{ "id": "nexus-sen-1-0007-419510", "citation": "Res. 13448-2008 Sala Constitucional", "section": "nexus_decisions", "doc_type": "constitutional_decision", "title_es": "Constitucionalidad de la Enmienda al Protocolo de Montreal sobre sustancias que agotan la capa de ozono", "title_en": "Constitutionality of the Montreal Protocol Amendment on Ozone-Depleting Substances", "summary_es": "La Sala Constitucional evacuó la consulta legislativa preceptiva formulada por el Directorio de la Asamblea Legislativa sobre el proyecto de aprobación de la Enmienda al Protocolo de Montreal, adoptada en la Undécima Reunión de las Partes en Beijing (1999). La Enmienda incorpora nuevas sustancias controladas (HCFC, BCCM), restricciones al comercio con Estados no signatarios y obligaciones de reporte sobre metilbromuro para cuarentena y pre-embarque. La Sala examinó el procedimiento legislativo y no encontró vicios: los requisitos constitucionales y reglamentarios fueron satisfechos, y la omisión inicial de un acta del plenario fue subsanada de oficio. Sobre la cuestión de la suscripción de la Enmienda, la Sala reiteró que, conforme a la jurisprudencia constitucional y al artículo 7 párrafo 2 inciso c) de la Convención de Viena sobre el Derecho de los Tratados, los representantes acreditados ante una conferencia internacional tienen plenos poderes para adoptar el texto, y la participación posterior del Presidente en la sanción y depósito subsana cualquier defecto. En cuanto al fondo, la Sala determinó que la Enmienda es conforme con la Constitución, en particular con el artículo 50, al estar dirigida a la protección de un ambiente sano y la recuperación de la capa de ozono. Por tanto, declaró que el proyecto no presenta roces constitucionales.", "summary_en": "The Constitutional Chamber ruled on the mandatory legislative consultation regarding the bill to approve the Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, adopted at the Eleventh Meeting of the Parties in Beijing (1999). The Amendment introduces new controlled substances (HCFCs, BCCM), trade restrictions with non-Party States, and reporting obligations on methyl bromide for quarantine and pre-shipment applications. The Chamber reviewed the legislative procedure and found no defects: constitutional and regulatory requirements were met, and the initial omission of a plenary session record was corrected ex officio. Regarding the signing of the Amendment, the Court reaffirmed that, under its own precedent and Article 7(2)(c) of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, representatives accredited to an international conference have full powers to adopt the text, and the President's subsequent participation in ratification and deposit cures any defect. On the merits, the Court held that the Amendment aligns with the Constitution, particularly Article 50, as it aims to protect a healthy environment and restore the ozone layer. It concluded that the bill does not contravene constitutional norms or principles.", "court_or_agency": "Sala Constitucional", "date": "03/09/2008", "year": "2008", "topic_ids": [], "primary_topic_id": null, "es_concept_hints": [ "consulta legislativa preceptiva", "capa de ozono", "HCFC", "BCCM", "metilbromuro", "artículo 50 de la Constitución Política", "Convenio de Viena para la Protección de la Capa de Ozono", "Protocolo de Montreal" ], "article_citations": [ { "law": "Aprobación de la Enmienda al Protocolo de Montreal Relativo a las Sustancias", "article": "all", "doc_id": "norm-64207", "source": "metadata" }, { "law": "Tratados Internacionales 8670", "article": "all", "doc_id": "norm-64207", "source": "metadata" } ], "keywords_es": [ "consulta legislativa preceptiva", "Protocolo de Montreal", "capa de ozono", "enmienda", "sustancias que agotan la capa de ozono", "HCFC", "BCCM", "metilbromuro", "artículo 50 Constitución", "ambiente sano", "Convenio de Viena para la Protección de la Capa de Ozono" ], "keywords_en": [ "mandatory legislative consultation", "Montreal Protocol", "ozone layer", "amendment", "ozone-depleting substances", "HCFCs", "BCCM", "methyl bromide", "Article 50 Constitution", "healthy environment", "Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer" ], "excerpt_es": "En cuanto al fondo del Proyecto consultado, tampoco se observa disconformidad con la Constitución; se trata de una Enmienda a un instrumento internacional que incluye nuevas sustancias para ser objeto de las medidas de control previstas en el Tratado y se disponen plazos para su adopción, todo ello con el fin de contribuir a la preservación de un ambiente sano y equilibrado para la Humanidad, en consonancia con el artículo 50 de la Constitución Política. En el tanto que la interpretación y aplicación de estas normas no deriven en contrarias a la Constitución, su texto mismo no la contradice en forma alguna.", "excerpt_en": "As for the substance of the bill under consultation, no discrepancy with the Constitution is observed; it is an Amendment to an international instrument that includes new substances to be subject to the control measures provided in the Treaty and sets timelines for their adoption, all with the purpose of contributing to the preservation of a healthy and balanced environment for Humanity, in accordance with Article 50 of the Political Constitution. To the extent that the interpretation and application of these norms do not result in being contrary to the Constitution, the text itself does not contradict it in any way.", "outcome": { "label_en": "Consultation resolved – no constitutional issues", "label_es": "Consulta evacuada – sin roces constitucionales", "summary_en": "The Constitutional Chamber found that the bill to approve the Montreal Protocol Amendment contains no procedural or substantive defects that contravene the Constitution, and aligns with Article 50 of the Constitution.", "summary_es": "La Sala Constitucional determinó que el proyecto de aprobación de la Enmienda al Protocolo de Montreal no contiene vicios procedimentales ni de fondo que contradigan la Constitución, y es conforme con el artículo 50 constitucional." }, "pull_quotes": [ { "context": "Considerando IV", "quote_en": "it is an Amendment to an international instrument that includes new substances to be subject to the control measures provided in the Treaty and sets timelines for their adoption, all with the purpose of contributing to the preservation of a healthy and balanced environment for Humanity, in accordance with Article 50 of the Political Constitution.", "quote_es": "se trata de una Enmienda a un instrumento internacional que incluye nuevas sustancias para ser objeto de las medidas de control previstas en el Tratado y se disponen plazos para su adopción, todo ello con el fin de contribuir a la preservación de un ambiente sano y equilibrado para la Humanidad, en consonancia con el artículo 50 de la Constitución Política." }, { "context": "Considerando III", "quote_en": "the fact that the President of the Republic participates with his will in subsequent procedural stages: ratification and deposit of the Treaty, allows any defect that existed in the effective representation to be cured.", "quote_es": "el hecho de que el Presidente de la República participe con su voluntad de etapas procedimentales posteriores: sanción y depósito del Tratado, permite subsanar cualquier vicio que existiese en la efectiva representación." } ], "cites": [], "cited_by": [], "references": { "internal": [], "external": [] }, "source_url": "https://nexuspj.poder-judicial.go.cr/document/sen-1-0007-419510", "tier": 2, "is_environmental": true, "_editorial_citation_count": 0, "regulations_by_article": null, "amendments_by_article": null, "dictamen_by_article": null, "concordancias_by_article": null, "afectaciones_by_article": null, "resoluciones_by_article": null, "cited_by_votos": [], "cited_norms": [], "cited_norms_inverted": [], "sentencias_relacionadas": [], "temas_y_subtemas": [], "cascade_only": false, "amendment_count": 0, "body_es_text": "* 080117970007CO *\r\n \r\n usuario1\r\n Normal\r\n usuario1\r\n 3\r\n 1\r\n 2008-10-31T21:09:00Z\r\n 2009-03-19T19:18:00Z\r\n 1\r\n 1526\r\n 8396\r\n Poder Judicial\r\n 69\r\n 19\r\n 9903\r\n 11.6505\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n 75\r\n 21\r\n \r\n false\r\n false\r\n false\r\n MicrosoftInternetExplorer4\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n \r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n\n\r\n\n \n\r\n\n* 080117970007CO *\n\r\n\nExp: 08-011797-0007-CO\n\r\n\nRes. Nº 2008-13448\n\r\n\n \n\r\n\nSALA CONSTITUCIONAL DE LA CORTE SUPREMA DE JUSTICIA. San José, a las catorce horas y cuarenta y seis minutos del tres de septiembre del dos mil ocho.\n\r\n\n \n\r\n\n\r\n\nConsulta legislativa preceptiva de constitucionalidad formulada por el Directorio de la Asamblea Legislativa, sobre el proyecto de “Aprobación de la Enmienda al Protocolo de Montreal relativo a las sustancias que agotan la capa de ozono”, que se tramita en el expediente legislativo número 16.018.- \n\r\n\n\r\n\nResultando:\n\r\n\n\r\n\n1.- La consulta, que se formula en cumplimiento de lo que establece el inciso a) del artículo 96 de la Ley de la Jurisdicción Constitucional, fue recibida en la Secretaría de la Sala a las 15:10 hrs. de 28 de agosto de 2008, con una copia certificada del expediente legislativo número 16.018. La Presidencia de la Sala tuvo por presentada la consulta por resolución de las 8:15 hrs. de 29 de agosto de 2008. El término para evacuarla vence el día 28 de agosto de 2008.- \n\r\n\n\r\n\n\r\n\n2.- Mediante nota suscrita por el Lic. Marco W. Quesada Bermúdez, recibida el 2 de setiembre de 2008, la Secretaría del Directorio Legislativo remite certificación de 28 folios del expediente legislativo del proyecto consultado, los cuales se han incorporado al expediente original a partir del folio 118, retomándose la numeración correspondiente (f. 5).- \n\r\n\n\r\n\n\r\n\n3.- En el procedimiento se han cumplido las formalidades establecidas en la ley. \n\r\n\n\r\n\nRedacta el Magistrado Armijo Sancho; y, \n\r\n\nConsiderando:\n\r\n\n\r\n\nI.- Objeto de la consulta: La presente consulta preceptiva de constitucionalidad se formula por el Directorio Legislativo, de conformidad con lo dispuesto en el artículo 96 inciso a) de la Ley de la Jurisdicción Constitucional, con relación al Proyecto de “Aprobación de la Enmienda al Protocolo de Montreal relativo a las sustancias que agotan la capa de ozono”, que se tramita en el expediente legislativo número 16.018. La Enmienda tiene por objeto incorporar a ese Protocolo medidas de control para la producción de hidroclorofluorocarbonos (HCFC) y de bromoclorometano (BCCM) e imponer restricciones al comercio de esas sustancias con Estados no signatarios del Protocolo, estableciendo el deber de reportar sobre el metilbromuro para cuarentena y aplicaciones pre-embarque, todo con el fin de proteger y recuperar la capa de ozono, de conformidad con lo Previsto en el Convenio de Viena para la Protección de la Capa de Ozono y el Protocolo de Montreal. La enmienda se adopta de conformidad con el procedimiento establecido en el párrafo 4º del artículo 9 de ese Convenio de Viena.- \n\r\n\n\r\n\n\r\n\nII.- Aspectos generales de tramitación del expediente número 16.018 en la Asamblea Legislativa.- El proyecto de “Aprobación de la Enmienda al Protocolo de Montreal relativo a las sustancias que agotan la capa de ozono”, fue suscrito por el Presidente de la República, a la sazón, Abel Pacheco de la Espriella y su Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores, Roberto Tovar Faja; fue presentado a la Secretaría del Directorio de la Asamblea Legislativa, el 20 de setiembre de 2005, por la entonces vicepresidenta de la República, Lineth Saborío Chaverri (folios 1 y siguientes del expediente legislativo); el proyecto fue publicado en La Gaceta Nº 198 de 14 de octubre de 2005. El estudio del proyecto correspondió, inicialmente, a la Comisión Permanente Especial de Relaciones Internacionales y Comercio Exterior, a la cual fue asignado por auto de 20 de setiembre de 2005 (f. 19); posteriormente, por iniciativa de las diputadas presidentas de esa Comisión y de la de Ambiente, el proyecto fue trasladado a la segunda, por auto de 21 de junio de 2007 (f. 59). El Departamento de Servicios Técnicos de la Asamblea Legislativa rindió el Informe Técnico Socioambiental el 20 de marzo de 2006 (fs. 21 a 44) y el Informe Jurídico el 14 de junio de 2006 (fs. 45 a 54). La Ministra de Salud, María Luisa Ávila Agüero, a solicitud de la Comisión Especial de Ambiente, se pronunció a favor de la adopción de la Enmienda, (fs. 80 y 81). El 18 de octubre de 2007, la Comisión Permanente Especial de Ambiente rindió dictamen afirmativo unánime (fs. 98 a 108), el cual fue recibido por la Secretaría del Directorio el 7 de noviembre de 2007 (f. 111); el Proyecto fue incluido en la convocatoria a sesiones extraordinarias, por Decreto Ejecutivo número 34676-MP de 25 de agosto de 2008; en la sesión de 25 de agosto de 2008, el plenario aprobó el proyecto en primer debate, por el voto unánime de treinta y nueve diputados presentes (fs. 136 a 141). En la copia del expediente legislativo originalmente enviado a la Sala se omitieron los folios correspondientes al acta de la sesión del plenario legislativo de 12 de agosto de 2008, en que se inició la discusión del proyecto consultado; sin embargo, la omisión fue subsanada, de oficio, por la Secretaría del Directorio, mediante certificación remitida el 2 de setiembre de 2008 (fs. 5 a 34), en la cual se comprobó que el Proyecto fue suficientemente explicado y discutido en aquella sesión.- \n\r\n\n\r\n\n\r\n\nIII.- Inexistencia de vicios en el procedimiento. El examen del expediente legislativo no.16.018 muestra que los requisitos esenciales previstos en la Constitución y el Reglamento Legislativo, en cuanto a su tramitación, han sido cumplidos satisfactoriamente. Para disipar cualesquiera dudas, cabe referirse a un aspecto señalado, en su oportunidad, en el informe jurídico rendido por el Departamento de Servicios Técnicos de la Asamblea Legislativa, el cual se refiere a la suscripción de la Enmienda (v. folio 49), aunque se trata de un problema que carece de relevancia en este caso. Como se ha dicho, el Proyecto remitido a la Asamblea Legislativa fue suscrito por el Presidente de la República y su Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores; en el expediente consta una certificación del Jefe de la Oficina Asesora de Tratados Internacionales de la Dirección General de Política Exterior del Ministerio de Relaciones y Culto, según la cual, las copias del texto a aprobar son reproducciones fieles y exactas del texto de la Enmienda adoptada en la Undécima Reunión de las Partes, celebrada en Beijing, china, del 29 de noviembre de al 3 de diciembre de 1999. El Departamento de Servicios Técnicos indicó que no podía constatar si a esa Reunión asistió el representante acreditado por el Gobierno de Costa Rica, como tampoco su respectivo apoderamiento, pero consideró que, de acuerdo con la jurisprudencia constitucional (sentencia No. 3388-98), procedía la aprobación legislativa de la Enmienda (f. 50). En efecto, el Estado puede válidamente manifestar su voluntad de obligarse por medios distintos a la suscripción del instrumento, como el presente, que fue adoptado por votación en el seno de una conferencia internacional, en el marco del Convenio de Viena para la Protección de la Capa de Ozono y su Protocolo de Montreal relativo a las sustancias que agotan la capa de Ozono, de los cuales el Estado de Costa Rica es Parte y sus normas se integran a nuestro derecho interno (leyes No. 7228 y 7808). Al ser consultada sobre una situación similar, la Sala consideró que: \n\r\n\n\r\n\n\r\n\n“el Departamento de Servicios Técnicos señaló que no consta el otorgamiento de los plenos poderes a la Embajadora firmante, por lo que consideran que debería acreditarse el apoderamiento, por lo que recomienda que se solicite al Poder Ejecutivo que se aporte, además de la certificación de las firmas, la del apoderamiento respectivo. A pesar de que la recomendación no ha sido satisfecha, en cuanto a la deficiencia de acreditación de la firma y poderes de la firmante del Tratado por parte del Estado, de acuerdo con el artículo 7º párrafo 2º inciso c) de la Convención de Viena sobre el Derecho de los Tratados, se considera que representan al Estado, con plenos poderes, los representantes acreditados por los Estados ante una conferencia internacional o ante una organización internacional o uno de sus órganos, para la adopción del texto de un tratado en tal conferencia, organización u órgano, como en el presente caso, en que el Tratado fue firmado por la Embajadora Permanente ante la FAO, en el 31º periodo de sesiones de la Conferencia de este organización. Sobre la materia, también la Sala ha considerado que el hecho de que el Presidente de la República participe con su voluntad de etapas procedimentales posteriores: sanción y depósito del Tratado, permite subsanar cualquier vicio que existiese en la efectiva representación (v., entre otras, las sentencias número 6624-94 y 2002- 08190)”.-\n\r\n\n\r\n\n\r\n\nIV.- Sobre el fondo del Proyecto.-\n\r\n\n\r\n\n\r\n\nEn cuanto al fondo del Proyecto consultado, tampoco se observa disconformidad con la Constitución; se trata de una Enmienda a un instrumento internacional que incluye nuevas sustancias para ser objeto de las medidas de control previstas en el Tratado y se disponen plazos para su adopción, todo ello con el fin de contribuir a la preservación de un ambiente sano y equilibrado para la Humanidad, en consonancia con el artículo 50 de la Constitución Política. En el tanto que la interpretación y aplicación de estas normas no deriven en contrarias a la Constitución, su texto mismo no la contradice en forma alguna.- \n\r\n\n\r\n\nPor tanto:\n\r\n\n\r\n\nSe evacua la consulta preceptiva en el sentido que el proyecto de ley de “Aprobación de la Enmienda al Protocolo de Montreal relativo a las sustancias que agotan la capa de ozono”, que se tramita en el expediente legislativo número 16.018, no contiene roces con los principios y normas constitucionales. Notifíquese.- \n\r\n\n\r\n\n \n\r\n\n \n\r\n\nAna Virginia Calzada M. \n\r\n\nPresidenta a.i. \n\r\n\n \n\r\n\n \n\r\n\n Luis Paulino Mora M. Gilbert Armijo S.\n\r\n\n \n\r\n\n \n\r\n\n Ernesto Jinesta L. Fernando Cruz C.\n\r\n\n \n\r\n\n \n\r\n\n Rosa María Abdelnour G. Horacio González Q.", "body_en_text": "* 080117970007CO *\n\n**Exp: 08-011797-0007-CO**\n\n**Res. Nº 2008-13448**\n\n**SALA CONSTITUCIONAL DE LA CORTE SUPREMA DE JUSTICIA. San José, at fourteen hours and forty-six minutes on the third of September of two thousand eight.**\n\n**Mandatory legislative consultation of constitutionality** formulated by the Directorate of the Legislative Assembly, regarding the bill for \"Approval of the Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer,\" being processed under legislative file number 16.018.-\n\n**Resulting:**\n\n**1.-** The consultation, formulated in compliance with the provisions of subsection a) of Article 96 of the Law of Constitutional Jurisdiction, was received in the Secretariat of the Chamber at 15:10 hrs. on August 28, 2008, with a certified copy of legislative file number 16.018. The Presidency of the Chamber deemed the consultation submitted by resolution at 8:15 hrs. on August 29, 2008. The deadline to evacuate it expires on August 28, 2008.-\n\n**2.-** By means of a note signed by Lic. Marco W. Quesada Bermúdez, received on September 2, 2008, the Secretariat of the Legislative Directorate sends certification of 28 folios from the legislative file of the consulted bill, which have been incorporated into the original file beginning at folio 118, resuming the corresponding numbering (f. 5).-\n\n**3.-** In the procedure, the formalities established by law have been fulfilled.\n\nDrafted by Magistrate **Armijo Sancho**; and,\n\n**Considering:**\n\n**I.- Object of the consultation:** This mandatory consultation of constitutionality is formulated by the Legislative Directorate, in accordance with the provisions of Article 96, subsection a) of the Law of Constitutional Jurisdiction, in relation to the Bill for \"Approval of the Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer,\" being processed under legislative file number 16.018. The Amendment has the purpose of incorporating into that Protocol control measures for the production of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) and bromochloromethane (BCM) and imposing restrictions on trade in those substances with States not party to the Protocol, establishing the duty to report on methyl bromide for quarantine and pre-shipment applications, all with the aim of protecting and recovering the ozone layer, in accordance with the provisions of the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer and the Montreal Protocol. The amendment is adopted in accordance with the procedure established in paragraph 4 of Article 9 of that Vienna Convention.-\n\n**II.- General aspects of the processing of file number 16.018 in the Legislative Assembly.-** The bill for \"Approval of the Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer\" was signed by the then President of the Republic, Abel Pacheco de la Espriella, and his Minister of Foreign Relations, Roberto Tovar Faja; it was presented to the Secretariat of the Directorate of the Legislative Assembly on September 20, 2005, by the then Vice President of the Republic, Lineth Saborío Chaverri (folios 1 and following of the legislative file); the bill was published in La Gaceta Nº 198 of October 14, 2005. The study of the bill initially corresponded to the Comisión Permanente Especial de Relaciones Internacionales y Comercio Exterior, to which it was assigned by order of September 20, 2005 (f. 19); subsequently, on the initiative of the deputies chairing that Commission and the Environment Commission, the bill was transferred to the latter, by order of June 21, 2007 (f. 59). The Departamento de Servicios Técnicos of the Legislative Assembly issued the Socio-environmental Technical Report on March 20, 2006 (fs. 21 to 44) and the Legal Report on June 14, 2006 (fs. 45 to 54). The Minister of Health, María Luisa Ávila Agüero, at the request of the Comisión Especial de Ambiente, spoke in favor of adopting the Amendment (fs. 80 and 81). On October 18, 2007, the Comisión Permanente Especial de Ambiente issued a unanimous affirmative opinion (fs. 98 to 108), which was received by the Secretariat of the Directorate on November 7, 2007 (f. 111); the Bill was included in the call for extraordinary sessions, by Decreto Ejecutivo número 34676-MP of August 25, 2008; in the session of August 25, 2008, the plenary approved the bill in first debate, by the unanimous vote of thirty-nine deputies present (fs. 136 to 141). In the copy of the legislative file originally sent to the Chamber, the folios corresponding to the minutes of the legislative plenary session of August 12, 2008, in which the discussion of the consulted bill began, were omitted; however, the omission was corrected, ex officio, by the Secretariat of the Directorate, by means of certification sent on September 2, 2008 (fs. 5 to 34), in which it was verified that the Bill was sufficiently explained and discussed in that session.-\n\n**III.- Absence of procedural defects.** The review of legislative file no. 16.018 shows that the essential requirements provided for in the Constitution and the Legislative Regulations, regarding its processing, have been satisfactorily met. To dispel any doubts, it is appropriate to refer to an aspect indicated, in its time, in the legal report issued by the Departamento de Servicios Técnicos of the Legislative Assembly, which refers to the signing of the Amendment (see folio 49), although it is a problem that lacks relevance in this case. As has been stated, the Bill sent to the Legislative Assembly was signed by the President of the Republic and his Minister of Foreign Relations; the file contains a certification from the Head of the Oficina Asesora de Tratados Internacionales of the Dirección General de Política Exterior of the Ministry of Relations and Worship, according to which the copies of the text to be approved are faithful and exact reproductions of the text of the Amendment adopted at the Eleventh Meeting of the Parties, held in Beijing, China, from November 29 to December 3, 1999. The Departamento de Servicios Técnicos indicated that it could not verify whether the representative accredited by the Government of Costa Rica attended that Meeting, nor his respective authorization, but considered that, in accordance with constitutional jurisprudence (judgment No. 3388-98), legislative approval of the Amendment was appropriate (f. 50). Indeed, the State can validly express its will to be bound by means other than the signing of the instrument, such as the present one, which was adopted by vote within an international conference, within the framework of the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer and its Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, of which the State of Costa Rica is a Party and whose rules are integrated into our domestic law (Laws No. 7228 and 7808). When consulted about a similar situation, the Chamber considered that:\n\n\"the Departamento de Servicios Técnicos noted that there is no record of the granting of full powers to the signing Ambassador, so they consider that the authorization should be accredited, recommending that the Executive Branch be requested to provide, in addition to the certification of signatures, that of the respective authorization. Although the recommendation has not been satisfied, regarding the deficiency in accreditation of the signature and powers of the State's signatory to the Treaty, in accordance with Article 7, paragraph 2, subsection c) of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, representatives accredited by States to an international conference or to an international organization or one of its organs, for the adoption of the text of a treaty in such conference, organization, or organ, are considered as representing the State, with full powers, as in the present case, in which the Treaty was signed by the Permanent Ambassador to the FAO, at the 31st session of the Conference of this organization. On the matter, the Chamber has also considered that the fact that the President of the Republic participates with his will in subsequent procedural stages: sanction and deposit of the Treaty, allows for the correction of any defect that may have existed in the effective representation (see, among others, judgments number 6624-94 and 2002-08190)\".-\n\n**IV.- On the substance of the Bill.-**\n\nRegarding the substance of the consulted Bill, no nonconformity with the Constitution is observed either; it is an Amendment to an international instrument that includes new substances to be subject to the control measures provided for in the Treaty and establishes deadlines for their adoption, all with the purpose of contributing to the preservation of a healthy and balanced environment for Humanity, in accordance with Article 50 of the Constitución Política. As long as the interpretation and application of these rules do not result in being contrary to the Constitution, its text itself does not contradict it in any way.-\n\n**Therefore:**\n\nThe mandatory consultation is answered in the sense that the bill for the \"Approval of the Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer,\" being processed under legislative file number 16.018, does not contain conflicts with constitutional principles and norms. Let it be notified.-\n\nAna Virginia Calzada M.\nActing Presidenta\n\nLuis Paulino Mora M. Gilbert Armijo S.\n\nErnesto Jinesta L. Fernando Cruz C.\n\nRosa María Abdelnour G. Horacio González Q.\n\n**Exp: 08-011797-0007-CO**\n\n**Res. No. 2008-13448**\n\n**CONSTITUTIONAL CHAMBER OF THE SUPREME COURT OF JUSTICE. San José, at fourteen hours and forty-six minutes on the third of September of two thousand eight.**\n\n**Mandatory legislative consultation of constitutionality** formulated by the Directorate of the Legislative Assembly, regarding the bill for “*Approval of the Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer*”, processed in legislative file number 16.018.-\n\n**Whereas:**\n\n**1.-** The consultation, formulated in compliance with the provisions of subsection a) of Article 96 of the Law of Constitutional Jurisdiction, was received in the Secretariat of the Chamber at 15:10 hrs. on August 28, 2008, with a certified copy of legislative file number 16.018. The Presidency of the Chamber deemed the consultation filed by resolution of 8:15 hrs. on August 29, 2008. The term to resolve it expires on August 28, 2008.-\n\n**2.-** Through a note signed by Lic. Marco W. Quesada Bermúdez, received on September 2, 2008, the Secretariat of the Legislative Directorate sent a 28-folio certification from the legislative file of the consulted bill, which have been incorporated into the original file starting from folio 118, resuming the corresponding numbering (f. 5).-\n\n**3.-** The formalities established by law have been complied with in the proceeding.\n\nDrafted by Magistrate **Armijo Sancho**; and,\n\n**Considering:**\n\n**I.- Object of the consultation:** This mandatory consultation of constitutionality is formulated by the Legislative Directorate, in accordance with the provisions of Article 96, subsection a) of the Law of Constitutional Jurisdiction, regarding the Bill for “*Approval of the Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer*”, processed in legislative file number 16.018. The Amendment aims to incorporate into that Protocol control measures for the production of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) and bromochloromethane (BCCM) and to impose restrictions on trade in these substances with States not party to the Protocol, establishing the duty to report on methyl bromide for quarantine and pre-shipment applications, all with the purpose of protecting and recovering the ozone layer, in accordance with the provisions of the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer and the Montreal Protocol. The amendment is adopted in accordance with the procedure established in paragraph 4 of Article 9 of that Vienna Convention.-\n\n**II.- General aspects of the processing of file number 16.018 in the Legislative Assembly.-** The bill for “*Approval of the Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer*”, was signed by the then President of the Republic, Abel Pacheco de la Espriella, and his Minister of Foreign Affairs, Roberto Tovar Faja; it was presented to the Secretariat of the Directorate of the Legislative Assembly on September 20, 2005, by the then Vice President of the Republic, Lineth Saborío Chaverri (folios 1 and following of the legislative file); the bill was published in La Gaceta No. 198 of October 14, 2005. The study of the bill corresponded initially to the Special Permanent Committee on International Relations and Foreign Trade, to which it was assigned by decree of September 20, 2005 (f. 19); subsequently, on the initiative of the female deputies chairing that Committee and the Environment Committee, the bill was transferred to the latter, by decree of June 21, 2007 (f. 59). The Department of Technical Services of the Legislative Assembly issued the Socio-Environmental Technical Report on March 20, 2006 (fs. 21 to 44) and the Legal Report on June 14, 2006 (fs. 45 to 54). The Minister of Health, María Luisa Ávila Agüero, at the request of the Special Environment Committee, pronounced in favor of the adoption of the Amendment (fs. 80 and 81). On October 18, 2007, the Special Permanent Environment Committee issued a unanimous affirmative opinion (fs. 98 to 108), which was received by the Secretariat of the Directorate on November 7, 2007 (f. 111); the Bill was included in the call for extraordinary sessions, by Executive Decree No. 34676-MP of August 25, 2008; in the session of August 25, 2008, the plenary approved the bill in the first debate, by the unanimous vote of the thirty-nine deputies present (fs. 136 to 141). In the copy of the legislative file originally sent to the Chamber, the folios corresponding to the minutes of the session of the legislative plenary of August 12, 2008, in which discussion of the consulted bill began, were omitted; however, the omission was corrected, ex officio, by the Secretariat of the Directorate, by means of a certification sent on September 2, 2008 (fs. 5 to 34), in which it was verified that the Bill was sufficiently explained and discussed in that session.-\n\n**III.- Absence of procedural defects.** The examination of legislative file no. 16.018 shows that the essential requirements set forth in the Constitution and the Legislative Regulation regarding its processing have been satisfactorily fulfilled. To dispel any doubts, it is pertinent to refer to an aspect pointed out, in its time, in the legal report issued by the Department of Technical Services of the Legislative Assembly, which refers to the signing of the Amendment (see folio 49), although it is an issue lacking relevance in this case. As stated, the Bill sent to the Legislative Assembly was signed by the President of the Republic and his Minister of Foreign Affairs; in the file, there is a certification from the Head of the Advisory Office of International Treaties of the General Directorate of Foreign Policy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Worship, according to which the copies of the text to be approved are faithful and exact reproductions of the text of the Amendment adopted at the Eleventh Meeting of the Parties, held in Beijing, China, from November 29 to December 3, 1999. The Department of Technical Services indicated that it could not verify whether the accredited representative of the Government of Costa Rica attended that Meeting, nor his respective empowerment, but considered that, in accordance with constitutional jurisprudence (judgment No. 3388-98), the legislative approval of the Amendment was proper (f. 50). Indeed, the State can validly express its will to be bound by means other than the signature of the instrument, such as the present one, which was adopted by vote within an international conference, within the framework of the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer and its Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, of which the State of Costa Rica is a Party and its norms are integrated into our domestic law (Laws No. 7228 and 7808). When consulted on a similar situation, the Chamber considered that:\n\n> “the Department of Technical Services pointed out that there is no record of the granting of full powers to the signing Ambassador, so they consider that the empowerment should be accredited, recommending that the Executive Branch be asked to provide, in addition to the certification of signatures, that of the respective empowerment. Although the recommendation has not been satisfied, regarding the deficiency in the accreditation of the signature and powers of the Treaty signatory on behalf of the State, in accordance with Article 7, paragraph 2, subsection c) of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, it is considered that representatives accredited by States to an international conference or to an international organization or one of its organs, for the adoption of the text of a treaty at such conference, organization, or organ, represent the State with full powers, as in the present case, where the Treaty was signed by the Permanent Ambassador to the FAO, at the 31st session of the Conference of this organization. On the matter, the Chamber has also considered that the fact that the President of the Republic participates with his will in subsequent procedural stages: sanction and deposit of the Treaty, allows for the correction of any defect that may exist in the effective representation (see, among others, judgments number 6624-94 and 2002-08190).”-\n\n**IV.- On the merits of the Bill.-**\n\nRegarding the merits of the consulted Bill, no unconstitutionality is observed either; it is an Amendment to an international instrument that includes new substances to be subject to the control measures set forth in the Treaty and establishes timeframes for their adoption, all with the aim of contributing to the preservation of a healthy and balanced environment for Humanity, in line with Article 50 of the Political Constitution. As long as the interpretation and application of these norms do not result in being contrary to the Constitution, their text itself does not contradict it in any way.-\n\n**Therefore:**\n\nThe mandatory consultation is resolved in the sense that the bill for “*Approval of the Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer*”, processed in legislative file number 16.018, does not contain any conflicts with constitutional principles and norms. Notify.-\n\n \n\n \n\nAna Virginia Calzada M.\n\nActing Presiding Judge\n\n \n\n \n\n            Luis Paulino Mora M.                                                                         Gilbert Armijo S.\n\n \n\n \n\n            Ernesto Jinesta L.                                                                                Fernando Cruz C.\n\n \n\n \n\n            Rosa María Abdelnour G.                                                                   Horacio González Q." }