Disasters, Conflicts and Migration

For a more detailed database on disasters by country, please see the Centre for Research on Epidemiology of Disasters Country Profile. 

Seasonal Effects on Logistics Capacities

Costa Rica Logistics Sector Working Group – UNETE (United Nations Emergency Team)

In Costa Rica, instead of a Logistics Cluster, there are various Sectorial Groups as part of a UN logistics response. The United Nations System responds to the government's need through United Nations Emergency Team (UNETE), which is an inter-agency response group. Extended UNETE includes national or international NGOs as part of the Humanitarian Response network. 

Capacity and Contacts for In-Country Emergency Response

Government

The National Commission for the Prevention of Risks and Care of Emergencies (Comisión Nacional de Prevención de Riesgos y Atención de Emergencias - CNE), is the governmental institution responsible for emergency support  purposes under Costa Rica’s Law No. 8488 (Ley Nacional de Emergencias y Prevención de Riesgos N° 8488).

CNE is the maximum body attached to the Ministry of Presidency, with instrumental legal capacity for the management and administration of budget and for the investment of its resources, with assets and budgets.

For more information on government contact details, please see the following link: HQ staff will input a link to section 4.1 Government Contact List here.

Also refer to additional Government Contacts using document: Assignment of Subjects and Departments, Agencies and other Public Bodies. 

Humanitarian Community

UN entities with active offices in Costa Rica:  UNRCO, FAO, IMF, IOM, ISA, PAHO/WHO, UNAIDS, UNDP, UNDSS, UN Environment CEP, UN Environment, Caribbean Sub Regional Office, UNESCO, UNFPA, UNICEF, World Bank.

International Organizations with based offices and activities within Costa Rica:

1. Alto Comisionado de las Naciones Unidas para los Refugiados
2. Banco Centroamericano de Integración Económica
3. Banco Interamericano para el Desarrollo
4. Banco Mundial
5. Centro Agronómico y Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza
6. Comité Internacional de la Cruz Roja
7. Confederación de Cooperativas del Caribe y Centroamérica
8. Consejo Monetario Centroamericano
9. Corporación Centroamericana de Servicios de Navegación Aérea
10. Corte Interamericana de Derechos Humanos
11. Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales
12. Fondo de las Naciones Unidas para la Infancia
13. Instituto Centroamericano de Administración Pública
14. Instituto Centroamericano de Administración de Empresas
15. Instituto Interamericano de Cooperación para la Agricultura
16. Instituto Interamericano de Derechos Humanos
17. Instituto Interamericano para la Asistencia Democrática y Electoral
18. Instituto Internacional de Recursos Genéticos de Plantas IPGRI e INIBAP
19. Instituto Latinoamericano de las Naciones Unidas para la Prevención del Delito y el Tratamiento del Delincuente
20. La Corporación Interamericana de Inversiones
21. Oficina de Servicios para Proyectos Organización de Naciones Unidas
22. Organismo Internacional Regional de Sanidad Agropecuaria
23. Organización Iberoamericana de Seguridad Social
24. Organización Internacional del Trabajo
25. Organización Internacional para las Migraciones
26. Organización Meteorológica Mundial
27. Organización Panamericana de la Salud - Organización Mundial de la Salud (OPS / OMS)
28. Organización de Estados Iberoamericanos para la Educación, la Ciencia y la Cultura
29. Organización de las Naciones Unidas para La Agricultura y la Alimentación
30. Organización de las Naciones Unidas para la Educación, la Ciencia y la Cultura
31. Organización de los Estados Americanos
32. Organización para los Estudios Tropicales
33. Programa de las Naciones Unidas para el Desarrollo
34. Secretaría Ejecutiva del Consejo Agropecuario Centroamericano
35. Sede Académica de Costa Rica de la Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales
36. Universidad para la Paz
37. Unión Internacional para la Conservación de la Naturaleza y los Recursos Naturales
38. Unión Postal Universal
39. Agencia de Cooperación Internacional de Corea / Korean International Cooperation Agency
40. Agencia de Cooperación Internacional del Japón
41. Consejería de Proyectos para Refugiados Latinoamericanos
42. Convenio Costa Rica-Liechtenstein
43. Convenio Suizo-Costarrricense
44. Cooperación Técnica Alemana
45. Escuela de Agricultura de la Región Tropical Húmeda
46. Federacion Internacional de Sociedades de la Cruz Roja y Media Luna Roja
47. Fondo de Población de las Naciones Unidas UNFPA-FNUAP Oficina Regional para Centroamérica
48. Fundación Friedrich Ebert
49. Fundación Konrad Adenauer
50. Fundación para el Desarrollo de la Cordillera Volcánica Central
51. GIZ -Convenio Costarricense-Alemán,
52. Habitat para la Humanidad
53. Instituto Humanista para la Cooperación de los Países en Desarrollo (HIVOS)
54. Misión de Cooperación Cultural Francesa
55. Misión de Cooperación Española
56. Misión de Cooperación de Suecia
57. S.O.S. Kinderdorf International
58. Secretaría General de la Organización de los Estados Americanos
59. Servicio de Intercambio Académico Alemán
60. Visión Mundial
    
    

See the United Nations in Costa Rica website for more information: https://www.un.int/costarica/

For more information on humanitarian agency contact details, please see the following link: 4.2 Costa Rica Humanitarian Agency Contact List

Regulatory Departments and Institutions:

• Comisión Nacional de Prevención de Riesgos y Atención de Emergencias: 
  National Institution that rectors all matters of disaster prevention and emergency care. Focal Institution for planning development and budgeting regarding prevention and risk mitigation.
  https://cne.go.cr

• Servicio Nacional de Salud Animal - SENASA:
  Institution in charge of providing quality services for the livestock sector. Also delegated to facilitate, monitor, operate and trade in animal products and livestock products in/out national/international markets.  Policies for import and export trade relies on SENASA.
  http://www.senasa.go.cr/

• Servicio Fitosanitario del Estado
  It fulfils the functions of surveillance and pest control throughout the country. Performs the registration of substances, equipment and organisms for agricultural use.
  https://www.sfe.go.cr

• Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores y Culto
  The functions of this ministry is to direct foreign relations, celebrate treaties and promulgate and execute them once approved by the Legislative Assembly. It also receives Heads of State representatives, diplomatic representatives and to admit nation’s consuls.

• Ministerio de Salud

• Dirección General de Aviación Civil
  Plans, regulates and promotes civil aviation services in Costa Rica.
  http://www.dgac.go.cr/

• Dirección General de Migración y Extranjería
  Institution body under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with the aim of promoting immigration, regulating it and establishing control measures for it, under the observation of international conventions, for the knowledge and study of everything related to migration.
  http://migracion.go.cr/

• Ministerio de Seguridad Pública
  Major institution which maintains public order, prevents criminal and vandal acts, and preserves and maintains sovereignty.

• Dirección General de Aduanas
  Regulates the entry and exit of merchandise, vehicles and units of transport from the national territory. It is in charge of all aspects of customs clearance.  Dirección General de Aduanas is part of the Ministerio de Hacienda.

For more information on regulatory departments and quality control laboratories’ contact details, please see the following links: 4.1 Government Contacts 

Customs services in Costa Rica are part of the Ministry of Finance.  For more information on the structure and organigram of the Customs Service, please use the following link:

http://www.hacienda.go.cr/contenido/284-servicio-nacional-de-aduanas

Duties and Tax Exemption

For contact information regarding government custom authorities, please follow the link below: 

INSERT LINK to the government contact list. Create the contact list by completing the 'Annex 2.1: Government Contact List' template

For more information regarding customs processes in Costa Rica, please check the following link:

http://www.hacienda.go.cr/contenido/13227-informacion-de-interes-para-tramites-aduaneros

Emergency Response:

Based on Costa Rica's regulations, all items considered as relief are: goods such as vehicles or other transportation units; food products; medicines; clothing; dormitory-hospital or supply stores; prefabricated houses; machinery; and special equipment (mobile or not) for medical use, construction, supply, rescue, communication and transport. These shipments are intended to help victims of natural catastrophes or similar disasters, which affect communities.

The only allowed consignee for relief items is the Government of Costa Rica or the designated administrative body Consejo Nacional de Emergencias (CNE).

When appropriate, the customs authority may authorize the entry of relief consignments consigned to social interest entities, charities, non-governmental organizations, associations or foundations of public interest, at the time established by the customs management, with endorsement of the goods in favour of the CNE.

In the table below, it is stated which of the following agreements and conventions apply to the country and if there are any other existing ones.

Exemption Regular Regime (Non-Emergency Response): 

Note:  Exemption regime does not exist under a NON-EMERGENCY RESPONSE.

Only the CNE can use the exemption regime established under emergency declaration. There must be a causal link between the event producing the emergency as well as the works, goods and services that are intended to be acquired. Also only the CNE can carry out the management of international aid, agencies and countries, in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The CNE coordinates the international assistance that Costa Rica can offer to other nations that have an emergency declared in their territories, when as agreed by the President of the Republic and the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Please refer to Law 8488, following the link below:

http://diee.mep.go.cr/normativa/ley-8488-ley-nacional-de-emergencias-y-prevencion-del-riesgo

Costa Rica offers a wide variety of industrial parks and office centres, both within and outside of the Metro Areas, with features that offer the right conditions to the required need.

Exemption Certificate Application Procedure: 

Exemption Certificate Document Requirements

Note: For humanitarian aid in the case of food or medicines and all goods subject to sanitary conditions. Customs will coordinate with the appropriate authorities so that the relevant controls can be carried out more expeditiously prior to authorizing the release of these goods.

Additional Note: Organizations, NGOs or companies that wish to opt for this incentive and benefits regime must comply with the requirements and obligations established in Law No. 7210

Customs Clearance

General Information 

Customs Clearance Document Requirements

Transit Regime

For cargo transit regime or humanitarian aid, the application for entry and the list of goods is necessary. Customs will draw up and sign an act to authorize the entry of relief shipments. This act shall include the documents that support the entry of such shipments.

It will be down to the Customs Authority to keep a copy of all the documents that served as support for the authorization of the entry of relief shipments based in the RES-DGA-047-2009 Dated February 13^th, 2009.

The two most important ports in Costa Rica are Puerto Limón / Moin and the port of Caldera, also known as Puerto Caldera. Puerto Limón is the main port located on the coast of the Caribbean Sea and the largest in the entire country. Puerto Caldera is the largest and most important port on the Pacific Ocean coast.

Quepos and Golfo Dulce are also two other relevant ports.

Key airport information may also be found at: http://worldaerodata.com/

Costa Rica Aviation is supervised by the Direccion General de Aviacion Civil, based on the Civil Aviation General Law No. 5150 of May 14, 1973. 

The Technical Council of Civil Aviation and the General Directorate of Civil Aviation, attached to the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, are the bodies responsible for all matters relating to the regulation and control of Civil Aviation within Costa Rican territory.

For more information on government agency and airport company contact information, please see the following links:

4.1 Government Contact List 

Procedures for Foreign Registered Aircraft

Related to all registration processes should be madethrough Direccion General de Aviacion.

Foreign Registered Aircraft Application form:

http://www.dgac.go.cr/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/7F72-Certificado-Aerona.pdf

For more information on government contact details, please see the following link: 4.1 Government Contact List

Distance Matrix

Travel Time Matrix

Road Security

Security in Costa Rica’s road network is generally good with few accidents.

The UN has appointed a UNDSS Security Officer who liaises directly with the local police units and this contact will make arrangements with them to provide security escorts.

Fuel Overview

Fuel in Costa Rica is managed by Refinadora Costarricense de Petroleo S.A. (RECOPE), a government institution.

Consumer prices are established by the Public Services Regulatory Authority.

Costa Rica imports fuel and other such goods using RECOPE via the oil dock in Moín, Limón where shipments of raw materials are received. RECOPE built the National Fuel System, a unique complex in Central America, through which the product is pumped from Moín to Barranca in Puntarenas, crossing practically the entire country from east to west. This is the safest and most economical means for the transfer of clean fuels, such as gasoline, diesel and aviation fuels. There are also four distribution, sale and storage facilities interconnected by pipelines.

For more information on government and fuel provider contact details, please see the following links: 4.7 Fuel Provider Contact List

Information may also be found at: http://www.mytravelcost.com/petrol-prices/ which is updated monthly. 

Fuel Pricing

Prices are calculated based on the international price of the product, the exchange rate, the operating margin of the Service Stations, Carriers, RECOPE and taxes.

Seasonal Variations 

Fuel Transportation

Trucks transport fuel out of the 4 pumping and services stations.  The distribution plant with the most commercial and operational activity is located in Moin / Limon, where the refining plant is also located. From there, the fuel is transported by trucks to the central plateau of Costa Rica. 

Standards, Quality and Testing

RECOPE laboratory tests and the equipment calibration are accredited by the Ente Costarricense de Acreditacion (ECA).

The quality control laboratories of Moín, El Alto, La Garita and Barranca, have as their main objective, to guarantee through physical and chemical tests, that Costa Rica’s supply of fuels comply 100% with the regulations established by Central American countries and national regulations.

Most common quality tests performed under RECOPE Labs are:

• Octane in gasoline (ASTM 2699)
• Distillation cycle (ASTM D86)
• Vapor pressure (ASTM D6378)
• Sulfur (ASTM D4294 / D2622)
• Density (ASTM D4052)
• Flash point (ASTM D93 / D56)
• Viscosity (ASTM D2171)

Disclaimer: Inclusion of company information in the LCA does not imply any business relationship between the supplier and WFP / Logistics Cluster, and is used solely as a determinant of services, and capacities.

Please note: WFP / Logistics Cluster maintain complete impartiality and are not in a position to endorse, comment on any company's suitability as a reputable service provider.

For more information on transport company contact details, please see the following link: 4.8 Transporter Contact List

According to Article 136 / Costa Rica Labour Code, the ordinary workday must not exceed eight hours per day, six hours per night, and forty-eight hours per week.

Reference Table for Costa Rica Monthly Salary Scale for 2018: http://www.mtss.go.cr/temas-laborales/salarios/Documentos-Salarios/lista_ocupacion_2018.pdf