The creation of new free zone companies has decreased by 35%, because of the absence of a textile parity arrangement between the Dominican Republic and the United States. According to Eddy Martinez, executive director of the Asociación Dominicana de Zonas Francas (ADOZONA), only 25 free zone companies have been started during the first 8 months of the year, when for the same period last year 39 companies commenced operations. The decrease has caused the loss of 10,000 jobs.