. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/CRI/27
28 June 2002
(02-3629)
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, State Plant Protection Service
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):  Seeds for sowing melon and watermelon, tariff heading 120999.
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable:  Any
country that exports melon seeds
5. Title and number of pages of the notified document:  Establishes Requirements for the
Import of Commercial and Non-Commercial  (Research) Shipments of Melon and
Watermelon Seeds
6. Description of content:  Establishes phytosanitary regulations for authorizing the import of
melon and watermelon seeds into Costa Rica, specifically to prevent contamination bybacteria (watermelon fruit blotch).
7. 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           
8. Nature of the urgent problem(s) and reasons for urgent action:  Phytosanitary Measure
SFE/05-02, for the prevention of the bacteria known as "bacterial fruit blotch of watermelon
and melon" Acidovorax avenae subsp.  Citrulli.
9. International standard, guideline or recommendation:
[    ] Codex Alimentarius Commission,  [    ] Office International des Epizooties,
[    ] International Plant Protection Convention, [ X ] None
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate
reference and briefly identify deviations:           
10. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  Phytosanitary
Measure SFE/05-02 for the prevention of the bacteria known as "bacterial fruit blotch of
watermelon and melon"  Acidovorax avenae  subsp. Citrulli  replacing Phytosanitary
Measure D 02-01 of the State Phytosanitary Protection Service.
11. Date of entry into force/period of application (as applicable):  ImmediatelyG/SPS/N/CRI/27
Page 2
12. 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:           
13. Texts available from: [     ] National notification authority, [  X ] National enquiry point
or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:
Servicio Nacional de Información:
Ministerio de Agricultura y Ganadería
Servicio de Protección Fitosanitaria del Estado
Centro de Información y Notificación Fitosanitaria y Zoosanitaria
Apartado Postal 10094-1000San José, Costa Rica
Tel:  (506) 260 83 00 (ext. 2090)
Fax:  (506) 260 83 01
E-mail:  notificaciones@protecnet.go.cr