Wine Law

432 WINE LAW During 2019, several complementary rules were modified to simplify and speed up FDI procedures, and work is underway to create a single window for foreign trade, with a view to its full operation in 2019. Another relevant fact is the evolution of the MSZD, which currently has 41 users and an investment amount of 1.663 billion dollars, as reported by the Director of the Single Window System, Wendy Miranda. The approved entities, she stated, are five companies with 100% Cuban capital: 23 entirely foreign, 11 mixed firms and two international economic associations, from 19 nations. The Foreign Investment Opportunities Portfolio 2018-2019 had 525 projects, with an estimated investment of more than 11.609 billion dollars. On this occasion, 168 new projects related to livestock, food, light and iron and steel industries, as well as chemicals, tourism and mining, are incorporated. Likewise, 104 completed projects have already changed their scope or are under negotiation are being withdrawn. Similarly, the investment amounts of 13 projects are adjusted, according to the results of their pre-feasibility studies, and the policy for the industrial sector is updated, emphasising the need to achieve productive linkages 26 . As for the MSZD, Cuba approved the installation of five new foreign companies in the zone, which already has 24 projects from 11 countries for a total investment amount of more than 966 million dollars. Among the new companies, two are Spanish: the Tot Color group, which will manufacture automotive paints, and the Iberostar chain, which formed a joint venture with a Cuban company to offer specialised logistics services to tourism. The Portuguese company Engimov will also begin operations on the island, to carry out design, engineering and construction activities. Completing the list, are the Brazilian Fidas do Brasil and the Panamanian Autocentro, both dedicated to logistics. The Opportunities Portfolio 2019-2020 has 460 projects, 47 of them in the MSZD, and an estimated investment amount of more than 11 million dollars. In addition to these potentialities, the government policy that prioritises technological research and innovation and basic infrastructure throughout the country – with communication networks, airports, ports that admit the docking of deep-draft ships, more than 95% of the national territory electrified and rail and road communication –, among other aspects, favour the effective installation of businesses in their different modalities. In a recent interview, the Cuban Minister of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment, Rodrigo Malmierca Díaz, stated: “Other actions underway to facilitate these investment processes 26 Nueva Cartera de oportunidades de Inversión Extranjera de Cuba en Fihav 2018 , Granma, 31-10-2018.