WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
G/SPS/N/CAN/634 
18 September 2012  
 (12-5016) 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
1. Notifying Member:  CANADA 
If applicable, name of local government involved:    
2. Agency responsible:  Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) 
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):  Living organisms other than plants which may be directly or indirectly 
injurious or potentially injurious to plants or to products or by-products of plants.  This 
includes, but is not limited to: 
 Invertebrates, including insects, mites, and millipedes; 
 Micro-organisms, including bacteria, fungi, viruses, viroids, phytoplasmas, and 
nematodes; 
 Terrestrial molluscs, including snails and slugs, of the Class Gastropoda ; 
 Earthworms; 
 Biological control agents; 
 Pollinators, including all bees other than those belonging to the genus Apis; 
 Mushroom spawn for mushroom production; 
 Invertebrates and micro-organisms which ar e living modified organisms or organisms 
modified through biotechnology and wh ich may be expressing novel traits; and 
 Insects which have been rendered sterile fo r the purpose of release as part of a pest 
control program. 
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:  D-12-02:  Plant Protection Import Requirements for 
Living Organisms Other than Plants (Micro -organisms and Invertebrates including 
Biological Control Agents, Tropical Butterflies, Earthworms, Pollinators, Snails and Slugs) Language(s):  English and French  Number of pages:  82 and 88 
6. Description of content:  The Canadian Food Inspection (CFI A) is proposing to revise its 
import requirements for all living organisms, ot her than plants, which may be injurious or 
potentially injurious, whether directly or indirec tly, to plants or to products or by-products 
of plants. G/SPS/N/CAN/634 
Page 2  
 
  This document notifies draft ge neral import requirements for all living organisms (other 
than plants), including for shipping and hand ling, associated material imported with the 
living organism, and for organisms that may only be imported into Canada under 
containment.  Appendix 1 of the document lists  living organisms, end uses and origins that 
are already approved and indicates whether or not a Plant Protection Permit to Import or other certification is required. Prior appr oval from the CFIA will be required for 
unapproved living organisms, new end uses or ne w origins.  In these cases, importers must 
apply for a Plant Protection Permit to Import, which will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis to determine if an import permit is re quired and whether additional import conditions 
are necessary to mitigat e phytosanitary risk. 
The document proposes additional import requirements for specific groups of organisms or 
end-uses, e.g. non-indigenous bi ological control agents and non- Apis pollinating insects not 
yet approved for release, earthworms, etc., as  well as outlines the pr ocess for applying for 
approval for the first environmental release of  non-indigenous biological control agents and 
non-Apis pollinating insects. 
This Directive merges and replaces the following: 
D-96-14:  Import Requirements for Invertebrates and Microorganisms 
D-00-04:  Plant Protection Import Requirements for Earthworms 
CFIA Import Operational Directive regarding th e Entry of Terrestrial Snails into Canada, 
2 March 1990 
Please note that living organisms not regulated under the Plant Protection Act  may be 
regulated under another federal or  provincial Act or Regulation. 
7. Objective and rationale:  [ ] food safety, [ ] animal health, [X] plant protection, 
[ ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or  disease, [X] 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)    
[X] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g. ISPM number)  ISPM 3  
[ ] 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) :  10 January 2013 (Note:  Requirements already in 
place and not being revised will continue to apply.) 
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) :  10 January 2013  G/SPS/N/CAN/634 
 Page 3 
 
 
  11. Proposed date of entry into force:  [ ] Six months from date of publication , and/or  
(dd/mm/yy) :  10 March 2013 
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments:  [ ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the notification 
and/or (dd/mm/yy) :  16 November 2012 
Agency or authority designated to handl e comments:  [ ] National Notification 
Authority, [X] National Enquiry Point.  Address, fax number and e-mail address (if 
available) of other body:   
Tanya Fielding 
Canadian Food Inspection Agency Room 2W-115, 59 Camelot Drive  Ottawa, Ontario Canada K1A 0Y9 Fax:  +(613) 773 7204 
E-mail:  tanya.fielding@inspection.gc.ca 
13. Texts available from:  [X] National Notification Authority, [ ] National Enquiry Point.  
Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body:    
The revised text can be downloaded from:  
http://members.wto.org/crnattach ments/2012/sps/CAN/12_3698_00_e.pdf  (English) 
http://members.wto.org/crnattach ments/2012/sps/CAN/12_3698_00_f.pdf  (French)