. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/CRI/35 
20 August 2004 
 
 (04-3492) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   Spanish 
  
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  COSTA RICA
 
If applicable, name of local government involved: 
2. Agency responsible:  Ministry of Agriculture and Livest ock, State Phytosanitary Service 
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national schedules 
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where 
applicable):  Wood packaging material 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable:  All 
trading partners 
5. Title, language and number of pages of the notified document:  Regulations Governing 
Wood Packaging Material in International Trade  (15 pages, in Spanish).  
6. Description of content:  These Regulations establish the measures to be applied by the 
government of Costa Rica to reduce the risk of pe st spread, pursuant to International Standard 
for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM) No. 15 "Guidelines for Regulating Wood Packaging Material in International Trade".  The Regula tions apply to conifer ous and non-coniferous 
raw wood packaging material that may serve as a pathway for plant pests posing a threat 
mainly to living trees.  The Regulations cover wood packaging material such as pallets, 
dunnage, crating, packing blocks, drums, cases, load boards, pallet co llars and skids.  Wood 
packaging made wholly of w ood-based products is exempt.
 
7. Objective and rationale: [    ] food safety,  [    ] animal health,  [  X ] plant protection, 
[   ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [    ] protect territory from other 
damage from pests 
8. International standard, guideline or recommendation: 
[   ] Codex Alimentarius Commission,  [   ] World Organization for Animal Health 
(OIE), [ X ] International Plant Protection Convention,  [   ] None 
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate 
reference and briefly identify deviations:  International Standard for Phytosanitary 
Measures (ISPM) No. 15 of the Internati onal Plant Protection Convention (IPPC). 
9. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  Regulations 
Governing Wood Packaging Material in International Trade  (15 pages, in Spanish). 
10. Proposed date of adoption:  To be determined G/SPS/N/CRI/35 
Page 2  
 
 11. Proposed date of entry into force:  To be determined. 
12. Final date for comments:  60 days. 
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [  X ] National notification 
authority, [    ] National enquiry point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if 
available) of other body: 
13. Texts available from:  [    ] National notification authority, [  X ] National enquiry point, 
or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:  
National enquiry point: 
Ministerio de Agricultura y Ganadería Servicio de Protección Fitosanitaria del Estado 
Centro de Información y Notificación en Medidas Sanitarias y Fitosanitarias Apartado Postal 70-3006 
Barreal de Heredia, Costa Rica 
Tel.:  (506) 260-8300, Ext. 2065 Fax:  (506) 260-8301 E-mail:  notificaciones@protecnet.go.cr