RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/W/97
11 February 1999
(99-0534)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:  English
PROCEDURE TO MONITOR THE PROCESS
OF INTERNATIONAL HARMONIZATION
Submission by the United States
In accordance with paragraph 6 of the provisional procedure to monitor the use of international
standards (G/SPS/11), the United States proposes that the Committee consider the attached issue.
_______________G/SPS/W/97
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PROCEDURE TO MONITOR THE PROCESS
OF INTERNATIONAL HARMONIZATION
Submission by the United States
Commodities affected: Fresh commercial fruits, vegetables, grain,
oilseeds, and cotton
Disease/problem/issue: Several countries impose quarantine actions,
such as requiring fumigation and other costly
treatments, on imported commodities when
found with intercepted pests even though these
same pests occur in the importing country and
are not subject to internal regulatory orquarantine controls.  These situations arise due
to the  way some countries define a
"quarantine pest".
Is international trade significantly affected
because of this issue?Yes
Does there currently exist an international
standard for this disease/problem/issue with
these commodities?Yes, in part
If so:
Briefly describe the existing standard: The IPPC Glossary of Phytosanitary Terms
provides the following definition for
quarantine pest – "a pest of potential economic
importance to the area endangered thereby and
not yet present there, or present but not widely
distributed and being officially controlled".
Is the international standard inappropriate? Questions have emerged regarding the
meaning of "officially controlled".  This two-
word phrase is not currently defined by theIPPC.
There is a need to agree on the meaning of
"official control" to ensure a harmonized
understanding and application of this concept,
particularly as it is used to justify
phytosanitary measures on intercepted pests.G/SPS/W/97
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Description of how trade is affected by this issue and how the issue can be resolved through
new or existing international standards:
Several countries impose quarantine actions, such as requiring fumigation and other costly
treatments, on imported commodities (e.g., fresh fruit, vegetables, grains, oilseeds, and cotton)
when found with intercepted pests even though these same pests occur in the importing countryand are not subject to internal regulatory or quarantine controls.  This action severely affects US
trade in lettuce, grain, citrus, asparagus and broccoli, as well as other commodities.
Besides raising concerns that such treatment is discriminatory, it is also apparent that certain
countries define a "quarantine pest" in a manner which is inconsistent with the intent of the IPPC-
approved definition.  In particular, the definition of "official control", a term contained in the
definition of "quarantine pest", needs to be elaborated.
Clarifying the definition of "official control" will help ensure a common understanding of what
constitutes an official internal control programme, particularly control programmes performed at
the state, regional, or local level.  Reaching an agreed definition for the term "official control" will
help ensure that countries are not arbitrary and discriminatory in their application of phytosanitary
measures for pests which may already occur in the importing country and are not under quarantine
control to prevent their internal spread.
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