. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/USA/431
26 April 2001
(01-2098)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:  English
NOTIFICATION
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  UNITED STATES
If applicable, name of local government involved:           
2. Agency responsible:  Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service - APHIS
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national schedules
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where
applicable).  Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or
practicable:  Plants
4. Title and number of pages of the notified document:  Importation of Artificially Dwarfed
Plants (4 pages)
5. Description of content:  APHIS is proposing to amend the regulations for importing plants
and plant products by requiring artificially dwarfed plants that are imported into the United
States to have been grown under certain conditions in nurseries registered with the
government of the country where the plants were grown. We are proposing this action toprotect against the introduction of longhorned beetles and other dangerous plant pests into
the United States.
6. Objective and rationale: [    ] food safety,  [    ] animal health,  [  X ] plant protection,
[    ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [    ] protect territory from
other damage from pests           
7. An international standard, guideline or recommendation does not exist [    ].
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate
reference and briefly identify deviations:  APHIS is proposing this action in accordance
with Article 6, paragraph 1 of the Intern ational Plant Protection Convention (IPPC).
8. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available: 66 FR 20208,
20 April 2001 (Available in English)
9. Proposed date of adoption:  To be determined.
10. Proposed date of entry into force:  To be determined.G/SPS/N/USA/431
Page 2
11. Final date for comments:  APHIS will consider all comments received by 19 June 2001.
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service [    ] National notification authority, [     ] National enquiry point, or
address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:  Detailed
instruction on where and how to send comments is in the body of the full text - which willbe sent upon request to the address in paragraph 12.
12. Texts available from: [  X ] National notification authority, [  X ] National enquiry point
or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:
United States SPS Enquiry Point/Notification Authority
USDA/FAS/FSTSD
ATTN: Carolyn F. Wilson
Room 5545 South Agriculture Building
Stop 1027
1400 Independence Avenue, S.W.Washington, D.C. 20250
Tel:  (202) 720-2239
Fax:  (202) 690-0677
E-mail:  ofsts@fas.usda.gov