- International certification makes it one of the first free trade zones in the world to be certified for safety, reliability and commercial transparency
- Recognition was awarded during the OECD Ministerial Conference in Paris, France
Alajuela, June 4, 2025. Coyol Free Zone shines before the world by receiving the free zone global certification
granted by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), an initiative that recognizes its standards of customs management, good governance practices and transparency in global trade.
Coyol Free Zone thus becomes one of the first three free zones in the world to obtain this certification, being chosen by the organization to be part of its pilot phase, and to be the benchmark for more than 7,000 business and industrial parks and special economic zones, standing out for its international leadership and the reputation of the companies therein located.
The certification is part of an OECD initiative, supported by its member countries, to highlight free trade zones that meet high international standards to address the risks of illicit trade, a problem that represents between US$3 and US$5 trillion a year, entailing a strong impact from a human, economic and social point of view. Costa Rica is the second country to implement the pilot phase.
The recognition guarantees that Coyol Free Zone, and the companies that operate in this Park, act in an open and transparent manner, facilitate access to relevant information, have the necessary controls in place to ensure that their activities are carried out correctly, prevent improper practices, and ensure that operations are carried out in a legal and ethical manner.
To obtain it, the Park, as a community, completed an audit process conducted by the TIC Council, an international association that represents independent testing, inspection and certification companies on a global scale.
“This achievement demonstrates that the free zones in Costa Rica are a model of transparency and security, and that it is indeed possible to be competitive while meeting the highest international standards. We congratulate Coyol Free Zone for representing the very best of Costa Rica to the world” stated the Minister of Foreign Trade of Costa Rica, Manuel Tovar.
“We are deeply honored by this distinction, which supports the work done by the management and the companies located in our business park to meet the highest international standards in compliance and transparent management of operations. Coyol Free Zone continues to be a reference of the country’s potential and talent to compete in the biggest leagues, and we can feel proud to be a role model for free zones around the world,” said Carlos Wong, Managing Director of CODE Development Group, co-developer of Coyol Free Zone.
The OECD Certification System was supported by international experts from the World Customs Organization (WCO) and the World Trade Organization (WTO). In addition, its development involved an open public consultation process involving representatives of OECD member countries, government entities, industry associations, administration and free zone companies.
18 years towards excellence
Coyol Free Zone is the leading Medical Device export park in Costa Rica, hosting the successful operation of 34 companies from strategic sectors such as Life Sciences, Semiconductors and Smart Manufacturing. It generates exports of more than US$4.4 billion per year, close to 3% of the GDP, driven by the 24,500 people working in the companies of the Park. It has been awarded for 4 consecutive years as the Best Free Trade Zone in America and in the Top 10 Free Trade Zones in the World.
Submitting to the process for this certification is part of the business vision of its co-developer CODE Development Group, a corporate group with 100% Costa Rican capital, focused on sustainable development, ethical management and the application of best practices and global standards, with extensive experience promoting next-generation free zones.
The certification is the result of the work carried out in close coordination and collaboration of the Group with the OECD team, the audit team of the certifying firms and the companies operating in the Coyol Free Zone.
The award ceremony was attended by Mathias Corman, Secretary General of the OECD; Marion Jansen, Director of Trade and Agriculture of the OECD; Manuel Tovar, Minister of Foreign Trade of Costa Rica (COMEX) and Andrea Céspedes, Director of Special Regimes of the Foreign Trade Promotion Agency of Costa Rica (PROCOMER), as well as Carlos Wong, Managing Director of CODE Development Group
About Coyol Free Zone
Coyol Free Zone is the leading medical device export park in Costa Rica, with exports of over US$4.44 billion per year, which is equivalent to 35.1% of exports in the manufacturing segment of the country’s Free Zone Regime.
It was awarded the Best Free Trade Zone in the Americas, for the fourth consecutive year, and recognized in the Top 10 Free Trade Zones in the World, as well as the Most Sustainable Free Trade Zone in the Americas by fDI Intelligence in 2024. It houses the operation of 34 world-class companies, 7 of which are in the Top 30 Global Medical Devices companies.