./.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/MEX/134
4 August 1998
(98-3066)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures
NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY 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:  Mexican (Emergency) Official
Standard NOM-EM-030-FITO-1998, Establishing Phytosanitary Certification of SorghumSeed to Prevent Dissemination (5 pages)
5. Description of content:   This Mexican Emergency Official Standard is designed to prevent
the spread of sclerosis and spores of sorghum ergot by establishing phytosanitary measures
and regulations for the production, marketing, inspection and phytosanitary certification of
sorghum seed and it is applicable to seed us ed for sowing.  Following the issue of the
"Agreement activating the National Emergency Mechanism under the terms of Article 46 ofthe Federal Plant Health Law, for the purpose of diagnosing, preventing, controlling and
eradicating sorghum ergot", published in the Official Journal of the Federation of
7 April 1997, urgent regulation is required of national movement of sorghum seed and
imports thereof.
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 inthe El Mante and Altamira estates, Tamaulipas;  Ebano San Luis Potosí and Pánuco,
Veracruz.  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 reduce 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:G/SPS/N/MEX/134
Page 2
9. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  Official Journal of
the Federation, 20 July 1998 (Spanish)
10. Date of entry into force/period of application (as applicable):  On the day following
publication (21 July 1998), in force for six months from publication.
11. Texts available from/and agency or authority designated to handle comments:
National enquiry point [X] or address,  telefax number and E-mail address (if
available) of other body: