G/TBT/N/CRI/159  
16 June 2016  
(16-3298)  Page: 1/2  
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original: Spanish  
 
  NOTIFICATION 
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6. 
 
1. Notifying Member: COSTA RICA 
If applicable, name of local governme nt involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):  
2. Agency responsible:  
Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Comercio , MEIC (Ministry of the Economy, Industry 
and Trade) Departamento de Reglamentación Técnica  (Technical Regulation Department) 
Tel.: (+506) 2549-1479 
Fax: (+506) 2291-2015 
Name and address (including telephon e and fax numbers, email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above: 
Información de Obstáculos Técnicos al Comercio  (TBT enquiry point) 
Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Comercio , MEIC (Ministry of the Economy, Industry 
and Trade) 
Apartado Postal 10216-1000 Tel.: (+506) 2549-1479 Fax: (+506) 2291-2015 
Email: crotc@meic.go.cr  
Website: http://www.reglatec.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): 65.080 
5. Title, number of pages and lang uage(s) of the notified document: RTCR 485:2016. 
Sustancias químicas. Fertilizantes y enmiendas para uso agrícola. Tolerancias y límites permitidos para la concentración de los elementos y contaminantes  (Costa Rican Technical 
Regulation (RTCR) 485:2016: Chemical substa nces. Fertilizers and soil conditioners for 
agricultural use. Permitted tolerances and limits for concentrations of elements and contaminants) (29 pages, in Spanish)  
6. Description of content: This technical regulation establishes the permitted tolerances 
and limits for concentrations of elements, heavy metals and impurities in fertilizers and soil 
conditioners, including raw materials registered for marketing in Costa Rica. The text also 
applies to fertilizers, soil conditioners and raw materials registered for agricultural use in Costa Rica.  
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable: Protection of human and plant health. G/TBT/N/CRI/159 
- 2 - 
  8. Relevant documents:  
1. Decreto Ejecutivo N° 37982-COMEX-MEIC-M AG, RTCA 65.05.54:09. Fertilizantes y 
enmiendas de uso agrícola. Requisitos para el registro  (Executive Decree No. 37982-
COMEX-MEIC-MAG, Central American Technical Regulation (RTCA) No. 65.05.54:09: Fertilizers and soil conditioners for agricultural use. Registration requirements), published in the Official Journal La Gaceta  of 12 November 2013. 
2. Decreto Ejecutivo N° 27973-MAG-MEIC-S, RTCR 318:1998. Laboratorio de análisis 
de sustancias químicas y biológicas de uso en la agricultura  (Executive Decree No. 
27973-MAG-MEIC-S, RTCR 318:1998: Regulation s on laboratory analysis of chemical 
and biological substances for agricultural  use), published in the Official Journal La 
Gaceta  of 19 July 1999. 
3. Decreto Ejecutivo N° 27041-MAG-MEIC, RTCR 176: 1991. Agroquímicos. Toma de 
muestra  (Executive Decree No. 27041-MAG-MEIC, RTCR 176:1991: Agrochemicals. 
Sample-taking), published in the Official Journal La Gaceta  of 9 September 1998. 
9. Proposed date of adoption: Upon publication in Official Journal La Gaceta.  
Proposed date of entry into force: Upon publication in Official Journal La Gaceta.  
10. Final date for comments: 10 August 2016 
11. Texts available from: National enquiry point [X] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresse s, if available, of other body:  
TBT Enquiry Point: 
San José, Costa Rica 
Apartado Postal 10216-1000 
Tel.: (+506) 2549-1479 Fax: (+506) 2291-2015 
Email: crotc@meic.go.cr  
Website: http://www.reglatec.go.cr/  
Full text available online at: http://reglatec.go.cr/reglatec/principal.jsp  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2016/TBT/CRI/16_2346_00_s.PDF