WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/TBT/N/CRI/14 
20 October 2004 
 
 (04-4448) 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:   Spanish 
  
NOTIFICATION 
 
The following notification is being circ ulated in accordance with Article 10.6. 
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   REPUBLIC OF COSTA RICA
 
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):     
2. Agency responsible:    
Ministry of the Economy, Industry and Trade (MEIC) 
Technical Regulation Body Tel./fax.  (506) 297-1439 and 235-2700, ext. 265 
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, E-mail and Web site 
addresses, if available) of  agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be  indicated if different from above:    
TBT Enquiry Point 
Ministry of the Economy, Industry and Trade (MEIC) P.O. Box 10216-1000 
Tel.: (506) 297-1439 
Fax: (506) 297-1439 E-mail: crotc@meic.go.cr
 
Web site: www.meic.go.cr   
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [  X ], 2.10.1 [   ], 5.6.2 [   ], 5.7.1 [   ], other:     
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading.
ICS numbers may be provided in  addition, where applicable):   HS tariff heading 2009 
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:   Costa Rican 
Technical Regulation (RTCR) No. 390:2004 on Fruit Juices and Nectars  (17 pages, in 
Spanish. 
6. Description of content:   This Technical Regulation establishes the requirements for fruit 
juices and nectars for human consumption: fruit content, additives, methods of analysis and 
sampling, labelling and other additional requirements. 
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where applicable:    
 Protect human health and the food safety of the population, prevent consumer 
deception and provide information on th e true nature of the product. G/TBT/N/CRI/14 
Page 2  
 
 8. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  
Costa Rican Technical Regulation (RTCR) No. 229:1996, "Reglamento técnico que 
establece los límites máximos de residuos de  plaguicidas en vegetales" (Technical 
Regulation establishing the maximum residue levels of pesticides in vegetables), 
Costa Rica, 1999, approved by Executive De cree No. 27630 MAG-MEIC-S, published in 
La Gaceta (Official Journal) No. 33 on 17 February 1999; 
Costa Rican Technical Regulation (RTCR) No. 135:2002, "Reglamento Técnico para el 
Etiquetado Nutricional de los Alimentos Preenvasados" (Technical Regulation on the 
nutritional labelling of pre-packaged f ood), Costa Rica, 2002, approved by Executive 
Decree No. 30256-MEIC-S, published in La Gaceta  on 15 April 2002; 
Costa Rican Technical Regulation (RTCR) No. 100:1997, "Etiquetado de los Alimentos 
Preenvasados" (Labelling of pre-packaged foods), published in La Gaceta  No. 91 of 
14 May 1997, Costa Rica, 1997, approved by Executive Decree No. 26012-MEIC; 
Amendment to Executive Decree No. 26012-MEIC, Costa Rica, 1998, approved by 
Executive Decree No. 26829-MEIC, published in La Gaceta  No. 74 of 17 April 1997; 
Costa Rican Standard (NCR) No. 148:1993, "Metrología: Contenido Neto de 
Preempacados" (Metrology: net contents of pre-packaged goods), Costa Rica, 1993, approved by Executive Decree No. 22268-MEIC, published in La Gaceta  of 13 July 1993; 
Amendment to Executive Decree No. 22268-MEIC, Costa Rica, 1997, approved by 
Executive Decree No. 26480-MEIC, published in La Gaceta  No. 232 of 2 December 1997; 
"Codex Standard for Sugars", CODEX STAN 212-1999 (Amd. 1-2001), Italy, 1999; "Codex Guidelines for Use of Nutrition Cl aims", CAC/GL 23-1997, Italy, 1997; 
"Codex Guidelines on Nutrition Labelling", CAC/GL 2-1985 (Rev. 1-1993), Italy, 1985; "Codex General Guidelines on Claims", CAC/GL 1-1979 (Rev. 1-1991), Italy, 1979; 
"Recommended International Code of Practic e: General Principles of Food Hygiene", 
CAC/RCP 1-1969 (Rev. 3, 1997, Amd. 1999), Fo od and Agriculture Organization/World 
Health Organization (FAO/WHO), Italy, 1969; 
"General Standard for Fruit Juices Preserved Exclusively by Physical Means not Covered 
by Individual Standards", CODEX STAN 164-1989, Italy, 1989; 
"Code of Federal Regulations , Title 21: Food and Drugs", Food and Drug Administration, 
United States of America; 
Pittier, Henri, "Plantas usuales de Costa Rica"  (Common plants in Costa Rica), Editorial 
Costa Rica, 1978, San José, Costa Rica; 
Association of the Industry of Juices and Nectars from Fruits and Vegetables of the 
European Union (AIJN), European Union;  
Council Directive 2001/112/EC of 20 December  2001 relating to fruit juices and certain 
similar products intended for human c onsumption, European Union, 2001.  G/TBT/N/CRI/14 
 Page 3 
 
 
 9. Proposed date of adoption:  To be determined. 
Upon publication in the Official Journal, La Gaceta.  
Proposed date of entry into force:  A six-month period is provided for the labelling of the 
products covered by this Regula tion to be brought into compliance with the provisions of 
point 7 thereof. 
Otherwise unchanged.  
10. Final date for comments:   60 days as of the date of notification. 
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [  X ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and E-mail and Web site addresses,  if available, of the other body:   
Centro de Información de Obst áculos Técnicos al Comercio 
Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Comercio - MEIC  Apartado Postal 10216-1000 Tel.: (506) 297-1439  
Fax: (506) 297-1439  
E-mail: crotc@meic.go.cr
  
Web site: www.meic.go.cr