Distributing a product

Market shares

La Fragua and Almacenes Paiz

Organizations in the retail sector

Association of Franchises

We can identify professional tradeshows on your sector.

Market access procedures

International Conventions

Party to the Montreal protocol on Substances that deplete the Ozone Layer
Wassenaar arrangement on export controls for conventional arms and dual-use goods and technologies

International economic cooperation

Guatemala is part of the FTAA: Free Trade Area of the Americas, as well as the Central-American Common Market 

Non tariff barriers

Guatemela's import regime is fairly liberal. All food industry products have to be registered with the Registration and Control of Foodstuff Department (Ministry of Health). The labelling has to mention all the ingredients, the registration number and the use by date.  Pharmaceutical products have to have a Ministry of Health "sanitary inscription" before they can be commercialized in Guatemala.

Customs duties and taxes on imports

5.8%

Customs classification

Guatemala uses the Harmonised Customs System. The customs duties are calculated Ad valorem on the CIF value. Customs is managed by the Ministry of Finance (Spanish only). Guatemala applies the Central American Tarif schedule (SAC) in the context of the Central America-European Union Agreement (Guatemala, Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua).  The SAC has set a customs ceiling of 15% and a minimum of 0%.  Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador have more or less eliminated customs duties between their countries.  Industrial products and equipment goods not produced in the agreement countries are mostly taxed at 0%.  To find out about customs in Guatemala, refer to the Mininstry of Economy of Guatemala. (Spaninsh only with some documents available in English).

Import procedures

Guatemala uses the Harmonised Customs System. The customs duties are calculated Ad valorem on the CIF value. Customs is managed by the Ministry of Finance (Spanish only). Guatemala applies the Central American Tarif schedule (SAC) in the context of the Central America-European Union Agreement (Guatemala, Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua).  The SAC has set a customs ceiling of 15% and a minimum of 0%.  There is however, a certain amount of flexibility when applying the said agreements as much on the validity date of the harmonisation as on the coverage. Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador have more or less eliminated customs duties between their countries.  Industrial products and equipment goods not produced in the agreement countries are mostly taxed at 0%.  To find out about customs in Guatemala, refer to the Mininstry of Economy of Guatemala. (Spaninsh only for the documentation on SAC ).

Importing samples

It is allowed to import samples which do not have commercial value. The importer has to show documentation on the product with a price estimate of the product.  When going through customs, the value of the sample will be determined and an import tax will be charged based on this value.  Refer to the importing samples documentation on the SAT (in Spanish).

For further information

SAT (Superintendencia de administración tributaria). Guatemala customs information website (in Spanish)

We can indicate you which are the customs duties applied to your product.

Find out the local taxes that apply to your product.

Organizing goods transport

Main useful means of transport

The road network is in the middle of expansion. It is becoming modern and allowing for a much wider capacity of goods circulation: Of note is the price of fuel in Guatemala which is much cheaper.  The railroad network counts for only 800km of tracks and is highly inadequate. It is only used to move agricultural products towards the departure port:  The 5 main ports are: Santo Thomas de Castille for containers; Puerto Barrios on the atlantic, Puerto San Jose for liquids, Puerto Quetzal for grains and Champerico for peaches.  Santo Thomas de Castillo is the most important port with regard to industrial merchandise volume.  Pueto Quetzal has the most modern equipment.  These two ports alone have a total of 80% of the maritime traffic.

Ports

National Port Commission of Guatemala

Airports

Guatemala Directorate of Civil Aviation (in Spanish)
Mundos Maya international airport (Stanta Elena)

Sea transport organizations

CPN - Guatemala
Ministry of transports

Air transport organizations

Ministry of Communication, Infrastructure and Housing (Spanish only)

Road transport organizations

Ministry of Transports.

Rail transport organizations

Ministry of Transports.

Get a ballpark figure for transportation costs for your product in this country through a shipping estimate.

Identifying a supplier

Type of production

The Manufacturing industry represents 12.6% of the GDP. With the Central American Common Market and the FTAA, Guatemala has at its disposition an advantageous market which it makes good use of.  With the establishment of maquilas ("in-bond" industries), the maquiladoras sector has become one of the most important sectors for the country.
Guatemala also has a considerable and competitive chemical industry.
The other important sectors are: the cosmetic, paper, metal products, construction materials and crystal industries.

In conclusion, the production structure of the Guatemalan market is oligopolistic, which tends to be a handicap for competition but which has the advantage giving the investors a large choice and the country is not dependant on a single sector.

Business directories

Guatemalan Investment Bureau.

Manufacturers associations of the main industries

VESTEX: Apparel and Textile industry

Trade Agencies and their representations abroad

Guatemala Chamber of Commerce (Spanish only)

Enterprises federation

Micro-enterprise Development Foundation (Spanish only)
Vice-Ministry for the Development of Micro-enterprises (Spanish only)
GUATEFONDO Private Equity Fund for Guatemalan medium companies

Standards

National standards organizations

COGUANOR, Guatemalan Standards Commission
OGA, Accreditation Bureau
Ministry of Economy website on standards

Integration in the international standards network

The relevant organization that legally lays down the standards in force is the Guatemalan Standards Commission (COGUANOR - Spanish only). Guatemala is a member country of the International Organization of Legal Metrology (OIML), of the International Organization of Standardization (ISO), of the International Eletrotechnical Commission (IEC) and of the Pan American Standards Commission (COPANT).

Classification of standards

For the classification of the different standards, see the COGUANOR website.

Online consultation of standards

Refer to the standards website: COGUANOR

Certification organizations

National Standards Commission (COGUANOR)
General management of Regulation, Vigilance and Health Control

Find out the standards and labelling requirements that apply to your products.

Intellectual Property

National organizations

The "Intellectual Property Decree" no 57-2000 was ratified by the whole of Central America. This decree established a uniform legal environment for the whole region as well as a database on brands and logos. One has to register with the Registro de la Propriedad Industrial, an organization responsible for the protection of intellectual property in Guatemala.
Guatemala is a signatory of the Berne convention and of the Treaty of Rome. By virtue of the Central American agreement for the protection of industrial property, preferential registration is guaranteed for a Guatemalan brand in whichever Central American country during the first 6 months following its registration in Guatemala.

Regional organizations

Guatemala is a member of WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization) and has ratified the WIPO Copyright Treaty (WCT), as well as the WPPT, Performances and Phonograms Treaty.  It is also a member of the WTO.  It has signed the Paris convention, the Berne Convention, the Rome Convention and the Nairobi Treaty.