G/SPS/N/BDI/104  
G/SPS/N/KEN/279  
G/SPS/N/RWA/97  
G/SPS/N/TZA/353  
G/SPS/N/UGA/331  
6 May 2024  
(24-3586) Page: 1/3 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  NOTIFICATION  
1. Notifying Member:  BURUNDI, KENYA, RWANDA, TANZANIA, UGANDA  
If applicable, name of local government involved:   
2. Agency responsible:  Uganda National Bureau of Standards  
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):  Grain sorghum, for sowing (HS code(s): 100710); Plant growing 
(ICS code(s): 65.020.20); Sorghum seeds  
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:  DEAS 822:2024, Sorghum seed — Requirements for 
certification, Second edition . Language (s): English . Number of pages:  19 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2024/SPS/UGA/24_03062_00_e.pdf  
6. Description of content:  This Draft East African Standard specifies the certification 
requirements for the production of pre -basic, basic and certified seed of sorghum 
(Sorghum bicolor  (L.) Moench). It includes requirements for eligible varieties, field 
standards, field inspections, seed sampling, laboratory standards, certificates, packaging, 
labelling, and post -control tests.  
Note: This Draft Uganda Standard was also notified to the TBT Committee.  
7. Objective and rationale: [X]  food safety, [  ] animal health, [X]  plant protection, 
[X] 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 serial number of Codex 
standard or related text) :  
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g.  Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal H ealth 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 G/SPS/N/BDI/104 • G/SPS/N/KEN/279 • G/SPS/N/RWA/97 • G/SPS/N/TZA/353 • 
G/SPS/N/UGA/331  
 
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  international standard:   
9. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:   
1. International Seed Testing Association (ISTA) Rules  
2. OECD Seed Schemes: Guidelines for Control Plot Tests and Field Inspection of Seed 
Crops  
3. OECD Schemes for Varietal Certification or the Control of Seed Moving in International 
Trade  
4. UPOV Test guidelines for sorghum  
5. Kenya Gazette Supplement 217, Acts N 53, 2012, the Seeds and Plant Varieties Act. 
Nairobi Kenya  
6. Seed Regulations 2007 , Seed Act N18, 2003 Republic of Tanzania  
7. Seeds and Plant Act of Uganda, 2006  
8. Rwanda Seed Law # 14/2003.  
9. ASARECA, Seed Certification Standards for ten crops of the Major Economic 
Importance in EAST  
10. Africa and Rwanda, July 2007 Obongo Nyachae STAK  
11. Harmonization of Seed Policies and Regulations in Eastern Africa. ECAPAPA, ASARECA 
September 2002  
12. Kenya Seed Sector Baseline Study, by Evans Olonyi Sikinyi, Seed Trade Association of 
Kenya, STAK, AFSTA 2010  
13. Rwanda Seed Sector Baseline Study, AFSTA 2010  
14. Uganda Seed Sector Baseline Study, Ruth N. Ssebuliba, Uganda Seed Trade 
Association (USTA), AFSTA 2010  
15. Burundi Seed Sector Baseline Study, Mr Juvent Baramburiye, AFSTA 2010  
16. Principles of Seed Science and Technology. L .O. Copeland & M.B. McDonald. Second 
Edition 1985  
17. CABI, Crop Protection Compendium, 2013  
18. OECD Document TAD/CA/S/RD/2008/12/REV2, April 2009  
19. UPOV Convention Act 1991  
20. IOWA CROP IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION (ICIA), Certification Standards 2009  
21. Corn Inspector Train ing Manual, ICIA Ames Iowa 2009  
22. Association of Official Seed Analysts (AOSA) Cultivar Purity Testing Handbook  
23. The seeds and plant regulations for Uganda 2011  
24. ISTA Handbook on Seedling Evaluation  
25. OECD Seed Schemes; Rules and Regulations 2013  
(available in E nglish)  
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.  
[X] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [X]  Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 5 July 2024  
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:   
Uganda National Bureau of Standards  
Plot 2 -12 ByPass Link, Bweyogerere Industrial and Business Park  
P.O. Box 6329  
Kampala, Uganda  
Tel: +(256) 4 1733 3250/1/2  
Fax: +(256) 4 1428 6123  
E-mail: info@unbs.go.ug  G/SPS/N/BDI/104 • G/SPS/N/KEN/279 • G/SPS/N/RWA/97 • G/SPS/N/TZA/353 • 
G/SPS/N/UGA/331  
 
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  Website: https://www.unbs.go.ug  
13. Text(s) available from: [  ] National Notification Authority, [  ] National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if available) of other body:   
Uganda National Bureau of Standards  
Plot 2 -12 ByPass Link, Bweyogerere Industrial and Business Park  
P.O. Box 6329  
Kampala, Uganda  
Tel: +(256) 4 1733 3250/1/2  
Fax: +(256) 4 1428 6123  
E-mail: info@unbs.go.ug  
Website: https://www.unbs.go.ug