. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/CRI/49 
12 September 2006 
 
 (06-4337) 
Committee on Sanitary and 
Phytosanitary Measures Original:   Spanish 
 
 
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   COSTA RICA  
If applicable, name of local government involved:  
2. Agency responsible:  Ministerio de Agricultura y Ganadería, Servicio Nacional de Salud 
Animal (Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, National Animal Health Service) 
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national schedules 
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where applicable):  Cattle ( B. taurus  and B. indicus ) 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable: 
 Trading partners 
5. Title, language and number of pages of the notified document:  Importación y Tránsito 
de Semen y Embriones de Bovinos de Países con BSE; Decreto Nº 33297-MAG  (Ministry of 
Agriculture and Livestock Decree No. 33297-MA G on the importation and transit of bovine 
semen and embryos from countries affect ed by BSE) (1 page, in Spanish). 
6. Description of content:   For the purposes of internat ional trade in bovine semen and 
embryos and in the light of the risk of Bo vine spongiform encephalopathy, the notified 
Decree permits the importation and transit of bovine semen and in vivo- derived embryos the 
collection and processing of which has been conducted in accordance with the 
recommendations issued by the International Embryo Transfer Society. 
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  
8. International standard, guideline or recommendation:  
[   ] Codex Alimentarius Commission,  [ X ] World Organization for Animal Health 
(OIE),  [   ] International Plant Protection Convention,  [   ] None 
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate 
reference and briefly identify deviations:   Terrestrial Animal Health Code of the World 
Organization for Animal Health, OIE - Chapter 2.3.13:  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, 
Article 2.3.13.1. 
9. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:   OIE Terrestrial 
Animal Health Code (available in  English, French and Spanish). 
10. Proposed date of adoption:   Immediately G/SPS/N/CRI/49 
Page 2  
 
  11. Proposed date of entry into force:   Upon publication in Official Journal La Gaceta  No. 137 
of Thursday 31 August 2006. 
12. Final date for comments:   60 days as of the date of notification. 
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [ X ] National notification 
authority, [  ] National enquiry point or address, fax number and E-mail address (if 
available) of other body:  
13. Texts available from:  [   ] National notification authority, [ X ] National enquiry point 
or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:  
Ministerio de Agricultura y Ganadería 
Servicio Nacional de Salud Animal Centro de Información y Notificación en Medidas Sanitarias y Fitosanitarias 
Apartado Postal 70-3006 
Barreal de Heredia, Costa Rica Tel.: (506) 260-8300, Ext. 2065 Fax: (506) 262-7831 E-mail: notificaciones@protecnet.go.cr