WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
G/TBT/N/CRI/8 
4 June 2004  
 
(04-2406) 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:  Spanish 
  
NOTIFICATION 
 
The following notification is being circ ulated in accordance with Article 10.6. 
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   REPUBLIC OF COSTA RICA 
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):     
2. Agency responsible:    
Ministry of the Economy, Industry and Trade (MEIC) 
Technical Regulation Body 
Tel.: (506) 297-1439 and 235-2700, ext. 265 
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, E-mail and Web site 
addresses, if available) of  agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be  indicated if different from above:    
TBT Enquiry Point 
Ministry of the Economy, Industry and Trade (MEIC) 
P.O. Box 10216-1000 Tel.: (506) 297-1439 Fax: (506) 297-1439 E-mail: crotc@meic.go.cr 
Web site: www.meic.go.cr  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [  X ], 2.10.1 [   ], 5.6.2 [   ], 5.7.1 [   ], other:     
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where app licable, otherwise national tariff heading.
ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):   HS tariff item No. 
1208.10.00 
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:   Costa Rican 
Technical Regulation (RTCR) No. 384:2004 on Kidney Beans  (23 pages, in Spanish).  
6. Description of content:   This Technical Regulation defines the characteristics and qualities 
of domestic and imported raw kidney bean s marketed for human consumption. 
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where applicable:    
 Protection of human health and safety and of animal and plant life and health and 
prevention of consumer deception. G/TBT/N/CRI/8 
Page 2  
 
 
8. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  
Costa Rican Standard (NCR) No. 148:1993, "Metrología: Contenido Neto de 
Preempacados" (Metrology: net contents of  pre-packaged goods), approved by Executive 
Decree No. 22268-MEIC, published on 13 July 1993. 
Executive Decree No. 26480-MEIC, "Reforma a la Norma sobre Metrología: Contenido 
Neto de Preempacados" (Amendment to the St andard on metrology: net contents of pre-
packaged goods), published on 2 December 1997. 
Costa Rican Technical Regulation (RTCR) No. 100:1997, "Etiquetado de los Alimentos 
Preenvasados" (Labelling of pre-packaged foods), approved by Executive Decree No. 
26012-MEIC, published on 14 May 1997. 
Costa Rican Technical Regulation (RTCR) No. 135:2002, "Etiquetado Nutricional de los 
Alimentos Preenvasados " (Nutritional labelling of pre-packaged food), approved by 
Executive Decree No. 30256-MEIC-S, published on 15 April 2002. 
National Production Council (CNP), "Procedimie nto para la Determinación Cuantitativa de 
las Impurezas en Muestras de Frijol" (Pro cedure for the quantitative determination of 
impurities in bean samples), PAL 0012, San José, 20 November 1995. 
García, V., Molina, R. and Benavides, F., "Fact or de Corrección para el Tiempo de Cocción 
del Frijol Según la Altitud" (Correction factor  for bean cooking times at altitude), Grain and 
Seed Research Centre (CIGRAS), University of Costa Rica, San José, May 2001, 26 p. 
Guatemala, Central American Institute of Industrial Research and Technology (ICAITI) 
34048, "Granos Comerciales, Frijol en Grano"  (Commercial seeds, kidney beans), First 
Revision, Guatemala, July 1978. 
Guatemala, ICAITI 34052 118, "Granos Comerc iales, Frijol en Grano, Determinación del 
Tiempo de Cocción" (Commercial seeds, kidne y beans, determination of cooking time), 
Guatemala, July 1978. 
Dumani Echandi, Marcela, "Campaña Educativ a para Promover el Consumo de Fríjoles:  
Balance Final" (Educational campaign to prom ote bean consumption: overall appraisal), 
School of Nutrition, University of Costa Rica , Costa Rica, VI Taller  PITTA Frijol (Sixth 
Bean Research and Technology Transfer Programme workshop), San José, 2002, 17-22. 
Dumani Echandi, Marcela, "Producción Nacional y su Significado para la Salud y el Estado 
Nutricional de la Población Costarricense" (D omestic production and its implications for 
the health and nutritional status of the Costa Rican population), School of Nutrition, University of Costa Rica, Costa Rica, V Ta ller PITTA Frijol (Fifth Bean Research and 
Technology Transfer Programme workshop), San José, 13-16. 
Mora, Miguel, "Glosario Técnico sobre Factores de Calidad en Granos Básicos" (Technical 
glossary on quality factors in staple grains), Course AF-5418, School of Plant Science, 
Faculty of Agronomy, University of Costa Rica, San José. 
Mora, Miguel, "Influencia de Diferentes Temperaturas y Contenidos de Humedad sobre el 
Tiempo de Cocción de Frijol ( Phaseolus vulgaris L.) almacenado durante 18 meses" 
(Influence of different temperatures and moistu re contents on the cooking time of beans 
(Phaseolus vulgaris  L.) stored for 18 months), Revista Agronomía Costarricense (Costa 
Rican Agricultural Science Journal), San José, 1982. 87-89. 
Mora, Miguel, "Variables Relacionadas con la Determinación del Tiempo de Cocción de 
Frijol ( Phaseolus vulgaris L.)" (Variables related to the determination of the cooking time 
of beans ( Phaseolus vulgaris  L.)), Revista Agronomía Costarricense , San José, 1982, 91-94. 
   G/TBT/N/CRI/8 
 Page 3 
 
 
9. Proposed date of adoption:  To be determined  
Proposed date of entry into force:  Upon publication in the Official Journal, 
La Gaceta   
10. Final date for comments:   60 days as of the date of notification. 
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [  X ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and E-mail and Web site addresses,  if available, of the other body:   
Centro de Información de Obstáculos 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