[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 135 (Wednesday, July 15, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38148-38153]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-18839]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. 98-027-1]
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 results of the
Uruguay Round of negotiations under the General Agreement on Tariffs
and Trade, we are informing the public of international standard-
setting activities of the Office International des Epizooties, the
Secretariat of the International Plant Protection Convention, and the
North American Plant Protection Organization, 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. 98-027-1, 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. 98-027-1,
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. John Greifer, Acting Director,
Trade Support Team, International Services, APHIS, room 1128, South
Building, 14th Street and Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC,
20250, (202) 720-7677; or e-mail: jgreifer@aphis.usda.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The World Trade Organization (WTO) was
established on January 1, 1995, as the common international
institutional framework for the conduct of trade relations among its
members in matters related to the Uruguay Round Agreements. The WTO is
the successor organization to the General Agreement on Tariffs and
Trade. U.S. membership in the WTO was approved by Congress when it
enacted the Uruguay Round Agreements Act, which was signed into law
(Public Law 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 (SPS) standard-setting
activities of each international standard-setting organization. The
designated agency must inform the public by publishing a notice in the
Federal Register that 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 (SPS) 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 United States with respect to the standard.
Subtitle F defines ``international standard'' as a standard,
guideline, or recommendation: (1) Adopted by the Codex Alimentarius
Commission (Codex) regarding food safety; (2) developed under the
auspices of the Office International des Epizooties (OIE) regarding
animal health and zoonoses; (3) developed under the auspices of the
Secretariat of the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) in
cooperation with the North American Plant Protection Organization
(NAPPO) 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 (NAFTA) or by
member countries of the WTO.
The President, pursuant to Proclamation No. 6780 of March 23, 1995
(60 FR 15845), designated the United States Department of Agriculture
as the agency responsible for informing the public of the SPS standard-
setting activities of Codex, OIE, IPPC, and NAPPO. This responsibility
was delegated to the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA's)
Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) for Codex activities and
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) for OIE, IPPC, and
NAPPO activities.
FSIS is responsible for publishing an annual notice in the Federal
Register to inform the public of SPS standard-setting activities for
Codex. Codex was created in 1962 by two United Nations organizations,
the Food 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 consumers.
APHIS is responsible for publishing notice of OIE, IPPC, and NAPPO
activities related to international standards and representing the
United States with respect to these standards.
Following are descriptions of OIE, IPPC, and NAPPO scheduled
activities for the coming year. In some cases, working groups and
committees have not yet set meeting dates and locations or determined
specific standards to be discussed. The OIE, IPPC, and NAPPO sanitary
and phytosanitary standard-setting activities for the coming year may
be modified as emergency situations may affect the agenda of each
standard-setting body.
OIE Standard-Setting Activities
The OIE was created in Paris, France, in 1924 with the signing of
an international agreement by 28 countries. It is currently composed of
151 member nations, each of which is represented by a delegate, who, in
most cases, is the chief veterinary officer of that country.
The WTO has designated the OIE as the international forum for
setting animal health standards, reporting global animal situations and
disease status, and presenting guidelines and recommendations on
sanitary measures.
The OIE facilitates intergovernmental cooperation to prevent the
spread of contagious diseases in animals through the sharing of
scientific research among its members. The major function of the OIE is
to ensure that scientifically justified standards govern international
trade in animals and animal products. The OIE aims to achieve this
through the development and revision of international standards for
diagnostic tests and vaccines for the safe international trade of
animals and animal products.
[[Page 38149]]
The OIE provides annual reports on the global distribution of
animal diseases, recognizes disease-free status of member countries,
categorizes animal diseases with respect to their international
significance, publishes bulletins on global disease status and timely
reviews of pertinent animal health issues, and provides animal disease
control guidelines to member countries.
Positions, policies, and standards established by the OIE can be
adopted by consensus or by vote of the delegates upon recommendations
from various commissions and working groups within the OIE. The
following is a list of those commissions and groups. Each listing
contains a description of the general purpose of the commission or
group, the items on its current agenda, and the dates and locations of
its meetings. Also listed are the U.S. agencies represented or serving
as contact points on each commission or group. Commission and working
group members are drawn from the five OIE regional commissions and are
selected based on their expertise; each commission is made up of three
to six members. The scientific community of the United States has the
honor of being represented on most, but not all, of the commissions.
OIE Commissions and Working Groups
1. Committee/Working Group: General Session.
U.S. Participant: Veterinary Services, USDA-APHIS; Alternate--
International Services, USDA-APHIS.
General Purpose: Establish, review, and adopt international
standards dealing with animal health.
Date of Meeting: May (annually).
Location of Meeting: Paris, France.
Major Discussion/Agenda: Animal health standards related to trade,
including risk assessment standards, global disease control procedures,
regionalization, specific disease issues, and quality assurance of
veterinary services.
2. Committee/Working Group: Regional Commission for the Americas.
U.S. Participant: Veterinary Services, USDA-APHIS.
General Purpose: The Regional Commission for the Americas is one of
five OIE Regional Commissions. Regional Commissions nominate candidates
for election to the expert commissions and working groups, discuss
regional animal health issues, and propose topics of regional concern
as agenda items or for scientific review at upcoming meetings of the
OIE General Session.
Date of Meeting: May (annually) and March or April (every 2 years).
Location of Meeting: Variable.
Major Discussion/Agenda: Location of regional office for the
Americas, animal health disease control issues of regional concern.
3. Committee/Working Group: Standards Commission.
U.S. Participant: Veterinary Services, USDA-APHIS.
General Purpose: The Standards Commission recommends new standards
and changes in existing international standards for diagnostic tests
and vaccines. These changes, when approved by the General Session, are
published in the OIE Manual of Standards for Diagnostic Tests and
Vaccines.
Dates of Meetings: February and September (twice annually).
Location of Meetings: Paris, France.
Major Discussion/Agenda: Review and recommend revisions to
international diagnostic test standards published in the OIE Manual of
Standards for Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines; review OIE reference
laboratories, OIE reference sera, and laboratory quality assurance, and
make recommendations to the OIE International Animal Health Code
Commission; discuss the most appropriate diagnostic procedures for
specific animal and poultry diseases.
4. Committee/Working Group: International Animal Health Code
Commission.
U.S. Participant: International Services, USDA-APHIS.
General Purpose: The International Animal Health Code Commission
develops and updates disease-specific international standards regarding
the movement of animals and animal products and generic standards for
animal transport, regionalization and risk assessment procedures,
surveillance and monitoring guidelines, and evaluation of animal health
infrastructures. The Director General appoints ad-hoc groups of experts
to assist the Commission in the drafting and review of disease
standards. When adopted by the General Session, these standards are
published in the OIE International Animal Health Code, the WTO-
recognized manual of standards for international movement of animals
and animal products.
Date of Meeting: January and September (twice annually).
Location of Meeting: Paris, France.
Major Discussion/Agenda: The International Animal Health Code
Commission reviews and updates the Code. Proposed changes are
circulated twice yearly to member countries for comments, and are then
submitted for adoption at the General Session.
5. Committee/Working Group: Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) and Other
Epizootics Commission.
U.S. Participant: None.
General Purpose: The FMD and Other Epizootics Commission monitors
the world status of FMD and other major animal diseases and prepares
epidemiological recommendations for adoption by the General Assembly.
Date of Meeting: January and September (twice annually).
Location of Meeting: Paris, France.
Major Discussion/Agenda: Current issues facing the Commission:
International standards for FMD serological testing, protocols for
endorsement of FMD-free areas, standards for epidemiological
surveillance for contagious bovine pleuropneumonia, surveillance and
monitoring standards for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), and
criteria for recognition of BSE-free status.
6. Committee/Working Group: Fish Diseases Commission.
U.S. Participant: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of
Interior.
General Purpose: The Fish Diseases Commission drafted an Aquatic
Animal Health Code and a Diagnostic Manual for Aquatic Animal Diseases
that contain international standards for fish diseases. These manuals
have been approved by the General Session.
Date of Meeting: September (annually).
Location of Meeting: Paris, France.
Major Discussion/Agenda: Current activities of the Fish Diseases
Commission: Continual updating of the OIE fish disease manuals,
preparation of the annual OIE report on the worldwide status of fish
diseases, and planning and hosting international conferences on current
topics in aquatic animal health.
7. Committee/Working Group: Ad Hoc Working Group on Biotechnology.
U.S. Participant: Animal Disease Research Unit, Agricultural
Research Service, USDA.
General Purpose: The Ad Hoc Working Group on Biotechnology reviews
the biotechnological aspects of each chapter of the OIE Manual for
Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines and prepares an annual report and
recommendations dealing with biotechnology for consideration by the
General Session. The Working Group has also developed an international
database on sources of biotechnologically engineered vaccines and
diagnostic reagents.
Date of Meeting: The working group meets when called by the
Director General.
[[Page 38150]]
Location of Meeting: Paris, France.
Major Discussion/Agenda: Current issues facing the working group:
Ongoing reviews of diagnostic test kits, applications of genetic
engineering to animal health, veterinary products developed using
biotechnology, and possible uses of new biotechnological techniques in
veterinary medicine.
8. Committee/Working Group: Working Group on Veterinary Drug
Registration.
U.S. Participant: Center for Veterinary Medicine, Food and Drug
Administration, in cooperation with USDA-APHIS.
General Purpose: Prepares recommendations for the General Session.
Date of Meeting: Every 2 years.
Location of Meeting: Paris, France.
Major Discussion/Agenda: Current issues facing the working group:
Developing training programs for veterinary drug registration officials
of OIE member countries and assisting an OIE ad hoc group in developing
draft international guidelines for veterinary drug registration.
9. Committee/Working Group: Working Group on Informatics and
Epidemiology.
U.S. Participant: USDA-APHIS is a consultant to the working group.
General Purpose: The Working Group on Informatics and Epidemiology
develops programs to increase the efficiency of OIE communications and
to assist animal health officials of member countries to more
effectively utilize contemporary communications technology. One project
of the working group is HandiStatus, an information network on animal
diseases of international importance.
Date of Meeting: The working group meets when called by the
Director General.
Location of Meeting: Paris, France.
Major Discussion/Agenda: The working group is currently developing
a Windows version of HandiStatus and designing and developing the OIE
web page.
10. Committee/Working Group: Working Group on Wildlife Diseases.
U.S. Participant: Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study,
College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia.
General Purpose: The working group addresses the relationship
between diseases of wildlife and those of domestic animals and poultry.
Date of Meeting: The working group meets when called by the
Director General, usually annually in the summer or fall.
Location of Meeting: Paris, France.
Major Discussion/Agenda: Some issues currently facing the working
group are: development of reporting methods for wildlife diseases
(particularly those naturally transmissible between domesticated and
wild species); facilitating worldwide wildlife disease surveillance and
the applicability of routine diagnostic tests to wildlife species; and
problems related to propagation of wildlife species in captivity and
the disease hazards associated with their release from zoos or game
farms.
11. Committee/Working Group: Ad Hoc Group on Transmissible
Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSEs): Coordination of Research and
Epidemiological Studies
U.S. Participant: Veterinary Services, USDA-APHIS (periodically,
depending upon expertise required at each specific meeting).
General Purpose: The group reports its findings and research
recommendations on TSEs and BSE to the Code Commission.
Date of Meeting: At the request of the Director General.
Location of Meeting: Paris, France.
Major Discussion/Agenda: Updating information on TSEs.
For further information on any of the OIE standards, publications,
or commissions or working groups, contact Dr. Robert F. Kahrs, Trade
Policy Liaison, National Center for Import and Export, VS, APHIS, 4700
River Road Unit 38, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; (301) 734-6194; or e-
mail: rfkahrs@aphis.usda.gov.
IPPC Standard-Setting Activities
The IPPC is an international treaty, first ratified in 1952, aimed
at promoting international cooperation to control and prevent the
spread of harmful plant pests associated with the movement of people
and commodities.
The Convention has been, and continues to be, administered at the
national level by plant quarantine officials whose primary objective is
to safeguard plant resources from injurious pests. Under the IPPC, the
understanding of plant protection has been, and continues to be, broad,
encompassing the protection of both cultivated and noncultivated plants
from direct or indirect injury by plant pests.
In last year's notice, we explained that the IPPC was undergoing
revision as a result of the WTO Agreement on the Application of
Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (WTO SPS Agreement). Signatory
countries agreed on the need to revise the Convention to reflect
significant changes in international trade and plant quarantine since
the last revision of the IPPC. New revised text was adopted by the FAO
Conference in November 1997.
One of the primary objectives of the revision process was to ensure
that the IPPC was able to develop international standards, guidelines,
and recommendations as envisioned in the SPS Agreement. The standards,
guidelines, and recommendations developed by the IPPC are important
within the framework of the SPS Agreement for two reasons. First, a WTO
member is required to base its phytosanitary measures on international
standards, guidelines, and recommendations where they exist, or justify
a measure that achieves a higher level of protection. Second, a
standard, guideline, or recommendation developed by the IPPC serves as
a ``safe haven'' standard, i.e., a national phytosanitary measure that
conforms to an IPPC standard will be presumed to be consistent with the
requirements set forth in the WTO SPS Agreement and in the General
Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.
Member countries agreed that in order for the IPPC to fulfill its
role as a standard-setting body, the IPPC would have to strengthen its
capability to develop phytosanitary standards. Although the IPPC began
developing and adopting standards following the establishment of the
Secretariat in 1993, it had not formalized the institutional capability
for producing phytosanitary standards in the Convention. The revision
of the IPPC began with the primary intent to (1) Institutionalize a
standard-setting capability within the IPPC and (2) ensure consistency
between the IPPC and the WTO SPS Agreement by incorporating and
clarifying within the IPPC a number of phytosanitary concepts contained
in the WTO SPS Agreement. The revised IPPC established the Commission
on Phytosanitary Measures as the body responsible for carrying out the
objectives of the revised IPPC. However, the revised IPPC will not be
in force until two-thirds of the member countries accept the revisions.
Until this happens, FAO has approved the meeting of an Interim
Commission on Phytosanitary Measures, which will serve in the role
designed for the Commission in the revised IPPC, but actions will not
receive official recognition without FAO council action.
The revised IPPC also formalized the role of the IPPC Secretariat,
which is responsible for implementing the policies and activities of
the Commission on Phytosanitary Measures. The Secretariat is appointed
by the
[[Page 38151]]
Director General of FAO and is responsible for the dissemination of
information to IPPC member countries regarding (1) Proposed and
approved standards; (2) lists of regulated pests; (3) phytosanitary
requirements, restrictions, and prohibitions; and (4) translations of
all standards and meeting documentation into the official languages of
FAO.
The Commission on Phytosanitary Measures
The Commission on Phytosanitary Measures actively examines the
state of plant protection in the world and proposes and establishes
standards that help to eliminate plant pests and control their spread.
The Commission is composed of technically competent officials from
member countries who are ultimately responsible for implementing IPPC
standards and policies in their countries. The Commission provides
member countries with a forum in which to propose international
standards and discuss and exchange information on phytosanitary
measures, standards, and other issues of concern.
IPPC standards are proposed in a number of ways. The IPPC
Secretariat may initiate development of a draft standard by forming a
working group to develop a standard deemed a priority by IPPC members.
Draft standards or discussion papers may also be submitted to the
Secretariat for IPPC consideration by regional or national plant
protection organizations or other interested parties. The IPPC
Secretariat refers draft standards to the Committee of Experts on
Phytosanitary Measures (CEPM), which considers the drafts and
recommends action. Drafts approved by the CEPM are then submitted to
member countries for consultation and comment (country consultation).
Comments made during country consultation are then considered by the
Secretariat, which revises the standard before resubmitting it to the
CEPM.
If the CEPM approves the revised draft, it is submitted to the
Commission on Phytosanitary Measures for adoption.
Each member country is represented on the Commission by a single
delegate. Although experts and advisers may accompany the delegate to
meetings of the Commission, only the delegate or an authorized
alternate may vote on proposed standards or other initiatives. Parties
involved in a vote by the Commission are to make every effort to reach
agreement on all matters by consensus. Only after all efforts to reach
a consensus have been exhausted may a decision on a standard be passed
by a vote of two-thirds of delegates present and voting.
Technical experts from the United States have participated directly
in working groups and indirectly as reviewers of all IPPC draft
standards. In addition, documents and positions developed by APHIS and
NAPPO have served as the basis for many of the standards adopted to
date.
Scheduled IPPC Meetings
The first meeting of the Interim Commission on Phytosanitary
Measures will be held in Rome, November 3-6, 1998.
The 10th Technical Consultation of Regional Plant Protection
Organizations will be held in Rome, November 9-10, 1998.
The Regulated Non-quarantine Pest Working Group will convene during
the first week of October 1998 (tentative), at a location to be
determined.
The next meeting of the Committee of Experts on Phytosanitary
Measures (CEPM) is tentatively scheduled for the second week in May,
1999.
Status of International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures
Various formal documents and standards are currently moving through
different stages of development, review, and approval. The status of
all IPPC formal documents and standards (existing, drafted, and
proposed) is listed below.
Existing Standards (subject to revision):
The International Plant Protection Convention (existing,
and new revised text), revised November 1997.
Principles of Plant Quarantine as Related to International
Trade (reference standard), adopted in 1993.
Code of Conduct for the Import and Release of Biological
Control Agents, adopted November 1995.
Guidelines for Pest Risk Analysis, adopted November 1995.
Requirements for the Establishment of Pest Free Areas,
adopted November 1995.
Glossary of Phytosanitary Terms (reference standard),
revised in September 1995.
Guidelines for Surveillance.
Export Certification System. Proposed standards to be
submitted to the Commission for final approval in November 1998:
Determination of pest status.
Guidelines for pest eradication programs. Draft standards
undergoing country consultation prior to meeting of regional plant
protection organizations in November 1998:
Requirements for the establishment of pest-free places of
production.
Inspection methodology.
Pest risk analysis for quarantine pests. Draft standards
to be reviewed by the Council of Experts on Phytosanitary Measures in
May 1999:
Guidelines for an import regulatory system.
Guidelines for phytosanitary certificates.
Guidelines for surveillance for specific pests: Citrus
canker.
Existing standards being updated for alignment with the revised
IPPC (1997):
Principles of Plant Quarantine as Related to International
Trade (first draft prepared by the Secretariat).
Guidelines for Pest Risk Analysis (first draft prepared by
the Secretariat).
Standards under development by the IPPC. The following standards
will be prioritized at the November 1998 meeting:
Guidelines for the preparation of regulated pest lists (no
draft or discussion paper).
Technical justification for regulating nonquarantine pests
(draft discussion paper by the IPPC Secretariat; working group for fall
1998).
Guidelines for notification--interceptions and
noncompliance (no draft or discussion paper).
Systems approaches for risk management (discussion paper
in preparation).
Low pest prevalence (no draft or discussion paper).
Quarantine nomenclature for plants and plant products (no
draft or discussion paper).
Dispute settlement (draft in preparation).
Procedures for the preparation of a standard (pending
discussion by the Commission).
Pest-specific monitoring and testing requirements (no
draft or discussion paper).
Training and accreditation of inspectors (no draft or
discussion paper).
Pest control procedures (no draft or discussion paper).
Procedures for post-entry quarantine (no draft or
discussion paper).
Systems for approving phytosanitary treatments (no draft
or discussion paper).
Guidelines for research requirements for treatment
efficacy (no draft or discussion paper).
Commodity-specific standards (no draft or discussion
paper).
Further information on the IPPC standards is available from the FAO
web page at: http://www.fao.org/waicent/faoinfo/agricult/agp/agpp/PQ/
Default.htm. This page may contain outdated information but is
tentatively
[[Page 38152]]
scheduled to be updated by July 31, 1998.
Information on U.S. participation in IPPC standard setting, as well
as up-to-date information on activities and meetings, is also available
by contacting Mr. Alfred Elder, Acting Deputy Administrator, APHIS,
USDA, room 302-E, Whitten Building, 14th Street and Independence Avenue
SW., Washington, DC 20250.
NAPPO Standard-Setting Activities
NAPPO was created in 1976 to coordinate plant protection activities
in Canada, the United States, and Mexico. NAPPO provides a mechanism by
which the three countries can exchange information related to plant
pest control. NAPPO cooperates with other regional plant protection
organizations and the FAO to achieve the objectives of the IPPC.
NAPPO conducts its business through permanent and ad hoc panels and
annual meetings of the three member countries. The NAPPO Executive
Committee charges individual panels with the responsibility for drawing
up proposals for NAPPO positions, policies, and standards. These panels
are made up of representatives from each member country who have
scientific expertise related to the policy or standard being
considered.
Proposals drawn up by the individual panels are then circulated for
review to government and industry by Canada, Mexico, and the United
States, which may suggest revisions. Once revisions are made, the
proposal is then sent to the NAPPO Working Group and the NAPPO
Standards Panel for technical reviews, and finally to the Executive
Committee for final approval, which is made by consensus.
The following is a summary of panel charges as they relate to the
development of standards (see the NAPPO web page for more information,
including a list of U.S. participants on the panels, at http://
www.nappo.org):
NAPPO Standards Panel
The NAPPO Standards Panel handles or supports development of NAPPO
standards and other cross-commodity issues, reviews proposed
international standards, and recommends NAPPO positions on proposed
international standards. This panel reviews the standards proposed by
the other panels before they are sent out for full review, with a focus
on modifying such proposed standards where necessary to clarify whether
NAPPO or FAO definitions and standards will apply to particular NAPPO
activities.
Other current charges to the Standards Panel include:
Proposing elements for an international standard on
regulated nonquarantine pests to submit to the FAO.
Providing updates to the International Standards for
Phytosanitary Measures and NAPPO Standards for the NAPPO Newsletter.
Accreditation Panel
The panel will continue the development of the draft NAPPO Standard
for Laboratory Accreditation for consideration by the NAPPO Working
Group in July 1998 and approval by the Executive Committee in October
1998.
Biological Control Panel
No charges are currently available for this panel.
Biotechnology Panel
The panel will continue working on issues related to transgenic
crops in their centers of origin. This includes completion of the
report of the workshop on transgenic maize held in Mexico City in
October 1997.
Citrus Panel
The panel will develop a draft NAPPO Standard for Phytosanitary
Measures establishing requirements for the importation of citrus into a
NAPPO member country.
Forestry Panel
The panel will:
Incorporate comments from the Standards Panel into the
draft NAPPO Dunnage Standard, circulate the draft for review, and
revise it by June 30, 1998, for consideration by the NAPPO Working
Group in July 1998. This draft standard is expected to require
extensive review, and action may be suspended until each of the three
countries has an opportunity for consultation with and input from
affected parties.
Develop a glossary of phytosanitary terms unique to the
forestry sector by June 30, 1998, for consideration by the NAPPO
Working Group in July 1998 and approval by the Executive Committee in
October 1998.
Fruit Fly Panel
The panel will incorporate comments from the Standards Panel,
circulate the draft Surveillance for Fruit Flies Standard for full
review, and revise by June 30, 1998, for consideration by the Working
Group in July 1998 and Executive Committee approval in October 1998.
Fruit Tree and Grapevine Nursery Stock Certification Panel
The panel will:
Incorporate comments from the Standards Panel and
circulate the draft Grapevine Standard for full review by June 30,
1998, for consideration by the NAPPO Working Group in July 1998. The
policy of this draft standard is being carefully reviewed to determine
its impact on current industry practice. The review period will be
extended as necessary to accommodate further consultation and review.
Continue work on development of Citrus, Prunus, and Malus
standards; draft citrus standard for initial review by Standards Panel
in July 1998, and circulate for full review in August 1998.
Grains Panel
The panel will:
Review the treatment options available for risk management
of Tilletia indica (Karnal bunt) and recommend treatments for
endorsement by NAPPO.
Identify whether there are phytosanitary or commercial
problems associated with weed seeds imported into, or shipped within,
North America.
Develop harmonized procedures to deal with contaminated
grain shipments.
Develop a harmonized regulatory approach to deal with
shipments of grain contaminated with Tilletia species of ryegrass.
Pest Risk Analysis Panel
The panel will classify areas within North America (as requested by
the Grains Panel) according to the relative risk of the introduction
(entry and establishment) of Tilletia indica.
Potato Panel
The panel will begin work with the European Plant Protection
Organization on a global standard for potatoes.
Training Panel
The panel will develop criteria to assess the proficiency of
persons to perform tasks described in the NAPPO Standard for the
Accreditation of Individuals to Issue Phytosanitary Certificates by
July 1998.
The current NAPPO meeting schedule is as follows:
NAPPO Annual Meetings
July 19-23, 1998, Halifax, Canada.
October 18-22, 1998, Guanajuato, Mexico.
NAPPO Working Group
July 20-22, 1998, Ottawa, Canada.
October 18, 1998, Halifax, Canada.
[[Page 38153]]
NAPPO Executive Committee
August 18, 1998, Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States.
October 19, 1998, Halifax, Canada.
Up-to-date information on NAPPO policies, standard setting
activities, U.S. participants, and meeting agendas and dates is
available on the NAPPO web page at http://www.nappo.org. Interested
individuals may also contact Mr. Alfred Elder, Acting Deputy
Administrator, PPQ, APHIS, room 302-E, Whitten Building, 14th Street
and Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250.
Comments on standards being considered or to be considered by any
of the OIE, IPPC, or NAPPO committees or working groups listed above
may be sent to APHIS as directed under the heading ADDRESSES.
Done in Washington, DC, this 9th day of July, 1998.
Craig A. Reed,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 98-18839 Filed 7-14-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P
