G/SPS/N/CHE/88  
 
4 November 2022  
(22-8291) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  NOTIFICATION  
1. Notifying Member:  SWITZERLAND  
If applicable, name of local government involved:   
2. Agency responsible:  Federal Office for Agriculture (FOAG)  
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):  Live trees and other plants; bulbs, roots and the like; cut flowers and 
ornamental foliage (HS code: 06); Edible fruit and nuts; peel of citrus fruit or melons 
(HS code: 08)  
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:  Amendment of the FOAG Ordinance on phytosanitary 
measures for agriculture and horticulture; SR 916.202.1 . Language(s):  French . Number 
of pages:  33 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2022/SPS/CHE/22_7463_00_f.pdf  
6. Description of content:  This notification concerns the amendment of an existing 
ordinance (VPM -BLW, SR 916.202.1) which specifies the provisions of the Ordinance on 
the Protection of Plants against Particularly Dangerous Harmful Organisms (Plant Health 
Ordinance, PGesV, SR 916.20, which was notified under G/SPS/N/CHE/83) to m aintain the 
harmonization with the European plant health legislation in accordance with the bilateral 
agreement on trade in agricultural products (agricultural agreement) between Switzerland 
and the European Union.  
The main changes are as follows:  
− Increase d testing frequency of Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus for seeds and plants 
for planting of Solanum lycopersicum  L. and its hybrids and of  Capsicum  spp. from 
Israel and China;  
− Adapted temporary measures against the introduction of the Rose Rossette Virus o n 
plants, other than seeds, of Rosa spp. originating in Canada, India or the United 
States;  
− The list of hostplants of Xylella fastidiosa  has been adapted;  
− The temporary import requirements of fruits of  Citrus  L., Fortunella Swingle, Poncirus  
Raf., and thei r hybrids, other than fruits of Citrus aurantium  L. and Citrus latifolia  
Tanaka. from Argentina, Brazil, South Africa, Uruguay and Zimbabwe to prevent from 
the introduction of Phyllosticta citricarpa  (McAlpine) Van der Aa. have been adapted;  
− The exemption of several commodities from the list of high -risk commodities, which 
are subjected to a provisional import ban. For some commodities, additional import 
requirements have been specified.  G/SPS/N/CHE/88  
 
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  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 international standard? If so, identify the standard:  
[ ] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or se rial 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 No. 1 
and ISPM No. 7  
[ ] None  
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?  
[X] Yes   [  ] No 
If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:   
9. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which the se are available:  
Plant health Ordinance; SR 916.20  
https://www.admin.ch/opc/fr/classified -compilation/20181626/index.html  
(available in French)  
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : 30 November 2022  
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : 1 December 2022  
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [  ] Six months from date of publication , and/or  
(dd/mm/yy) : 15 December 2022  
[ ] Trade facilitating meas ure  
12. Final date for comments: [  ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 25 November 2022  
Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [X]  National Notification 
Authority, [  ] National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if 
available) of other body:   
State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO)  
Non-Tariff Measures  
Holzikofenweg 36  
Tel: +(41 58) 46 40760  
Fax: +(41 58) 46 40958  
E-mail: sps@seco .admin.ch  
Website: http://www.seco.admin.ch  
13. Text(s) available from: [X]  National Notification Authority, [  ] National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if available) of other body:   
State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO)  
Non-Tariff Measures  
Holzikofenweg 36, 3003 Bern  
Tel: +(41 58) 46 40760  
Fax: +(41 58) 46 40958  
E-mail: sps@seco.admin.ch  
Website: http://www.seco.admin.ch