Costa Rica

17 octubre 2022 — G/TFA/N/CRI/3  

With regard to Article 10.1.1, support was requested to conduct an internal review of the formalities and documentation requirements for drawing up and implementing an improvement plan in conformity with the obligations set forth in the Article.

Following the request, between September 2018 and February 2019, a review of existing procedures at Costa Rica's land border posts, ports and airports was conducted with World Bank support. The aim was to review formalities and documentation requirements, while identifying opportunities for improvement relating to customs procedures for the import, export and transit of goods.

As a result, the World Bank issued a report entitled "Review of formalities and documentation requirements and identification of opportunities for improvement relating to import, export and transit procedures at the Peñas Blancas, Paso Canoas, Puerto Caldera, Puerto Limón and Juan Santamaría International Airport (Costa Rica) border posts (Articles 10.1 and 10.2 of the TFA)", which summarizes the findings and recommendations emerging from the study.

The results of this work were also included and elaborated upon in a document entitled "Priority Trade Facilitation Agenda", which was declared of public and national interest through Executive Decree No. 42065-MP-COMEX of 17 October 2019.

In line with the recommendations made in this report and contained in the "Priority Agenda", Costa Rica has successfully made a number of improvements to its foreign trade procedures. Such improvements include the following:

• Issuance of guidelines on eliminating requests for copies or original versions of documents when customs declarations fall in the amber traffic light category.

• Establishment of a higher authority, the "Border Coordinator", to manage land border control posts.

• Increase in the number of border control officials at the Peñas Blancas (border with Nicaragua) and Paso Canoas (border with Panama) land border posts.

• Creation of local trade facilitation committees in which both the public and private sectors can participate.

• Training on coordinated border management, public service ethics and the single window for foreign trade.

• Development of a website containing all customs and foreign trade regulations, called the Foreign Trade Portal.

• Analysis of the risk management system and adoption of a new system called the National Risk Management System (SINIGER, currently under development).

• Approval of amendments to the General Customs Law , which included recommendations made by COMEX on the back of support provided by the World Bank, specifically regarding issues such as authorized economic operators, advance rulings, the "reasonable doubt" procedure and the "self determined rectification" procedure.

In light of the above, Costa Rica wishes to express its full satisfaction with the technical assistance and support provided by the World Bank Group following the request submitted to this Organization. The support has enabled the country to develop the capacities needed to move forward in implementing the provisions of Articles 10.1.1 and 10.2.2 of the Trade Facilitation Agreement.

Since the study was concluded, the World Bank has also provided Costa Rica with technical assistance for activities relating to other provisions of the Agreement, such as a study on clearance times at the container terminal of Moín and a pilot scheme for the implementation of risk-based sampling for products of phytosanitary interest.

Current actions:

Recently, within the framework of actions to implement Category C provisions, the Ministry of Foreign Trade conducted a new study to identify which physical documents – in the form of original versions or copies - are requested during the various customs and foreign trade procedures at Costa Rica's land border posts.

This analysis has resulted in a set of recommendations that control agencies could implement to reduce requests for printed copies and documents, the aim being to streamline and digitalize import, export and transit procedures for goods.

The National Trade Facilitation Council (CONAFAC) will promote the undertaking of a similar study at the country's main ports and airports.

Lastly, once the Border Integration Programme has been fully implemented, both SINIGER and the Management Control System will be operational. These systems will act as technological tools to support the control of goods and trade in goods, and will help the country to comply with the provisions notified under Category C.