Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures - New phytosanitary certificate - Communication from Costa Rica

new phytosanitary certificate

Communication from Costa Rica

The following communication, dated 30 October 2018, is being circulated at the request of the delegation of Costa Rica.

 

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1.  The State Phytosanitary Service (SFE) is in the process of transitioning towards a new-format phytosanitary export certificate that will be signed using a digitized electronic signature. The new‑format certificate will be issued as from 16 November 2018.

2.  In addition to the digitized electronic signature, the following formatting changes have been made with respect to the certificate currently being issued:

-         The right-hand margin of Box 10 ("Disinfestation and/or disinfection treatment") has been moved slightly to the left to make this box narrower;

-         Box 12 ("Inspection date") has been moved from under Box 11 ("Place of issue") to the right-hand side of Box 11;

-         The line separating Box 11 ("Place of issue") from Box 12 ("Inspection date") has been aligned with the line running down the right-hand margin of Box 13 ("Name and signature of Officer");

-         Box 13 ("Name and signature of Officer") has been widened so as to provide enough space for the digitized electronic signature image, and now contains the follows text in Spanish and English: "Este certificado ha sido emitido electrónicamente por el siguiente oficial del Servicio Fitosanitario del Estado. This certificate has been issued electronically by the following Phytosanitary Service of the State Officer";

-         The name and identity number of the inspector approving the phytosanitary certificate is to be inserted at the bottom of Box 13 ("Name and signature of Officer"). The image of the signature of the official who approved the phytosanitary certificate is to be inserted into the centre of the box;

-         The Box "Stamp of Organization" is now narrower.

3.  Thanks to these changes, it will be possible to view issued phytosanitary certificates through the "Consultas en línea" ("Consult online documents") section of the SFE website: https://www.sfe.go.cr. The register containing the signatures of SFE inspectors who approve phytosanitary certificates will be available on the same website.

4.  Costa Rica's new-format phytosanitary certificate can be viewed on the SFE website at: http://app.sfe.go.cr/Certificado/frm_machote.aspx.