G/SPS/GEN/1274  
7 October 2013  
(13-5398)  Page: 1/2  
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: Spanish  
 
  DECLARATION OF AREAS FREE OF MEDITERRANEAN FRUIT FLY 
(CERATITIS CAPITATA  WIED) AND OTHER FRUIT FLIES 
COMMUNICATION FROM GUATEMALA 
The following communication, dated 3 October 2013, is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of Guatemala. 
 
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  1.  Pursuant to Article 7 of the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary 
Measures and paragraph 3(b) of Annex B thereto, Guatemala hereby notifies WTO Members 
that two Ministerial Decisions concerning compliance with Article 6 of that Agreement ("Adaptation to Regional Conditions, Including Pest- or Disease-Free Areas and Areas of Low Pest 
or Disease Prevalence") have been published. 
2.  The purpose of Ministerial Decision No. 84-2011
1 is to declare the following municipalities 
to be areas free of Mediterranean fruit fly ( Ceratitis capitata  Wied) and other fruit flies 
of the genera Anastrepha  spp., Dacus  spp. and Bactrocera  spp.: 
(a) in the department of Totonicapán: San Cristóbal Totonicapán, San Francisco El Alto, 
San Andrés Xecul, Totonicapán, Santa María Chiquimula and Momostenango; 
(b) in the department of Quetzaltenango: San Francisco La Unión, San Miguel Sigila, 
La Esperanza Cajola, Orientepeque, Salcaja,  San Mateo, Concepción Chiquirichapa, 
Almolonga, Cantel, Sibilia, Quetzaltenango, San Carlos Sija, San Juan Ostuncalco, Huitàn, Palestina de los Altos and San Martin Sacatepéquez; and 
(c) in the department of Sololá: Nahuala and Santa Catalina Ixtahuacán. 
3.  The purpose of Ministerial Decision No. 01-2011
2 is to declare the following municipalities in the 
department of Huehuetenango to be areas free of Mediterranean fruit fly ( Ceratitis capitata  Wied): 
Nentón, San Antonio Huista, Santa Ana Huista, Ja caltenango, San Sebastián Coatan, San Miguel 
Acatan, San Rafael la Independencia, Concepción Huista, Todos los Santos Cuchumatan and San Mateo Ixtatán. 
4.  Both Ministerial Decisions are based on the prov isions of the Law on Animal and Plant Health 
(Decree No. 38-98) and its implementing regu lations and were issued by the Ministry 
of Agriculture, Livestock and Food in the exercise of its one of its core functions. As a result, areas free of Mediterranean fruit fly ( Ceratitis capitata  Wied) and other fruit flies have increased. 
This is necessary to promote the production and export of fruit and vegetables in both of the 
regions concerned. To this end, the prov isions of Ministerial Decision No. 191-2007 
of 27 March 2007 establishing regulations and procedures for areas, sites and orchards free 
                                               
1 Declaration of various municipalities in the depa rtments of Totonicapán, Quetzaltenango and Sololá 
in the Republic of Guatemala (71,000 hectares in total) as areas free of Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata  Wied) and other fruit flies of the genera Anastrepha  spp., Dacus  spp. and Bactrocera  spp. 
2 Declaration of the municipalities of Nentón, Sa n Antonio Huista, Santa Ana Huista, Jacaltenango, 
San Sebastián Coatan, San Miguel Acatan, San Rafa el la Independencia, Concepción Huista, Todos 
los Santos Cuchumatan and San Mateo Ixtatán in the department of Huehuetenango in the Republic of Guatemala as ar eas free of Mediterranean fruit fly ( Ceratitis capitata  Wied). G/SPS/GEN/1274 
- 2 - 
  of Mediterranean fruit fly ( Ceratitis capitata  Wied) and with a low prevalence of this pest have 
been applied. 
5.  The Ministerial Agreements are available in Spanish at: http://visar.maga.gob.gt . 
6.  Lastly, Guatemala wishes to state that this communication is being made for transparency 
purposes, without prejudice to the country's ri ghts and obligations under the SPS Agreement. 
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