NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR PHYTOSANITARY  MEASURES  
 
 
 
NSPM: 29 
 
 
 
 
Recognition of pest free areas and areas of low pest prevalence  
2013  
 
 
 
 
 
 
(This standard is approved by (the NPPO and) the Quarantine Committee of Nepal, chaired by the 
secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture Development on 1st December 2013 and, is submitted by National 
Plant Quarantine Program to the National Notification Authority to be notified  to the WTO member states)  Table of Contents  
1. Introduction  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............  1 
1.1 Scope  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ....................  1 
1.2 References  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........  1 
1.3 Definitions  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .............  2 
1.4 Outline of requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ......................  2 
2 Background  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .........  2 
3 Requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........  3 
3.1 General considerations  ................................ ................................ ................................ .......................  3 
3.2 Related principles  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................  4 
3.2.1 Recognition of pest free areas and areas of low pest revalence  ................................ ...... 4 
3.2.2 Sovereignty and co operation  ................................ ................................ ................................ .. 4 
3.2.3 Non -discrimination of PFAs and ALPPs  ................................ ................................ ...............  5 
2.2.4 Avoidance of undue delay  ................................ ................................ ................................ .......  5 
3.2.5 Transparency  ................................ ................................ ................................ ............................  5 
3.2.6 Other relevant principles of the IPPC and its ISPMs  ................................ ..........................  5 
4. Requirements for r ecognition of pest free areas and areas of low pest prevalence  . 6 
4.1 Responsibilities  of contracting parties  ................................ ................................ ..............................  6 
4.2 Documentation  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..... 7 
5. Procedure  for recognition of pest free areas and areas of low pest prevalence  ....... 7 
5.1 Request for recognition by the NPPO of the exporting con tracting party  ................................ ... 7 
5.2 Acknowledgement from NPPO of importing contracting party and identification of major 
omissions in the informat ion supplied  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..... 9 
5.3 Description of recognition process to be used by NPPO of importing contracting party  ..........  9 
5.4 Assessment of the technical information  ................................ ................................ .........................  9 
5.5 Notification of result of assessment to NPPO of exporting contracting party  ...........................  10 
5.6 Official recognition  ................................ ................................ ................................ .............................  10 
5.7 Duration of recognition  ................................ ................................ ................................ ......................  11 
6. Considerations on recognition of pest free places of production and pest free 
production sites  ................................ ................................ ................................ .............  11 
Appendix 1: Flow chart outlining t he procedure  ................................ ............................  13 1 
 1. Introduction  
1.1 Scope  
This standard provides guidelines and describes a procedure for the recognition of pest free 
areas (PFAs) and areas of low pest prevalence (ALPPs). Recogniti on of PFAs and ALPPs is a 
technical and administrative process to achieve acceptance of the phytosa nitary status of a 
delimited area although this NSPM deals with the bilateral recognition of PFAs and ALPPs by 
contracting parties. NSPM preparation based on guidelines and recommendations developed 
within the framework of the IPPC. This standard also adop ted the principles, recommendations 
and format of ISPM to achieve international harmonization of phytosanitary measures with the 
aim to facilitate trade.  
 
1.2 References  
IPPC. 1997. International Plant Protection Convention. Rome, IPPC, FAO.   
ISPM 1. 200 6. Phytosanitary principles for the protection of plants and the application 
of  phytosanitary measures in international trade. Rome, IPPC, FAO.  
ISPM 4. 1995. Requirements for the establishment of pest free areas. Rome, IPPC, 
FAO. [published 1996]  
ISPM 5. Glossary of phytosanitary terms. Rome, IPPC, FAO.   
ISPM 6. 1997. Guidelines for surveillance. Rome, IPPC, FAO.  
ISPM 8. 1998. Determination of pest status in an area. Rome, IPPC, FAO.  
ISPM 9. 1998. Guidelines for pest eradication programmes. Rome , IPPC, FAO.  
ISPM 10. 1999.  Requirements for the establishment of pest free places of production 
and pest free production sites. Rome, IPPC, FAO.  
ISPM 12. 2001. Guidelines for phytosanitary certificates. Rome, IPPC, FAO.  
ISPM 13. 2001.  Guidelines for t he notification of non -compliance and emergency 
action. Rome, IPPC, FAO.  
ISPM 14. 2002.  The use of integrated measures in a systems approach for pest risk 
management. Rome, IPPC, FAO.  
ISPM 17. 2002. Pest reporting. Rome, IPPC, FAO.  
ISPM 20. 2004. Guidel ines for a phytosanitary import regulatory system. Rome, IPPC, 
FAO.  
ISPM 22. 2005.  Requirements for the establishment of areas of low pest prevalence.  
Rome, IPPC, FAO.  
ISPM 24. 2005.  Guidelines for the determination and recognition of equivalence of  
phytosanitary measures. Rome, IPPC, FAO.  
ISPM 26. 2006. Establishment of pest free areas for fruit flies (Tephritidae). Rome, 
IPPC, FAO. WTO. 1994. Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and 
Phytosanitary Measures. Geneva, World Trade Organization.  
ISPM 29. 2007. Recognition of pest free areas and areas of low pest prevalence  
 
Plant Prot ection Act, 2007 and Rules, 2010  
Introduction and importance of Pest Free Area and requirements for declaration of free 
area, MTF/NEP/060/STF/STDF -170, 2010. Governme nt of Nepal, MoAD/DoA, WTO and 
FAO. 2 
 1.3 Definitions  
Pest Free Area  is defined in the International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures No. 5 
(Glossary of phytosanitary terms) (ISPM 5, 2010) as “ An area in which a specific pest does 
not occur as demonstrated by scientific evidence and in which, where appropriate, this condition 
is being officially maintained” [FAO, 1995] . 
  
Area of low pest prevalence  is defined in the International Standard for Phytosanitary 
Measures No. 5 (Glossary of phytosanit ary terms) (ISPM 5, 2010) as “ An area whether, 
all of the country, part of a country, or all or parts of several countries, as identified by the 
competent authorities, in which a specific pest occurs at low levels and which is subject to 
effective surveill ance, control or eradication measures [IPPC 1997]      
 
1.4 Outline of requirements  
The establishment, recognition and use of a PFA  by an National Plant Protection Organization 
(NPPO)  provides for the export of plants, plant products and other regulated articles from the 
country in which the area is situated (exporting country) to another country (importing country) 
without the need for application of additional phytosanitary measures when certain requirements 
are met. So i t is agreed that  general guidance for the recognition of pest free areas (PFAs) and 
areas of low pest prevalence (ALPPs) should be developed.  The standard will outline the main 
criteria for the recognition of PFAs and  ALPPs. Furthermore it will provide guidance on the 
process that may need to be followed by both the importing and exporting countries for 
recognition of such areas. This is to ensure that importing and exporting countries have 
appropriate guidance on the activities required under the IPPC and its standards, that exporting 
countries can achieve recognition of PFAs and ALPPs  without undue delay while importing 
countries can continue to maintain their appropriate level of protection.   
This procedure includes the following steps for the contracting parties: request for recognition, 
acknowledgement of receipt of the request and the accompanying information package; 
description of the assessment process; assessment of the information provided; communicating 
the results of the assessment; provision of official recognition . 
The process should be applied without discrimination between contracting parties. Contracting 
parties should endeavour to maintain transparency in all aspects of the recognition process. 
Both exporting and importing contracting parties have specific responsibilities relating to the 
recognition of PFAs and ALPPs. It is essential that t he recognition process should be sufficiently 
documented by contracting parties.  
Some considerations  for recognition of pest free places of production and pest free production 
sites are also provided.  The use of pest free places of production or pest free production sites is 
dependent on the use of criteria concerning the biology of the pest, the characteristi cs of the 
place of production, the operational capabilities of the producer, and the requirements and 
responsibilities of the NPPO.  
 
2 Background  
National  Plant Protection Organization specified by the Government of Nepal pursuant to 
Section 6 (Plant Pr otection Act, 2007  should establish PFAs or ALPPs in order to gain maintain 
or improve market access.  NPPO should  also establish PFAs or ALPPs according to the 
relevant ISPMs and recognition o f such areas without undue delay  is very important to the 
NPPO o f Nepal. Importing contracting parties, in meeting their appropriate level of protection 
(ALOP) and in accordance with requirements for technical justification, may consider PFAs or 
ALPPs (possibly as part of a systems approach) as effective phytosanitary measures.  The 3 
 utilization of Pest Free Areas (PFAs) is a phytosanitary measure used to facilitate trade of 
plants, plant products and other regulated articles  including NTFPs , without the need for 
additional phytosanitary measures. Therefore, it is in the interest of the importing country to 
provide prompt recognition of such areas where they are established in accordance with the 
relevant ISPMs . For this purpose, reasonable access should be given, upon request, to the 
importing Member for inspection, testi ng and other relevant procedures  
Different NPPOs may design different actions and practices for the establishment and 
maintenance of a PFA or ALPP for the same pest, which in turn could cause difficulties in the 
recognition of these PFAs or ALPPs by tradin g partners. NSPMs addressed mostly “horizontal” 
(generic) topics, which were aimed at standardizing principles and activities of an NPPO.  The 
governing body of the IPPC recognized these problems and adopted a more “vertical” (specific) 
oriented standard se tting policy . Taking this into consideration,  NPPO of Nepal should give  
more preference to the establishment of pest - or commodity -specific standards.  
Thus, the pest free status of an area may be used as the basis for the phytosanitary certification 
of pla nts, plant products and other regulated articles with respect to the stated pest(s). The PFA 
is then an element in the justification of phytosanitary measures taken by an importing country 
to protect an endangered area . If it is intended to use a pest free  area or area of low pest 
prevalence to facilitate trade with another country, such plan may have the form of a specific 
work plan as part of a bilateral arrangement between the NPPOs of both importing and 
exporting contracting parties or may be a general requirement of an importing country, which 
should be made available to it on request.  
In order to provide guidance to NPPO  the following Articles of the IPPC and  Article of WTO are 
relevant :  
Article IV.2 ( e) of the IPPC : The responsibilities of an official national plant protection 
organization shall include the  protection of endangered areas and the designation, maintenance 
and surveillance of pest free areas and areas of low pest prevalence.   
Article VIII of the IPPC : International cooperation - The contracting parties shall cooperate with 
one another to the fullest practicable extent in achieving the aims of this Convention  
Article 6 (“Adaptation to Regional Conditions, Including Pest - or Disease -Free Areas and Areas 
of  Low Pest or Disease Prevalence”) of the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and 
Phytosanitary Measures (WTO, 1994) addresses the issue of recognition of PFAs and ALPPs.  
3 Requirements  
The requirements for the bilateral recognition of pest free areas and areas of low pest 
prevalence discussed as under:  
3.1 General considerations  
In most cases an official operational plan is needed which specifies the required phytosanitary 
procedures that a country is applying. If it is intended to use a pest free area or area of low pest 
prevalence or pest free place of production or production site to facilitate trade with another 
country, such plan may have the form of a specific work plan as part o f a bilateral arrangement 
between the NPPOs of both importing and exporting contracting parties (i.e., Plant Protection 
Directorate (NPPO) of Nepal or may be a general requirement of an importing country, which 
should be made available to it on request. It  is recommended that the exporting country consults 
with the importing country in the early stages of the process in order to ensure that importing 
country requirements are met.  4 
 NPPO of Nepal should be  responsible for designation, maintenance and surveilla nce of PFAs 
and ALPPs within their territories (Article IV.2e of the IPPC). To establish PFAs or ALPPs and 
before asking for recognition, NPPO should take into account the appropriate ISPMs that 
provide technical guidance . 
 ISPM No. 1. The most prominent r eference to the recognition of PFAs and ALPPs can be found 
in ISPM No.1 “Phytosanitary principles for the protection of plants and the application of 
phytosanitary measures in international trade”, which contains operational principle 2.3 on the 
recognitio n of PFAs and ALPPs  
 ISPM No. 10 ( Requirements for the establishment and use of pest free places of  production 
and pest free  production sites as risk management options for meeting 
phytosanitary requirements for the import of plants, plant products and other 
regulated articles.  
 NSPM (Requirements for the establishment and maintenance of PFAs for the economically 
important species in the family Tephritidae).  
ISPM No. 4 (Requirements for the establishmen t of pest free areas)  
ISPM No. 22 (Requirements fo r the establishment of areas of low pest prevalence) for ALPPs, 
and  
ISPM No. 8 (Determination of pest status in an area)  
They may also consider other technical guidance that may be developed on establishment of 
PFAs or ALPPs for specific regulated pests o r groups of these pests. The importing contracting 
party is responsible for determining the type of information that will be required, in order to 
recognize a PFA or ALPP, depending on the type of area and its geography, the method used 
to establish the pe st status of the area (pest free area or low pest prevalence area), the 
contracting party’s appropriate level of protection, and other factors  for which technical 
justifications exist.  
Although the recognition of PFAs and ALPPs may generally be a bilatera l process of information  
exchange between importing and exporting contracting parties, recognition may take place  
without a detailed process if agreed between the parties (for example without bilateral 
negotiations and verification activities). Usually, pest free places of production and pest free 
production sites should not require a recognition process and, therefore, only some 
consideration is given in this standard on use of procedures in particular cases.  
3.2 Related principles  
3.2.1 Recognition of pest free areas and areas of low pest revalence  
ISPM 1 (Operational Principles : 2.3) states that contracting parties should ensure that their 
phytosanitary measures concerning consignments moving into their territories take into account 
the status of areas, as designated by the NPPOs of the exporting countries. These may be 
areas where a regulated pest does not occur or occurs with low prevalence or they may be pest 
free production sites or pest free places of production.  
3.2.2 Sovereignty and cooperat ion 
Contracting parties have sovereign authority, in accordance with applicable international 
agreements, to apply phytosanitary measures to protect plant health within their territories and 5 
 to determine their appropriate level of protection ALOP to for pl ant health. With the aim of 
preventing the introduction and/or spread of regulated pests into their territories, contracting 
parties shall have sovereign authorit y to regulate the  entry of plants and plant products and 
other regulated articles and, to this  end, may:  
a) prescribe and adopt phytosanitary measures concerning the importation of plants, 
plant products and other regulated articles, including, for example, inspection, 
prohibition on importation, and treatment;  
b) refuse entry or detain, or require treatment, destruction or removal from the territory of 
the contracting party, of plants, plant products and other regulated articles or 
consignments thereof that do not comply with the phytosanitary measures  
c) prohi bit or restrict the movement of regulated pests into their territories  
d) prohibit or restrict the movement of biological control agents and other organisms of 
phytosanitary concern claimed to be ben eficial into their territories  (Article VII.1)  
3.2.3 Non-discrimination  of PFAs and ALPPs  
In recognizing PFAs and ALPPs, the process used by the importing contracting party for 
assessing such requests from different exporting contracting parties should be applied in a non -
discriminatory manner  in accordance with  the IPPC.  Phytosanitary measures should be applied 
in such a way as to constitute either a means of arbitrary or unjustified discrimination or 
disguis ed restriction (Preamble, IPPC)  
2.2.4 Avoidance of undue delay   
Contracting parties should endeavour  to recognize PFAs and ALPPs, and to resolve any 
disagreements related to recognition, without undue delay. The importing country should be 
notified immediately upon initiation of the corrective actions. Relevant importing NPPOs should 
be notified without undue delay of changes in the  PFA and  ALPP status (further information on 
pest reporting requirements are provided in NSPM: Pest Reporting . Failure of the NPPO to take 
appropriate corrective actions will result in termination of the PFA and ALPP status.  
3.2.5 Transparency  
The basic requirement is that trading partners be transparent. It is an obligation for countries 
that are a party to the WTO with its SPS agreement and under basic principles of the IPPC, that 
countries must be transparent. Throughout the  recognition process, transparency is of central 
importance.  An exporting member needs to have a transparent system to gain the trust of the 
importing member, while the importing member's transparency regarding requirements and 
procedures can facilitate t he recognition process.  
 
If the control measures are not effective and the pest becomes established in the whole area 
(the area recognized as pest free), the status would be lost. In order to reinstate the area, the 
procedures for the establishment and maintenance outlined in this  standard should be followed. 
In addition, there are procedures for reporting the outbreak of specific diseases as well as the 
reinstatement (or restoration) of a zone after an outbreak. So any change in the status of the 
regulated pest in the area under c onsideration, or in the importing contracting party’s territory, 
relevant to recognition should be communicated.  
3.2.6 Other relevant principles of the IPPC and its ISPMs  
In recognizing PFAs and ALPPs, contracting parties should take into account the follo wing 
rights and obligations held by contracting parties, and principles of the IPPC:  
 minimal impact (Article VII.2(g) of the IPPC)  
 modification (Article VII.2(h) of the IPPC  
 harmonization (Article X.4 of the IPPC)  6 
  risk analysis (Articles II and VI.1(b) of the IPPC)  
 managed risk (Article VII.2(a) and VII.2(g) of the IPPC)  
 cooperation (Article VIII of the IPPC  
 technical assistance (Article XX of the IPPC)  
 equivalence (section 1.10 of ISPM 1:2006).  
4. Requirements for  recognition of pest free areas and areas of low pest 
prevalence  
To establish PFAs or ALPPs and befo re asking for recognition, NPPO  should take into account 
the appropriate ISPMs that provide technical guidance, e.g. ISPM No. 4 (Requirements for the 
establishment of pest free areas) for PFAs, ISPM No. 22 (Requirements for the establishment of 
areas of low pest prevalence) for ALPPs, a nd ISPM No. 8 (Determination of pest status in an 
area) .  
Long term presence and absence of pests is confirmed by surveillance. The surveillance and 
collection systems should operate on an ongoing and timely basis. Surveillance should be 
conduc ted in accor dance with ISPM No.6. Pest surveillance and reporting systems should be 
adequately described and documented and this information should be made available to other 
countries on request (see ISPM No . 6 Guidelines for surveillance ). 
Absence of the pest should  be recognized according to the first paragraph of section 3.1.2 of 
ISPM 8:1998 without the need for detailed information or elaborate procedures. In other cases, 
such as in areas where a pest has recently been eradicated (ISPM 9:1998) or suppressed, 
more detailed information and verification may be required  
 4.1 Responsibilities  of contracting parties  
Both the importing and exporting NPPOs are responsible for collaborating to establish program 
requirements, including regulations, work plans and compliance agreements as necessary for 
recognizing and implementing particular import programs.  Importing cont racting party NPPO 
verifies the information received and communicates to exporting contracting party NPPO if any 
additional information needed.  Exporting contracting party NPPO dispatches lacking documents 
or explanation for absence to importing contractin g party NPPO.  
 
Article IV, 2 (e) of the IPPC prescribes that the responsibilities of an official national plant 
protection organization (NPPO) shall include the protection of endangered areas and the 
designation, maintenance and surveillance of PFAs and areas of low pest prevalence (ALPP) 
(IPPC, 1997a). It is, therefore, the ultimate responsibility of an NPPO to designate and establish 
the PFA. Only the NPPO knows the scientific and technical details leading to the delimitation of 
the PFA and it is the NP POs’ scientific and technical judgement which leads to the conclusion 
that the area should be considered free from a specific pest. Based on these considerations, 
only the relevant NPPO can objectively declare and area free from a specific pest.  
The export ing contracting party is responsible for:  
 requesting recognition of an established PFA or ALPP  
 providing appropriate information on the PFA or ALPP  
 designating a point of contact for the recognition process  
 providing appropriate additional information if n ecessary for the recognition process - 
 co-operating in the organization of on -site verification visits, if requested.  
 7 
 The importing contracting party is responsible for:  
 acknowledging receipt of the request and the associated information  
 describing the pro cess to be used for the recognition process including, if possible, an 
estimated time frame for the evaluation  
 designating a point of contact for the recognition process  
 technically assessing the information  
 communicating and justifying the need for on -site verifications and cooperating in their 
organization  
 communicating the results of the assessment to the exporting contracting party  
o if the area is recognized, promptly modifying any phytosanitary regulations, as 
appropriate;  
o if the area is not recognized, providing an explanation, including technical 
justification where applicable, to the exporting contracting party.  
4.2 Documentation   
The NPPO  should maintain appropriate records related to the PFA and ALLP in  general, and in 
relation to the particular pest(s) concerned.  The whole process from initial request to final 
decision should be sufficiently documented  and periodically reviewed  by contracting parties so 
that the sources of information and rationale used  in reaching the decision can be clearly 
identified and demonstrated. Documentation supporting PFA and ALPP status at all phases 
should be made immediately available to the importing country upon request.  Whatever the type 
of PFA, documentation should be a vailable, as appropriate, on the:  
 data assembled to establish the PFA  
 various administrative measures taken in support of the PFA  
 delimitation of the PFA  
 phytosanitary regulations applied  
 technical details of surveillance, or survey and monitoring systems used.  
 
It may be useful for an NPPO (i.e., Plant Protection Directorate of Nepal) to send documentation 
about a PFA to a central information service (FAO or a Regional Plant Protection Organization), 
with all relevant details, so that the information can b e communicated to all interested NPPOs 
(trading partners) at their request.  
5. Procedure  for recognition of pest free areas and areas of low pest 
prevalence  
 
 A series of steps described below are recommended for importing contracting parties in order to 
recognize PFAs and ALPPs of exporting  contracting party  (NPPO of Nepal) . Normally, the exporting 
contracting party may wish to consult with the importing contracting party before  submitting a request 
with the aim of facilitating the r ecognition  process  together with relevant information (information 
package) on the area of concern. A flow chart outlining the following steps is provided in Appendix 1.   
5.1 Request  for recognition  by the NPPO of the exporting contracting party  
The NPPO of Nepal ( exporting  contracting  party ) requests information about the importing  
contracting  party 's requirements and procedures. An exporting contracting party may either 
request information about an importing contracting party's requirements and procedures prior to 8 
 formally requesting recognition of its PRA, or at the time it initiates the bilateral process of 
recognition . 
 
At the request of the exporting contracting party, the importing  contracting  party explains its 
requirements and procedures for recognition of sanitary or phytosanitary status with respect to a 
given pest or disease.  The importing contracting party may, for example, request answers to a  
specific questionnaire.  The exporting contracting party provides supporting information showing 
that the procedures used to obtain recognition of that area are based on an international 
standard, guideline or recommendation .  
 
If the response from the imp orting  contracting  party is negative, the importing contracting party 
issues a decision rejecting the request and providing reasons. This allows the exporting  
contracting  party to modify and adapt its system with a view to seeking recognition in the future . If 
the response from the importing contracting party is positive, the importing  contracting  party 
indicates comments where they exist.  
The importing contracting party provides feedback to the exporting contracting party  regarding 
responses and indicates whether further clarification is necessary. If necessary, the importing  
contracting  party carries out a visit in order to verify the information provided in support of the 
request for recognition PRA or ALPP. This technic al inspection could consider the administrative 
structure of the regulatory bodies.  
As described the procedure s above, t he exporting contracting party submits its request for 
recognition of a PFA or ALPP to an importing contracting party. To support its re quest, the 
exporting contracting party provides a technical information package based on ISPM No. 4 
(Requirements for the establishment of pest free areas) or ISPM No. 22 (Requirements for the 
establishment of areas of low pest prevalence) as appropriate. This information package should 
be sufficiently detailed to demonstrate objectively that the areas are, and are likely to remain, 
PFAs or ALPPs, as appropriate.  
The package should  include the following information:  
 the type of recognition requested, i.e. either a PFA or an ALPP  
 location and description of the area to be recognized, with supporting maps, as 
appropriate  
 pest(s) under consideration, and biology(ies) and known distribution relevant to the area 
(as described in ISPM No. 4 or ISPM No. 22 as appr opriate)  
 commodity(ies) or other regulated article(s) to be exported  
 general information on hosts and their prevalence within the designated area  
 phytosanitary measures and procedures applied for the establishment of the PFA or 
ALPP, and results of these m easures  
 phytosanitary measures and procedures applied to maintain the PFA or ALPP, and 
results of these measures  
 relevant phytosanitary regulations relating to the PFA or ALPP  
 record -keeping arrangements relating to the area, in accordance with the appropr iate 
standards  
 a description of corrective action plans, including related communication arrangements 
with the importing country concerned  
 other relevant information (e.g. recognition of the area in question by other contracting 
parties, and possible syste ms approaches relating to ALPPs).  9 
 The exporting contracting party should designate a point of contact for communication relating 
to the request for recognition.  
5.2 Acknowledgement  from NPPO of importing contracting party and 
identification of major omissi ons in the information supplied  
The NPPO of the importing contracting party should promptly acknowledge receipt of the 
request for recognition and of the accompanying information package to the NPPO of the 
exporting contracting party. Before commencing the assessment, the importing contr acting party 
should identify and communicate to the NPPO of the exporting contracting party if any 
significant component of the information package is missing, or if other significant information 
may be needed to assess the request.  
The NPPO of the export ing contracting party should submit to the NPPO of the importing 
contracting party any missing information, or identifies the location within the submitted package 
in which the required information may already be found, or may provide an explanation for it s 
absence.  
Where NPPO of Nepal (i.e. exporting  contracting party ) resubmits a request  to importing party  
for recognition of a PFA or ALPP (e.g. if further data is acquired, or new or additional 
procedures are implemented), the importing contracting party should take into consideration all 
information previously provided, if verification has been provided by the exporting contracting 
party that the information remains valid. If resubmission is due to a previous non -acceptance of 
a request for recognition, any relevant details in the corresponding technical explanation related 
to the previous assessment should also be taken into consideration. Likewise if a contracting 
party has withdrawn a PFA or ALPP (e.g. maintenance of the PFA or ALPP became 
uneconomic) and wishes to reinstate it, previous information should be considered. The 
assessment should be completed,  without undue delay, by focusing on the revised or 
supplemental information and/or data provided, if appropriate.  
5.3 Description  of recognition process to be used by NPPO of importing 
contracting party  
The importing contracting party should describe the process intended to be used in assessing 
the information package and in subsequently recognizing the PFA or ALPP, including any 
necessary legislative or administrative steps or requirements that will need to be completed. 
Furthermore, the importing contrac ting party is encouraged to establish if possible an 
anticipated timeframe for completion of the recognition process.   
5.4 Assessment  of the technical information  
This describes the assessment process to be used for the recognition process for PFA or ALPP. 
Once all the information has been received, the NPPO of the importing contracting party will 
carry out assessment of the information package, taking into account:  
 provisions of the relevant ISPMs that specifically address either PFAs (ISPM No. 4: 
Requirements for the establishment of pest free areas) or ALPPs (ISPM No. 22: 
Requirements for the establishment of areas of low pest prevalence), including the 
following information:  
o systems used to establish the PFA or ALPP  
o phytosanitary measures to maintain the PFA or ALPP  
o checks to verify that the PFA or ALPP is being maintained  
 other relevant ISPMs (in particular those described in section 1) depending on the type 
of recognition requested  10 
  status of the pest in the territories of both contracting parties. PFAs or ALPPs previously 
recognized by a third country or another contracting party may be considered as 
reference for the assessment process.  
 
Clarification of the inf ormation provided may be required or additional information may be 
requested by the importing contracting party in order to complete the assessment. The 
exporting contracting party should respond to technical concerns raised by the importing 
contracting pa rty by providing relevant information to facilitate completion of the assessment. 
On-site verification or on -site review of operational procedures may be requested, where 
justified, based on the results of the ongoing assessment, records of previous trade between the 
two parties (in particular if there is a lack of information, interception records, non -compliance 
with import requirements), or previous recognition of areas between the two parties or by other 
parties. The schedule, agenda and content of the on-site verification or review should be agreed 
bilaterally, and access provided as necessary.  
The assessment should be completed without undue delay. If at any stage progress is not 
proceeding in accordance with the anticipated timeframe, if established, the exporting 
contracting party should be notified. Upon request of the exporting contracting party, reasons 
should be provided and (if appropriate) a new timeframe prepared and provided by the 
importing contracting party to the exporting contracting party . The exporting contracting party 
may request cancellation or postponement of the assessment at any time. Should the exporting 
contracting party request postponement of the assessment, this may result in changes in the 
anticipated timeframe. If the pest st atus or phytosanitary regulations change in the importing 
country, recognition of the PFA or ALPP may no longer be required and the assessment 
process may stop.    
5.5 Notification  of result of assessment to NPPO of exportin g contracting party   
Upon complet ion of the assessment, the importing contracting party notifies the exporting 
contracting party of the results of its assessment.  If the proposed PFA or ALPP is not 
recognized the importing contracting party provides an explanation with technical justification for 
this determination.  In the event of a disagreement related to the rejection of a request for 
recognition of a PFA or ALPP, efforts should be made bilaterally to resolve these 
disagreements . 
5.6 Official recognition  
The official recognition is of great significance for international trade and constitutes one of the 
most important legal links between contracting parties. By acquiring and maintaining its official 
status, a country also demonstrates transparency and helps to promote plant health, thereby 
gaining the trust of its partners and of the international community.   
The exporting country NPPO will request recognition of a PFA by the importing country NPPO. 
If the PFA or ALPP is recognized by the importing contracting party, this should be officially 
communicated to the  NPPO of exporting contracting party, clearly confirming the type of area 
recognized and identifying the relevant pest(s) for which such recognition applies.  An importing 
country should officially notify the exp orting country if it accepts or does not recognize the PFA 
status.   
If the exporting country does not agree to modifications, recognition is not granted and the 
scientific reasons behind the rejection communicated. If the exporting country agrees to 
modif ications, then the Importing NPPO c ountry grants recognition through the Official 
Recognition Document.  11 
  
5.7 Duration of recognition  
Recognition of a PFA or ALPP should remain in effect unless:  
• there is a change in pest status in the area concerned and  it is no longer a PFA or ALPP  
• there are significant instances of non -compliance (as described in section 4.1 of ISPM 
13:2001) related to the areas in question or related to the bilateral arrangement noted by 
the importing  contracting party  
6. Considerations on recognition of pest free places of production and 
pest free production sites  
“Pest free places of production” and “pest free production sites” (for simplicity reasons they are 
hereafter referred to as “pest free places o r sites of product ion” – PFPSP) .  
First of all, PFPSPs are generally much smaller than PFAs and/or ALPPs. The definition of 
place of production is “ any premises or collection of fields operated as a single production or 
farming unit. This may include production sites which are separately managed for phytosanitary 
purposes” (IPPC, 2008a). There is no separate definition of production site, but ISPM No.5 
defines a pest free production site as “a defined portion of a place of production in which a 
specific pest does not occur a s demonstrated by scientific evidence and in which, where 
appropriate, this condition is being officially maintained for a defined period and that is managed 
as a separate unit in the same way as a pest free place of production” (IPPC, 2008a). Secondly, 
the implementation of PFPSPs differs from PFAs and ALPPs. While PFAs and ALPPs are 
managed as a whole by the NPPO of the exporting country, a PFPSP  is managed indi vidually 
by the producer under  the supervision  and responsibility of the NPPO (See  introduction and 
importance of Pest Free Area and requirements for declaration of free area, 
MTF/NEP/060/STF/STDF -170, Government of Nepal, MoAD/DoA, WTO and FAO, July, 2010).  
Usually pest free places of production or production sites should not require recognition using 
the procedures . In this regard ISPM No. 10 (Requirements for the establishment of pest free 
places of production and pest free production sites) states that, for such places and sites, “the 
issuance of a phytosanitary certificate for a co nsignment by the NPPO confirms that the 
requirements for a pest free place of production or a pest free production site have been 
fulfilled. The importing country may require an appropriate additional declaration on  the 
phytosanitary certificate to this ef fect.” ( Section  3.2 of ISPM No. 10).  However, ISPM No. 10 (in 
section 3.3) also indicates: “The NPPO of the exporting country should, on request, make 
available to the NPPO of the importing country the rationale for establishment and maintenance 
of pest f ree places of production or pest free production sites. Where bilateral arrangements or 
agreements so provide, the NPPO of the exporting country should expeditiously provide 
information concerning establishment or withdrawal of pest free places of producti on or pest 
free production sites to the NPPO of the importing country.”  
As described in ISPM No. 10: “When complex measures are needed to establish and maintain a 
pest free place of production or pest free production site, because the pest concerned requir es 
a high degree of phytosanitary security, an operational plan may be needed. Where appropriate, 
such a plan would be based on bilateral agreements or arrangements listing specific details 
required in the operation of the system including the role and res ponsibilities of the producer 
and trader(s) involved.” In such cases recognition may be based on the procedure 
recommended in section  4. 12 
  
In the case of a bilateral recognition process of the PFA, the importing country aims to assess 
the information on the  PFA provided by the exporting country. This NSPM provides that the 
recognition of PFAs and ALPPs may generally be a bilateral process of information exchange 
between importing and exporting contracting parties and that recognition may take place without 
a detailed process if agreed between the parties (for example without bilateral negotiations and 
verification activities) (IPPC, 2007a).  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 13 
 Appendix  1: Flow chart outlining the procedure  for the recognition of pest frees 
areas or areas of low p est prevalence (as per section 5 )  
         Exporting contracting  
         party NPPO submits  
                                                                                            recognition request  
 
 
 
Importing contracting party  
NPPO acknowledges receipt of  
 the request and designates  
 point of contact  
 
 
   Importing contracting party  
  NPPO verifies the information  
received  
 
               
             Exporting contracting party                             Importing contracting party  
             NPPO submits missing                                      NPPO communicates to  
             information or may provide           exporting contracting party  
            explanation for its absence to                             NPPO if any additional   
            importing contracting party                                    information needed  
                              NPPO  
  
  
                                          Importing contracting party  
                                         NPPO describes assessment  
                                            process to be used  
    
           
Exporting contracting party                                       Importing contracting party                       Importing contracting party  
NPPO provides any                                                             NPPO assesses the        NPPO carries out on -site  
necessary clarifications,                                                technical information                             verification or review if  
additions or modifications                necessary  
            
 
 
  
Exporting contracting     Imi 
party NPPO may cancel  
request for recognition  
  
 
 
 
 Impor ting contracting 
party NPPO reaches  
decision and notifies the  
results of the technical  
assessment  
asse  
 
 Area is not recognized  
Importing contracting 
party NPPO provides 
explanations with 
technical justifications  Area is recognized  
Importing contracting party 
NPPO officially communicates 
recognition and amendment of 
phytosanitary import 
requirements  14