The Export Processing Free Zone of San Bartolo in El Salvador

The previous chapter by Weersma-Haworth has indicated that EPFZs are not a new phenomenon in Central America and the Caribbean and that an increasing number of zones has been established in the countries in the region. The study shows that nearly all countries in the region have designed packages of instruments to attract foreign investors to the zones within their borders. Moreover, it has been indicated that the way zones operate has been changing in several respects and that zones may differ substantially in terms of management and organisation, sources of investments and types of specialisation. As a consequence, it is hard to generalise about the contribution of EPFZs to industrial development, employment and exports. This chapter reviews the policies pursued in El Salvador to stimulate the establishment of EPFZs and presents a case study of the functioning of the San Bartolo EPFZ.