. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
G/SPS/N/USA/2438 
3 August 2012  
 (12-4310) 
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 numbe r(s) as specified in national schedules 
deposited with the WTO;  ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where 
applicable):  Plants and plant 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:  Final Rule: Location of Facilities in the Southern United 
States for Irradiation Treatment (Docket No. APHIS-2009-0100)  Language(s):  English  
Number of pages:  5 
 http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2012-07-20/html/2012-17725.htm  
6. Description of content:  The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is 
amending the phytosanitary treatment regula tions to provide generic criteria for new 
irradiation treatment facilities in the Southern States of the United States.  This action will allow irradiation facilities to be located anywhere  in these States, subject to approval, rather 
than only in the currently approved locations . We are also amending the regulations to 
allow for the irradiation treatment of cert ain imported fruit from India and Thailand upon 
arrival in the United States.  This action w ill facilitate the importation of fruit requiring 
irradiation treatment while continuing to pr ovide protection against the introduction of 
pests of concern into the United States. 
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 stan dard?  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)    G/SPS/N/USA/2438 
Page 2  
 
  [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) :  20 August 2012.  This rule  is effective 20 August 
2012. 
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) :  20 August 2012 
[X] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments:  [ ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the notification 
and/or (dd/mm/yy) :  Not applicable 
Agency or authority designated to handl e comments:  [ ] National Notification 
Authority, [ ] National Enquiry Point.  Address, fax number and e-mail address (if 
available) of other body:  For further information contact:  Dr. Inder P. S. Gadh, Senior 
Risk Manager--Treatments, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 
20737-1236; +1 (301) 851-2018 
13. Texts available from:  [X] National Notification Authority, [ ] National Enquiry Point.  
Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body:   United States 
SPS National Notification Authority, USDA Fore ign 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.s psenquirypoint@fas.usda.gov