G/SPS/N/CRI/160
5 May 2015
(15-2401)  Page: 1/2
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: Spanish
 
  NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY MEASURES 
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 Livestock, State Phytosanitary Service) 
3. Products covered (provide tariff item  number(s) as specified in national 
schedules deposited with the WTO; ICS num bers should be provided in addition, 
where applicable): HS code 0804: Fresh avocados 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable: 
[ ] All trading partners, or 
[X]    Specific regions or countries: Australia, Spain, Ghana, Guatemala, Israel, Mexico, 
South Africa and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.  
5. Title of the notified document: Resolución N° DSFE 03-2015 de Medidas Fitosanitarias 
Importaciones de Persea americana Mill  (Resolution DSFE 03-2015 on phytosanitary 
measures applicable to imports of Persea americana  Mill) Language(s): Spanish Number 
of pages: 3 
http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2015/SPS/CRI/15_1870_00_s.pdf 
6. Description of content: Precautionary measure relating to the presence of Avocado 
Sunblotch Viroid  in various avocado-producing countries. 
The notified text temporarily suspends the issuing of phytosanitary import certificates for 
avocados ( Persea americana  Mill) from the following countries: Australia, Spain, Ghana, 
Guatemala, Israel, Mexico, South Africa and Venezuela. 
It orders the revision of phytosanitary requirements, through the updating of the pest risk 
analysis for Avocado Sunblotch Viroid . 
7. Objective and rationale: [ ] food safety, [ ] animal heal th, [X] plant protection, [ ] 
protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [ ] protect territory from 
other damage from pests.  
8. Nature of the urgent problem(s)  and reasons for urgent action: The most recent 
samples taken to verify the absence of Avocado Sunblotch Viroid  in Costa Rica confirmed 
that the disease was not present. 
The notified text therefore temporarily suspends the issuing of phytosanitary import 
certificates for avocados ( Persea americana  Mill) from the following countries: Australia, 
Spain, Ghana, Guatemala, Israel, Me xico, South Africa and Venezuela. 
Existing phytosanitary import requirements for avocados will be revised and updated 
through a pest risk analysis.  G/SPS/N/CRI/160 
- 2 - 
  9. 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 Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g. Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number)  
[X] International Plant Protection Convention ( e.g. ISPM No. ) ISPM No. 20: 
Guidelines for a phytosanitary import regulatory system. 
[ ] None  
Does this proposed regulation conform to  the relevant international standard?  
[X] Yes [ ] No 
If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:   
10. Other relevant documents and language (s) in which these are available:  
11. Date of entry into force ( dd/mm/yy )/period of application (as applicable): 
Immediately. The measure will be applied while the relevant pest risk analysis is being carried out. 
[ ] Trade facilitating measure  
12. Agency or authority designated to hand le comments: [X] National Notification 
Authority, [ ] National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and email address (if 
available) of other body:   
13. Text(s) available from: [X] National Noti fication Authority, [X] National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and email 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 
Email: puntocontactoMSF@sfe.go.cr