[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 104 (Wednesday, May 31, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28387-28389]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-13241]
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Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. 95-038-1]
International Sanitary and Phytosanitary Standard-Setting
Activities
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice and solicitation of comments.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with legislation implementing the Uruguay Round
of the General Agreements on Tariffs and Trade, we are informing the
public of international standard-setting activities of the Office
International des Epizooties and the Secretariat of the International
Plant Protection Convention, and we are soliciting public comment on
the standards to be considered.
ADDRESSES: Please send an original and three copies of your comments to
Docket No. 95-038-1, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS,
Suite 3C03, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. Please
state in your letter that your comments refer to Docket No. 95-038-1,
and state the name of the committee or working group to which your
comments are addressed. Comments received may be inspected at USDA,
room 1141, South Building, 14th Street and Independence Avenue SW.,
Washington, DC, between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday,
except holidays. Persons wishing to inspect comments are requested to
call ahead on (202) 690-2817 to facilitate entry into the comment
reading room.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mr. Douglas Barnett, Assistant Director, International Activities,
International Services, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 67, Riverdale, MD
20737-1233, (301) 734-8892; or Mr. John Greifer, Trade Support Team,
International Services, APHIS, room 1128, South Building, 14th Street
and Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Legislation implementing the Uruguay Round
of the General Agreements on Tariffs and Trade (the Uruguay Round
Agreements Act) was signed into law (Pub. L. 103-465) by the President
on December 8, 1994. The Uruguay Round Agreements Act amended title IV
of the Trade Agreements Act of 1979 (19 U.S.C. 2531 et seq.) by adding
a new subtitle F, ``International Standard-Setting Activities.''
Subtitle F requires the President to designate an agency to be
responsible for informing the public of the sanitary and phytosanitary
standard-setting activities of each international standard-setting
organization. The designated agency must inform the public by
publishing a notice in the Federal Register no later than June 1 of
each year, which provides the following information: (1) The sanitary
or phytosanitary standards under consideration or planned for
consideration by the international standard-setting organization; and
(2) for each sanitary or phytosanitary standard specified, a
description of the consideration or planned consideration of the
standard; whether the United States is participating or plans to
participate in the consideration of the standard; the agenda for United
States participation, if any; and the agency responsible for
representing the Untied States with respect to the standard.
Subtitle F defines ``international standard'' as a standard,
guideline, or recommendation: (1) Adopted by the Codex Alimentarius
Commission regarding food safety; (2) developed under the auspices of
the International Office of Epizootics regarding animal health and
zoonoses; (3) developed under the auspices of the Secretariat of the
International Plant Protection Convention in cooperation with the North
American Plant Protection Organization regarding plant health; or (4)
established by or developed under any other international organization
agreed to by the member countries of the North American Free Trade
Agreement or by member countries of the World Trade Organization.
The Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex) was created in 1962 by
two United Nations organizations, the Food [[Page 28388]] and
Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization. It is
the major international organization for encouraging international
trade in food and protecting the health and economic interests of
customers.
The Office International des Epizooties (OIE) was created in Paris,
France, in 1924, with the signing of an international agreement by 28
countries. Today, 143 countries are members. The OIE facilitates
intergovernmental cooperation to prevent the spread of contagious
diseases in animals, assists in the development of animal production
through improved health information, and shares scientific progress
among its members. The OIE provides the major international forum for
discussion and agreement on recommendations and proposals on topics
such as disease control, technical cooperation, trade standards, and
the exchange of research and disease information.
The Secretariat of the International Plant Protection Convention
(IPPC) was established within the FAO in 1952 in response to demands
from members for development of global standards for plant quarantine.
The IPPC works with plant protection organizations at national and
regional levels, including the North American Plant Protection
Organization (NAPPO), to harmonize plant quarantine activities
worldwide, facilitate the dissemination of phytosanitary information,
strengthen international cooperation, and support technical assistance
to developing countries.
The World Trade Organization (WTO) was established on January 1,
1995, as the common international institution for the conduct of trade
relations among the members in matters related to the Uruguay Round of
the General Agreements on Tariffs and Trade. U.S. membership in the WTO
was approved by Congress when it enacted the Uruguay Round Agreements
Act.
The President, pursuant to Proclamation No. 6780 of March 23, 1995
(60 FR 15845), designated the Secretary of Agriculture as the official
responsible for informing the public of the sanitary and phytosanitary
standard-setting activities of each international standard-setting
organization. This responsibility has been delegated to the Food Safety
and Inspection Service of the United States Department of Agriculture
(USDA) for Codex activities, and to the USDA's Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service (APHIS) for OIE and IPPC activities.
Accordingly, in this notice, APHIS announces the following OIE and
IPPC (including NAPPO) activities related to international standards.
The United States is a participant in each of the following activities
and APHIS is the agency responsible for representing the United States
with respect to these standards. In some cases, working groups and
committees have not yet set meeting dates and places or determined
specific standards to be discussed. Also, because working groups and
the issues they address are not static, this list may not present a
complete picture of the OIE and IPPC sanitary and phytosanitary
standard-setting activities during the coming year.
1. Committee/Working Group: Standards Commission of the OIE
Agency Participant: Dr. James Pearson
General Purpose: Establish standards for methods of diagnosing
animal disease and testing biologics used for control programs.
Dates of Meetings: September 19-22, 1995, February 1996
Location of Meetings: Paris, France
Major Discussion/Agenda: Review of OIE reference laboratories;
diagnostic test standardization; OIE reference sera; laboratory quality
assurance; review of new edition of OIE Manual of Standards of
Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines; provide advice to OIE Animal Health Code
Commission
2. Committee/Working Group: OIE General Session
Agency Participant(s): Dr. Lonnie King (delegate); Dr. Alex
Thiermann (alternate delegate and coordinator)
General Purpose: Establish and adopt international standards
dealing with animal health.
Date of Meeting: May 1996
Location of Meeting: Paris, France
Major Discussion/Agenda: Animal health standards as they relate to
trade; including risk assessment standards (including criteria for
evaluating veterinary infrastructure) and regionalization
3. Committee/Working Group: IPPC Certification Standards
Agency Participant: Mr. Robert Griffin
General Purpose: Development of standards for phytosanitary
certification.
Date of Meeting: To be announced
Location of Meeting: To be announced
Major Discussion/Agenda: Model certification system
4. Committee/Working Group: IPPC Inspection Methodologies Standards
Agency Participant: Mr. Robert Griffin
General Purpose: Development of standards for inspection
methodology.
Date of Meeting: To be announced
Location of Meeting: To be announced
Major Discussion/Agenda: Statistical basis for inspection
5. Committee/Working Group: IPPC/Foreign Agricultural Organization
Working Group on Pest Risk Analysis
Agency Participant: Mr. Richard Orr
General Purpose: Development of international standards for pest
risk analysis.
Date of Meeting: To be announced
Location of Meeting: To be announced
Major Discussion/Agenda: To be announced
Other: The following standards have been completed in draft form:
Standards for Pest Categorization (Bangkok, Thailand, Sept. 1994);
standards for determining whether an organism qualifies as a quarantine
pest.
Standards on Economic Impact Assessment (Ottawa, Canada, Nov.
1994); standards for performing an economic evaluation, including
environmental and social impacts) within a pest risk assessment.
Standards on the Probability of Introduction (Geneva, Switzerland,
Jan. 1995); standards for determining the probability of introduction
(entry resulting in establishment) of a pest.
Standard on Risk Management (Yokohama, Japan, Mar. 1995); standards
for making risk management decisions based on data from quarantine pest
risk assessments.
6. Committee/Working Group: NAPPO Biological Control Committee
Agency Participant: Dr. Dale Meyerdirk
General Purpose: Facilitate cooperation among NAPPO member
countries regarding biological control issues, through information
exchange, coordination, and harmonization of recommendations,
regulations, and guidelines.
Date of Meeting: February 19-13, 1996
Location of Meeting: Mexico
Major Discussion/Agenda: To be announced
7. Committee/Working Group: NAPPO Fruit Tree and Grapevine Nursery
Stock Certification Standards Panel
Agency Participant: Dr. Joseph Foster
General Purpose: Set minimum standards for pathogen testing and
propagation of fruit trees and grapevines so certified nursery stock
can be shipped safely throughout North America.
Date of Meeting: June 21-24, 1995
Location of Meeting: Victoria, British Columbia,
Canada [[Page 28389]]
Major Discussion/Agenda: Pathogen lists for each crop and pathogen
testing procedures for quarantine programs
8. Committee/Working Group: NAPPO Working Group
Agency Participant: Mr. Robert Griffin
General Purpose: Provide general leadership, director, and support
to NAPPO activities.
Date of Meeting: July and October, 1995; January and April, 1996
Location of Meeting: To be announced
Major Discussion/Agenda: All new and ongoing NAPPO business,
including standards
9. Committee/Working Group: NAPPO Ad Hoc Irradiation Panel
Agency Participant: Mr. Robert Griffin
General Purpose: Develop NAPPO standards for the application of
irradiation to phytosanitary problems.
Date of Meeting: To be announced
Location of Meeting: To be announced
Major Discussion/Agenda: Continuing development of trilateral
policy
10. Committee/Working Group: NAPPO Ad Hoc Fruit Flies Panel
Agency Participant: Mr. Michael Stefan and Mr. Alan Green
General Purpose: Develop quarantine pest list for NAPPO region;
develop NAPPO standards for monitoring fruit fly species; develop NAPPO
standard for phytosanitary measures.
Date of Meeting: To be announced
Location of Meeting: To be announced
Major Discussion/Agenda: Regional pest list; monitoring standards;
phytosanitary measures standards; rationale on how to proceed with
issues not of direct concern to one of the three members
11. Committee/Working Group: NAPPO Pest Risk Analysis Panel
Agency Participant: Dr. Matthew Royer
General Purpose: To implement NAPPO pest risk analysis standard.
Date of Meeting: October 1995
Location of Meeting: Saskatchewan, Canada
Major Discussion/Agenda: To be announced
12. Committee/Working Group: NAPPO Executive Committee
Agency Participant: Mr. Alfred S. Elder
General Purpose: To harmonize plant quarantine regulations and
import requirements among Canada, Mexico, and the United States
Date of Meeting: August 15, 1995; October 1995; April 1996
Location of Meeting: Saskatchewan, Canada; Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Major Discussion/Agenda: Standards development process; area
freedom standard; pest surveillance/monitoring standard; pest risk
analysis standard.
Comments on standards being considered or to be considered by any
of the committees or working groups listed above may be sent to us as
directed under the heading ADDRESSES.
Done in Washington, DC, this 25th day of May 1995.
Terry L. Medley
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 95-13241 Filed 5-30-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-M
