. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/CRI/96 
4 May 2010 
 (10-2455) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   Spanish 
  
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
1. Notifying Member:  COSTA RICA
 
If applicable, name of local government involved:  
2. Agency responsible:  Ministerio de Agricultura y Ganad ería, Servicio Fitosanitario del 
Estado , SFE (Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, State Phytosanitary Service) 
3. Products covered (provide tariff item numbe r(s) as specified in national schedules 
deposited with the WTO;  ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where 
applicable):  International Classification for St andards (ICS) code 65.020.20 
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:  RTCA 65.05.53:10:  Insumos Agropecuarios.  Requisitos 
para producción y comercialización de semilla  certificada de granos básicos y soya 
(Central American Technical Regulation (RTCA) No. 65.05.53:10:  Agricultural inputs.  
Requirements for the production and marketing of certified staple grain and soya seeds). 
Text available online in Spanish at:  
http://members.wto.org/crnattach ments/2010/sps/CRI/10_1868_00_s.pdf  
Language:  Spanish  Number of pages:  22 
6. Description of content:  The notified Regulation lays down the field and laboratory 
requirements, procedures and standards appli cable to the production and marketing of 
certified staple grain (rice, beans, sorghum, co rn) and soya seeds.  It applies to foundation 
(or basic), registered and certified seed of rice,  beans, sorghum, corn and soya intended for 
production and marketing in Central American countries. 
7. Objective and rationale:  [ ] food safety, [ ] animal health, [X] plant protection, 
[ ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or  disease, [ ] protect territory from other 
damage from pests.  
8. 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 Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g. Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number)  
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g. ISPM number)  G/SPS/N/CRI/96 
Page 2  
 
  [X] None 
Does this proposed regulation conform to  the relevant international standard? 
 [ ] Yes [ ] No 
 If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:  
9. Other relevant documents and language (s) in which these are available: 
- International Rules for Seed Testing (International Seed Testing Association, ISTA); 
- Proyecto regional de estandarización de políticas y regulaciones en semillas 
(OIRSA-BM) (Regional project for the standardization of policies and regulations on 
seeds, Regional International Organization for Plant Protection and Animal Health 
(OIRSA) and the World Bank); 
- Genetic and Crop Standards  (Association of Official Seed Certifying Agencies, 
AOSCA). 
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) :  To be  determined 
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : 
11. Proposed date of entry into force:  [ ] Six months from date of publication , and/or  
(dd/mm/yy) :  To be  determined 
[ ] Trade facilitating measure 
12. Final date for comments:  [X] Sixty days  from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) :  3 July 2010 
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [X] National Notification 
Authority, [ ] National Enquiry Point.  Address, fax number and e-mail address (if 
available) of other body:  
13. Texts available from:  [X] National Notification Authority, [X] National Enquiry 
Point.  Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body:  
Ministerio de Agricultura y Ganadería 
Servicio Fitosanitario del Estado (SFE) Centro de Información y Notificación en  Medidas Sanitarias y Fitosanitarias 
Apartado Postal 70-3006 
Barreal de Heredia, Costa Rica 
Tel.: +(506) 22 60 83 00, Ext. 2065 Fax: +(506) 22 62 78 31 E-mail: notificaciones@sfe.go.cr Website: http://www.sfe.go.cr/