. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/TBT/TA-3/CRI 
9 June 2006 
 
 (06-2741) 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:   Spanish 
  
 
VOLUNTARY NOTIFICATION OF SPECIFIC TECHNICAL 
ASSISTANCE NEEDS OR RESPONSES 
 
_______________  
  
 
1. 
 Member notifying (including, if applicable, an indication of relevant bodies) 
COSTA RICA
:  (National Quality Council1) 
............................................................................................................................... . 
2. The technical assistance activity needed or provided may be relevant to the following 
Article(s) of the TBT Agreement:2 
[ X ]  Articles 2 and 3 on technical regulations 
[ ... ]  Article 4 and Annex 3 on standard s and the Code of Good Practice 
[ X ]  Articles 5, 7 and 8 on development of conformity assessment procedures 
[ X ]  Article 6 on recognition of  conformity assessment 
[ X ]  Article 9 on internationa l and regional systems for conformity assessment 
[ ... ]  Articles 2, 5 and 10 on information exch ange (e.g. notifications, enquiry point) 
[ ... ]  Article 11 on technical assistance to other Members  
[ ... ]  Article 12 on special and differential tr eatment of developing country Members 
[ ... ]  Article 13 on the TBT Committee (participation in work of TBT Committee) 
[ ... ]  Other:  …………………………………………………………………………. 
 
3. Brief description of objective and rationale of the technical assistance activity, including, 
if possible, an estimation of the resources ne eded or on offer (e.g., financial or man-
hours):3 
Proper development of technical regulati ons, conformity assessment procedures and 
recognition thereof are deemed of great importa nce to the public and private sectors, as a 
means of facilitating trade in goods between count ries.  It is therefore necessary to enhance 
knowledge in these areas, which can be achieve d through seminars and training courses on the 
TBT Agreement.  
                                                      
1 The National Quality Council (CONAC) is the body respons ible for setting general guidelines for the National 
Quality System.  It is made up of the relevant government  institutions and representatives  of the private sector and 
consumers. 
2 For needs:  If there is difficulty in establishing wh ich Articles of the TBT Agreement are relevant, it is 
recommended that the "Needs assessment" a nd/or "Awareness raising" box be crossed under Point 4.  Under Point 2 it may 
then be sufficient to cross the "O ther" box and indicate "General". 
3 This description should explain how th is activity is intended to enhance implementation of specific provision(s) 
of the TBT Agreement listed in Point 2. G/TBT/TA-3/CRI 
Page 2  
 
  4. 
   Nature and timing of technical assistance ac tivity needed or on offer (key words): 
Type of assistance 
[ X ]    Awareness raising  
[ ... ]    Needs assessment 
[ X ]    Skills training 
[ ... ]    Infrastructure development 
[ X ]    Other:  Support in developing a conformity assessment system aimed at facilitating 
verification  
 
Policy area covered 
[ X ]    Technical regulations  
[ X ]    Conformity assessment procedures  
[ ... ]    Standardization 
[ ... ]    Information exchange 
[ ... ]    Other:   ................................................................................................................  
 Mode of delivery  
[ X ]    Workshop, seminar or other event 
[ ... ]    Project-based activity 
[ ... ]    Other:   ............................................................................................................... 
 
Dates  
[ X ]   Envisaged start date for activity:  ...................................................................... 
[ X ]   Estimated duration:  .......................................................................................... 
 
5.   Further information available from: 
[ ... ]  National enquiry point. 
[ X ]  Other contact point:
 4  Jaime Coghi - Mission of Costa Rica to the WTO / Ministry of 
Foreign Trade, [jaime.coghi@comex.go.cr] 
...................................................................................... [ ... ]  Other reference:
 5 ............................................................................................. 
 
 
 
__________ 
 
 
                                                      
4 Name of a contact person with  telephone and e-mail address. 
5 For example an Internet address, or the address of a body other than that of the Enquiry Point.  For response 
notifications, this space could be used to make reference to previous relevant submissions or statements made in the 
TBT Committee (or other body).