TELECOMUNICATIONS BILL OF LAW APPROVED AT FIRST DEBATE IN THE LEGISLATURE

On April 30, 2008, the Legislative Assembly of Costa Rica passed the General Telecommunications Bill of Law at first debate.  This new law is aimed at opening the sector to competition and defining the conditions for participation in this market.  The initiative is part of the implementation agenda for the Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) with the United States.

This law had been approved at first debate on February 13th last, but the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice found fault with the legislative proceedings thus requiring correction by legislators and a new vote.

For the bill of law to take effect it must be approved at a second and then a final debate.  No date has been set for this vote as yet.   The law must subsequently be published in the Official Daily “The Gazette” for it to become effective.

Expectations are that the date for the second debate will be set during the week of Monday, May 12th of the current year, after five legislative sessions during which the congressmen will solely discuss and comment on the President of the Republic’s State of the Nation Address on May first and members of the legislative commissions are designated and sworn in.