WORLD TRADE G/SPS/N/USA/76
4April 1997
ORGANIZATION
(97-1384)
Committee onSanitary andPhytosanitary Measures
NOTIFICATION
1. Member toAgreement notifying: UNITED STATES
Ifapplicable, name oflocal government involved:
2. Agency responsible: Department ofAgriculture, Animal andPlant Health Inspection
Service
3. Products covered (tariff item number(s) asspecified innational schedules deposited with
theWTO. ICSnumbers may beprovided inaddition, where applicable): Fruits and
vegetables
4. Title andnumber ofpages ofthenotified document: Importation ofFruits and
Vegetables (8pages)
5. Description ofcontent: TheAnimal andPlant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is
proposing toallow anumber ofpreviously prohibited fruits andvegetables tobe
imported intotheUnited States from certain parts oftheworld. Allofthefruits and
vegetables, asacondition ofentry, would besubject toinspection, disinfection, or
both, attheportoffirstarrival asmayberequired byaUSDepartment ofAgriculture
inspector. Inaddition, some ofthefruits andvegetables would berequired tomeet
other special conditions. Theremoval ofthese prohibitions would provide theUnited
States withadditional kinds andsources offruits andvegetables while continuing to
provide protection against theintroduction anddissemination ofinjurious plant pests by
imported fruits andvegetables. Wearealsoproposing toextend theproduction areain
Arava, Israel, where peppers maybegrown forimportation intotheUnited States; to
eliminate thedistribution restrictions forpeppers from Arava, Israel; toeliminate the
trustfundprovisions forpapayas from Costa Rica; todeclare allprovinces inChile
freeoftheMediterranean fruitfly;andtomake several nonsubstantive editorial
changes totheregulation.
6. Objective andrationale: Torelieve restrictions while continuing toprevent the
introduction ofplant pests intotheUnited States.
7. Aninternational standard, guideline orrecommendation does notexist [].
Ifaninternational standard, guideline orrecommendation exists, whenever possible,
identify deviations: Weareinaccordance withtheInternational Plant Protection
Convention (IPPC) PestRiskAnalysis Standard andthePestFreeArea Standard.
./.G/SPS/N/USA/76
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8. Relevant documents andlanguage(s) inwhich these areavailable: 62FR14037,
25March 1997; 7CFR Parts 300and319
9. Proposed date ofadoption: Tobedetermined.
10. Proposed date ofentry intoforce: Theeffective datewillbegiven upon publication of
thefinalruleintheFederal Register.
11. Final date forcomments: 27May1997
Agency orauthority designated tohandle comments: Animal andPlant Health Inspection
Service, USDA
12. Texts available from: National enquiry point []oraddress, telefax number andE-mail
address (ifavailable) ofother body:
United States SPSEnquiry Point
USDA/FAS/OFSTS
Attn: Carolyn F.Wilson
Room 5545 South Agriculture Building
14thandIndependence
Washington, D.C. 20250
Tel: (202) 7202239
Fax: (202) 6900677
E-mail address: Wilsonc@fas.usda.gov