G/SPS/N/USA/2911  
 
9 November 2016  
(16-6154) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  NOTIFICATION  
1. Notifying Member: UNITED STATES OF AME RICA 
If applicable, name of local government involved:   
2. Agency responsible: 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): Orchids  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[ ] All trading partners   
[X] Specific regions or countries: Chinese Taipei  
5. Title of the notified document: Proposed Rule: Imports: Orchids in Growing Media 
(Docket Number APHIS -2016-0005) . Language(s): English . Number of pages: 3 
https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=APHIS -2016-0005-0001 
6. Description of content: The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is  
proposing to amend the regulations governing the importation of plants for planti ng to 
add orchid plants of the genus Dendrobium  from Chinese Taipei to the list of plants that 
may be imported into the United States in an approved growing medium, subject to 
specified growing, inspection, and certification requirements. We are taking thi s action in 
response to a request from the government of Chinese Taipei and after  determining that 
the plants could be imported, under certain conditions, without resulting in the 
introduction into, or the dissemination within, the United States  of a plant  pest or 
noxious weed.  
Federal Register Vol. 81, Thursday, 27 October 2016, pages 74720 -74722.  
7. Objective and rationale: [ ]  food safety, [ ]  animal health, [X]  plant protection, 
[ ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [ ]  protect territor y 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 (O IE) (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  G/SPS/N/USA/2911  
 
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  If no, des cribe, 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/m m/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 
notif ication and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 27 December 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  either of the following methods:  
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to  
http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS -2016-0005. 
Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to Docket No. APHIS -2016-0005, 
Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APH IS, 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 -2016-0005. 
For further information contact: Ms Lydi a E. Colón, Regulatory Policy Specialist, Plants 
for Planting Policy, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737; 
+(301) 851 2302  
13. Text(s)  available from: [X]  National Notification Authority, [ ]  National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax num ber and e -mail address (if available) of other body:   
United States SPS National Notification Authority, USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, 
International Regulations and Standards Division (IRSD), Stop 1014, Washington D.C. 
20250; Tel: +(1 202) 720 1301; F ax: +(1 202) 720 0433; E -mail: 
us.spsenquirypoint@fas.usda.gov