Costa Rica–United Kingdom relations
Costa Rica and the United Kingdom have established diplomatic and trade relationships.
The two countries officially established diplomatic ties in 1848.[1][2] Frederick Chatfield was the British consul in Central America at the time.[1][2]
Costa Rica and the United Kingdom are both parties to the UK-Central America Agreement, a treaty and trade agreement.[3]
History
[edit]On November 27, 1849, the two countries signed the Treaty of Friendship, Commerce, and Navigation between Great Britain and Costa Rica.[4] The treaty went into effect on February 20, 1850.[4]
In 1887, the two countries signed the Convention with the Postal Administration of the Republic of Costa Rica for the exchange of postal parcels, with Detailed Regulations.[5]
In 1907, the two countries signed the Agreement between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Costa Rica for the Exchange of Postal Money Orders.[6]
In 1921, the two countries signed the Exchange of Notes between Great Britain and Costa Rica relative to the Importation from Great Britain into Costa Rica of Opium and similar Drugs.[7]
In 1922, the two countries signed the Convention between Her Majesty's Government and the Government of Costa Rica for the Submission to Arbitration of Certain Claims against the Government of Costa Rica.[8]
In 1928, the two countries signed the Convention between His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom and the Government of Costa Rica respecting Commercial Travellers.[9]
In 1933, the two countries signed the Exchange of Notes between the Government of the Irish Free State and the Costa Rican Government in regard to Commercial Relations.[10]
In 1950, the two countries signed the Agreement between Canada and Costa Rica.[11]
In 1968, the two countries signed the Exchange of Notes between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the Republic of Costa Rica concerning the Abolition of Visas.[12]
In 1975, the two countries signed the Exchange of Notes between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the Republic of Costa Rica further amending the United Kingdom / Costa Rica Loan 1973.[13]
Economic relations
[edit]From 1 August 2013 until 30 December 2020, trade between Costa Rica and the UK was governed by the Central America–European Union Association Agreement, while the United Kingdom was a member of the European Union.[14] Following the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union, the UK and Costa Rica signed a continuity trade agreement on 18 July 2019, based on the EU free trade agreement; the agreement entered into force on 1 January 2021.[15][16] Trade value between Central America and the United Kingdom was worth £2,624 million in 2022.[17]
On 29 November 2024, Costa Rica was invited to open negotiations to join Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, a trade bloc of which the United Kingdom is a member.[18][19]
Diplomatic missions
[edit]
Costa Rica has an embassy in London.[20] The mission was raised to the status of embassy in 1956, having previously been a legation.[21]
María del Carmen Gutiérrez Chamberlain de Chittenden, ambassador from 1962, was the first woman ambassador accredited to the Court of St James's.[citation needed]
The United Kingdom has an embassy in San José.[22]
List of ambassadors
[edit]Ministers
[edit]- 1876?: Francisco María Iglesias Llorente
- 1882 to 1887: León Fernández Bonilla (non-resident)
- 1887 to 1898: Manuel María de Peralta y Alfaro (resident in Paris)
- 1913 to 1919: Wenceslao de la Guardia y Fábrega
- 1950?: Luis Dobles Segreda (resident in?)
- 1954 to 1956: Virginia Prestinary de Gallegos
Ambassadors of Costa Rica to the United Kingdom
[edit]- 1957 to ?: Humberto Pacheco Coto
- 1958 to 1962: Alfredo Alfaro Sotela
- 1962 to 1966: María del Carmen Gutiérrez Chamberlain de Chittenden
- 1966 to ?: Claudia Cascante de Rojas
- 1970 to 1974: Manuel Escalante Durán
- 1974 to 1977?: Eduardo Echeverría-Villafranca
- 1977 to 1978: Fernando Soto-Harrison
- 1978 to 1981: Carlos Manuel Gutiérrez-Cañas
- 1982 to 1986: Jorge Borbón Zeller[23]
- 1986 to 1988: Marcelo Martén Sancho[24][25]
- 1989 to 1990: Miguel Yamuni Tabush
- 1990 to 199(3): Luís Rafael Tinoco Alvarado
- 199(5) to 1998: Jorge Borbón Zeller[26]
- 1998 to ?: Rodolfo Gutiérrez Carranza[27]
- 2007 to 2015: Pilar Saborío de Rocafort[28]
- 2015 to 2018: José Enrique Castillo Barrantes[29][30]
- 2018 to present: Rafael Ortiz Fábrega
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b "A Life Livelier: British art and diplomacy in Costa Rica". Government Art Collection.
- ^ a b https://www.rree.go.cr/?sec=exterior&cat=politica&cont=522&pais=GB
- ^ "UK-Central America association agreement". GOV.UK. January 1, 2022.
- ^ a b "FCDO Treaties - Treaty of Friendship, Commerce, and Navigation between Great Britain and Costa Rica".
- ^ "FCDO Treaties - Convention with the Postal Administration of the Republic of Costa Rica for the exchange of postal parcels, with Detailed Regulations".
- ^ "FCDO Treaties - Agreement between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Costa Rica for the Exchange of Postal Money Orders".
- ^ "FCDO Treaties - Exchange of Notes between Great Britain and Costa Rica relative to the Importation from Great Britain into Costa Rica of Opium and similar Drugs".
- ^ "FCDO Treaties - Convention between Her Majesty's Government and the Government of Costa Rica for the Submission to Arbitration of Certain Claims against the Government of Costa Rica".
- ^ "FCDO Treaties - Convention between His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom and the Government of Costa Rica respecting Commercial Travellers".
- ^ "FCDO Treaties - Exchange of Notes between the Government of the Irish Free State and the Costa Rican Government in regard to Commercial Relations".
- ^ "FCDO Treaties - Agreement between Canada and Costa Rica".
- ^ "FCDO Treaties - Exchange of Notes between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the Republic of Costa Rica concerning the Abolition of Visas".
- ^ "FCDO Treaties - Exchange of Notes between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the Republic of Costa Rica further amending the United Kingdom / Costa Rica Loan 1973".
- ^ "EU - Central America". World Trade Organization. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
- ^ "UK and Central America sign continuity agreement". GOV.UK. 18 July 2019. Archived from the original on 18 July 2019. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
- ^ Cotton, Barney (19 July 2019). "UK and Central America sign continuity agreement". Business Leader. Archived from the original on 9 August 2022. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
- ^ "UK trade agreements in effect". GOV.UK. 3 November 2022. Archived from the original on 17 January 2024. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
- ^ Murillo, Alavaro (11 August 2022). "Costa Rica seeks entry to trans-Pacific trade bloc". Reuters. San Jose. Archived from the original on 11 August 2022. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
- ^ Martinez, Juan (29 November 2024). "Costa Rica Invited to Join Pacific Trade Powerhouse CPTPP". The Rio Times. Archived from the original on 29 November 2024. Retrieved 29 November 2024.
- ^ "The London Diplomatic List" (PDF). 8 December 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-12-11.
- ^ "Missions Raised To Embassy Status". The Times. 12 December 1956.
- ^ "British Embassy San Jose - GOV.UK". www.gov.uk.
- ^ "Court Circular". The Times. 21 July 1982.
- ^ "Court Circular". The Times. 15 October 1986.
- ^ "Court Circular". The Times. 4 August 1988.
- ^ "Court Circular". The Times. 9 February 1995.
- ^ "Court Circular". The Times. 18 December 1998.
- ^ "New Permanent Representative of Costa Rica presents credentials". Press Releases. United Nations Information Service. 19 February 2015. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
- ^ "His Excellency J. Enrique Castillo". Diplomat Magazine. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
- ^ "New ambassadors from Australia, Honduras, South Sudan and Costa Rica". Government Offices of Sweden. September 2016. Retrieved 29 May 2017.