The United States has announced that the DR- CAFTA agreement would not be starting on 1 January 2006 as had been previously aimed for by the US Trade Representative. The reasons given were that none of the Central American countries, as well as the Dominican Republic, had completed the technical measures needed to get CAFTA to work in their respective territories. These changes included legislative measures, tariff and tax reforms and the publication of new customs documents and regulations. According to Steve Norton, the spokesman for the United States Trade Office, the US will continue “working with their CAFTA trading partners.” The spokesperson said that some of the countries might be ready for start up by 1 February and others by 1 March. He pointed out that the Dominican Republic would enter the agreement in July 2006.