Recognition of Equivalency with Costa Rica

Letter sent to Costa Rica Servicio Fitosanitario del Estado for organic agriculture

July 25, 2024

Eng. Nelson Morera Paniagua
Director General
Servicio Fitosanitario del Estado
Ministerio de Agricultura y Ganadería
San Jose, Costa Rica

Dear Mr. Paniagua

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) reviewed the Costa Rica organic certification program as set out in the Costa Rican Organic Agriculture Regulation - Decree No. 29782 from Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock.

Pursuant to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency Act and the Safe Food for Canadians Act, the CFIA has determined that agricultural products of plant origin which are grown, produced and processed in Costa Rica and are:

  • certified by a Costa Rican accredited Certification Body in conformity with the Costa Rican Organic Agriculture Regulation - Decree No. 29782,
  • produced and processed under an organic certification program that provides safeguards and guidelines governing the production and processing of such products, and
  • accompanied by an official export certificate which is issued by the State Phytosanitary Service (SFE) in addition to the organic certificate issued by the Costa Rican accredited Certification Body

are deemed equivalent to such products that have been produced and processed in accordance with Part 13 of Safe Food for Canadians Regulations ((SFCR) 2019); and may be sold, labelled and represented in Canada as organic, including display of the Canada Organic Logo.

This recognition will be effective as of July 30, 2024, under the conditions set forth in Appendix 1.

Should the CFIA decide to change its criteria for determining equivalency, it will notify Costa Rica Servicio Fitosanitario del Estado for Organic Agriculture in writing in advance.

The CFIA team which administers Part 13 of the SFCR, is committed to working with the Costa Rica Servicio Fitosanitario del Estado Office for Organic Agriculture to carry out the terms in this letter.

Sincerely,
Dr. Parthi Muthukumarasamy
Executive Director, International Programs Directorate
Canadian Food Inspection Agency / Government of Canada

Appendix 1 - Conditions for granting equivalency

The equivalency decision of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is subject to the following:

  1. The Costa Rica Servicio Fitosanitario del Estado for Organic Agriculture will notify the CFIA in a timely manner of any:
    1. changes with respect to the Costa Rica Servicio Fitosanitario del Estado for Organic Agriculture competent authority and accredited certification bodies ;
    2. proposed legislation or rulemaking in Costa Rica that would modify the Costa Rica Organic Agriculture Regulation - Decree No. 29782;
    3. instances of any significant non-compliance with the Costa Rican organic certification program. For purposes of this equivalency determination, "significant" means any non-conformity that materially affects the integrity of the organic products subject to this recognition.
  2. Following advance notice from the CFIA, the Costa Rica Servicio Fitosanitario del Estado for Organic Agriculture will permit the CFIA to conduct evaluations (document review and/or on-site visits) to verify how the Costa Rican certification bodies are carrying out the requirements of Costa Rica's organic certification program. The Costa Rica Servicio Fitosanitario del Estado for Organic Agriculture will cooperate and assist the CFIA, to the extent permitted under its domestic law, in carrying out such evaluations.
  3. Costa Rica Servicio Fitosanitario del Estado for Organic Agriculture will submit an annual report to the CFIA that will cover the organic activities for the previous year by March 31 of the current year.
  4. Canada and Costa Rica will participate in discussions or other means they deem appropriate to resolve any issue raised regarding the application of or the activities covered under the arrangement such as establishing Technical Working Group to address and resolve implementation and other issues with the equivalency recognition.
  5. By July 2028, the Technical Working Group will review the functioning of this letter with a view to proposing any changes, as needed.

Appendix 2 – Import provisions

The following import provisions apply:

Costa Rican non-regulated organic products (e.g. aquaculture products, livestock) can be imported and sold in Canada as organic as long as they are certified to the Canadian Organic Standard by a CFIA accredited Certification body. These imported organic products must be accompanied by a valid organic certificate issued by a CFIA accredited Certification body.

Letter from Costa Rica Servicio Fitosanitario del Estado for organic agriculture

July 23, 2024

Dr. Parthi Muthukumarasamy
Executive Director, International Programs Directorate
Canadian Food Inspection Agency / Government of Canada

The National Phytosanitary Service (SFE) of Costa Rica has reviewed the Canadian organic certification program as set out in the Canadian Safe Food for Canadians Regulations ((SFCR) 2019);

Based on that review the SFE has determined that agricultural products grown, produced and certified in Canada in accordance with Part 13 of the SFCR are produced and certified under an organic certification program that provides safeguards and guidelines that are equivalent to those required by Costa Rica's National law governing the organic agriculture regime.

Accordingly, subject to the limitations proposed in the Appendix 1, SFE will consider agricultural products produced and certified in Canada in conformity with Part 13 of the SFCR to have been produced and certified in accordance with Costa Rica´s requirements and will allow them to be sold, labelled and/ or represented in Costa Rica as organically produced, including both by display of the Canadian organic logo and the Costa Rican organic seal.

SFE confirms that Canadian organic certified agricultural products will be accepted and sold as organic in the Costa Rica national market; as long as they are certified by a Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) accredited Certification Body that certified the products as organic and/or the Canada Organic Logo.

Should the SFE decide to change its criteria for determining equivalency, it will notify Canadian Food Inspection Agency in writing in advance.

This recognition will be effective as of the date of this letter.

SFE which administers the Decree No. 29782, is committed to working with the CFIA team to carry out the terms in this letter.

Sincerely,
Eng. Nelson Morera Paniagua
Director General Servicio Fitosanitario del Estado
Ministerio de Agricultura y Ganadería

Appendix 1

Costa Rica grants this equivalency determination under the following conditions:

  1. The CFIA will notify the SFE in a timely manner of any:
    1. changes with respect to the CFIA's competent authority and accredited Certification Bodies.
    2. Proposed legislation or rulemaking that would modify any of Canada's laws or regulations that may impact the Canadian organic certification program.
    3. Instances of significant non-compliance with the Canadian organic certification program. For purposes of this equivalency determination, "significant" means any non-conformity that materially affects the integrity of the agricultural product.
  2. Following advance notice from the SFE, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) will permit SFE to conduct evaluations (document review and/or on-site visits) to verify how the Canadian certifying agents are carrying out the requirements of Canadian organic certification program. The CFIA will cooperate and assist the SFE, to the extent permitted under its domestic law, in carrying out such evaluations.
  3. Canada and Costa Rica will participate in discussions or other means they deem appropriate to resolve any issue raised regarding the application of or the activities covered under the arrangement such as establishing Technical Working Group to address and resolve implementation and other issues with the equivalency recognition.
  4. By July 2028, the Technical Working Group will review the functioning of this letter with a view to proposing any changes, as needed.

Letter sent to Costa Rica Servicio Fitosanitario del Estado for organic agriculture

March 28, 2013

Ing. Magda González Arroyo
Directora Ejecutiva
Servicio Fitosanitario del Estado
Ministerio de Agricultura y Ganadería
San José, Costa Rica

Dear Ms González Arroyo,

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) reviewed the Costa Rica organic certification program as set out in the Costa Rican Organic Agriculture Regulation - Decree No. 29782 from Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock.

Pursuant to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency Act and the Canada Agricultural Products Act, the CFIA has determined that agricultural products of plant origin which are produced and processed in Costa Rica and which are also in conformity with the Costa Rican Organic Agriculture Regulation - Decree No. 29782, are produced and processed under an organic certification program that provides safeguards and guidelines governing the production and processing of such products, and are deemed equivalent to such products that have been produced and processed in accordance with the Canadian Organic Products Regulations, 2009 (OPR 2009); and subject to Appendix 1, may be sold, labelled or represented in Canada as organic, including by display of the Canadian organic logo as well as Costa Rica's organic seal.

Should the CFIA decide to change its criteria for determining equivalency, it will notify Costa Rica Servicio Fitosanitario del Estado for Organic Agriculture in writing in advance.

This recognition will be effective as of the date of this letter.

The CFIA's Canada Organic Office (COO), which administers the OPR 2009, is committed to working with the Costa Rica Servicio Fitosanitario del Estado Office for Organic Agriculture to carry out what is envisioned in this letter.

Sincerely,

Daniel Miller
Executive Director
Food Labelling and Claims Directorate
Canadian Food Inspection Agency

Appendix 1

The equivalency decision of CFIA is subject to the following:

1. The Costa Rica Servicio Fitosanitario del Estado for Organic Agriculture will notify the CFIA in a timely manner of any:

  1. changes with respect to the Costa Rica Servicio Fitosanitario del Estado for Organic Agriculture competent authority and certifying agents;
  2. proposed rulemaking and/or enacted legislation that would modify the Costa Rica Organic Agriculture Regulation - Decree No. 29782;
  3. instances of any significant non-compliance with the Costa Rican organic certification program. For purposes of this equivalency determination, "significant" means any non-conformity that materially affects the integrity of the organic products subject to this recognition.

2. Following advance notice from the CFIA, the Costa Rica Servicio Fitosanitario del Estado for Organic Agriculture will permit the CFIA to conduct evaluations (document review and/or on-site visits) to verify how the Costa Rican certifying agents are carrying out the requirements of Costa Rica's organic certification program. The Costa Rica Servicio Fitosanitario del Estado for Organic Agriculture will cooperate and assist the CFIA, to the extent permitted under its domestic law, in carrying out such evaluations.

3. Should there be any issue raised regarding the application of or the activities covered under this letter, the CFIA and the Costa Rica Servicio Fitosanitario del Estado for Organic Agriculture will participate in discussions or use other means they deem appropriate to resolve the issue.

Letter from Costa Rica Servicio Fitosanitario del Estado for organic agriculture

San José, 15 March 2013

Mr. Daniel Miller
Executive Director
Food Labelling and Claims Directorate
Canadian Food Inspection Agency

Subject: Recognition of Equivalency with Canada

Dear Mr. Miller:

The National Phytosanitary Service (SFE) of Costa Rica has reviewed the Canadian organic certification program as set out in the Canadian Organic Products Regulations, 2009 (OPR 2009)

Based on that review the SFE has determined that agricultural products produced and certified in Canada in accordance with the OPR 2009, are produced and certified under an organic certification program that provides safeguards and guidelines that are equivalent to those required by Costa Rica's National law governing the organic agriculture regime.

Accordingly, subject to the limitations proposed in the Appendix 1, SFE will consider agricultural products produced and certified in Canada in conformity with the OPR 2009 to have been produced and certified in accordance with Costa Rica's requirements and will allow them to be sold, labelled and/ or represented in Costa Rica as organically produced, including both by display of the Canadian organic logo and the Costa Rican organic seal.

SFE confirms that Canadian organic certified agricultural products will be accepted and sold as organic in the Costa Rica national market; as long as they are certified by a Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) accredited Certification Body that certified the products as organic and/or the Canada Organic Logo.

Should the SFE decide to change its criteria for determining equivalency, it will notify Canadian Food Inspection Agency in writing in advance.

This recognition will be effective as of the date of this letter.

SFE which administers the Decree No. 29782, is committed to working with the CFIA's Canada Organic Office (CFIA's COO) to carry out what is envisioned in this letter.

Sincerely,
Magda González
Director

Appendix 1

Costa Rica grants this equivalency determination under the following conditions:

1. The CFIA will notify the SFE in a timely manner of any:

  1. changes with respect to the CFIA's competent authority and accredited Certification Bodies.
  2. proposed legislation or rulemaking that would modify any of Canada's laws or regulations that may impact the Canadian organic certification program.
  3. instances of significant non-compliance with the Canadian organic certification program. For purposes of this equivalency determination, "significant" means any non-conformity that materially affects the integrity of the agricultural product.

2. Following advance notice from the SFE, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) will permit SFE to conduct evaluations (document review and/or on-site visits) to verify how the Canadian certifying agents are carrying out the requirements of Canadian organic certification program. The CFIA will cooperate and assist the SFE, to the extent permitted under its domestic law, in carrying out such evaluations.

3. Should there be any issue raised regarding the application of or the activities covered under this letter, the SFE and the CFIA will participate in discussions or use other means they deem appropriate to resolve the issue.

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