G/SPS/N/USA/2719
9 December 2014 
(14-7151)  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) 
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): 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: Importation of Orchids in Growing 
Media From Taiwan (Docket No. APHIS-2014-0041)  Language(s): English  Number of 
pages: 3 
http://www.regulations.gov/#!docu mentDetail;D=APH IS-2014-0041-0001  
6. Description of content: The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is proposing to 
amend the regulations governing the importat ion of plants and plant products to add 
orchid plants of the genus Oncidium from Chines e 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 this action in 
response to a request from the Chinese Taipei Government 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. 79, No. 232, Wednesday, 3 December 2014, pages 71703-71705. 
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.   
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 
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?   
[ ] Yes   [ ] No G/SPS/N/USA/2719 
 
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  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) : 2 February 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: You may submit comments by either of the following 
methods: 
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/ #!docketDetail;D=APHIS
-2014-0041 .  
Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to Docket No. APHIS-2014-0041, 
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-2014-0041 . 
For Further Information Contact Ms. Heather Coady, Regulatory Policy Specialist, Plants 
for Planting Policy, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737; Tel: 
+(1 301) 851 2076. 
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.