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(...) Since 2006, Bolivia has notified the adoption of only three technical regulations to the WTO Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade, concerning protection of the environment, health, and consumers. Two technical regulations implemented within the Andean Community (CAN) framework were also notified.

Bolivia's Economic and Social Development Plan (PDES, 2016 2020) represents the strategic framework and prioritization of goals, outcomes and actions to be developed in the period in question. (...) It also envisages investment in production complexes, in the agricultural and agro-industrial sector, in infrastructure, exploration for raw materials (mining and hydrocarbons), industrial processing of natural resources, and both thermal and hydroelectric power generation. (...)

The PDES 2016 2020 envisages GDP growth averaging 5.8% in 2015 2020 , up from 3.6% in 1990 2005 and 5.1% in 2006 2014; and it projects per capita GDP rising to US$5,000 by 2020. To achieve these goals, the Plan proposes measures to ensure a sustainable growth of economic activity and to preserve macroeconomic stability and fiscal sustainability, through higher incomes. (...) Specifically, it is planned to devote 56% of estimated public investment funds to industrialization processes and value added creation in the hydrocarbons, mining, agricultural, tourism, energy, and manufacturing sectors and industrial complexes; 23% is to be invested in infrastructure, particularly roads, railways, ports, airports and waterways; 11% will go to social sectors; and 10% to the environment and water.

Table 1.5 Main industrial investment projects, executed and under way in 2006 2016
(US$ million)
Sector Project Investment
(...)
Electric energy (...)
1 wind farm (Phases I and II) (Cochabamba); 1 solar power plant (Pando) 4
(...)

By 2020, Bolivia expects to raise the share of manufacturing in overall exports to 28%; to increase the share of organic products in total exports to 12%; and to attain the target of 800,000 tonnes for agricultural exports. The Government is accordingly seeking to take advantage of the nine regional trade agreements it has signed in order to promote Bolivian exports (section 2.3.2).

By 2025 Bolivia aims to be a food producing and processing country, a producer and exporter of electricity taking full advantage of its hydroelectric potential and successfully developing high power generation capacity projects based on renewable energy sources (such as wind, biomass, geothermal, and solar energy), a country of tourism, cottage and manufacturing industries, a producer and exporter of unique food products and other, mass consumption items with high value added, a communication and transport services hub, and a country of invaluable human resources with scientific and technological know how that contributes to building the nation. Hence, the Government is promoting import substitution with high quality domestic products.

Table 2.2 Institutions involved in trade policy
Ministry Main functions/objectives Institutions

(...)
Energy • Formulate and evaluate policies, regulations and plans for the sector, in order to guarantee efficiency, security and sovereignty in the energy field (electricity, lithium, nuclear energy);
• Consolidate Bolivia's position as the region's energy hub by exporting surplus energy. Authority for the Supervision and Social Control of Electricity (AE)

National Electricity Company (ENDE)

Bolivian Nuclear Energy Agency (ABEN)

Yacimientos de Litio Bolivianos (YLB)

Bolivian Institute of Science and Nuclear Technology (IBTEN)
(...)

Under current legislation, the guiding principles of the Andean integration process are: Andean citizen participation through integration; a common external policy; trade integration and economic complementarity, promotion of sustainable production, trade and consumption; physical integration and border development; social development; environment; tourism; security; culture; cooperation; energy integration and natural resources; and the institutional development of the CAN. The main policy guidelines for the CAN are: strengthening and vitalizing the Andean integration process, promoting the "re engineering" of the Andean Integration System; fomenting the process of convergence and dialogue between the various regional and subregional integration mechanisms, in particular MERCOSUR, the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) [35] and the LAIA; and promoting regional energy integration.

[35] UNASUR was created in 2008 to promote regional integration in the fields of energy, education, health, the environment, infrastructure, security and democracy. Besides Bolivia, the other members are: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay and Venezuela. Panama and Mexico are observers. Online information from UNASUR. Viewed at: http://www.unasur.org.

ACE (economic complementarity agreement) No. 70, whose aim is to establish the economic area of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America – Peoples' Trade Agreement (ALBA–TCP), was signed on 11 July 2013 by Bolivia, Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela. According to the authorities, the Agreement seeks to bring about integration that transcends the commercial sphere and is based on communitarian principles, cooperation, solidarity, and a shared determination to move forward and promote fair and sustainable development. It calls for complementarity in the face of competition, reciprocity, life in harmony with nature rather than irrational exploitation of resources, and the defence of social ownership.

At the same time, the Political Constitution empowers the State: to exercise the right and duty to spearhead the process of economic and social planning; to manage and control strategic sectors of the economy (hydrocarbons, mining/metalworking, electricity and environmental resources), as surplus generating sectors of which the State has resumed control and management ; (...)