WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/TBT/N/CRI/12 
19 July 2004 
 (04-3092) 
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 applicable, otherwise national tariff heading.
ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):   HS tariff subheading 
1604.14.90.10 
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:   Costa Rican 
Technical Regulation No. 385:2004 on Canne d Tuna  (14 pages, in Spanish). 
6. Description of content:   This Technical Regulation estab lishes 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, including the nature of urgent problems where applicable:    
 Protection of human health and the food safety of the population. G/TBT/N/CRI/12 
Page 2  
 
 8. 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 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 Point (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. 
9. Proposed date of adoption:  To be determined  
Proposed date of entry into force: Upon publication in the Official Journal, La Gaceta. 
 A nine-month period is provided for product labelling to be brought into compliance 
with the provisions of point 6 of this Regulation. 
 Otherwise unchanged.  G/TBT/N/CRI/12 
 Page 3 
 
 
 10. Final date for comments:   60 days as of the date of publication. 
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 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