. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/CRI/111 
4 May 2011 
 (11-2319) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   Spanish 
 
 
 
NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY MEASURES 
 
1. Notifying Member:  COSTA RICA  
If applicable, name of local government involved:  
2. Agency responsible:  Ministerio de Agricultura y Ganaderí a, MAG, Servicio Fitosanitario 
del Estado, SFE (Ministry of Agriculture and Liv estock, 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):  Citrus fruit 
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:  Estado de Emergencia Fitosanitaria por la Plaga 
Huanglongbling (HLB).  Decreto N ° 36521-MAG (Phytosanitary State of Emergency due 
to Huanglongbing (HLB) disease.  Ministry  of Agriculture and Livestock Decree 
No. 36521-MAG) Language(s):   - Number of pages:   - 
Text available online at: 
http://members.wto.org/crnattach ments/2011/sps/CRI/11_1387_00_s.pdf  
6. Description of content:  The notified Decree declares a phytosanitary state of emergency 
owing to the presence of the disease known as Huanglongbing (HLB) and its adverse 
effects on national citriculture. 
7. Objective and rationale:  [ ] food safety, [ ] animal health, [X] plant protection, 
[ ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or  disease, [X] protect territory from other 
damage from pests.  
8. Nature of the urgent problem(s) and reason for urgent action:  Huanglongbing (HLB), 
associated with the bacteria Candidatus Liberibacter  spp., is a problem for citrus fruit 
production in Costa Rica as the disease is considered to be one of the world's most destructive and of significant ec onomic and quarantine importance. G/SPS/N/CRI/111 
Page 2  
 
  9. Is there a relevant international standa rd?  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)  
[X] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g. ISPM number) International 
Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM ) No. 6:  Guidelines for Surveillance.  
[ ] 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: 
10. Other relevant documents and language (s) in which these are available: 
• Huanglongbing (HLB) 
• Muestreo de HLB en Cantón Los Chiles, Costa Rica  (Sampling of HLB in the 
Canton of Los Chiles, Costa Rica) 
11. Date of entry into force/period of application (as applicable):  Immediately 
[ ] Trade facilitating measure 
12. 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 10094-1000 San José, Costa Rica 
Tel.: +(506) 2549-3454 
Fax: +(506) 2549-3599 E-mail: notificaciones@sfe.go.cr Website: http://www.senasa.go.cr/