G/SPS/N/USA/2769  
 
6 July 2015  
(15-3488)  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: Department of Agriculture, Food  Safety and Inspection Service 
3. Products covered (provide tariff item  number(s) as specified in national 
schedules deposited with the WTO; IC S numbers should be provided in 
addition, where applicable): Ready-to-eat meat and poultry products 
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: Control of Listeria monocytogenes in Ready-to-Eat 
Meat and Poultry Products  Language(s): English  Number of pages: 9 
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/wcm/ connect/cdfe75bd-abd6-41eb-8b6d-
9a82a36c199f/2014-0033.htm?MOD=AJPERES  
6. Description of content: The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is affirming, 
with changes and a request for comment, the interim final rule "Control of Listeria 
monocytogenes in Ready-to-Eat Meat and Poultry Products", which was published in the 
Federal Register on 6 June 2003. FSIS is making minor changes to the regulatory provisions in response to comments that the Agency received, on the basis of experience 
in implementing the provisions, and because the way FSIS obtains establishment profile 
information electronically has changed. FSIS is clarifying in the regulations that establishments may not release into commerce product that has been in contact with 
Listeria monocytogenes (Lm)-contaminated surfaces without reprocessing the product. 
In addition, FSIS is removing the requiremen t for establishments to report production 
volume and related information to FSIS because the Agency now routinely collects this information through its Public Health Information System (PHIS). 
7. Objective and rationale: [X] food safety, [ ] animal health, [ ] plant protection, 
[ ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [ ] protect territory from 
other damage from pests.   
8. Is there a relevant international st andard? 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)    
[X] None G/SPS/N/USA/2769 
 
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  Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?   
[ ] 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) : To be announced. 
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : To be announced. 
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [ ] Six months from date of publication , 
and/or  (dd/mm/yy) : 17 September 2015 
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [ ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 18 August 2015 
Agency or authority designated to hand le comments: [ ] National Notification 
Authority, [ ] National Enquiry Point.  Address, fax number and e-mail address 
(if available) of other body:  
FSIS invites interested persons to submit  comments on the changes. Comments may be 
submitted by one of the following methods: Federal eRulemaking Portal: This Web site provides the ability to type short comments directly into the comment field on this Web 
page or attach a file for lengthier comments. Go to http://www.regulations.gov . Follow 
the on-line instructions at that site for submitting comments. Mail, including CD-ROMs, 
etc.: Send to Docket Clerk, US Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, Patriots Plaza 3, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Mailstop 3782, Room 8-
163A, Washington, DC 20250-3700. Hand- or courier-delivered submittals: Deliver to 
Patriots Plaza 3, 355 E. Street SW., Room 8-163A, Washington, DC 20250-3700. 
Instructions: All items submitted by mail or electronic mail must include the Agency 
name and docket number FSIS-2014-0033. Comments received in response to this 
docket will be made available for public inspection and posted without change, including any personal information, to http://www.regulations.gov . 
13. Text(s) 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