G/SPS/N/CRI/166  
8 December 2015  
(15-6481)  Page: 1/2  
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 Nacional de Salud 
Animal, SENASA  (Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, National Animal Health 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: 0406 Provolone cheese 
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: RTCR 474: 2014. Reglamento Técnico para el Queso 
Provolone (Costa Rican Technical Regulation (RTCR) No. 474: 2014, Technical Regulation 
on Provolone cheese) Language(s): Spanish Number of pages: 15 
Text available at:  
http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2015/SPS/CRI/15_4836_00_s.pdf 
6. Description of content: The notified Technical Regulation establishes the characteristics 
of, and specifications for, Provolone cheese intended for direct consumption or further processing. 
7. Objective and rationale: [X ] food safety, [ ] animal health, [ ] plant protection, [ ] 
protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [ ] protect territory from 
other damage from pests.  
8. Is there a relevant international st andard? If so, identify the standard:  
[X] Codex Alimentarius Commission ( e.g. title or serial number of Codex 
standard or related text ) CODEX STAN 272-1968, Revision 2007. Amendments 
2008, 2010. Codex Standard for Provolone. 
[ ] World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g. Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number)  
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention ( e.g. ISPM No. ) 
[ ] 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:   G/SPS/N/CRI/166 
- 2 - 
  9. Other relevant documents and language (s) in which these are available: 
 Reglamento Técnico RTCR 407: 2007 Reglamento Técnico General para Quesos 
(Decreto Ejecutivo N° 34922-MEIC-MAG-S) (Costa Rican Technical Regulation (RTCR) 
No. 407: 2007, General Technical Regulation for cheese (Executive Decree No. 34922-MEIC-MAG-S)), published in the Official Journal La Gaceta  No. 238 of 
9 December 2008. 
 CODEX ALIMENTARIUS. CODEX STAN 272-1968: Revision 2007, amendments 2008, 
2010. Codex Standard for Provolone. 
(available in Spanish) 
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : Upon publication in Official Journal La 
Gaceta.  
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: [ ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : Not applicable. 
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 Notification 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