[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 164 (Friday, August 23, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54615-54621]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-21539]
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Notices
Federal Register
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This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
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Federal Register / Vol. 67, No. 164 / Friday, August 23, 2002 /
Notices
[[Page 54615]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. 02-051-1]
International Sanitary and Phytosanitary Standard-Setting
Activities
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice and request for 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: You may submit comments by postal mail/commercial delivery
or by e-mail. If you use postal mail/commercial delivery, please send
four copies of your comment (an original and three copies) to: Docket
No. 02-051-1, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station
3C71, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. Please state
that your comment refers to Docket No. 02-051-1. If you use e-mail,
address your comment to [email protected]. Your comment must
be contained in the body of your message; do not send attached files.
Please include your name and address in your message and ``Docket No.
02-051-1'' on the subject line.
You may read any comments that we receive on this docket in our
reading room. The reading room is located in room 1141 of the USDA
South Building, 14th Street and Independence Avenue SW., Washington,
DC. Normal reading room hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through
Friday, except holidays. To be sure someone is there to help you,
please call (202) 690-2817 before coming.
APHIS documents published in the Federal Register, and related
information, including the names of organizations and individuals who
have commented on APHIS dockets, are available on the Internet at
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppd/rad/webrepor.html.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information on the topics
covered in this notice, contact Mr. John Greifer, Director, Trade
Support Team, International Services, APHIS, Room 1132, South Building,
14th Street and Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250; (202)
720-7677. For specific information regarding standard-setting
activities of the Office International des Epizooties, contact Dr.
Michael David, Chief, Sanitary International Standards Team, VS, APHIS,
4700 River Road Unit 33, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; (301) 734-8093. For
specific information regarding the standard-setting activities of the
International Plant Protection Convention or the North American Plant
Protection Organization, contact Mr. Narcy Klag, Program Manager,
Phytosanitary Issues Management, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 60,
Riverdale, MD 20737-1236; (301) 734-8469.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The World Trade Organization (WTO) was established as the common
international institutional framework for governing 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 (Pub. L. 103-465),
which was signed into law by the President on December 8, 1994. The WTO
Agreements, which established the WTO, entered into force with respect
to the United States on January 1, 1995. The Uruguay Round Agreements
Act amended title IV of the Trade Agreements Act of 1979 (19 U.S.C.
2531 et seq.). Section 491 of the Trade Agreement Act of 1979, as
amended (19 U.S.C. 2578), 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 an annual notice in the Federal Register that
provides the following information: (1) The SPS standards under
consideration or planned for consideration by the international
standard-setting organization; and (2) for each SPS standard specified,
a description of the consideration or planned consideration of that
standard, a statement of whether the United States is participating or
plans to participate in the consideration of that standard, the agenda
for U.S. participation, if any, and the agency responsible for
representing the United States with respect to that standard.
``International standard'' is defined in 19 U.S.C. 2578b as any
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
the member countries of the WTO.
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 SPS standard-setting
activities of Codex, OIE, IPPC, and NAPPO. The United States Department
of Agriculture's (USDA's) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS)
informs the public of Codex standard-setting activities and Animal and
Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) informs the public of OIE,
IPPC, and NAPPO standard-setting activities.
FSIS publishes an annual notice in the Federal Register to inform
the public of SPS standard-setting activities for Codex. Codex was
created in 1962 by
[[Page 54616]]
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 publishes notice of OIE, IPPC, and NAPPO activities related
to international standards and for representing the United States with
respect to these standards.
Following are descriptions of the OIE, IPPC, and NAPPO
organizations and the standard-setting agenda for each of these
institutions. We have described the agenda that each of these
organizations will address at their annual general sessions, including
standards that may be presented for adoption or consideration, as well
as other initiatives that may be underway at the OIE, IPPC, and NAPPO.
The agendas for these meetings are subject to change, and the draft
standards identified in this notice may not be sufficiently developed
and ready for adoption as indicated. Also, while it is the intent of
the United States to support adoption of international standards and to
participate actively and fully in their development, it should be
recognized that the U.S. position on a specific draft standard will
depend on the acceptability of the final draft. Given the dynamic and
interactive nature of the standard-setting process, we encourage any
persons who are interested in the most current details about a specific
draft standard or the U.S. position on a particular standard-setting
issue, or in providing comments on a specific standard that may be
under development, to contact APHIS. Contact information is provided at
the beginning of this notice under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
OIE Standard-Setting Activities
The OIE was established in Paris, France, in 1924 with the signing
of an international agreement by 28 countries. It is currently composed
of 162 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 recognized 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 relating to animal health.
The OIE facilitates intergovernmental cooperation to prevent the
spread of contagious diseases in animals by sharing scientific research
among its members. The major functions of the OIE are to collect and
disseminate information on the distribution and occurrence of animal
diseases and 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, vaccines, and the safe international
trade of animals and animal products.
The OIE provides annual reports on the global distribution of
animal diseases, recognizes the free status of member countries for
certain diseases, categorizes animal diseases with respect to their
international significance, publishes bulletins on global disease
status, and provides animal disease control guidelines to member
countries.
The various OIE commissions and working groups undertake the
initial analysis and preparation of draft standards, which are then
circulated to member countries for consultation (review and comment).
Draft standards are revised accordingly and then presented to the OIE
General Session, which meets annually every May, for review and
adoption. Adoption, as a general rule, is based on consensus of the OIE
membership.
The next OIE General Session is scheduled for May 18-24, 2003, in
Paris, France. The Associate Administrator for APHIS' Veterinary
Services is the official U.S. delegate to the OIE. The Associate
Administrator intends to participate in the proceedings and will
discuss or comment on APHIS' position on any standard up for adoption.
Information about current and past OIE draft Code chapters may be found
at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/ncie/oie/ or by contacting Dr. Michael
David (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT above).
OIE Code Chapters Up for Adoption
Existing Code chapters that may be revised and new chapters that
may be drafted in preparation for the next General Session in 2003
include the following:
1. Infectious Bursal Disease (IBD)
This is a disease of poultry. This existing chapter will be revised
to incorporate contemporary scientific knowledge about IBD (e.g., new
knowledge regarding surveillance for the disease, testing, etc.). These
changes may affect current OIE export certification standards for
products that may be affected with IBD.
2. Guidelines for Conducting a Risk Assessment on Bovine Spongiform
Encephalopathy (BSE) in Cattle
This is intended to provide guidance on conducting a risk
assessment that identifies all potential factors for BSE occurrence and
their historic perspective in a nation's cattle herd. These factors
include: the feeding of meat-and-bone meal or greaves of ruminant
origin; the importation of meat-and-bone meal or greaves potentially
contaminated with a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) or
feedstuffs containing either; importation of animals or embryos/oocytes
potentially infected with a TSE; epidemiological situation concerning
all animal TSEs in the country or zone; extent of knowledge of the
population structure of cattle, sheep, and goats in the country or
zone; and the origin of any unprocessed animal by-products, the
parameters of the rendering processes and the methods of animal feed
production.
3. Maedi-visna
This is a disease of sheep and goats. This would represent a new
OIE Code chapter. The Chapter will provide recommendations for the
trade of sheep and goats and their products as it pertains to Maedi-
visna.
4. Traceability
This represents a new undertaking for OIE in the area of animal
health and is intended to provide guidance on traceability, or the
tracking of animals and animal products throughout their production
system.
5. Guidelines on the Judgment of Equivalence
This represents a new undertaking for OIE and is intended to
provide guidance on making equivalency determinations in the area of
animal health.
As a matter of process, these chapters are drafted (or revised) by
ad hoc groups composed of technical experts nominated by the OIE Code
Commission by virtue of their subject-area expertise (not their
national affiliation). Once the ad hoc expert group completes its task
of drafting a new chapter or revising an existing one, the chapter is
then distributed to member countries for review and comment.
Historically, the OIE has distributed the proposed or revised Code
chapters to its member countries by late October of each year. However,
this year the OIE will try to provide proposed chapters by early
September to allow Member States more time for comment. The draft
standard is revised by the OIE Code Commission on
[[Page 54617]]
the basis of relevant scientific comments received from member
countries.
The United States (i.e., USDA/APHIS) intends to review and, where
appropriate, comment on all draft chapter revisions once it receives
them from the OIE. USDA/APHIS intends to distribute these drafts to the
U.S. livestock industry, veterinary experts in various U.S. academic
institutions, and other interested persons for review and comment. The
drafts will be posted on the Internet at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/ncie/oie/. Hence, U.S. comments submitted to the OIE will be based on
APHIS' analysis and relevant scientific information received from
various domestic commenters. Additional information regarding these
draft standards may be obtained by contacting Dr. Michael David (see
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT above).
Generally, if a country has concerns with a particular draft
standard, and supports those concerns with sound technical information,
the OIE Code Commission will revise that standard accordingly and
present the revised draft for adoption at the General Session in May.
In the event that a country's concerns regarding a draft standard are
not taken into account, that country may refuse to support the standard
when it comes up for adoption at the General Session. However, each
member country is obligated to review, comment, and make decisions
regarding the adoption of standards strictly on their scientific
merits.
OIE Future Work Program
In the next few years, the OIE Code Commission is expected to
address the following issues or establish ad hoc groups of experts to
update and/or develop the standards for the following issues:
1. Animal Welfare
This represents an effort to develop principles that can be applied
to different animal welfare standards, such as housing, transportation,
and slaughter. The United States will consider its position on this new
standard after it reviews a prepared draft.
2. Food Safety
This represents an effort to reduce the public health risks in food
from microbiological, chemical, and other risk factors at the farm
level and prior to slaughter and would be accomplished by working more
closely (strengthening relationships) with the relevant international
organizations such as Codex, FAO, and WHO. The United States will
consider its position on this new standard after it reviews a prepared
draft.
3. Avian Influenza, Foot and Mouth Disease, and BSE
These represent revisions to existing chapters. The United States
will consider its position on these new standards after it reviews a
prepared draft.
4. Diseases of Bees
This represents a revision to or updating of an existing OIE Code
chapter. This chapter, which addresses most diseases of honeybees,
including mites, will be revised to incorporate changes in scientific
knowledge about various honeybee diseases. This chapter will continue
to provide guidance for certifying honeybee packages and queen bees for
export purposes. The United States will consider its position on this
new standard after it reviews a prepared draft.
5. BSE in Small Ruminants
This would be a new OIE Code chapter intended to provide guidance
for export certification of sheep and goats and their products. The
United States will consider its position on this new standard after it
reviews a prepared draft.
Other OIE Topics
Every year at the General Session, two technical items are
presented. For the May 2003 General Session, the following technical
items will be presented:
1. The socioeconomic impact of animal diseases.
2. Regionalization as an instrument for preventing the propagation
of diseases, including those of camelids.
The information in this notice includes all the information
currently available to us on OIE standards currently under development
or consideration. Information on OIE standards is available on the
Internet at http://www.oie.int. Further, a formal agenda for the next
General Session will be available to member countries in February 2003,
and copies will be available to the public once the agenda is
published. For the most current information on meeting times, working
groups, and/or meeting agendas, including information on official U.S.
participation in OIE activities, and U.S. positions on standards being
considered, contact Dr. Michael David (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT above). Those wishing to provide comments on any areas of work
under the OIE may do so at any time by responding to this notice (see
ADDRESSES above) or by providing comments through Dr. David.
IPPC Standard-Setting Activities
The IPPC is a multilateral convention adopted in 1952 for the
purpose of securing common and effective action to prevent the spread
and introduction of pests of plants and plant products and to promote
appropriate measures for their control. 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. Activities addressed by
the IPPC include the development and establishment of international
plant health standards, the harmonization of phytosanitary activities
through emerging standards, the facilitation of the exchange of
official and scientific information among countries, and the furnishing
of technical assistance to developing countries that are signatories to
the IPPC.
The IPPC is placed under the authority of the FAO, and the members
of the Secretariat of the IPPC are appointed by the FAO. The IPPC is
implemented by national plant protection organizations in cooperation
with regional plant protection organizations, the Interim Commission on
Phytosanitary Measures (ICPM), and the Secretariat of the IPPC. The
United States plays a major role in all standard-setting activities
under the IPPC and has representation on FAO's highest governing body,
the FAO Conference.
The United States became a contracting party to the IPPC in 1972
and has been actively involved in furthering the work of the IPPC ever
since. The IPPC was amended in 1979, and the amended version entered
into force in 1991 after two-thirds of the contracting countries
accepted the amendment. More recently, in 1997, contracting parties
completed negotiations on further amendments that were approved by the
FAO Conference and submitted to the parties for acceptance. This 1997
amendment updated phytosanitary concepts and formalized the standard-
setting structure within the IPPC. The 1997 amended version of the IPPC
will enter into force once two-thirds of the current contracting
parties notify the Director General of FAO of their acceptance of the
amendment. At this date, 39 of the required 72 member countries have
deposited their official letters of acceptance. The U.S. Senate gave
its advice and consent to acceptance of the newly revised IPPC on
October 18,
[[Page 54618]]
2000. The President submitted the official letter of acceptance to the
FAO Director General on October 4, 2001.
The IPPC 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. In the United
States, the national plant protection organization is APHIS' Plant
Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) program. The steps for developing a
standard under the revised IPPC are described below.
Step 1
Proposals for a new international standard for phytosanitary
measures (ISPM) or for the review or revision of an existing ISPM are
submitted to the Secretariat of the IPPC in the form of a discussion
paper accompanied by a topic or draft standard. Drafts can be submitted
by individual countries, but are more commonly submitted by regional
plant protection organizations (RPPO's). Alternately, the Secretariat
can propose a new standard or amendments to existing standards.
Step 2
A summary of proposals is submitted by the Secretariat to the ICPM.
The ICPM identifies the topics and priorities for standard setting from
among the proposals submitted to the Secretariat and others that may be
raised by the ICPM.
Step 3
Specifications for the standards identified as priorities by the
ICPM are drafted by the Secretariat. The draft specifications are
submitted to the Standards Committee for approval/amendment and are
subsequently made available to members and RPPO's for comment (60
days). Comments are submitted in writing to the Secretariat. Taking
into account the comments, the Standards Committee finalizes the
specifications.
Step 4
The standard is drafted or revised in accordance with the
specifications by a working group designated by the Standards
Committee. The resulting draft standard is submitted to the Standards
Committee for review.
Step 5
Draft standards approved by the Standards Committee are distributed
to members by the Secretariat and RPPO's for consultation (120 days).
Comments are submitted in writing to the Secretariat. Where
appropriate, the Standards Committee may establish open-ended
discussion groups as forums for further comment. The Secretariat
summarizes the comments and submits them to the Standards Committee.
Step 6
Taking into account the comments, the Secretariat, in cooperation
with the Standards Committee, revises the draft standard. The Standards
Committee submits the final version to the ICPM for adoption.
Step 7
The ISPM is established through formal adoption by the ICPM
according to Rule X of the Rules of Procedure of the ICPM.
Step 8
Review of the ISPM is completed by the specified date or such other
date as may be agreed upon by the ICPM.
Each member country is represented on the ICPM by a single
delegate. Although experts and advisers may accompany the delegate to
meetings of the ICPM, only the delegate (or an authorized alternate)
may represent each member country in considering a standard up for
approval. Parties involved in a vote by the ICPM 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. This notice describes each of the IPPC standards currently under
consideration or up for adoption. The full text of each standard will
be available on the APHIS Internet Web site at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/pim/standards/. Interested individuals may
review the standards posted on this website and submit comments via the
website.
The next ICPM meeting is scheduled for April 7-11, 2003, at FAO
Headquarters in Rome, Italy. The Deputy Administrator for APHIS' PPQ
programs is the U.S. delegate to the ICPM. The Deputy Administrator
intends to participate in the proceedings and will discuss or comment
on APHIS' position on any standard up for adoption. The provisional
agenda for the meeting is as follows:
Provisional Agenda for the Fourth Interim Commission on Phytosanitary
Measures
1. Opening of the session.
2. Adoption of the agenda.
3. Report by the chairperson.
4. Report by the Secretariat.
5. Adoption of international standards (see section below entitled
``IPPC Standards Up for Adoption in 2003'' for details).
6. Items arising from the Third Session of the ICPM (see section
below entitled ``New Standard Setting Initiatives'' for details).
7. Work program for harmonization.
8. Status of the 1997 revised IPPC.
9. Other business.
10. Date and venue of the next meeting.
11. Adoption of the report.
IPPC Standards Up for Adoption in 2003
It is expected that the following standards will be sufficiently
developed to be considered by the ICPM for adoption at its April 2003
meeting. The United States, represented by APHIS' Deputy Administrator
for PPQ, will participate in the consideration of these standards. The
U.S. position on each of these issues will be developed prior to the
ICPM session and will be based on APHIS' analysis, information from
other U.S. Government agencies, and relevant scientific information
from interested stakeholders. The standards that are most likely to be
considered for adoption include:
1. Environmental Impact of Quarantine Pests
This work will supplement and strengthen the existing standard on
``Pest Risk Analysis for Quarantine Pests'' by providing detailed
guidelines for evaluating the environmental impacts of quarantine
pests, including quarantine pests that are invasive. This standard was
reviewed and edited by the Standards Panel and was entered into the
country consultation phase during the early part of 2002. The Standards
Panel will review comments from consultation and prepare the final
draft. The expectation is that the standard will be completed and ready
for ICPM approval in 2003. The United States intends to support
adoption of this draft standard, assuming it is ready for such
consideration.
2. Economic Importance
The ICPM (at its third meeting) agreed on the need to develop
guidelines to clarify the meaning and scope of ``economic importance''-
-a term found in the pest risk analysis (PRA) standard,
[[Page 54619]]
in the definition of quarantine pest, and other IPPC documents. The
goal is to ensure a common understanding that ``economic importance''
of pest introduction may include monetary and/or non-monetary impacts
(e.g., pest impacts on wild flora or the environment which may be
difficult to express in dollar terms). Such guidelines will help
clarify the scope of the IPPC as covering not only agriculturally
significant pests, but also pests which may be harmful to wild flora or
non-cultivated systems. This standard was reviewed and edited by the
Standards Panel and was entered into the country consultation phase
during the early part of 2002. The Standards Panel will review comments
from consultation and prepare the final draft. The goal is to have a
guideline prepared for ICPM approval in 2003. The United States intends
to support adoption of this draft standard assuming it is ready for
such consideration.
3. Guidelines for the Use of Irradiation as a Phytosanitary Measure
This standard provides technical guidance for the evaluation,
adoption, and use of irradiation as a phytosanitary treatment. It is
designed to encourage consistency by providing essential information
concerning the technical and operational aspects of using irradiation
as a treatment for plant pests. This standard is important as it
provides an alternative to the use of methyl bromide as a treatment for
quarantine pests. This standard was reviewed and edited by the
Standards Panel and was entered into the country consultation phase
during the early part of 2002. The Standards Panel will review comments
from consultation and prepare the final draft. The goal is to have a
guideline prepared for ICPM approval in 2003. The United States intends
to support adoption of this draft standard assuming it is ready for
such consideration.
New Standard-Setting Initiatives, Including Those in Development
A number of expert working group meetings or other technical
consultations will take place during 2002 and early 2003 on the topics
listed below. These standard-setting initiatives are not expected to be
completed prior to March 2003 and, therefore, will not be ready for
adoption at the 2003 ICPM session. Nonetheless, APHIS intends to
participate actively and fully in each of these working groups. The
U.S. position on each of the topics to be addressed by these various
working groups will be developed prior to these working group meetings
and will be based on APHIS' technical analysis, information from other
U.S. Government agencies, and relevant scientific information from
interested stakeholders.
1. Living Modified Organisms (LMOs) Standard
At its third annual meeting in 2001, the ICPM agreed on the need to
develop a phytosanitary standard for assessing potential pest risks
associated with LMOs. The goal of this standard is to provide clear and
comprehensive guidance on the conduct of PRA procedures as regards the
phytosanitary risks that may be presented by LMOs. Accordingly, this
standard will take into account: Existing PRA procedures and standards
(IPPC and others that may be relevant); relevant hazards and methods
for the evaluation of the potential phytosanitary risks presented by
LMOs; and, the goal of ensuring a PRA procedure for LMOs that is
consistent with relevant aspects of the Cartagena Protocol. The target
date for completion of the LMO standard is 2004.
2. Efficacy of Phytosanitary Measures
ICPM consensus exists on the need to develop a standard for
evaluating the efficacy of phytosanitary measures. The goal is to
ensure the development of guidelines for evaluating phytosanitary
measures on a consistent, rigorous, and sound basis and providing IPPC
recognition of those which meet established criteria. This standard
will be critical for supporting future commodity specific standards
(e.g. hot water treatment for fruit flies) as well as the development
of IPPC guidelines for making ``equivalency'' determinations. Work on
this standard will begin in 2002 with the goal of having the standard
ready for ICPM approval in 2004.
3. Guidelines for Equivalence
It is recognized that different phytosanitary measures can provide
equivalent plant health protection for the purpose of international
trade. This standard will provide guidelines for assessing and
comparing different phytosanitary measures in order to make equivalency
determinations. This standard will be directly linked to the draft
standards work, currently underway, related to ``efficacy of
measures.'' ICPM members agreed on the need to establish criteria and
guidance for evaluating the efficacy of measures (i.e., treatments,
systems, etc.) prior to developing guidelines for equivalence.
4. Guidelines for Surveillance for Specific Pests (Citrus Canker)
This specific surveillance standard will describe the components of
survey and monitoring systems for the purpose of detecting citrus
canker and generating the necessary data for use in pest risk analyses
and the establishment of pest-free areas. During the course of work on
this particular standard, there have emerged substantial differences of
opinion among experts regarding several aspects of the standard,
particularly the appropriate statistical levels for survey. Work will
continue on this draft standard in 2002 with the goal of having it
ready for ICPM approval in 2004.
5. Pest Risk Analysis for Regulated Non-Quarantine Pests
Certain pests that are not quarantine pests may be subject to
phytosanitary regulations and procedures because their presence above a
specific level results in economically unacceptable impacts associated
with the intended use of the plants. Under the IPPC, such pests are
referred to as ``regulated non-quarantine pests.'' The classification
of a pest as a regulated non-quarantine pest and any restrictions
placed on the importation of the plant species with which it is
associated must be justified by pest risk analysis. This standard will
provide guidance for conducting an appropriate PRA necessary to
demonstrate that importation of a particular plant for propagation may
result in an unacceptable impact and to guide subsequent risk
management decisions. The goal is to have this standard ready for ICPM
approval in 2004.
6. Guidelines for an Import Regulatory System
A first draft was considered by an IPPC working group in 1997.
Since then the draft has undergone several revisions. In November 2001,
the IPPC Interim Standards Committee recommended that a small working
group be organized to consider the latest draft. The primary issue is
the level of detail that the standard will contain as regards
structural and operational aspects of import regulatory systems. The
group met in February 2002 and developed a revised edition. This draft
will be reviewed by the Standards Panel in November 2002.
7. Inspection Methodology
The first draft of the standard on inspection methodology was
prepared in 1995. Since then the draft standard has undergone several
revisions and has been distributed to members for their formal review
(1999). An expert group
[[Page 54620]]
may be convened in the near future to consider the draft standard in
light of Members' comments.
8. Pest Listing
The IPPC requires contracting parties to establish and update lists
of regulated pests for phytosanitary certification purposes. A working
group is drafting standardized guidelines for meeting these
obligations. These draft guidelines will describe lists of regulated
pests, the purpose of the guidelines, and their relationship to
phytosanitary certification procedures. There were some serious
reservations by several countries after country consultations, however,
these concerns have now been resolved with those countries. Work will
continue on this draft standard in 2002 with the goal of having it
ready for ICPM approval in 2004.
For more detailed information on the above topics, which will be
addressed by various working groups established by the ICPM, contact
Mr. Narcy Klag (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT above).
Also, APHIS posts draft standards on the Internet (http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/pim/standards) as they become available and
provides information on when comments on standards are due. Additional
information on IPPC standards is available on the FAO's Web site at
http://www.ippc.int. For the most current information on official U.S.
participation in IPPC activities, including U.S. positions on standards
being considered, contact Mr. Narcy Klag (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT above). Those wishing to provide comments on any of the areas
of work being undertaken by the IPPC may do so at any time by
responding to this notice (see ADDRESSES above) or by providing
comments through Mr. Klag.
NAPPO Standard-Setting Activities
NAPPO, a regional plant protection organization created in 1976
under the IPPC, coordinates the efforts among Canada, the United
States, and Mexico to protect their plant resources from the entry,
establishment, and spread of harmful plant pests, while facilitating
intra- and inter-regional trade.
NAPPO conducts its business through panels and annual meetings held
among 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 circulated for
review to government and industry officials in Canada, Mexico, and the
United States, who may suggest revisions. In the United States, draft
standards are circulated to industry, States, and various Government
agencies for consideration and comment. The draft standards are posted
on the Internet at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/standards; interested
persons may submit comments via that Web site. Once revisions are made,
the proposal is sent to the NAPPO working group and the NAPPO standards
panel for technical reviews and then to the Executive Committee for
final approval, which is granted by consensus.
The annual NAPPO meeting is scheduled for October 21-25, 2002, in
Oaxaca, Mexico. The NAPPO Executive Committee meeting will take place
on October 20, and a special session will be held on October 21 to
solicit the input of industry groups so that suggestions can be
incorporated into the NAPPO work plan. The Deputy Administrator for
APHIS' PPQ programs is a member of the NAPPO Executive Committee. The
Deputy Administrator intends to participate in the proceedings and will
discuss or comment on APHIS' position on any standard up for adoption
or any proposals to develop new standards.
The work plan for 2002 was established after the October 2001
Annual Meeting in San Diego, CA. The Deputy Administrator for PPQ
participated in establishing this NAPPO work plan (see panel
assignments below).
Below is a summary of current panel assignments as they relate to
the ongoing development of NAPPO standards. USDA/APHIS intends to
participate actively and fully in the work of each of these panels. The
U.S. position on each topic will be guided and informed by the best
scientific information available on each of these topics. For each of
the following panels, the United States will consider its position on
any draft standard after it reviews a prepared draft. Information
regarding the following NAPPO panel topics, assignments, and
activities, and updates on meeting times and locations, may be obtained
from the NAPPO home page at http://www.nappo.org or by contacting Mr.
Narcy Klag (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT above).
1. Accreditation Panel (Inspector Accreditation)
This panel will work towards facilitating the proper implementation
of the standard ``Accreditation of Individuals to Sign Federal
Phytosanitary Certificates.'' A review of the U.S. system was conducted
in June 2001 and a review of the Canadian system was conducted in early
2002. A review of Mexico's system will follow. A written report will be
provided to the Executive Committee.
2. Biological Control Panel
This panel will work on developing a standard for biological
control facilities.
3. Biotechnology Panel
This panel will continue to develop a NAPPO standard for the review
of products of biotechnology that focuses on the assessment of the
potential to present a plant pest risk. Modules for unconfined field
release and importation of transgenic material for uses other than
planting will be drafted.
4. Citrus Panel
The panel will continue to work on the standard for the entry of
citrus propagative material into NAPPO member countries.
5. Forestry Panel
The panel will work on trying to harmonize, between NAPPO
countries, the implementation of the international standard for wood
packaging material.
6. Fruit Panel
The panel will finalize the standard ``Verification and Maintenance
of Fruit Fly-Free Areas.'' Approval of this standard by the NAPPO
Executive Committee is expected this year.
7. Fruit Tree Panel
The panel will finalize the standard ``NAPPO Guidelines for the
Safe Movement of Plum Pox Host Material.''
8. Grapevine Panel
This panel will finalize the NAPPO grapevine standard and prepare
it for approval by the NAPPO Executive Committee.
9. Pest Risk Analysis Panel
This panel will coordinate NAPPO input on the development of the
IPPC standard entitled ``Pest Risk Analysis for Regulated Non-
Quarantine Pests.''
10. Phytosanitary Alert System
This panel will finalize the NAPPO standard on pest reporting. The
standard should be approved by the Executive Committee this year.
11. Potato Panel
This panel will review and revise the NAPPO Potato Standard pest
list and
[[Page 54621]]
then conduct in-country consultations regarding pest status.
12. Potato Technical Advisory Group
This ad-hoc panel will prepare the minituber production guidelines
for North America for country consultations.
13. Standards Panel
This panel is responsible for the following: Providing updates on
standards for the NAPPO newsletter; coordinating the review of new and
amended NAPPO standards and ensuring that comments received during the
country consultation phase are incorporated as appropriate; organizing
conference calls and preparing NAPPO discussion documents for possible
use at the IPPC; and promoting implementation of recently adopted IPPC
standards. The panel will finalize a NAPPO standard for implementing
the recently adopted IPPC standard ``Notification of Interceptions and
Non-Compliance'' and will finalize a standard for developing bilateral
workplans.
The PPQ Deputy Administrator, as the official U.S. delegate to
NAPPO, intends to participate in the adoption of those regional plant
health standards, including the work described above, once they are
completed and ready for such consideration.
The information in this notice includes all the information
available to us on NAPPO standards currently under development or
consideration. For updates on meeting times and for information on the
working panels that may become available following publication of this
notice, check the NAPPO Web page on the Internet at http://www.nappo.org or contact Mr. Narcy Klag (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT above). Information on official U.S. participation in NAPPO
activities, including U.S. positions on standards being considered, may
also be obtained from Mr. Klag. Those wishing to provide comments on
any of the topics being addressed by any of the NAPPO panels may do so
at any time by responding to this notice (see ADDRESSES above) or by
transmitting comments through Mr. Klag.
Done in Washington, DC, this 19th day of August, 2002.
Peter Fernandez,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 02-21539 Filed 8-22-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P