A decree issued by President Laura Fernández-Delgado took effect this week, establishing controls on imported products produced in violation of the International Labour Organization’s Forced Labour Convention.

The convention aims to suppress the use of forced labor in all its forms, regardless of the nature of the work or the sector in which it is performed. It defines forced labor as “all work or service which is exacted from any person under the menace of any penalty and for which the said person has not offered himself voluntarily.”

Under the decree, the Ministry of Foreign Trade (COMEX), the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Labor (MTSS) have 60 calendar days to establish a list of imported products that were produced, extracted or manufactured, in whole or in part, through forced labor.

The review may cover products originating from any country. Authorities could impose control measures when such products are brought into Costa Rica, including additional taxes or rejection of the products upon entry into the country.

The decree also requires importers to take measures to verify that products entering Costa Rica were not produced, extracted or manufactured through forced labor. Importers will have to verify that the goods do not appear on the official list.

The list will apply to any importation or purchase of products made abroad, including government purchases.

The government must make public the list of products linked to factories or countries identified as using forced labor. The list is intended to provide importers and others purchasing products from abroad with sufficient information about restrictions on those products entering Costa Rica.

According to the List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor, an annual publication issued by the Bureau of International Labor Affairs at the U.S. Department of Labor, countries listed include Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Somalia, India, China, Pakistan, Burma (Myanmar), Thailand, Cambodia and the Philippines, among many others.

Costa Rica’s imports of goods reached $23 billion in 2025, an increase of 5.5%, according to a COMEX report. The United States is the country’s main source of imports, with imports totaling nearly $8 billion. China is the second-largest trading partner of importance, with imports totaling $4.5 billion.

COMEX is the government agency responsible for overseeing Costa Rica's foreign trade and investment strategy.

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Should Costa Rica completely ban the importation of products made in countries linked to forced labor? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com

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