WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/MEX/137
24 March 1999
(99-1183)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures
NOTIFICATION OF URGENT MEASURES
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  MEXICO
If applicable, name of local government involved:           
2. Agency responsible:   Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Rural Development
3. Products covered (tariff item number(s) as specified in national schedules deposited
with the WTO.  ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):
Sorghum
4. Title and number of pages of the notified document:   Agreement Extending the Mexican
Emergency Official Standard N-030-FITO-1998, Es tablishing Phytosanitary Certification of
Sorghum Seed to Anticipate and Prevent Dissemination of Sorghum Ergot (4 pages)
5. Description of content:   On 20 July 1998 the Mexican (Emergency) Official Standard
N-030-FITO-1998 was published in the Diario Oficial de la Federación  (Official Journal of
the Federation) and took effect for six months following its publication.  As the situation
that originally prompted the publication of the Mexican (Emergency) Official Standard still
prevails, the Standard needs to be applied for a further six months.
6. Objective and rationale:  Plant protection
7. Nature of the urgent problem(s):   Sorghum Ergot caused by the Sphacelia sorghi  fungus,
the asexual phase of Claviceps  sp, is a pest of financial concern to our country and was
detected on 4 February 1997 in an isolated case in the Municipality of San Fernando and in
the el Mante and Altamira estates, Tamaulipas, Ebano San Luis Potosí and PánucoVeracruz.  Since the disease has been detected and has spread to certain areas of our
country, it is appropriate to regulate movement of sorghum seed to minimize risks of the
disease spreading and becoming endemic, particularly in the asexual phase of the fungus
causing sorghum ergot.
8. An international standard, guidelin e or recommendation does not exist [    ].
If an international standard, guideline or  recommendation exists, whenever possible,
identify deviations:
9. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  Official Journal of
the Federation, 10 February 1999 (Spanish)
10. Date of entry into force/period of application (as applicable):  On the day following
publication (11 February 1999), in force for six months from publication.
11. Texts available from/and agency or authority designated to handle comments:
National enquiry point [     ] or address, telefax number and E-mail address (if
available) of other body:            