New Regulation Streamlines the Entry of Raw Materials for Free Trade Zones into Costa Rica

The Ministry of Foreign Trade and the Ministry of Health have issued regulations under Decree No. 44696-S-COMEX, allowing the admission of products of sanitary interest or their raw materials into the free trade zone and active improvement regimes without requiring sanitary registration or authorization notification, considering the following:

• The products of sanitary interest or their raw materials must be used in the productive, transformation, and service processes of free trade zones or active improvement companies, aligning with their authorized activities.
• The products of sanitary interest or their raw materials must be destined for re-exportation or exportation.
• This decree applies to free trade zone companies (excluding Human Health Service Centers) and active improvement companies.
• The decree covers products of sanitary interest or their raw materials, except for those listed in Article 4 “Exclusions.”

If the products of sanitary interest or their raw materials are imported, marketed, distributed, used, or consumed within the national territory, they must have a sanitary registration, notification, or authorization granted by the Ministry of Health. The regulation stipulates that the request for the admission of products of sanitary interest or their raw materials must be submitted through the VUCECR platform at www.vuce.cr, by completing the electronic FAD (Formulario Aduanero Digital). The Health Authority has 7 calendar days to resolve the inclusion request in the MIN.SALUD catalog on the VUCECR website. Once a product receives authorization, subsequent admissions will be automatically approved. For more information, contact us at [email protected]