World TPO Awards 2008

Panellists' Surprise Award

Costa Rica’s trade promotion organization, Foreign Trade Corporation of Costa Rica (PROCOMER) won the Panellists' Surprise Award.

The export promotion policies developed by PROCOMER, launched in 1996, have enabled the country to increase its exports twofold and transform its export supply.

Since 1996, traditional agricultural products – such as bananas and coffee – and light manufacturing were complemented by greater sales abroad of high technology products, including electronic and medical devices, as well as growing and dynamic services exports. For example, in 2007, exports of science-based products represented 31% of exported manufactured products, up from 10% in 1994.

Market diversification is working

Historically, Costa Rica has had a high concentration of exports in the US market. Thanks to PROCOMER’s focus on diversifying its export market, this concentration has contracted from 52.4% in 1997 to 37.8% in 2007. In parallel, Costa Rica has increased its exports to Asian countries from 2.8% in 1997 to 21% in 2007.

PROCOMER brought together three agencies and focuses on delivering targeted services to its clients, including small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which represent 76% of the exporters of goods.

Since 2006, PROCOMER has been promoting a culture of quality, continuous improvement and competitiveness. PROCOMER’s Quality Management System is certified under ISO 9001:2000. As a result, there is ongoing monitoring and evaluation of the organization’s ability to meet the needs and expectations of its clients, and to create a portfolio of services to help them meet the challenges of global trade.