. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/USA/898 
6 April 2004 
 (04-1542) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION  
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   UNITED STATES
 
If applicable, name of local government involved: 
2. Agency responsible:   Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 
3. Products covered (provide tariff item numbe r(s) as specified in national schedules 
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where 
applicable):  Products that use certain pesticide chemical in or on food. 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable:  Any 
US trade partners 
5. Title, language and number of pages of the notified document:   Notice of Filing a 
Pesticide Petition to Establish a Tolerance for a Certain Pesticide Chemical in or on Food 
(available in English, 4 pages). 
6. Description of content:  EPA has received a pesticide to establish an exemption from the 
requirement of a tolerance for the plant- pesticide inert ingredient hygromycin B 
phosphotransferase (APH4) marker protein a nd the genetic material necessary for its 
production, proposed for use as a plant-incorpor ated protectant formulation.  APH4 protein 
is anaminocyclitol phosphotrans ferase that catalyzes the phosphorylation of hygromycin 
and closely related aminoglycoside antibiotics.  Expression of the APH4 gene in plant cells 
allows for growth and selection of transformed cells in the presence of hygromycin B. APH4 has no insecticidal activity.  
7. Objective and rationale:  [ X ] food safety, [   ] animal health, [   ] plant protection, 
[ X ] protect humans from anima l/plant pest or disease,  [   ]  protect territory from 
other damage from pests 
8. International standard, guideline or recommendation:  
[   ] Codex Alimentarius Commission, [   ] World Organization for Animal Health 
(OIE), [   ] International Plant Protection Convention, [ X ] None  
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate 
reference and briefly identify deviations:   n.a. 
9. Relevant documents and language(s ) in which these are available:  DOCID:fr10de03-81, 
Federal Register :  10 December 2003 (Volume 68, Number 237), pages 68915-68919; 
http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-PEST/2003/December/Day-10/p30520.htm ;  available in 
English 
10. Proposed date of adoption:   n.a. 
11. Proposed date of entry into force:   n.a. G/SPS/N/USA/898 
Page 2  
 
 12. Final date for comments:   
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [   ] National notification 
authority, [   ] National enquiry point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if 
available) of other body:   Public Information and Reco rds Integrity Branch (PIRIB), 
Information Resources and Services Division (7502C), Office of Pesticide Programs 
(OPP), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, 
DC 20460.  opp-docket@epa.gov Note:  Identif y docket name "OPP-2003-0351" in subject 
line of your response. 
13. Texts available from:  [   ] National notificati on authority, [ X ] National enquiry point, 
or address, fax number an d E-mail address (if available) of other body:   
Ms. Julie Morin, United States SPS Enquiry Point Officer, USDA Foreign Agricultural 
Service, Food Safety and Technical Services Division, Stop 1027, Washington, DC  20250.  
Tel:  (202) 720-4051, Fax:   (202) 720-7772, Email:  fstsd@fas.usda.gov