WORLD TRADE G/SPS/N/USA/69
29October 1996
ORGANIZATION
(96-4514)
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): Imported seeds
4. Title andnumber ofpages ofthenotified document: Imported SeedandScreenings
(20pages)
5. Description ofcontent: TheAnimal andPlant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is
proposing toamend the"imported seed" regulations bymoving theregulations toa
different chapter intheCode ofFederal Regulations; establishing aseedanalysis
program withCanada; andallowing UScompanies thatimport seedforcleaning or
screenings forprocessing toenter intocompliance agreements withtheAnimal and
Plant Health Inspection Service. These proposed changes arenecessary toreflect
recent amendments totheFederal SeedActandthetransfer ofresponsibility forthe
import provisions oftheactfrom theAgricultural Marketing Service totheAnimal and
Plant Health Inspection Service. These proposed changes would bring theimported
seedregulations intoagreement withtheamended Federal SeedAct,eliminate theneed
forsampling shipment ofCanadian-origin seedattheborder, andallow certain seed
importers toclean seedwithout thedirect supervision ofanAnimal Plant Health
Inspection Service inspector.
6. Objective andrationale: Plant health
7. Aninternational standard, guideline orrecommendation does notexist [X].
Ifaninternational standard, guideline orrecommendation exists, whenever possible,
identify deviations:
./.G/SPS/N/USA/69
Page2
8. Relevant documents andlanguage(s) inwhich these areavailable: 61FR51791,
4October 1996; 7CFR Parts 201and361
9. Proposed date ofadoption: Tobedetermined.
10. Proposed date ofentry intoforce: Theeffective datewillbegiven upon publication of
thefinalruleintheFederal Register.
11. Final date forcomments: 3December 1996
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:
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: Wilsonc@fas.usda.gov