  
  
G/SCM/Q2/CRI/13  
23 February  2022 
(22-1759) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures  Original:  Spanish  
 
  
SUBSIDIES  
REPLIES TO QUESTIONS POSED BY THE UNITED STATES1 REGARDING  
THE NEW AND FULL NOTIFICATION OF COSTA RICA2 
The following communication , dated and received on 22 February 2 022, is being circulated at the 
request of the delegation of Costa Rica.  
 
_______________  
 
 
Question  1 
These questions relate to the Fuel Subsidy Programme (Differentiated Pricing)  
a. What is the difference between the differentiated pricing rate for fuel paid under the 
program and the commercial, non -subsidized fuel rate?  
The following table contains the  requested  information for 2020 : 
Table 1. Costa Rica . Differentiated pri cing subsidy for fuel for non -sport fishing . Average 
difference between the programme rate and the commercial  rate, in CRC per litre and as 
a percentage of the consumer price  (2020 ). 
Average consumer 
price Average difference between the 
programme rate and commercial rate Difference as a percentage of 
the consumer price  
486.65 25.45 5.23 
Source : prepared by the Ministry of Foreign Trade ( COMEX ) based on the data provided by  the Costa Rican 
Petroleum Refinery  (RECOPE ). 
b. Is the program conditioned on buying fuel from the Costa Rican Petroleum Refinery 
(RECOPE)?  
No, the beneficiaries of this subsidy may purchase the fuel directly from  RECOPE o r, alternatively,  
at fuel retail stations designated for this purpose , which belong to private enterprises or fishers' 
organizations, under the supervision of the Costa Rican Fisheries and Aquaculture Institute 
(INCOPESCA) . The Regulations governing and controlling the efficient use of fuel at a competitive 
price3 lay down  the requirements to be met by each beneficiary in order to receive the subsidy.  
 
1 G/SCM/Q2/CRI/12  
2 G/SCM/N/372/CRI.  
3 http://www.pgrweb.go.cr/scij/Busqueda/Normativa/Normas/nrm_tex to_completo.aspx?param1=NRTC
&nValor1=1&nValor2=83601&nValor3=107528&strTipM=TC  G/SCM/Q2/CRI/13  
- 2 - 
  Question 2 
For the program entitled "Exemption from the Single Tax on Fuel", what is the single tax 
rate on fuel from which commercial fishers are exempt?  
The single tax on fu el is established by law as an amount in C RC per litre, which is to be updated by 
the Ministry of Finance on a quarterly basis and in line with the variation in the consumer price index 
calculated by the National Institute of Statistics and Censuses . The quarterly adjustment may not 
exceed a threshold of 3%. In 2020, the average amount of the tax was 183.88 CRC per litre . 
__________  