Once ratified by Congress, Costa Rica’s accession is expected to provide businesses with immediate access to a market of about 600 million consumers.

Exporters will be able to benefit from duty-free access, in some cases within quotas, for products including cheese, confectionery, animal feed, pork and beef. Tariffs on certain goods are expected to be phased out over periods ranging from five to 12 years, depending on the product.

According to the U.K. Department for Business and Trade, CPTPP members will also receive legally guaranteed access to bid on Costa Rican public procurement projects, allowing companies to compete for government contracts under the agreement’s rules.

As part of its accession commitments, Costa Rica agreed to liberalize its professional services sector across 19 regulated professions, including legal, accounting and engineering services, according to a statement from the U.K. Department for Business and Trade. Authorities said the measures go beyond Costa Rica’s previous trade agreements and are intended to create a more open and accessible market for professionals.

Costa Rica submitted its application to join the CPTPP in August 2022. The agreement must now be sent to Congress, where lawmakers will decide whether to approve the country’s entry into the trade bloc.

Costa Rica’s exports reached a record of more than $22.8 billion in 2025, marking a 14% increase compared with 2024, according to new data from COMEX.

Foreign direct investment inflows also surpassed $5.12 billion in 2025, an increase of $120 million from the previous year.

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

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