office is in charge of promoting and developing foreign trade, especially in the area of exports, following the policies and guidelines established by the policy making institutions. The office is the Executive Technical Unit of CONAPEX.

  • INDUSTRIAL POLICY OFFICE
    This Office is charged with promoting and guiding industrial policy, as well as developing activities to encourage industrial growth. It also serves as the qualifying agency for those enterprises seeking benefits under the Law for the Promotion and Development of Export Activities and Drawback, and the Law of Free Trade Zones.

  • STRATEGIC COMMITTEE FOR TEXTILE EXPORTS (EXTEX)
    The Committee proposes policies related to the exportation of textiles, and represents the Ministry of Economy in bilateral and multilateral negotiations related to the promotion of textile exports. The Committee is made up of four representatives from the Ministry of Economy, and four others accredited by the Association of Exporters of Non-traditional Products and appointed by the Ministry of Economy.

  • BANK OF GUATEMALA
    The Central Bank is charged with creating and upholding the most favorable economic conditions leading to the orderly development of the national economy, through the establishment of monetary, exchange, and credit policies.

  • OFFICE OF ECONOMIC INTEGRATION
    Among the Office's duties is to suggest measures to promote active and increasing commercial activity among the countries of Central America and Panama. In addition, it administers the Central American Tariff and Customs System Agreement, suggesting policies to encourage national and regional economic development.

    THE ORGANIZED BUSINESS SECTOR

  • ONE-STOP WINDOW FOR INVESTMENT
    The Ministry of Economy created a "one-stop" office in order to streamline the process of setting up a business for those wishing to invest in Guatemala. Representatives from all state entities involved with forming a company are found at this office.

  • CHAMBER OF ENTERPRISE
    This Chamber is made up of the principal chambers and business associations of the Guatemalan private sector. Its goals are to stimulate the development and promote united efforts of the private sector, concentrating on the small and medium business. Through seminars, members, as well as the public sector, are kept up to date on advances in other countries whose experience is considered useful to Guatemala.

  • GEXPRONT- ASSOCIATION OF EXPORTERS OF NON-TRADITIONAL PRODUCTS
    The Association was founded by a group of entrepreneurs in 1982, as part of the Chamber of Industry, in order to create an effective clearing house for information on non-traditional exports and to promote their growth.

    The Association works in two areas:

    A. Promotion of export strategies and policies through participation in CONAPEX and CONACOEX, as well as plans for exporting, financing, transport, fiscal incentives, commercial policy, etc. Incentives favoring export of non-traditional products to the United States are available under preferential tariff status within the framework of the Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI) and the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP).

    B. The Association serves its members by providing commercial information, training and technical assistance, markets strategies, promotional events, investment promotion, and access to technology.

  • GUATEMALAN DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION
    The Foundation is a private, non-profit organization whose goal is the promotion of Guatemala as a nation. FUNDESA established the Business Center in Coral Gables, Florida to promote foreign investment in Guatemala. FUNDESA offers the foreign investor a variety of services and contacts with the Guatemalan private sector.

  • INGUAT - GUATEMALA TOURISM INSTITUTE
    The Institute seeks to advance foreign investment in the area of tourism. At the national level, it is in charge of organizing state investment required for the expansion of planned development areas.