[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 184 (Friday, September 20, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49432-49433]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-24211]
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Notices
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents
appearing in this section.
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Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 184 / Friday, September 20, 1996 /
Notices
[[Page 49432]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. 96-068-1]
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. 96-068-1, 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. 96-068-1,
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 e-mail
Dbarnett@aphis.usda.gov. The public may also contact Mr. John Greifer,
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: 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, 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 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 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 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.
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 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
Agreements. The WTO is the successor organization for 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-
[[Page 49433]]
setting activities of each international standard-setting organization.
This responsibility has been delegated to the Food Safety and
Inspection Service (FSIS) 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.
FSIS published a notice in the Federal Register on June 4, 1996 (61 FR
28132), informing the public of sanitary and phytosanitary standard-
setting activities for Codex.
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 10-11, 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; and provide advice to OIE Animal Health
Code Commission.
2. Committee/Working Group: OIE General Session.
Agency Participant(s): Dr. Joan Arnoldi (delegate); Dr. Alex
Thiermann (alternate delegate and coordinator).
General Purpose: Establish and adopt international standards
dealing with animal health.
Date of Meeting: May 1997.
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/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.
4. 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 1997.
Location of Meeting: Mexico City, Mexico.
Major Discussion/Agenda: To develop standard guidelines for the
release of exotic biological control agents for the control of weed
pests.
5. 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: To be announced.
Location of Meeting: Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.
Major Discussion/Agenda: Pathogen lists for each crop; and
certification schemes for each crop.
6. Committee/Working Group: NAPPO Working Group.
Agency Participant: Mr. Marshall Kirby.
General Purpose: Provide general leadership, direction, and support
to NAPPO activities.
Dates of Meetings: October 1996; January and April 1997.
Locations of Meetings: To be announced.
Major Discussion/Agenda: All new and ongoing NAPPO business,
including standards.
7. 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: October 1996.
Location of Meeting: Veracruz, Mexico.
Major Discussion/Agenda: Continuing development of trilateral
policy.
8. 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 1996.
Location of Meeting: Veracruz, Mexico.
Major Discussion/Agenda: To be announced.
9. Committee/Working Group: NAPPO Executive Committee.
Agency Participant: Mr. Alfred Elder.
General Purpose: To harmonize plant quarantine regulations and
import requirements among Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
Dates of Meetings: October 1996 and April 1997.
Locations of Meetings: To be announced.
Major Discussion/Agenda: Standards development process; area
freedom standard; pest surveillance/monitoring standard; and 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 16th day of September 1996.
Terry L. Medley,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 96-24211 Filed 9-19-96; 8:45 am]
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