. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/USA/315
15 August 2000
(00-3305)
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:  Environmental Protection Agency – EPA (#315)
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national schedules
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers may be provided in addition, whereapplicable).  Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or
practicable:  Pesticides
4. Title and number of pages of the notified document: Time Extension for B.t. Corn and
b.t. Cotton Plant-Pesticides Expiring Registrations; Registration Process and Public
Participation Opportunity. (5 pages).
5. Description of content: EPA is currently engaged in a comprehensive reassessment of the
time-limited registrations for all existing Bacillus thuringiensis (B.t.) corn and cotton plant-
pesticides. This reassessment has been designed to assure that the decisions on the renewal
of these registrations are based on the most current health and ecological data (includingrecently reviewed non-target impact data), an d incorporates recommendations made by the
FIFRA Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP). The reassessment process has also been designed
to assure maximum transparency of the decision making process. In addition to
consideration of recommendations made by the SAP, this reassessment will be guided by
the findings of the 1999 National Academy of Sciences (NAS) report on Genetically
Modified Pest-Protected Plants and the findings of the recently announced Administration-
wide biotechnology review led jointly by th e Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) and
the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). This CEQ/OSTP review is focused
on the existing federal regulatory review structures to assess and regulate the environmental
impacts of products of biotechnology. It is EPA's intention to extend the existing B.t. corn
and cotton registrations until September 30, 2001. If not extended, these registrations will
expire in April and January of 2001, respectively. EPA believes that in order to bring theresults of all of the aforementioned activities to bear on our final assessment and renewal
decisions, the additional time gained by exte nding the current registrations is necessary.
EPA has strengthened resistance management requirements for both corn and cotton in the
past year and believes these strengthened requirements, along with the original registration
conditions, are more than adequate to be protective during the extension period.
6. Objective and rationale: [  X ] food safety,  [     ] animal health,  [     ] plant protection,
[    ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [     ] protect territory from
other damage from pests           G/SPS/N/USA/315
Page 2
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: There are no Codex maximum residue levels
established for B.t. Plant-Pesticides.
8. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available: 65 FR 48701,
9 August 2000;  Available in English.
9. Proposed date of adoption: To be determined.
10. Proposed date of entry into force: To be determined.
11. Final date for comments: Throughout the reassessment process, there will be opportunities
for public comment.
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [     ] National notification
authority, [     ] National enquiry point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if
available) of other body: Environmental Protection Agency.
Detailed instruction on where and how to send comments is in the body of the full text -
which will be sent upon request to the address in paragraph 12.
12. Texts available from: [     ] National notification authority, [     ] 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. WilsonRoom 5545 South Agriculture Building
Stop 1027
1400 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20250
Phone (202) 720-2239Fax (202) 690-0677
     E-mail Address: ofsts@fas.usda.gov