. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/CRI/25
18 January 2002
(02-0256)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:  Spanish
NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY MEASURES
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  COSTA RICA
If applicable, name of local government involved:
2. Agency responsible:  Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, Plant Protection Directorate
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national schedules
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where
applicable).  Cucurbitaceae seeds for sowing.  Regions or countries likely to be affected,
to the extent relevant or practicable:  All seed-exporting countries, specifically China and
Thailand.
4. Title and number of pages of the notified document:  Emergency Phytosanitary Measure
Establishing Requirements for the Importation of Commercial Consignments ofCucurbitaceae Seeds into Costa Rica and a Ban on the Importation of Such Seeds from
China and Thailand (2 pages).
5. Description of content:  Establishes phytosanitary regulations for importing Cucurbitaceae
seeds into Costa Rica and a ban on the importation of such seeds from China and Thailand
as a result of their contamination with bacteria (watermelon fruit blotch).
6. Objective and rationale:  [     ] food safety,  [     ] animal health,  [  X ] plant protection,
[    ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [     ] protect territory from
other damage from pests           
7. Nature of the urgent problem(s):  Detection of bacterial fruit blotch of watermelon in
Cucurbitaceae seeds from China and Thailand.
8. An international standard, guideline or recommendation does not exist [  X ].
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give its appropriate
reference and briefly identify deviations:           
9. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  Phytosanitary
measure D 02-01 of the Plant Protection Directorate (in Spanish).
10. Date of entry into force/period of application (as applicable):  ImmediatelyG/SPS/N/CRI/25
Page 2
11. Texts available from/and agency or authority designated to handle comments:
[    ] National notification authority, [  X ] National enquiry point or address, fax
number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:
National enquiry point:
Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock
Agricultural Protection Directorate
Centre for Information on Plant and Animal Health for Trade
P.O. Box 10094-1000
San José, Costa Rica
Tel.:  (506) 260-8300 (Ext. 2090), Fax:  (506) 260-8301
E-mail:  notificaciones@protecnet.go.cr