. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/CRI/90 
24 February 2010 
 (10-1073) 
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):  Fresh fruit, vegetables, roots, bulbs and tubers for consumption or use in the 
food industry 
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:  Guía Técnica ARF 05:  Requisitos Fitosanitarios para la 
Importación de frutas, hortaliz as, raíces, bulbos y tubérculos para consumo fresco o para 
la industria (Technical Document on High Phytosanitary Risk No. 05:  Phytosanitary 
requirements for the importation into Costa Rica of fresh fruit, vegetables, roots, bulbs and 
tubers for consumption or use in the food industry).  Last updated:  February 2010. 
Text available online in Spanish at: 
http://members.wto.org/crnattach ments/2010/sps/CRI/10_0820_00_s.pdf  
Language:  Spanish Number of pages:  29 
6. Description of content:  The notified text lays down the phytosanitary requirements for the 
importation into Costa Rica of fresh fruit, vegetables, roots, bulbs and tubers for 
consumption or use in the food industry. 
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/90 
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:  Reglamento 
Técnico RTCR:379:2000:  Procedimientos para la aplicación de requisitos fitosanitarios 
para la importación de plant as, productos vegetales y otros capaces de transportar plagas  
(Costa Rican Technical Regulation RTCR:379:2 000:  Procedures for the implementation of 
phytosanitary requirements for the importation of plants, plant products and other plant 
material capable of harbouring pests);  Decreto  (Decree) No. 29473-MEIC-MAG of the 
Ministry of the Economy, Industry and Trade (MEIC) and Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG), published in Official Journal La Gaceta  No. 93 on 16 May 2001. 
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) :  60 days as from the date of notification 
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) :  60 days as from the date of notification 
[ ] Trade facilitating measure 
12. Final date for comments:  [X] Sixty days  from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) :  25 April 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/