G/SPS/N/USA/2764  
 
4 June 2015  
(15-2934)  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: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) 
3. Products covered (provide tariff item  number(s) as specified in national 
schedules deposited with the WTO; IC S numbers should be provided in 
addition, where applicable): Phalaenopsis  Spp. Plants 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected , to the extent relevant or practicable: 
[ ] All trading partners  
[X] Specific regions or countries: China  
5. Title of the notified document: Proposed Rule: Phalaenopsis  Spp. Plants for Planting 
in Approved Growing Media From China to the Continental United States (Docket No. APHIS-2014-0106)  Language(s): English  Number of pages: 3 
http://www.regulations.gov/#!docu mentDetail;D=APH IS-2014-0106-0001  
6. Description of content: The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is 
proposing to amend the regulations governing the importation of plants for planting to 
authorize the importation of Phalaenopsis  spp. plants for planting from China in 
approved growing media into the continen tal United States, subject to a systems 
approach. The systems approach would consist of measures that are currently specified 
in the regulations as generally applicable to all plants for planting authorized importation 
into the United States in approved growing media. This proposed rule would allow for the importation of Phalaenopsis spp. plants for planting from China in approved growing 
media, while providing protection against the introduction of plant pests. 
Federal Register Vol. 80, No. 104, Monday, 1 June 2015, pages 30959-30961 
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 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 
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?   
[ ] Yes   [ ] No G/SPS/N/USA/2764 
 
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  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) : 31 July 2015 
Agency or authority designated to hand le 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/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2014-0106 . Postal 
Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to Docket No. APHIS-2014-0106, 
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-2014-0106 . 
For further information contact Ms Lydia E. Colón, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 
133, Riverdale, MD 20737-1236; Tel: +(1 301) 851 2302. 
13. Text(s) 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  Authority, 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