Costa Rica Amendments as regards pest risk analysis (PRA) and mercury products

Pest Risk Analysis (PRA)

Costa Rica applies Pest Risk Analysis (PRA). On the national level, PRA is regulated by Decree No. 26647 of 25 February 1998. The International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM) No. 2 setting the Framework for Pest Risk Analysis (as amended in 2016) agreed upon in the scope of the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) provides the framework for PRA which has been accepted by the signatory countries.

Mercury Products

Costa Rica is a member of the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade, commonly known as the Rotterdam Convention. This Convention undertakes to ensure that exports of designated chemical substances may only take place with the consent of the importing party. By means of the prior informed consent (PIC) procedure, information is gathered and disseminated as to whether an importing party wishes to receive future shipments of a certain chemical and to ensure the compliance with that decision by the exporting party. The treaty further requires all parties to notify the Convention Secretariat about any national legal changes with regard to a ban or a severe restriction of a chemical. In terms of the actual shipment of a product, information about the characteristics of the chemical must be provided, labelling requirements adhered to and stipulations such as the indication of the HS Code in the shipping documents met, thus guaranteeing the sound handling of such substance.

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