. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/MUS/11
3 December 2003
(03-6417)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:  English
NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY MEASURES
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   REPUBLIC OF MAURITIUS
If applicable, name of local government involved:
2. Agency responsible:   Ministry of Agriculture, Food Technology & Natural Resources,
Division of Plant Pat hology and Quarantine
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):   Fruits and vegetables
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable:   Kenya
5. Title, language  and number of pages of the notified document:  Temporary ban on the
importation of fruits and vegetables from Kenya
6. Description of content:  Following correspondence received from the Kenya Plant Health
Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS), informing the Ma uritian Quarantine Services of the detection
of fruit fly on the Kenyan coastal region, the Division of Plant Pat hology and Quarantine of
the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Technology & Natural Resources has decided to impose a
temporary ban on the importation of fruits and vegetables from Kenya.
Fruit flies pose a high threat to the quarantine security of Mauritius as well as the other
islands of the Indian Ocean.  The most important  threat being the larval stages infestation of
fruit and vegetables imported from infested areas.  The Oriential Fruit Fly ( Bactrocera
dorsalis ), was reported in Mauritius in 1996 and has been eradicated at very high cost in
1999.  It is also considered as an A1 quarantine pest for the islands of the Indian Ocean
Region.  As for the other species of fruit flies there is the risk of introduction of moreinjurious strains.
7. 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
8. Nature of the urgent problem(s) and reason for urgent action:   These measures are being
taken to safeguard our territory from the entry and damage of exotic pests.G/SPS/N/MUS/11
Page 2
9. International standard, gu ideline or recommendation:
[   ] Codex Alimentarius Commission, [   ] Office International des Epizooties,
[ X ] International Plant Protec tion Convention, [   ] None
If an international standard , guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate
reference and briefly identify deviations:
10. Relevant documents and language(s ) in which these are available:   Available in English
11. Date of entry into force/period of application (as applicable):   24 November 2003
12. Agency or authority designated to handl e comments:  [   ] National notification
authority, [ X ] National enquiry point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (ifavailable) of other body:
13. Texts available from:  [   ] National notification authority, [ X ] National enquiry
point,  or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:
Ministry of Agriculture, Food Technology & Natural Resources
Plant Pathology & Quarantine Division
Reduit, MauritiusTel:  +(230) 464 4872
Fax:  +(230) 465 9591
E-mail:  plpath@intnet.mu