G/SPS/N/USA/3251  
 
4 June 2021  
(21-4596) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY MEASURES  
1. Notifying Member:  UNITED STATES OF AMERICA  
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):  Boxwood, Holly, and  Euonymus  spp. plants for planting  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[ ] All trading partners   
[X] Specific regions or countries:  Canada  
5. Title of the notified document:  Federal Order: APHIS amends import requirements of 
Buxus spp., Euonymus spp., and Ilex spp. plants for planting from Canada [DA -2021-11]. 
Language(s): English . Number of pages: 2 
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/import_export/plants/plant_imports/federal_order/downloa
ds/2021/da -2021-11.pdf  
6. Description of content:  Effective immediately, the United States Department of 
Agricultu re's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is amending entry 
requirements for importation of boxwood ( Buxus  spp.), Euonymus ( Euonymus  spp.), and 
holly ( Ilex spp.) plants for planting from Canada to prevent introduction of box tree moth 
(Cydali ma perspectalis ). 
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. Nature of the urgent problem(s) and reason for urgent action:  Box tree moth is a 
serious pest of boxwood, Euonymus, holly, and curry leaf tree ( Murraya  spp.), and these 
hosts are a pathway for entry of this pest into the United States. Box tree moth symptoms 
include green -black frass and silk threads on the host plant. Larvae feeding on leaves 
causes defoliation and mortality. Bark feeding by larvae resu lts in desiccation and death 
of plants. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) first detected box tree moth at 
two sites in Toronto (Ontario), Canada in August 2018. In November 2018, CFIA 
confirmed the presence of this pest in an urban neighborhood in  Toronto and posted an 
official pest report in the North American Plant Protection Organization (NAPPO) 
Phytosanitary Alert System in February 2019. This was the first confirmed report of this 
pest in North America. Most recently, on 30 April 2021, CFIA pr ovided information on the 
detection of the pest at a nursery in St. Catharines, Ontario. CFIA subsequently indicated 
the pest may be present in the surrounding environment.  
This action is necessary because APHIS has determined that the introduction and 
establishment of the box tree moth poses a serious threat to agriculture in the 
United  States.  G/SPS/N/USA/3251  
 
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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 r elated 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 releva nt 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):  
26 May 2021  
[ ] 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:   
Narasimha Chary Samboju, at +(301) 851 2038 or narasimha.c.samboju@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/2021/da -2021-11.pdf