GENERAL AGREEMENT GATS/EL/22
15April 1994
ONTRADE INSERVICES (94-1107)
COSTA RICA
Final ListofArticle II(MFN) Exemptions
(This isauthentic inSpanish only)
____________________COSTA RICA -FINAL LIST OFARTICLE II(MFN) EXEMPTIONS
Sector orsubsector Description ofmeasure
indicating itsinconsistency
with Article IICountries towhich the
measure appliesIntended duration Conditions creating theneed
fortheexemption
BUSINESS
SERVICES
- Professional
services*Aforeign professional may
become amember ofthe
corresponding professional
college onlyifthere isa
reciprocal agreement inforce
withhisorhercountry oforigin
and/or incertain cases ifCosta
Rican nationals mayexercise the
profession insimilar
circumstances inhisorher
country oforiginElSalvador, Guatemala,
Honduras andNicaragua**Indefinite Need toensure minimum
standards ofquality for
professional services
* ThePROFESSIONAL SERVICES sector includes allservices whose provision necessitates specialized higher education andforwhose exercise official authorization
isrequired inaccordance withtherelevant legislation.
** Note:Incertaincases,professionalsfromCentralAmericancountriesareexemptfromtheresidencerequirementneededformemb ershipofthecorrespondingprofessional
college.
GATS/EL/22
Page1COSTA RICA (continued)GATS/EL/22
Page2
Sector orsubsector Description ofmeasure
indicating itsinconsistency
with Article IICountries towhich the
measure appliesIntended duration Conditions creating theneed
fortheexemption
- Other business
services:
Advertising services Import ofcommercial shorts
from outside Central America is
subject toataxof100percent
ofvalue butthetaxmaynotbe
lessthan10,000 colones or
more than50,000 colones.
Radio, cinema ortelevision
commercial shorts aredeemed to
benational iftheyaremade in
other Central American
countries which grant reciprocity
inthisarea.ElSalvador, Guatemala,
Honduras andNicaraguaIndefinite Cooperation withcountries in
theregion through preferences
granted within theframework of
Central American integrationCOSTA RICA (continued)
Sector orsubsector Description ofmeasure
indicating itsinconsistency
with Article IICountries towhich the
measure appliesIntended duration Conditions creating theneed
fortheexemption
LAND
TRANSPORTA-
TION SERVICES
- Passenger
transportation
- Freight
transportationPermission tooperate an
international passenger
transportation service against
payment isonlygranted toCosta
Rican enterprises orenterprises
whose capital includes a
minimum of60percentpaidup
byCentral American nationals
Granting ofpermits for
international passenger
transportation services against
payment isbased onthe
principle ofreciprocity
Foreign vehicles, trailers,
containers andchassis from
outside theCentral American
region mayonlytransport goods
imported orexported byCosta
Rica outside thisregionElSalvador, Guatemala,
Honduras andNicaragua
Allcountries
ElSalvador, Guatemala,
Honduras andNicaraguaIndefinite
Indefinite
IndefiniteCooperation withcountries in
theregion through preferences
granted within theframework of
Central American integration
Cooperation withcountries in
theregion through preferences
granted within theframework of
Central American integration
GATS/EL/22
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Page4
Sector orsubsector Description ofmeasure
indicating itsinconsistency
with Article IICountries towhich the
measure appliesIntended duration Conditions creating theneed
fortheexemption
Allsectors Measures under bilateral treaties
forthepromotion andprotection
ofinvestment designed to
encourage inapreferential
manner theinvestments of
certain countries covered by
such agreementsAllcountries Indefinite National policies aimed at
ensuring thatpreferential
treatment ofinvestments is
granted onthebasis of
reciprocity