. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
G/SPS/N/CRI/127 
24 July 2012 
 (12-4047) 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original: Spanish 
  
NOTIFICATION 
 
1. Notifying Member:  COSTA RICA 
If applicable, name of local government involved:  
2. Agency responsible:  Ministerio de Agricultura y Ganadería, Servicio Fitosanitario 
del Estado , SFE (Ministry of Agriculture and Liv estock, State Phytosanitary Service) 
3. Products covered (provide tariff item numbe r(s) as specified in national schedules 
deposited with the WTO;  ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where 
applicable):  Fresh  fruit, vegetables, roots, bulbs and t ubers for consumption or for use in 
the food industry. 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable: 
[X] All trading partners 
[ ] Specific regions or countries: 
5. Title of the notified document:  Guía Técnica ARF 05:  Requisitos Fitosanitarios para la 
Importación de Frutas, Hortalizas, Raíces, Bulbos y Tubérculos para Consumo Fresco o 
para la Industria.  Última actualización Julio 2012  (Technical Document on 
High Phytosanitary Risk No. 05:  Phytosanitary requirements for the importation of fresh fruit, vegetables, roots, bulbs and tubers for consumption or for use in the food industry) 
(Most recent update:  July 2012) 
Language(s):  Spanish Number of pages:  37 
Text available at: http://members.wto.org/crnattach ments/2012/sps/CRI/12_2843_00_s.pdf  
http://members.wto.org/crnattach ments/2012/sps/CRI/12_2843_01_s.pdf  
6. Description of content:  The notified text establishes  phytosanitary requirements for the 
importation of fresh fruit, vegetables, roots, bul bs and tubers for consumption or for use in 
the food industry. 
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.  G/SPS/N/CRI/127 
Page 2  
 
  8. Is there a relevant international stan dard?  If so, identify the standard:  
[ ] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g. title or serial number of Codex standard 
or related text)  
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g. Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number)  
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g. ISPM number)  
[X] None 
Does this proposed regulation conform to  the relevant international standard? 
 [ ] Yes [ ] No 
 If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard: 
9. Other relevant documents and language (s) in which these are available:  Reglamento 
Técnico RTCR 379:2000 Procedimie ntos para la aplicación de  requisitos fitosanitarios 
para la importación de plantas, productos veg etales y otros capaces de transportar plagas, 
Decreto Nº 29473-MEIC-MAG  (Costa Rican Technical Regulation RTCR 379:2000:  
Procedures for the implementation of phyt osanitary requirements for the importation 
of plants, plant products and other plant material capable of harbouring pests, 
Decree No. 29473-MEIC-MAG), published in Official Journal La Gaceta  No. 93 on 
16 May 2001 (available in Spanish). 
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) :  To be determined. 
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) :  To be determined. 
11. Proposed date of entry into force:  [X] Six months from date of publication , and/or  
(dd/mm/yy) : 
[ ] Trade facilitating measure 
12. Final date for comments:  [X] Sixty days  from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) :  22 September 2012 
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [X] National Notification 
Authority, [ ] National Enquiry Point.  Address, fax number and e-mail address 
(if available) of other body:  
13. Texts available from:  [X] National Notification Authority, [X] National Enquiry 
Point.  Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body:  
Ministerio de Agricultura y Ganadería 
Servicio Fitosanitario del Estado (SFE) 
Centro de Información y Notificación MSF Apartado Postal 1521 - 1200 San José, Costa Rica Tel.: (+506) 2549-3454 
Fax: (+506) 2549-3598 
E-mail: puntocontactoMSF@sfe.go.cr