. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/USA/526
14 December 2001
(01-6331)
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).  Oranges, tangerines and grapefruit   Regions or countries likely to be
affected, to the extent relevant or practicable:  Mexico
4. Title and number of pages of the notified document:  Untreated Oranges, Tangerines,
and Grapefruit from Mexico Transiting the United States to Foreign Countries (4 pages)
5. Description of content:  The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is
proposing to allow untreated oranges, tangerines, and grapefruit from Mexico to be moved
overland by truck or rail to Corpus Christi and Houston, Texas, for export to another
country by water. We are proposing this action in response to requests by the portauthorities of Corpus Christi and Houston, Texas.  We are also proposing to require that
untreated oranges, tangerines, and grapefruit moving from Mexico through Brownsville,
Corpus Christi, Galveston, or Houston, Texas, for export by water to another country be
shipped in sealed, refrigerated containers.  We are proposing this action to provide
additional protection against the possible introduction of fruit flies via untreated oranges,
tangerines, and grapefruit from Mexico that transit the United States.
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:  This proposal is consistent with Article 7,
Part 4 of the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC).
8. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available: 66 FR 63004,
4 December 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/526
Page 2
11. Final date for comments:  4 February 2002
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 written adverse comments or written notice of intentto submit adverse 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/FSTSD
ATTN: Carolyn F. Wilson
Room 5545 South Agriculture Building
Stop 10271400 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20250
Tel:  (202) 720-2239
Fax:  (202) 690-0677
E-mail:  ofsts@fas.usda.gov