. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/USA/427
26 April 2001
(01-2093)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:  English
NOTIFICATION
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  UNITED STATES
If applicable, name of local government involved:           
2. Agency responsible:  Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service - APHIS
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national schedules
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where
applicable).  Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or
practicable:  Unshu oranges
4. Title and number of pages of the notified document:  Importation of Unshu Oranges
(7 pages)
5. Description of content:  APHIS is proposing to amend the regulations governing the
importation of citrus fruit to allow, under certain conditions, Unshu oranges grown on
Kyushu Island, Japan, to be imported into non citrus-producing areas of the United States.
We are also proposing to amend the regulations for importing Unshu oranges from HonshuIsland, Japan, by requiring fumigation using methyl bromide prior to exportation and by
allowing the fruit to be distributed to additional areas of the United States, including
citrus-producing areas. In addition, we are proposing to remove the requirement for
individually wrapping Unshu oranges imported from Japan or the Republic of Korea. These
actions would relieve restrictions on the importation into and distribution within the United
States of Unshu oranges without presenting a si gnificant risk of introducing citrus canker or
other diseases or pests of plants.
6. Objective and rationale: [    ] food safety,  [    ] animal health,  [  X ] plant protection,
[    ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [    ] protect territory from
other damage from pests           
7. An international standard, guideline or recommendation does not exist [    ].
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate
reference and briefly identify deviations:  APHIS is proposing this action in accordance
with Article 6, paragraph 1 of the Intern ational Plant Protection Convention (IPPC)
8. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available: 66 FR 19892,
18 April 2001 (Available in English)
9. Proposed date of adoption:  To be determined.
10. Proposed date of entry into force:  To be determined.G/SPS/N/USA/427
Page 2
11. Final date for comments:  18 June 2001
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service [    ] National notification authority, [     ] National enquiry point, or
address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:  Detailed
instruction on where and how to send comments is in the body of the full text - which willbe sent upon request to the address in paragraph 12.
12. Texts available from: [  X ] National notification authority, [  X ] National enquiry point
or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:
United States SPS Enquiry Point/Notification Authority
USDA/FAS/FSTSD
ATTN: Carolyn F. Wilson
Room 5545 South Agriculture Building
Stop 1027
1400 Independence Avenue, S.W.Washington, D.C. 20250
Tel:  (202) 720-2239
Fax:  (202) 690-0677
E-mail:  ofsts@fas.usda.gov