. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/USA/272
5 May 2000
(00-1844)
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: Environmental Protection Agency - EPA
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:  Pesticides
4. Title and number of pages of the notified document:  Notice of Filing Pesticide Petitions
to Establish Tolerance and Exemption from Tolerance for Certain Pesticide Chemicals in or
on Food: Microbial Pesticide Bacteriophages and (Exemption) Plant Pesticide β-D-
Glucuronidase (5 pages)
5. Description of content: This notice announces the initial filing of pesticide petitions
proposing the establishment of regulations for residues of certain pesticide chemicals in or
on various food commodities.
EPA has received a pesticide petition proposing pursuant to section 408(d) of the Federal
Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), 21 U.S.C. 346a(d), to amend 40 CFR part 180 by
establishing a tolerance for residues of the microbial pesticide bacteriophages. Pursuant to
section 408(d)(2)(A)(i) of the FFDCA, as ame nded, the petitioner has submitted a summary
of information, data, and arguments in support of their pesticide petition. The summary was
prepared by the petitioner  and EPA has not fully evaluated the merits of the pesticide
petition. The summary may have been edited by EPA if the terminology used was unclear,
the summary contained extraneous material, or the summary unintentionally made thereader conclude that the findings reflected EPA's position and not the position of the
petitioner.
EPA has received a pesticide petition proposing pursuant to section 408(d) of the FFDCA,
21 U.S.C. 346a(d), to amend 40 CFR part 180 to establish an exemption from the
requirement of a tolerance for the plant pesticide β-D-glucuronidase (GUS) as a
plant-incorporated protectant formulation inert ingredient, as expressed in plants in or on
all raw agricultural commodities. Pursuant to section 408(d)(2)(A)(i) of the FFDCA, as
amended, the petitioner has submitted a summary of information, data, and arguments in
support of their pesticide petition. This summary was prepared by the petitioner  and EPA
has not fully evaluated the merits of the pesticide petition.
The summary may have been edited by EPA if the terminology used was unclear, the
summary contained extraneous material, or the summary unintentionally made the reader
conclude that the findings reflected EPA's position and not the position of the petitioner.G/SPS/N/USA/272
Page 2
6. Objective and rationale: [  X ] food safety,  [     ] animal health,  [     ] 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 [  X ].
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate
reference and briefly identify deviations:  There are no Codex Alimentarius Commission
(CODEX) tolerances for bacteriophages.  There are no maximum residue levels (MRLs)established for GUS by the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CODEX).
8. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available: 65 FR 25717,
3 May 2000 (Available in English)
9. Proposed date of adoption:  To be determined.
10. Proposed date of entry into force:  To be determined.
11. Final date for comments:  2 June 2000.
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  Environmental Protection Agency.
[    ] 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 will be 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/FSTSDAttn: Carolyn F. Wilson
Room 5545 South Agriculture Building
Stop 1027
1400 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20250Phone (202) 720-2239
Fax (202) 690-0677
E-mail Address: ofsts@fas.usda.gov