Describes bilateral and multilateral trade agreements that this country is party to, including with the United States. Includes websites and other resources where U.S. companies can get more information on how to take advantage of these agreements.
Last Published: 7/21/2019

Nicaragua, along with Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and the Dominican Republic, signed the Central America – Dominican Republic – United States Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) in August 2004.  The agreement entered into force for Nicaragua and the United States on April 1, 2006.  In 2010, Central American countries, including Nicaragua, signed a trade agreement with the European Union.  In 2014, a partial free trade agreement came into effect between Nicaragua and Cuba. Additionally, Nicaragua has trade agreements with Mexico, Panama, Taiwan, Chile, and the Dominican Republic.

On 18 June 2015, six Central American countries (Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama) and Korea launched negotiations towards a free trade agreement.  After several rounds of negotiations, Central America and the Republic of Korea concluded terms for a free trade agreement on November 16, 2016 in Managua, Nicaragua.

Nicaragua has signed and ratified bilateral investment treaties with Argentina, BLEU (Belgium-Luxembourg, Economic Union), Chile, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Russian Federation, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom.

The Secretariat for Central American Economic Integration (SIECA) provides technical and administrative support to Nicaragua, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras in their efforts to establish a Central American Common Market.  Nicaragua is negotiating separate free trade agreements with ALBA, Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America,  member countries, Canada, Peru, and Bolivia.

The Ministry of Development, Industry and Trade, International Trade Office, is responsible for the negotiation and implementation of trade agreements.
 

Prepared by our U.S. Embassies abroad. With its network of 108 offices across the United States and in more than 75 countries, the U.S. Commercial Service of the U.S. Department of Commerce utilizes its global presence and international marketing expertise to help U.S. companies sell their products and services worldwide. Locate the U.S. Commercial Service trade specialist in the U.S. nearest you by visiting http://export.gov/usoffices.