COSTA RICA – MEASURES CONCERNING THE IMPORTATION
OF FRESH AVOCADOS FROM MEXICO

REQUEST FOR CONSULTATIONS BY MEXICO

The following communication, dated 8 March 2017, from the delegation of Mexico to the delegation of Costa Rica and the Chair of the Dispute Settlement Body, is being distributed in accordance with Article 4.4 of the DSU.

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I have been instructed by my authorities to inform you that pursuant to Articles 1 and 4 of the Understanding on Rules and Procedures Governing the Settlement of Disputes (DSU), Article XXII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994 (GATT 1994), and Article 11.1 of the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Agreement), the Government of Mexico hereby requests consultations with the Government of the Republic of Costa Rica regarding measures it has adopted that restrict or prohibit the importation of fresh avocados for consumption from Mexico, including certain control, inspection and approval procedures, as well as the failure of the Republic of Costa Rica to implement or recognize in its legal instruments certain obligations laid down in the SPS Agreement, such as adaptation to regional conditions, including pest- or disease-free areas and areas of low pest or disease prevalence, i.e. the establishment of processes or practices that ensure the effective opportunity to receive claims of the existence of such areas, and thus to render operational the concept of regionalization.