G/SPS/N/USA/3015  
 
2 August 2018  
(18-4895) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
1. Notifying Member: UNITED STATES OF AME RICA 
If applicable, name of local government involved:  
2. Agency responsible: Environmental Protection Agency  
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): Brassica, leafy greens, subgroup 4 -16B, except radish, tops; 
Celtuce;  Cottonseed subgr oup 20C; Florence fennel; Kohlrabi; Leaf petiole vegetable 
subgroup 22B; Leafy greens subgroup 4 -16A, except spinach; Radish, tops; Vegetable, 
brassica, head and stem, group 5 -1; Clover, forage; Clover, hay  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, t o the extent relevant or practicable : 
[X] All trading partners  
[ ] Specific regions or countries:  
5. Title of the notified document: Flonicamid; Pesticide Tolerances. Final Rule . 
Language(s): English.  Number of pages: 5 
https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR -2018-07-23/html/2018 -15449.htm   
6. Description of content: This regulation establishes tolerances for residues of flonicamid 
in or on multiple commodities as well as tolerances with regional registrations on clover, 
forage and clover, hay. In addition, this regulation removes certain previously established 
tolerances that are superseded by this final rule.  
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 standard? If so, identify the standard:  
[X] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex 
standard or related text) :  
Codex pesticide number 282  http://www.fao.org /fao-who-
codexalimentarius/codex -texts/dbs/pestres/pesticide -detail/en/?p_id=282  
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g.  Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number) :  
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM numb er):  
[ ] None  
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?  
[ ] Yes   [X] No  
If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard: There are Codex MRLs for residues of flonicamid in o r on celery G/SPS/N/USA/3015  
 
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  at 1.5 ppm, head lettuce at 1.5 ppm, leaf lettuce at 8.0 ppm, radish tops  at 20 ppm, and 
cottonseed at 0.60 ppm. The Codex MRL and U.S. tolerance on cottonseed are 
harmonized. The petitioned -for tolerance on Brasssica, leafy greens subgroup 4 -16B which 
includes radish tops is being established for Brasssica, leafy greens subgroup 4 -16B, 
except radish tops at 16 ppm. An existing radish, tops tolerance at 16 ppm is being 
revised to 20 ppm to harmonize with the established Codex MRL. EPA is not ha rmonizing 
the relevant U.S. tolerances with the other established Codex MRLs for the following 
reasons. The U.S. tolerance for celery is set at 4.0 ppm as part of the Leaf Petiole 
vegetable subgroup 22B. The U.S. tolerance for lettuce, head and lettuce, le af is set at 4.0 
as part of the Leafy greens, subgroup 4 -16A, is harmonized with Canada since the greatest 
percentage of U.S. exports are to Canada. This subgroup is not harmonized with the Codex 
tolerance at 8.0ppm. In the case of celery and head lettuce,  lowering the tolerances could 
result in exceedances when domestic growers apply flonicamid in accordance with label 
directions.  
9. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available: 
https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR -2018-01-26/html/2018 -01498.htm  (available in 
English)  
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : 23 July 2018  
Proposed date of public ation (dd/mm/yy) : 23 July 2018  
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [  ] Six months from date of publication , and/or  
(dd/mm/yy) : 23 July 2018  
[ ] 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 handle comments: [  ] National Notification 
Authority, [  ] National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if 
available) of other body:  
Michael L. Goodis, P.E., Director, Registration Division (7505P), Office of Pesticide 
Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, 
DC 20460 -0001; Tel: +(703) 305 7090; E -mail address: RDFRNoti ces@epa.gov.  
13. Text(s) available from: [  ] National Notification Authority, [  ] National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if available) of other body:   
https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR -2018-07-23/html/2018 -15449.htm