G/TFA/N/CRI/2  
23 March  2018 
(18-1782) Page: 1/4 
Committee on Trade Facilitation  Original:  Spanish  
 
   
NOTIFICATIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH ARTICLES  1.4, 10.4.3, 10.6.2 AND 12.2.2  
OF THE AGREEMENT ON TRADE FACILITATION  
COMMUNICATION FROM COSTA RICA  
The following communication, dated  19 March  2018, is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of Costa Rica.  
_______________  
 
 
Costa Rica  hereby makes the following notifications in accordance with Articles 1.4, 10.4.3, 10.6.2 
and 12.2.2 of the Agreement on Trade Facilitation (WT/L/931).  
 
Article 1, paragraph 4  
 
(a) The official place(s) where the items in subparagraphs 1.1(a) to (j) have 
been published  
 
1.1(a) Procedures for importation, exportation, and transit (including port, airport, and other 
entry -point procedures), and required form s and documents : 
 
The National Customs Service , through  the 
Information Technology for Customs Control 
(TICA) manual  on customs procedures  http://www.hacienda.go.cr/docs/540721e91b
344_Manual de Procedimientos Aduaneros 
TICA.pdf  
The State Phytosanitary Service (SFE) is the 
authority competent to  monitor and regulat e 
trade in plant products and chemical, biological 
and related substances fo r agricultural use  https://www.sfe.go.cr/SitePages/Tramites/Ini
cioTramites.aspx  
The National Animal Health Service (SENASA) is 
the competent authority with respect to  animal 
health and animal products  http://www.senasa.go.cr/tramites -y-
servicios/guias -al-usuario  
 
1.1(b) Applied rates of duties and taxes of any kind imposed on or in connection with importation 
or exportation : 
 
National Customs Service : TICA Tariff Schedule  http://www.hacienda.go.cr/tica/web/hdbaranc
.aspx  
State Phytosanitary Service  https://www.sfe.go.cr/SitePages/Tarifas/Inicio
Tarifas.aspx  
National Animal Health Service  http://www.senasa.go.cr /tramites -y-
servicios/tarifas  
 G/TFA/N/CRI/2  
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  1.1(c) Fees and charges imposed by or for governmental agencies on or in connection with 
importation, exportation or transit : 
 
National Customs Service : List of charges other 
than taxes collected through  TICA http://www.hacienda.go.cr/docs/573e20f01dd
fe_Listado de Cargas diferentes a Impuestos 
cobrados en TICA.pdf  
 
1.1(d) Rules for the classification or valuation of products for customs purposes : 
 
National Customs Service : Customs valuation of 
goods  http://w ww.hacienda.go.cr/docs/559d929728
db9_Resumen Valoracion Aduanera de las 
Mercancias.pdf  
 
1.1(e) Laws, regulations, and administrative rulings of general application relating to rules of 
origin : 
 
Ministry of Foreign Trade  (COMEX) : Treatie s in 
force http://www.comex.go.cr/Tratados  
Single Window for Exports (VUCE) : Certification 
of origin  https://www.procomer.com/es/certificacion -
origen -costa-rica#1  
 
1.1(f) Import, export or transit restrictions or prohibitions : 
 
National Customs Service : Required documents  https://www.hacie nda.go.cr/tica/web/hdbwdo
ob.aspx  
State Phytosanitary Service : L aw on 
Phytosanitary Protection  https://www.sfe.go.cr/Leyes/Ley N%C2%B0 
7664 de Protecci%C3%B3n Fitosanitaria.pdf   
National Animal Health Service : Resolutions  http://www.senasa.go.cr/informacion/legislaci
on-y-normativa/resoluciones  
 
1.1(g) Penalty provisions for breaches of import, export, or transit formalities : 
 
General Directorate of Customs  (DGA) : Penalty 
procedure  http://www.hacienda.go.cr/docs/5632768b56f
17_Procedimiento Sancionatorio.pdf  
National Animal Health Service : Administrativ e 
Tribunal  http://www.senasa.go.cr/institucion/organizac
ion/tribunal -de-procedimiento -administrativo -
sancionador  
 
1.1(h) Procedures for appeal or review : 
 
National Customs Service : Appeals procedure  http://www.hacienda.go.cr/docs/5632768334
18a_Procedimiento Recursivo.pdf  
Customs law and regulations  http://www.hacienda.go.cr/contenido/12820 -
ley-y-reglamento -de-aduanas  
 
1.1(i) Agreements or parts thereof with any country or countries relating to importation, 
exportation, or transit : 
 
Ministry of Foreign Trade  http://www.comex.go.cr/Tratados  
State Phytosanitary Service : International 
matter s https://www.sfe.go.cr/SitePages/Medidasfitos
anitarias/InicioMedidasFitosanitarias.aspx  
 G/TFA/N/CRI/2  
-3 - 
  1.1(j) Procedures relating to the administration of tariff quotas : 
 
Ministry of Foreign Trade : Quotas  http://www.comex.go.cr/Contingentes  
 
(b) The Uniform Resource Locators of website(s) referred to in paragraph 2.1  
 
National Customs Service  (DGA) : Information 
on customs procedures . Official website  http://www.hacienda.go.cr/contenido/13227 -
informacion -de-interes -para-tramites -
aduaneros  
State Phytosanitary Service  (SFE) : Official 
website  https://www.sfe.go.cr/SitePages/Inicio.aspx  
National Animal Health Service  (SENASA) : 
Official website  http:// www.senasa.go.cr/senasa/sitio  
Single Window for Exports : Official website  https://www.procomer.com/es/ventanilla -unica -
comercio -exterior  
 
(c) The contact information of the enquiry points referred to in paragraph 3.1  
National Customs Service  (SNA) : The SNA information centre is open Monday to Friday , 
from 8 a.m. to 4  p.m. 
 
Information can be requested by calling (+506) 2522 -9152 or by sending an email 
to pea@hacienda.go.cr . 
 
State Phytosanitary Service  (SFE) : Any complaint, difference of opinion  or suggestion may be 
communicated in person (at the Office of the Comptroller of Services  of the SFE ) or submitted in 
writing by using this form: 
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_XbJ8NTqkt6X0dqR2lLeWxMcUE/view?usp=drive_web  
 
Additional information is available  at: 
https://www.sfe.go.cr/SitePages/ContraloriadeServicios/InicioContraloriadeServicios.aspx  
and at: 
https://www.sfe.go.cr/ SitePages/Contactenos.aspx  
 
National Animal Health Service (SENASA) : A contact form is available  at: 
http://www.senasa.go.cr/nuestras -oficinas/contacto  
There is also  a section for complaints : 
http://www.senasa.go.cr/nuestras -oficinas/denuncie  
 
Ministry of Foreign Trade  (COMEX) : Information can be requested by email : 
pep@comex.go.cr  
 
Additional information is available  at: 
http://www.comex.go.cr/contactenos  
 
Article 10, paragraph 4.3  
 
Members shall notify the Committee of the details of operation of the single window . 
 
Law 7638, which provided for the creation of a single window for foreign trade (VUCE),  was 
enacted in 1996 with a view  to facilitat ing and centraliz ing export and import processes . The VUCE 
has been  the entity in charge of coordination, working wi th 16 institution s in order to centralize, G/TFA/N/CRI/2  
-4 - 
  simplify and automate foreign -trade -related procedures . This is being achieved  by means of the 
digital platform VUCE 2.0 and six physical offices, located in strategic geographic areas . 
 
Forty-five technical notes on import ation and export ation, from 16 government bodies, can be 
processed  through the digital platform . It also allows for all the information related to any trade 
transaction to be uploaded into the system, thereby  speed ing up the appro val process . Around 
30,000 transactions a month are now conduc ted using  this tool . VUCE 2.0 is available to users 
24 hours a day, 7 days a wee k, 365 days a year . In addition  it will , in the future,  interopera te with 
similar systems in other countries, which will enable  the advance exchange of information and 
facilitate risk management . 
 
Information available online at : https://www.procomer.com/es/ventanilla -unica -comercio -exterior  
 
Article 10, paragraph 6.2  
 
Each member shall notify the committee and publish its measures on the use of customs 
brokers . 
 
Any subsequent modifications thereof shall be notified and published promptly.  
Article 37 of the General Customs Law  provides  the following  with respect to action by customs 
brokers : 
 
"Action by customs broker s shall be required in all customs regimes and shall be optional in the 
following customs regimes or modalities : free zones, export, bonded warehousing, ships' stores, 
outward processing, and in the following modalities : travellers' luggage, relief consignments, 
samples of no commercial value, express or "courier" deliveries, mail, duty -free shops, 
non-commercial import s, private deliveries, in -works and commercial clearance, imports by the 
State and its institutions and, in general, shipment of goods subject to regimes or procedures that 
do not require action by a customs broker  and authorized under this Law.  (As amende d by 
Article  1 of Law No. 8373 of 1 8 August 2 003)" 
 
Law available online at : 
 
http://www.hacienda.go.cr/docs/51c9baa1b805f_LEYGENERALDEADUANASACTUALIZADAAOCTUB
RE2012.pdf  
 
Article 12, paragraph 2.2  
 
Each Member shall notify the Committee of the details of its contact point for the 
exchange of this information . 
 
National Customs Servi ce Email : pea@hacienda.go.cr  
 
Telephone : (+506) 2522-9152 
 
http://www.hacienda.go.cr/contenido/13227 -
informacion -de-interes -para-tramites -aduaneros  
 
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