. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/VEN/11
12 March 2003
(03-1406)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:  Spanish
NOTIFICATION
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  VENEZUELA
If applicable, name of local government involved:
2. Agency responsible:  Ministry of Agriculture and Land / Autonomous Agricultural Health
Service (SASA)
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national schedules
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where
applicable):
Chapter XII:  12.09:  12.09.21.00 to 12.09.29.00.
Seeds of forage plants.
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable:  All
countries.
5. Title, language and number of pages of the notified document:  Resolution Issuing the
Regulation on the Importation of Seeds of Forage Plants
6. Description of content:  The purpose of this instrument is to regulate the importation of
seeds of forage plants. The Autonomous Agri cultural Health Service (SASA) of the
Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock and the National Seed Service (SENASEM) of the
National Fund for Agricultural Research (FONAIAP) are established as the competent
authorities.
The Regulation establishes the forage plant species and varieties declared eligible
for importation by the SENASEM and the assessment and authorization procedures to be
conducted by this body. It also provides for mandatory identification by means of green and
blue labels corresponding to control and/or certification, respectively.
The Regulation prohibits both exotic w eeds and seeds of the following weeds:
Cenchrus echinatus  (southern sandbur), Ischaemum rugosum  (muraina grass or wrinkle
duck-beak), Oryza sativa  (red rice), Paspalum virgatum , Rottboellia exaltata  (buffalo bean
grass or itchgrass), Sorghum halepense  (Johnson grass) and Sorghum verticiliflorum  (wild
sorghum).
It also specifies the minimum quality standards for imported forage plant seeds in
relation to humidity, purity and germination and the requirements as regards their
packaging, labelling and storage facilities.
7. Objective and rationale: [     ] food safety,  [    ] animal health,  [     ] plant protection,
[ X ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [  X ] protect territory from
other damage from pestsG/SPS/N/VEN/11
Page 2
8. International standard, guideline or recommendation:
[    ] Codex Alimentarius Commission,  [   ] Office International des Epizooties,
[ X ] International Plant Protection Convention,  [    ] None
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate
reference and briefly identify deviations:
9. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  Extraordinary
Official Gazette of the Republic of Venezuela No. 5,286, Resolution DM (Office of the
Minister)/No. 702  (available in Spanish).
10. Proposed date of adoption:  29 November 1998
11. Proposed date of entry into force:  30 November 1998
12. Final date for comments:  Although the measure has already been adopted and entered into
force, comments will be accepted for 60 days fo llowing submission of the notification by the
Permanent Mission to the Central Registry of Notifications for subsequent amendments.
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [  X ] National notification
authority, [     ] National enquiry point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if
available) of other body:
Autonomous Agricultural Health Service (SASA),
Av. Lecuna, Torre Este, 12th floor, Parque Central, El Conde,
Caracas, Venezuela.
Tel.:  (58 212) 509-0140 / 509-0184 / 509-0315 / 509-0378
Fax:  (58 212) 509-0376E-mail:  mat_sasa@yahoo.es
13. Texts available from:  [  X ] National notification authority, [     ] National enquiry
point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body: