G/SPS/N/USA/2513  
 
8 February 2013  
(13-0661)  Page: 1/2  
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
 NOTIFICATION 
1. Notifying Member:  UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 
If applicable, name of local government involved:    
2. Agency responsible:  Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the US 
Department of Agriculture 
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):  Avocados 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected , to the extent relevant or practicable: 
[ ] All trading partners   
[X] Specific regions or countries:  Spain  
5. Title of the notified document:  Proposed Rule: Importation of Avocados From 
Continental Spain   Language(s):  English  Number of pages:  6 
http://www.regulations.gov/#!docu mentDetail;D=APH IS-2012-0002-0001  
6. Description of content:  The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is 
proposing to amend the fruits and vegetables regulations to allow the importation of 
avocados from continental Spain (excluding the Balaeric Islands and Canary Islands) 
into the United States. As a condition of entry, avocados from Spain would have to be produced in accordance with a systems approach that would include requirements for 
importation in commercial consignments; registration and monitoring of places of 
production and packinghouses; grove sanitati on; and inspection for quarantine pests by 
the national plant protection organization of Spain. Consignments of avocados other 
than the Hass variety would also have to be treated for the Mediterranean fruit fly either 
prior to moving to the United States or upon arrival prior to release. Consignments would also be required to be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate with an additional declaration stating that the avocados were grown and inspected and found to 
be free of pests in accordance with the prop osed requirements. This action would allow 
for the importation of avocados from Spain into the United States while continuing to provide protection against the introduction of quarantine pests. 
Federal Register Volume 78, Number 20 (Wednesday, 30 January 2013), Pages 6222-
6227 
7. Objective and rationale:  [ ] food safety, [ ] animal health, [X] plant protection, 
[ ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [ ] protect territory from 
other damage from pests.    G/SPS/N/USA/2513 
 
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  8. Is there a relevant international st andard?  If so, identify the standard:  
[ ] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or seri al 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)    
[ ] 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 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 
[X] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments:  [ ] Sixty days  from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) :  1 April 2013 
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/#!docu mentDetail;D=APH IS-2012-0002-0001 . 
Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to Docket No. APHIS-2012-0002, 
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-2012-0002 . 
For further information contact: Ms. Meredith Jones, Regulatory Coordination Specialist, 
Regulatory Coordination and Compliance, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 133, 
Riverdale, MD 20737 1231; +(1 301) 851 2289. 
13. Texts available from:  [X] National Notifi cation Authority, [ ] National Enquiry 
Point.  Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body:    
United States SPS National Notification Auth ority, 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