Costa Rica: New law ratifies Revised Kyoto Convention

Law No. 10530, published on September 30, 2024, approved an international treaty known as the “Revised Kyoto Convention” (RKC).

This international treaty, adopted by the World Customs Organization (WCO), aims to simplify and harmonize customs procedures globally by establishing standards and best practices to facilitate international trade and promote cooperation among the member states. The RKC provides a regulatory framework that promotes the modernization of customs procedures and techniques.

In Costa Rica, Law No. 10530 ratifies the convention in its entirety, with reservations noted in articles two, three, and four.

The RKC consists of a General Annex and 10 Specific Annexes.

• The General Annex, which is mandatory for all member states, defines the fundamental principles governing customs regimes and practices, including transparency, standardization of goods declarations, use of information technologies, and risk management.
• The Specific Annexes, which are optional, cover aspects such as the arrival of goods, importation, exportation, customs warehouses, free zones, transit, and special regimes.

Read an October 2024 report (Spanish) prepared by the KPMG member firm in Costa Rica