. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/USA/464
20 July 2001
(01-3629)
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, whereapplicable).  Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or
practicable:  Pesticides
4. Title and number of pages of the notified document:  Vinclozolin; Notice of Proposed
Pesticide Tolerance Revocations and Channels of Trade Provision Guidance (5 pages)
5. Description of content:   This document proposes to revoke the tolerances for the fungicide
vinclozolin on strawberries, stonefruits, cucumbers, and bell peppers.  Foods legally treated
with vinclozolin may continue to be market ed under the provisions of the FFDCA.  The
regulatory actions proposed in this document are part of the Agency's reregistration program
under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), and the tolerance
reassessment requirements of the Federal Foo d, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA).  By law,
EPA is required to reassess 66 per cent of the tolerances in existence on 2 August 1996, by
August 2002, or about 6,400 tolerances.  These tolerances were established under section
408 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (``FFDCA''), 21 U.S.C. 346a.  EPA is
proposing to revoke the strawberry and stonefruit tolerances because the Agency has
canceled the pesticide registrations under Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide
Act ("FIFRA"), 7 U.S.C. 136 et seq., associated with them.  In addition, the registrant forvinclozolin is no longer supporting the tolerances on cucumbers and bell peppers, which
were established for importation purposes only.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in a related document published elsewhere in
this issue of the Federal Register (notif ied as G/SPS/N/USA/465) is announcing the
availability of a proposed guidance document presenting FDA's policy on its plannedenforcement approach for foods containing vinclozolin residues.  This guidance will assist
firms in understanding the types of showin g under 408(1)(5) of the FFDCA (hereinafter
referred to as the "channels of trade provision") that FDA may find satisfactory in
accordance with its planned enforcement approach for such section.  EPA and FDA are
cooperating on this effort. FDA will be asking for comment on this proposed guidance andEPA also encourages you to comment on this guidance.G/SPS/N/USA/464
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 [    ].
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate
reference and briefly identify deviations:  It is EPA’s policy to harmonize US tolerances
with Codex MRLs to the extent possible, provided that the MRLs achieve the level ofprotection required under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. Differences exist
between the levels proposed under this US measure and the current levels in Codex.
8. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  66 FR 35921,
10 July 2001 (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:  Comments must be received on or before 10 September 2001.
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
Attn:  Carolyn F. Wilson
Room 5545 South Agriculture Building
Stop 1027
1400 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C.20250Tel:  (202) 720-2239
Fax:  (202) 690-0677
E-mail:  ofsts@fas.usda.gov