WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/VEN/8
12 March 2003
(03-1405)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:  Spanish
NOTIFICATION
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  VENEZUELA
If applicable, name of local government involved:
2. Agency responsible:  Ministry of Agriculture and Land / Autonomous Agricultural Health
Service (SASA)
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national schedules
deposited with the WTO;  ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where
applicable):
Chapter VII:  07.07:   07.07.00.00 / 07.09.90
Chapter VIII:  08.07:  08.07, 08.07.11.00, 08.07.19.00
Winter squash, courgette (zucchini), bottle or calabash gourd, chayote (vegetable pear),
melon, watermelon, cucumber, etc.
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable:  All
countries which transport Cucurbitaceae (cucurbits) to Venezuela by air or sea.
5. Title, language and number of pages of the notified document:  Resolution Prohibiting
the Transit, by Any Means of Air or Maritime Transport, of Cucurbitaceae from All
Municipalities of Falcón State, Other States  of the Republic of Venezuela and Other
Countries to the Paraguaná Peninsula  (3 pages, in Spanish).
6. Description of content:  This Resolution prohibits the transit, by any means of air or
maritime transport, of cucurbits (winter squash, courgette (zucchini), bottle or calabash
gourd, chayote (vegetable pear), melon, waterm elon, cucumber, etc.) from all municipalities
of Falcón State, other States of the Republic of Venezuela and other countries to the
Paraguaná Peninsula.
The purpose of this Resolution is to demonstrate the absence of the South American
cucurbit fruit fly,  Anastrepha grandis,  in order to revitalize melon and watermelons exports,
taking the project implemented in the Paraguaná Peninsula, Falcón State, " Paraguaná:
Free From the Anastrepha Grandis Fruit Fly ", into consideration.
Land transit of the above cucurbits to the Paraguaná Peninsula from all
municipalities of Falcón State, other States of the Republic of Venezuela and other
countries will be permitted, provided that the following requirements are met:G/SPS/N/VEN/8
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6. Description of content:  (cont'd)
- An inspection at origin of the phytosanitary status of the vegetables is conducted
and a phytosanitary export certificate issued by the SASA;
- the inspected and certified cargo is shipped in numbered and sealed airtight
containers;
- the SASA issues a transit permit and related instructions;
- containers are not opened at airports, ports, border posts or intermediate police
control points;
- transit time from the Los Medanos control point to Guaranao port is a maximum of
three hours;   in excess of this time, the SASA will check for changes in container
and product conditions.  Any evidence of irregularity will result in the cargo being
seized and destroyed.
7. Objective and rationale:  [     ] food safety,  [     ] animal health,  [  X ] plant protection,
[ X ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [    ] protect territory from
other damage from pests
8. International standard, guideline or recommendation:
[    ] Codex Alimentarius Commission,  [    ] Office International des Epizooties,
[ X ] International Plant Protection Convention,  [    ] None
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate
reference and briefly identify deviations:
9. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  Official Gazette of
the Republic of Venezuela No. 36,336, Resolution DM (Office of the Minister)/No. 341
(available in Spanish).
10. Proposed date of adoption:  12 November 1997
11. Proposed date of entry into force:  18 November 1997
12. Final date for comments:  Although the measure has already been adopted and entered into
force, comments will be accepted within 60 days of submission of the notification by the
Permanent Mission to the Central Registry of Notifications for subsequent amendments.
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [  X ] National notification
authority, [     ] National enquiry point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if
available) of other body:
Autonomous Agricultural Health Service (SASA),
Av. Lecuna, Torre Este, 12th floor, Parque Central, El Conde,
Caracas, Venezuela.
Tel.:  (58 212) 509-0140 / 509-0184 / 509-0315 / 509-0378
Fax:  (58 212) 509-0376E-mail:  mat_sasa@yahoo.esG/SPS/N/VEN/8
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13. Texts available from:  [  X ] National notification authority, [     ] National enquiry
point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:
Autonomous Agricultural Health Service (SASA),
Av. Lecuna, Torre Este, 12th floor, Parque Central, El Conde,
Caracas, Venezuela.Tel.:  (58 212) 509-0140 / 509-0184 / 509-0315 / 509-0378
Fax:  (58 212) 509-0376
E-mail:  mat_sasa@yahoo.es