. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/CRI/81 
16 June 2009  
 (09-2926) 
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 Ganadería, Servicio Nacional de Salud 
Animal , SENASA (Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, National Animal Health 
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):  Establishments with animal-related activities and processes and end products 
of animal origin 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable: 
[X] All trading partners, or 
[ ] Specific regions or countries:  
5. Title of the notified document:  Reglamento General para el Otorgamiento del 
Certificado Veterinario de Operación, Decreto Ejecutivo No. 34859-MAG  (Executive 
Decree of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock No. 34859-MAG:  General Regulation 
governing the issue of the veterinary certificate of operation), published in the Official 
Journal La Gaceta  of 27 November 2008. 
Text available online at:  http://www.senasa.go.cr/Documentos/Decretos/34859-MAG.pdf  
and http://members.wto.org/crnattach ments/2009/sps/CRI/09_2118_00_s.pdf  
Language:  Spanish  Number of pages:  9  
6. Description of content:  The notified Regulation establishes the general sanitary 
requirements and physical conditions to be met by establishments which process products 
of animal origin and by their activities, pr ocesses and end products.  The Regulation also 
establishes the procedures for the issue, renewal and cancellation of veterinary certificates of operation. 
7. Objective and rationale:  [ ] food safety, [ X] animal health, [ ] plant protection, 
[X] protect humans from animal/plant pest or  disease, [ ] protect territory from other 
damage from pests.  G/SPS/N/CRI/81 
Page 2  
 
  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)  
[X] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g. Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number)  
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g. ISPM N°)  
[ ] 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:  
9. Other relevant documents and langua ge(s) in which these are available:  
• Decreto Ejecutivo Nº 33240-MS del 30 de junio del 2006, Reglamento General 
para el Otorgamiento de Permisos Sanitari os de Funcionamiento del Ministerio de 
Salud  Executive Decree No. 33240-MS of 30 June 2006:  General Regulation 
governing the issue of sanitary operating permits of the Ministry of Health); 
• Executive Decree ( Decreto Ejecutivo ) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock 
No. 34859-MAG, published in Official Journal La Gaceta No. 230 of 
27 November 2008. 
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) :  Upon publication of Decree No. 34859-MAG in 
Official Journal La Gaceta No. 230. 
Propose date of publication ( dd/mm/yy) :  27 November 2008 
11. Proposed date of entry into force:  [ ] Six months from date of publication , and/or  
(dd/mm/yy) :  27 November 2008 
[ ] 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 handl e comments:  [ ] 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 Nacional de Salud Animal (SENASA) Centro de Información y Notificación en  Medidas Sanitarias y Fitosanitarias 
Apartado Postal 70-3006, Barreal de Heredia, Costa Rica Tel.: +(506) 2260-8300, Ext. 2065 Fax: +(506) 2262-7831 
E-mail: notificaciones@protecnet.go.cr 
Website:  http://www.senasa.go.cr/