G/SPS/N/USA/2888  
 
31 August 2016   
(16-4614) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanita ry Measures  Original: English  
 
  NOTIFICATION  
1. Notifying Member: UNITED STATES OF AME RICA 
If applicable, name of local government involved:   
2. Agency responsible: The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)  
3. Products covered (provide tariff i tem number(s) as specified in national 
schedules deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in 
addition, where applicable): Fresh raspberry  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[ ] All trading p artners   
[X] Specific regions or countries: Morocco  
5. Title of the notified document: Proposed Rule: Imports: Fresh Raspberry Fruit From 
Morocco (Docket # APHIS -2015-0053) . Language(s): English . Number of pages: 3 
https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=APHIS -2015-0053-0001 
6. Description of content: The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is 
proposing to amend the regulations concerning the importation of fruits an d vegetables 
to allow the importation of fresh raspberry fruit from Morocco into the continental United 
States. As a condition of entry, the raspberries would have to be produced under a 
systems approach to mitigate for the fungus Monilinia fructigena  and would have to be 
inspected prior to exportation from Morocco and found free of this pest. The raspberries 
would have to be imported in commercial consignments only, produced at registered 
places of production, and field inspected for signs of M. fructigena  infection no more 
than 30 days prior to harvest in registered packinghouses. The raspberries would also 
have to be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate with an additional declaration 
stating that the conditions for importation have been met. Raspber ry consignments 
would be subject to further inspection at the port of entry into the continental United 
States. This action would allow the importation of raspberries from Morocco while 
continuing to protect against the introduction of plan t pests into the  United States.  
Federal Register/Vol. 81,  No. 166/Friday, 26 August 2016 /Pgs. 58867 -58869.  
7. Objective and rationale: [ ]  food safety, [ ]  animal health, [X]  plant protection, 
[ ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [ ]  protect territory fr om 
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 Health Code, chapter number) :   
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) :   G/SPS/N/USA/2888  
 
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  [X] None  
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?   
[ ] Yes   [ ] No  
If no, describ e, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:   
9. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:     
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : Not applicable  
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy ): Not applicable  
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [ ]  Six months from date of publication , 
and/or  (dd/mm/yy) : Not applicable  
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [ ]  Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notificat ion and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 25 October 2016  
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:  
You may submit comments by eith er of the following methods:  
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to  
http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS -2015-0053.  
Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your commen t to Docket No. APHIS -2015-0053, 
Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A -03.8, 4700 River Road 
Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737 -1238.  
Supporting documents and any comments we receive on this docket may be viewed at 
http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS -2015-0053. 
For further information contact: Ms Claudia Ferguson, Senior Regulatory Policy 
Specialist, Imports, Regulations, and Manuals, PPQ, APHIS,  4700 River Road Unit 133, 
Riverdale, MD 20737 -1231; +(301) 851 2352  
13. Text(s)  available from: [X]  National Notification Authority, [ ]  National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if available) of other body:   
United States SPS Natio nal Notification Authority, USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, 
International Regulations and Standards Division (IRSD), Stop 1014, Washington D.C. 
20250; Tel: +(1 202) 720 1301; Fax: +(1 202) 720 0433; E -mail: 
us.spsenquirypoint@fas.usda.gov