. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/USA/563
2 April 2002
(02-1637)
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).  Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or
practicable:  Fruit and vegetables
4. Title and number of pages of the notified document:  Irradiation Phytosanitary
Treatment of Imported Fruits and Vegetables – Proposed Rule;  Supplemental (6 pages)
5.Description of content:  The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is proposing
additional changes related to an earlier pr oposed rule (notified as G/SPS/N/USA/286) to
establish regulations providing for use of irradiation as a phytosanitary treatment for fruitsand vegetables imported into the United States. The irradiation treatment provides
protection against fruit flies and the mango seed weevil. This supplemental proposed rule
concerns the use of radiation indicators on packaging of irradiated articles and additional
provisions for monitoring foreign irradiation facilities.
In G/SPS/N/USA/286 APHIS proposed a framew ork for the use of irradiation as a
phytosanitary treatment for imported fruits and vegetables, and proposed specific standardsfor an irradiation treatment for fruit flies and the mango seed weevil in imported fruits and
vegetables. We received 2,212 comments by the end of the comment period. Several of
those comments suggested that the proposed rule establish certain requirements not included
in the proposal. APHIS is publishing this supplemental proposed rule (and has asked that it
be notified to the WTO separately rather than as an addendum to the earlier notification) toallow an opportunity for public comment on these issues that were not included in the
earlier proposed rule. After evaluating any comments received on this supplemental
proposal, APHIS will publish a final rule addressing comments on both G/SPS/N/USA/286
and G/SPS/N/USA/563.
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 [  X ].
APHIS is proposing this action in accordance with Article 6, Paragraph 1 of theInternational Plant Protection Convention (IPPC).G/SPS/N/USA/563
Page 2
8. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available: 67 FR 11610,
15 March 2002 (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:  APHIS will consider all comments we receive that are
postmarked, delivered or e-mailed by 15 April 2002.Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [     ] 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/FSTSD
ATTN:  Carolyn F. Wilson
Room 5545 South Agriculture Building
Stop 1027
1400 Independence Avenue, S.W.Washington, D.C. 20250
Tel:   (202) 720-2239
Fax:  (202) 690-0677
E-mail:  ofsts@fas.usda.gov