G/SPS/N/USA/3082  
 
7 June 2019 
(19-3943) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
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):  Genetically engineered organisms  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, t o the extent relevant or practicable : 
[X] All trading partners   
[ ] Specific regions or countries:   
5. Title of the notified document:  Movement of Certain Genetically Engineered Organisms 
[Docket No. APHIS -2018-0034] . Language(s):  English . Number of pages : 28 
https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=APHIS_FRDOC_0001 -2302 
6. Description of content:  APHIS is proposing to revise its regulations regarding the 
movement (importation, interstate movement, and environmental release) of certain 
genetically engineered organisms in response to advances in genetic engineering and 
APHIS' understanding of the pl ant pest risk posed by them, thereby reducing regulatory 
burden for developers of organisms that are unlikely to pose plant pest risks.  
This proposed rule, which would mark the first comprehensive revision of the regulations 
since they were established in 1987, would provide a clear, predictable, and efficient 
regulatory pathway for innovators, facilitating the development of new and novel 
genetically engineered organisms that are unlikely to pose plant pest risks.  (Federal 
Register Vol. 84, No. 109, Thursd ay, 6 June 2019, pp. 26514 -26541)  
7. Objective and rationale: [  ] food safety, [  ] animal health, [X]  plant protection, 
[ ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [X]  protect territory from 
other damage from pests.   
8. Is there a relevant inte rnational 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) :  
[X] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) : ISPM 11, 
ISPM 24  
[ ] None  
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?  
[X] Yes   [  ] No G/SPS/N/USA/3082  
 
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  If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviate s from the 
international standard:   
9. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:    
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : To be determined.  
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : To be determined.  
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [  ] Six months from date of publication , 
and/or  (dd/mm/yy) : To be determined.  
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [  ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 5 August 2019  
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:   
Dr Alan Pearson, Assistant Deputy Administrator, Biotechnology Regulat ory Services, 
APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 98, Riverdale, MD 20737 -1238; +(301) 851 3944  
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.regulations.gov/document?D=APHIS_FRDOC_0001 -2302