In Costa Rica, taxpayers interested in benefiting from exemptions or reduced rates of payment of Value Added Tax must register with the Directorate General of Taxation.
The changes were detailed on October 15, 2019, when the resolution of the General Directorate of Taxation (DGT) No. DGT-DGH-R-060-2019, entitled "Procedure for requesting registration, special orders for the authorization of exemption or reduced rate of Value Added Tax (VAT)", was published in the Official Newspaper La Gaceta."
Because of doubts that have arisen in the business sector, in Costa Rica it was reported that the start of shareholder registration was postponed six months and will enter into force on September 1 of this year.
The aim of this process is to facilitate compliance with the obligation that companies must inform the Treasury on the composition of its share capital, as well as the identification of final beneficiaries, under the provisions of the Law to Improve the Fight against Tax Fraud, a statement from the Central Bank of Costa Rica (BCCR).
The number of companies in operation which have 10 or more workers decreased from 7,618 in March 2017 to 7,571 in December of the same year.
Figures from the "National Survey of Companies 2017" by the National Institute of Statistics and Census indicate that between the first quarter and the last quarter of last year, the number of private companies registered a small variation of almost 1%.
Of the almost 38 thousand companies registered in the country, only 6% export some kind of product or service, while 15% import, among which are those in the fields of manufacturing and commerce.
The Directory of Companies and Establishments 2017 (DEE) of the National Institute of Economy and Censuses (INEC) details, among other data, the business category and the activity to which the companies in the country are dedicated.
Registration procedures have been updated for the commercialization of new seed varieties.
From a statement issued by the Ministry of Agriculture:
An executive decree recently published in La Gaceta, regulates the procedure for the registration of new varieties for commercialization, whose implementation, for 40 years, has been the responsibility of the National Seed Office (ONS by its initials in Spanish), in order to minimize the risks in Production and promote healthy trade among seed trading companies. The Decree is number 40300-MAG, published on April 26, of this year, in La Gaceta No. 78.
The new regulations will come into force in July 2017 and state that pesticide registrations can be renewed for equal consecutive periods of ten years and must be processed in the six months prior to their expiration.
Agricultural entrepreneurs expect the newregulationpublished yesterday in the official newspaper La Gaceta to start solving bureaucratic problems that have affected the sector for years, as before now they had to wait several months to complete the process for registering products.
Senasa has started the process of registration and updating information on subsistence, small, medium and large pig farms in the country.
From a statement issued by the Ministry of Agriculture:
As part of the implementation of the Control System for Mobilization and Traceability of pigs from the beginning of this year 2017, the National Animal Health Service (SENASA) at the Ministry of Agriculture, is carrying out, in regional offices, registration and updating of information of existing pig farms in the country (subsistence / backyard, small, medium and large) in the Integrated Registration System for Agricultural Establishments (SIREA by its initials in Spanish), with registration of establishments composing the first stage established in the implementation of the traceability system for the pig sector.
Pesticide registrations may be renewed for equal and consecutive periods of ten years to be processed in the six months before they expire.
From a statement issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock in Costa Rica:
The Executive today signed a new decree governing the registration, use and control of agricultural raw materials such as synthetic pesticides, adjuvants and other related substances.
A proposal has been made for the region to standardize the criteria for patenting so that it has the same validity and is treated in the same way in each of the Central American countries.
Meeting in Panama, patent experts and government representatives reviewed the Manual for Processing Patent Applications, with the aim of unifying the various laws on registrations in order to facilitate the work of companies that have to deal with different rules, times and procedures to register their patents in countries in Central America.
A regulation has come into effect on the Plant Material Certification for Propagative Citrus, which seeks to safeguard the phytosanitary status of citrus plants in the country.
Decree No. 38891 published in the Gazette No. 73 of Costa Rica:
Regulation on Certification of Material for Propagative Citrus Plants
Article 1-Purpose. To promote, improve and protect the heritage and phytosanitary status of citrus in the country.
Agricultural entrepreneurs say that to register a product state agencies ask for requirements and information which in many cases "can not even be substantiated".
In the last ten years only 6 active ingredients have been registered, as the competent authorities on the subject "... are using technology from the 80's and 90's." This situation reduces the competitiveness of Costa Rica, as in most countries in the region products registered after having completed the approval process in the United States.
Businessmen in Costa Rica recognize the progress made by the government, but are calling for an acceleration in the process to eliminate the duplication of paperwork which still prevails in several institutions.
Currently we have a clear agenda to deal with the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry regarding outstanding issues and the reduction in the number of requirements for starting a business and those for established businesses.
Approval has been given to the creation of a global system of digital certification to control pests and plant diseases which can spread during international trade.
From a statement issued by the Costa Rican Foreign Trade Promotion Office (Procomer):
The Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (CPM), the governing body of the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), consisting of 181 countries, has approved the creation of a new global electronic certification system called E-Phyto, which will help stop the spread of pests and diseases via agricultural products transported in international trade, in a way that is safer and cheaper.
The deadline for food exporters to update their details with the Food and Drug Administration of USA is December 31, 2014.
From a statement issued by the Foreign Trade Promotion Office of Costa Rica (PROCOMER):
Every company which manufactures, processes, packs or holds food for human or animal consumption and export to the United States must renew its registration with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as part of the measures included in the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). The deadline for this adjustment will be from 1 October to 31 December.
The Civil Aviation authority in Costa Rica has rejected the application made by Ticos Air to obtain the certification as an international airline because it did not meet the requirements within the required timeframe.
The Civil Aviation authority of Costa Rica notified the company that the Ticos Air that their case has been closed because of non compliance with all the "legal, technical and financial" requirements ...
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