WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/CRI/34 
21 July 2004 
 (04-3142) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   Spanish 
  
NOTIFICATION 
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  REPUBLIC OF COSTA RICA
 
If applicable, name of local government involved:    
2. Agency responsible:  
Ministry of the Economy, Industry and Trade (MEIC) 
Technical Regulation Body 
Tel.: (506) 297-1439 and 235-2700, ext. 265 
E-mail: crotc@meic.go.cr   
Web site: www.meic.go.cr  
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):  Canned tuna (HS tariff item No. 1604.14.90.10)  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable:  All 
parties trading this product with Costa Rica. 
5. Title, language and number of p ages of the notified document:  Costa Rican Technical 
Regulation No. 385:2004 on Canned Tu na  (14 pages, in Spanish).  
6. Description of content:  This Technical Regulation establis hes the quality, packaging and 
labelling requirements for canne d tuna and bonito for human c onsumption. It does not apply 
to mixed products where the fish content constitutes less than 50 per cent of drained weight. 
7. Objective and rationale: [  X ] food safety,  [    ] animal health,  [    ] 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), [   ] International Plant Protection Convention,  [   ] None If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate 
reference and briefly identify deviations:    
9. 
 
 
    
 Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  
Food Health Regulations, Ministry of Health , Legal Advisory Department, Republic of 
Chile, Decree No. 977/97, updated on 30 July 2000; 
Costa Rican Technical Regulation (RTCR) No. 135:2002, "Reglamento Técnico para el 
Etiquetado Nutricional de los Alimentos Preenvasados" (Technical Regulation on the 
nutritional labelling of pre-packaged f ood), Costa Rica, 2002, approved by Executive 
Decree No. 30256-MEIC-S, published in La Gaceta  (Official Journal) on 15 April 2002; 
Costa Rican Technical Regulation (RTCR) No. 100:1997, "Etiquetado de los Alimentos 
Preenvasados" (Labelling of pre-packaged foods), published in La Gaceta  No. 91 of G/SPS/N/CRI/34 
Page 2  
 
9. 
 Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  (cont'd) 
14 May 1997, Costa Rica, 1997, approved by Executive Decree No. 26012-MEIC; 
Amendment to Executive Decree No. 26012-MEIC, Costa Rica, 1998, approved by 
Executive Decree No. 26829-MEIC, published in La Gaceta  No. 74 of 17 April 1997; 
"Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP)", Costa Rica, 1998, approved by 
Executive Decree No. 26559-MAG-S, published in La Gaceta  No. 13 of 20 January 1998; 
Costa Rican Standard (NCR) No. 148:1993, "Metrología: Contenido Neto de 
Preempacados" (Metrology: net contents of pre-packaged goods), Costa Rica, 1993, 
approved by Executive Decree No. 22268-MEIC, published in La Gaceta  on 13 July 1993; 
Amendment to Executive Decree No. 22268-MEIC, Costa Rica, 1997, approved by 
Executive Decree No. 26480-MEIC, published in La Gaceta  No. 232 on 2 December 1997; 
"Reglamento de Inspección Veterinaria de Produc tos Pesqueros" (Regulation governing the 
veterinary inspection of fisheries products), Costa Rica, 1988, approved by Executive Decree No. 18696-MAG-S, published in La Gaceta  on 16 December 1988; 
"Sampling Procedures and Tables for Inspection by Attributes", Mil-Std 105E, Department 
of Defense, United States of America, 1989; 
Commission Regulation (EC) No 466/2001 of 8 March 2001 setting maximum levels for 
certain contaminants in foodstuffs, European Union, 2001; 
Council Regulation (EC) No 104/2000 of 17 December 1999 on the common organization 
of the markets in fishery and aquacu lture products, European Union, 2000; 
"Recommended International Code of Practic e: General Principles of Food Hygiene", 
CAC/RCP 1-1969, Rev. 3, 1997, ame nded in 1999, Food and Agriculture 
Organization/World Health Organization (FAO/WHO), Italy, 1969; 
"Codex Guidelines for the Sensory Evaluation of Fish and Shellfish in Laboratories", 
CAC/GL 31-1999, FAO/WHO, Italy, 1999; 
"Recommended International Code of Hygienic  Practice for Low-Acid and Acidified Low-
Acid Canned Foods", CAC/RCP 23-197, Rev. 2, 1993, FAO/WHO, Italy, 1979; 
"Recommended International Code of Prac tice for Canned Fish", CAC/RCP 10-1976, 
FAO/WHO, Italy, 1976; 
"Codex Alimentarius Sampling Plans for Prepackaged Foods" (AQL 6.5),  
CODEX STAN 233-1969, FAO/WHO, Italy, 1969. 
10. Proposed date of adoption:  To be determined 
11. Proposed date of entry into force:  Upon publication in the Official Journal, La Gaceta . A 
nine-month period is provided for product labe lling to be brought into compliance with the 
provisions of point 6 of this Regulation. 
12. Final date for comments:  60 days as of the date of notification. 
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [  X ] National notification 
authority, [    ] National enquiry point, or add ress, fax number and E-mail address (if 
available) of other body:    G/SPS/N/CRI/34 
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13. Texts available from:  [  X ] National notification authority, [  X ] National enquiry 
point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:   
Centro de Información de Obst áculos Técnicos al Comercio 
Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Comercio - MEIC  
Apartado Postal 10216-1000 
Tel.: (506) 297-1439 Fax: (506) 297-1439  E-mail: crotc@meic.go.cr
  
Web site:  www.meic.go.cr