G/SPS/N/USA/2541  
 
8 May 2013  
(13-2420)  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:  The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) 
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):  Female squash flowers 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected , to the extent relevant or practicable: 
[ ] All trading partners   
[X] Specific regions or countries:  Israel  
5. Title of the notified document:  Proposed rule: Importation of Female Squash Flowers 
from Israel into the Continental United States (Docket No. APHIS-2012-0078)  
Language(s):  English  Number of pages:  4 
http://www.regulations.gov/#!docu mentDetail;D=APH IS-2012-0078-0001  
6. Description of content:  The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is 
proposing to amend the regulations governing the importation of fruits and vegetables 
to allow the importation of female squash flowers from Israel into the continental United 
States. As a condition of entry, female squash flowers from Israel would be subject to a systems approach that would include requirements for pest exclusion at the production 
site and fruit fly trapping and monitoring. The female squash flowers would also be 
required to be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate issued by the national plant protection organization of Israel with an additional declaration that the female squash 
flowers had been inspected and found free of quarantine pests. This action would allow 
for the importation of female squash flowers from Israel into the continental United States while continuing to provide protection against the introduction of quarantine pests. 
Federal Register, Vol. 78, No. 85, Thursday, 2 May 2013, Pages 25620-25623. 
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 seri al number of Codex 
standard or related text)   
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g. Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number)    
[X] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g. ISPM number)    
[ ] None G/SPS/N/USA/2541 
 
- 2 - 
 
  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) :  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) :  1 July 2013 
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:   
You may submit comments by either of the following methods: 
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 
http://www.regulations.gov/#!docu mentDetail;D=APH IS-2012-0078-0001 . 
Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to Docket No. APHIS-2012-0078, 
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-2012-0078 . 
For Further Information Contact: Ms Meredith Jones, Senior Regulatory Policy Specialist, 
PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737-1236; +(1 301) 851 2289. 
13. Texts 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