G/SPS/N/USA/3182  
 
22 June 2020  
(20-4351) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY MEASURES  
1. Notifying Member:  UNITED STATES OF AME RICA 
If applicable, name of local government involved:   
2. Agency responsible:  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 should be provided in addition, 
where applicable):  Tomato and pepper fruit  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[ ] All trading partners   
[X] Specific regions or countries:  Dominican Republic, France, Spain  
5. Title of the notified document:  Federal Order  for US Imports of tomato ( Solanum  
lycopersicum ) and pepper ( Capsicum  spp.) hosts of Tomato brown rugose fruit virus 
(ToBRFV) [DA -2020-12, June 3, 2020] . Language(s): English . Number of pages: 5 
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/import_export/plants/plant_imports/federal_order/downloa
ds/2020/DA -2020-12.pdf  
6. Description of content:  Effective 5 June 2020, after issuance of this Federal Order, the 
USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is amending the restrictions 
for the importation of tomato ( Solanum  lycopersicum ) and pepper ( Capsicum  spp.) hosts 
of Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV). Specifically, APHIS is amending the import 
requirements for tomato and pepper fruit for consumption by adding restrictions for 
tomatoes and peppers from the Dominican Republic, France, and Spain. APHIS has  
detected ToBRFV in tomato fruit imported from the Dominican Republic, and received 
official reports of the disease in France and Spain.  
7. Objective and rationale: [  ] food safety, [  ] animal health, [X]  plant protection, 
[ ] protect humans from animal/p lant pest or disease, [  ] protect territory from 
other damage from pests.  
8. Nature of the urgent problem(s) and reason for urgent action:  These interim 
measures are necessary to safeguard US tomato and pepper production while APHIS fully 
evaluates emerg ing scientific evidence on ToBRFV.  G/SPS/N/USA/3182  
 
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  9. Is there a relevant international standard? If so, identify the standard:  
[ ] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex 
standard or related text) :  
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g.  Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number) :  
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) :  
[X] None  
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?  
[ ] Yes   [  ] No 
If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:   
10. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:    
11. Date of entry into force ( dd/mm/yy )/period of application (as applicable):  
5 June 2020  
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [  ] National Notification 
Authority, [  ] National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address 
(if available) of other body:   
Marc Phillips at 301 -851-2114 or Marc.Phillips@usda.gov   
13. Text(s) available from: [  ] National Notification Authority, [  ] National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body:   
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/import_export/plants/plant_imports/federal_order/downloa
ds/2020/DA -2020-12.pdf  
United States SPS National Notification Authority, USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, 
International Regulations and Standards Division (IRSD), Stop 1014, Washington D.C. 
20250; Tel: +(1 202) 720 1301; Fax: +(1 202) 720 0433; E -mail: 
us.spsenquirypoint@fas.usda.gov