This report was prepared by two divisions in the OECD Directorate for Science, Technology and Innovation (STI), led by Director Jerry Sheehan: the Productivity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (PIE) division, supporting the Committee on Industry, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and the Digital Connectivity, Economics and Society (DCES) division, supporting the Digital Policy Committee (DPC).
This report was prepared by Mario Alejandro Nieves and Filipe Silva, with invaluable contributions from David Hoffman, Daniel Rodríguez Maffioli and Brady Kruse, under the supervision and guidance of Guy Lalanne, Head of PIE Division. Chiara Criscuolo, Verena Weber, Lea Samek, Angela Attrey and Molly Lesher, Head of DCES Division, provided useful input and oversight. The leadership of STI Deputy Director, Audrey Plonk, on semiconductor policy is gratefully acknowledged.
The OECD Secretariat is grateful for the support of interlocutors from Costa Rica’s Ministry of Foreign Trade (COMEX), particularly Juan Pablo Jiménez, Arianna Arce, Estefanía Unfried, Jimena Chinchilla, Daniela Murillo, Cindy Medaglia and Tatiana Vargas. The Secretariat is extremely grateful to colleagues in the Central Bank of Costa Rica (BCCR), including Alonso Alfaro Ureña, Alberto Vindas and Luis Diego Durán for their support and time. COMEX team support was invaluable in co-ordinating and enabling discussions in a fact-finding mission which took place on 5-10 February 2024, and included exchanges with the Ministry of Environment and Energy (MINAE), the Ministry of Labour and Social Security (MTSS), the Ministry of National Planning and Economic Policy (MIDEPLAN), the Ministry of Public Education (MEP), the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MOPT), the Ministry of Science, Innovation, Technology, and Telecommunications (MICITT), the Central Bank of Costa Rica (BCCR), the Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE), the Costa Rican Foreign Trade and Investor Promoter (PROCOMER), the Costa Rican Innovation and Research (Promoter), the National Concessions Council (CNC), the National Council of Private University Higher Education (CONESUP), the National Council of Rectors (CONARE), the National Customs Service, the National Learning Institute (INA), and the National Registry. A subsequent meeting with the Ministry of Economy, Industry and Commerce (MEIC) was very useful. The insights from a range of non-governmental stakeholders, including several firms operating in Costa Rica’s semiconductor ecosystem, trade unions, academia, business associations and commerce chambers were also very helpful. Insights from Gustavo Crespi are gratefully acknowledged.
Additional statistical, analytical and empirical support from Sara Romaniega Sancho, Damiano Morando, Louise Guillouët, Hélène Dernis and Ricardo Chiapin Pechansky was warmly appreciated. Administrative, editorial and technical support from Anaísa Gonçalves, Shai Somek, Andreia Furtado and Eleonore Morena was invaluable.
This project benefitted from financial support from the United States Department of State. Input from key interlocutors including Virginia Kent, Mark Simeone, Richard Roman and their teams was received at various stages of the project.