G/SPS/N/TUR/109  
 
26 February 2019  
(19-1112) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY MEASURES  
1. Notifying Member:  TURKEY  
If applicable, name of local government involved:   
2. Agency responsible:  Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry/General Directorate of Food 
and Control  
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): Tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum ) and capsicum ( Capsicum  sp.) 
seeds  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[ ] All trading partners  
[X] Specific regions or countries: Germany, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Mexico  
5. Title of the notified document: Notice of the  Ministry of  Agriculture and Forestry of 
Turkey on requirement of an additional declaration  on tomato and capsicum seed  exports 
into Turkey for Tomato brown rugose fruit virus  affected countries . Language(s): . 
Number of pages:  
6. Description of content: Tomato brown rugose fruit virus  (Tobamovirus , ToBRFV) , which 
is included in Tobamoviruses , has recently caused important crop losses for growers of 
tomato and capsicum. The virus , which has been added to the EPPO Alert List by the E PPO 
Secretariat , was first identified in Jordan on tomatoes in 2015 . Outbreaks have recently 
occurred in Germany, Israel, Italy and Mexico in North America.  
Tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum ) and capsicum ( Capsicum  sp.) ar e the main hosts of this 
virus.  
In this context, in order to prevent entry of Tomato brown rugose fruit virus  
(Tobamovirus , ToBRFV) into Turkey, an additional declaration is to be provided in the 
phytosanitary certificates for the import of tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum ) and capsicum 
(Capsicum  sp.) seeds known to be affected from the virus , originating from Jordan, 
Germany, Israel, Italy and Mexico . 
Additional declaration must provide consignments analysed by means of RT -PCR Method 
and certify to be free from the virus by the exporter c ountry as of 15 March 2019.  
7. Objective and rationale: [  ] food safety, [  ] animal health, [X]  plant protection, 
[ ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [X]  protect territory from 
other damage from pests.  
8. Nature of the urgent problem(s ) and reason for urgent action: In order to prevent 
entry of Tomato brown rugose fruit virus  (Tobamovirus , ToBRFV) into Turkey, an 
additional declaration is to be provided for the import of tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum ) 
and capsicum ( Capsicum  sp.) seeds  originating from countries known to be affected from 
the virus . G/SPS/N/TUR/109  
 
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  9. 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) :  
[X] None  
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:  
10. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  
Regulation on Plant Quarantine   
11. Date of entry into for ce (dd/mm/yy )/period of application (as applicable): 
15 March 2019  
[ ] Trade facilitating measure  
12. Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [X]  National Notification 
Authority, [X ] National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address 
(if available) of other body:  
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry  
General Directorate of Food and Control  
Eskisehir Yolu 9. Km. Lodumlu Ankara - Turkey  
Tel: +(90) 312 258 74 13  
Fax: +(90) 3 12 258 74 72  
E-mail: sps@tarimorman.gov.tr  
 bitkikarantina@tarimorman.gov.tr  
Website: http://www.tarimorman.gov.tr  
13. Text(s) available from: [X]  National Notification Authority, [X ] National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if available) of other body:  
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry  
General Directorate of Food and Control  
Eskisehir Yolu 9. Km. Lodumlu Ankara - Turkey  
Tel: +(90) 312 258 74 13  
Fax: +(90) 312 258 74 72  
E-mail: sps@tarimorman.gov.tr  
 bitkikarantina@tarimorman.gov.tr  
Website: http://www.tarimorman.gov.tr