G/SPS/N/USA/3285  
 
5 November 2021  
(21-8418) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  NOTIFICATION  
1. Notifying Member:  UNITED STATES OF AMERICA  
If applicable, name of local government involved:   
2. Agency responsible:  USDA 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):  Plants and plant products  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[X] All trading partners   
[ ] Specific regions or countries:   
5. Title of the notified document:  United States Implementing New Format for 
Phytosanitary Certificates and Phytosanitary Certificates for Re -export . Language(s):  
English . Number of pages:  One (each; two total)  
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/planthealth/sa_export/export -services -
program  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2021/SPS/USA/21_7020_00_e.pdf  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2021/SPS /USA/21_7020_01_e.pdf  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2021/SPS/USA/21_7020_02_e.pdf  
6. Description of content:  The United States has implemented a new format for 
phytosanitary certificates and phytosanitary certificates for re -export. The use of plain 
paper and proliferation of electronic phytosanitary certificates (ePhyto) during the global 
pandemic has illustrat ed that commodities can be safely and successfully traded without 
traditional security paper. The United States has updated security measures in its 
Phytosanitary Certificate Issuance and Tracking (PCIT) system to allow for any 
Phytosanitary Certificate (P C) to be verified and reduce the possibility for fraud.   All PCs 
issued by the United States include the following security characteristics: Generated 
through a secure, role -based system; Contain a unique certificate number located in the 
top center of the  PC; The United States Department of Agriculture Logo on the top right of 
the PC; A North American Plant Protection Organization (NAPPO) watermark in the lower 
center of the PC; A unique Quick Response (QR) Code located on the bottom left of the PC, 
which allows validation of PCs online; and Validation of the authenticity of PCs online using 
the PCIT Certificate Viewer at the following URL: 
https://pcit.aphis.usda.gov/pcit/faces/ext_ cert_viewer.jsf . APHIS has also included in this 
notification; a guide for using the validation tool as well as a sample of each new 
certificate type.  
In addition, ePhyto may be utilized for consignments exported from the United States to 
any trading partn er currently utilizing the IPPC HUB. We look forward to additional trading 
partners joining the ePhyto system. Considering the measures of ePhyto, QR code, and 
online validation, the United States will print all Phytosanitary Certificates and 
Phytosanitary  Certificates for Re -Export on plain paper starting 1 January 2022. Some PCs 
may still arrive on the security paper for items that were certified before 1 January 2022.  G/SPS/N/USA/3285  
 
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  7. 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.  The United States has implemented a new format for 
phytosanitary certificates and phytosanitary certificates for re -export. The use of plain 
paper and  proliferation of electronic phytosanitary certificates (ePhyto) during the global 
pandemic has illustrated that commodities can be safely and successfully traded without 
traditional security paper.  
8. Is there a relevant international standard? If so, id entify 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 stand ard:  
9. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:    
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : 1 January 2022  
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) : 1 January 2022  
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [  ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : Not applicable  
Agency or authority designate d to handle comments: [  ] National Notification 
Authority, [  ] National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if 
available) of other body:   
IPPC Official Contact Point, Mr. John Greifer, Associate Deputy Administrator, Plant 
Protection and Quarantine, APHIS, USDA, 1400 Independence Av. SW Washington, 
DC 20250, United States of America; Tel: (+1) 844 820 2234   (APHIS Customer Service 
Call Center); E -mail: ppqexportservices@usda.gov  
13. Text(s) available from: [  ] National Noti fication Authority, [  ] National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if available) of other body:   
USDA APHIS: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/planthealth/sa_export/export -
services -program