G/SPS/N/USA/2992  
 
21 March 2018  
(18-1705) 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: 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): Fresh sweet orange, grapefruit, mandarin, clementine, and tangerine 
fruit 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[ ] All trading partners  
[X] Specific regions or countries: Colombia  
5. Title of the notified document: Supplemental Requirements for Importation of Fresh 
Citrus From Colombia  Into the United States of America [Docket No. APHIS -2017-0074] . 
Language(s): English.  Number of pages: 3 
https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=APHIS -2017-0074-0001 
6. Description of content: The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is 
notifying the public of its decision to supplement the requirements governing the 
importation of fresh sweet orange, grapefruit, mandarin, clementine, and tangerine fruit 
from Colombia into the United States and are requesting public comment on these 
changes. APHIS has determined that, in order to mitigate the current pest risks posed by 
the importation of these commodities from Colombia into the United States, it is necess ary 
to supplement the phytosanitary requirements now in place with additional requirements. 
This action will help to protect the United States against plant pests while allowing the 
resumption of imports of fresh sweet orange, grapefruit, mandarin, clement ine, and 
tangerine fruit from Colombia, which were suspended in 2016 due to the discovery of new 
plant pests in South America. (Federal Register Vol. 83, No. 25, Tuesday 6 February  2018, 
page 5179 -5181)  
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 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  G/SPS/N/USA/2992  
 
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  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:  
9. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:   
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : 6 February 2018  
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) :  
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [  ] Six months from date of publication , and/or  
(dd/mm/yy) : 6 February 2018  
[ ] Trade facilitating measure  
12. Final date for comments: [  ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 9 April 2018  
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:  
Ms. Claudia Ferguson, Senior Regulatory Policy Specialist, Regulatory Coordination and 
Compliance, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 13 3, Riverdale, MD 20737 -1236; 
Tel: +(301) 851 2352.  
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.regulations.gov/document?D=APHIS -2017-0074-0001