G/SPS/N/CRI/164  
1 September 2015  
(15-4360)  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 tariff subheading: 0604 - Ornamental plants 
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: Estado de Emergencia Fitosanitaria por la Detección de 
Xylella fastidiosa en Plantas Ornamentales de Café en Países Miembros de la Unión Europea (Phytosanitary state of emergency following the detection of Xylella fastidiosa in 
ornamental coffee plants in member countries of the European Union) Language(s): 
Spanish Number of pages: 1 
Text available at:  
http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2015/SPS/CRI/15_3468_00_s.pdf 
6. Description of content: By means of Decree No. 39058-MAG, the Government of Costa 
Rica has declared a national phytosanitary emergency following the restrictions imposed by 
the European Union on imports of certain ornamental plants for planting, due to the 
presence of the bacteria Xylella fastidiosa , a pest which has recently become more 
prominent in the country. 
In order to implement action to control th e pest, the State Phytosanitary Service will 
mobilize the emergency funds provided for in Article 66 of the Phytosanitary Protection Law ( Ley de Protección Fitosanitaria ), and will make the corresponding settlement 
subsequently, in accordance with the administrative procedures governing the matter. 
The phytosanitary state of emergency will rema in in effect until the European Economic 
Community has changed its quarantine measures regarding exports of ornamental plants for planting from Costa Rica. 
Executive Decree No. 39058-MAG was published in Official Journal La Gaceta No. 143 of 24 
July 2015. 
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.  G/SPS/N/CRI/164 
- 2 - 
  8. Nature of the urgent problem(s)  and reasons for urgent action: A nationwide 
phytosanitary state of emergency has been declared following the detection of the pest 
known as Xylella fastidiosa  i n  o r n a m e n t a l  c o f f e e  p l a n t s  i n  m e m b e r  c o u n t r i e s  o f  t h e  
European Union. 
The State Phytosanitary Service will be responsible for issuing and implementing the 
technical measures required to control the pest. 
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. 17: Pest 
reporting 
[ ] 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 applicat ion (as applicable): Upon 
publication in Official Journal La Gaceta No. 143 of 24 July 2015. 
[ ] 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