Summary.
The draft bill amends Article 32 of Law 11 of February 22, 2011, the General Law on National Handicrafts. It requires the National Directorate to provide opportunities for artisans registered in the National Register of Artisans (Registro Nacional de Artesanos) to participate directly when the State organizes, coordinates, or takes part in national or international trade, cultural, tourism, or industry events, including fairs and congresses. Participation would take place through booths or designated locations intended to showcase Panamanian handicrafts. Invitations and support would be channeled through the Ministry of Culture (Ministerio de Cultura), so that the National Directorate can certify the registration of interested participants and the handicraft items to be exhibited, through public proceedings or calls for applications.
To fulfill that obligation, the National Directorate of Handicrafts (Dirección Nacional de Artesanías) would reserve a minimum percentage of exhibition and sales spaces exclusively for artisans, artisan organizations, or artisan businesses registered in the National Register of Artisans. It would include an allocation in its annual budget to cover all or part of the participation costs of selected artisans. It would also issue public calls for applications using objective and transparent criteria, giving priority to artisans who have received awards or whose work has been recognized through handicraft awards, under the procedure to be established. It would coordinate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores), the Panama Tourism Authority (Autoridad de Turismo de Panamá), and other relevant entities to secure spaces and logistical arrangements. If another entity manages the State’s participation, it would have to coordinate beforehand with the National Directorate of Handicrafts.
Article 2 amends Article 53 of the same law. It requires the Ministry of Economy and Finance (Ministerio de Economía y Finanzas) to provide for the funds the Ministry of Culture would need to implement it. This provision would include resources for artisan participation in national and international fairs, congresses, and events, and the National Directorate of Handicrafts would include the allocation in its annual draft budget. Article 3 identifies Articles 32 and 53 as provisions amended in Law 11 of February 22, 2011, which was previously amended by Law 90 of August 15, 2019.
Article 4 requires the Executive Branch (Órgano Ejecutivo), through the Ministry of Culture, to prepare and publish a consolidated text of Law 11 of 2011 within 90 calendar days of promulgation. The text would incorporate the amendments made by that date, including the proposed provisions on artisan participation. Its numbering would begin with Article 1; amendments, additions, repeals, references, and cross references would be reconciled, provisions no longer in force would be omitted, and formal corrections would be made without changing the substance of the law. Following approval by executive decree, its immediate publication in the Official Gazette (Gaceta Oficial) would be ordered. Article 5 provides that the law would take effect upon promulgation.
In scope, the draft bill concerns the public entities named above and artisans, artisan organizations, and artisan businesses, as well as the cultural, commercial, and tourism sectors.
What it proposes.
- Participation of registered artisans in fairs, congresses, and other events.
- Public selection and budget support for that participation.
- Institutional coordination and updating the consolidated text of handicraft legislation.
Who it would affect.
- Artisans registered in the National Register of Artisans.
- Registered artisan organizations and businesses.
- Entities managing State participation in the covered events.
Key points.
- The National Directorate would provide opportunities for registered artisans to participate directly when the State takes part in the covered events.Art. 1
- The Ministry of Culture would channel invitations and support to enable certification of participants and the handicraft items to be exhibited.Art. 1
- The National Directorate of Handicrafts would reserve spaces, budget for participation costs, and select artisans through public calls for applications.Art. 1
- Entities managing State participation would have to coordinate beforehand with the National Directorate of Handicrafts.Art. 1
- The Ministry of Economy and Finance would provide for funding for artisan participation, which the National Directorate of Handicrafts would include in its annual draft budget.Art. 2
- The Executive Branch would prepare and publish a consolidated text of the handicraft legislation within 90 calendar days of promulgation.Art. 4
- The law would take effect upon promulgation.Art. 5