G/SPS/N/MEX/286  
 
3 July 2015  
(15-3455)  Page: 1/2  
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: Spanish  
 
 NOTIFICATION  
1. Notifying Member: MEXICO  
If applicable, name of local government involved:  
2. Agency responsible: Secretaría de Agricultura, Ganadería, Desarrollo Rural, Pesca y 
Alimentación , SAGARPA (Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries 
and Food) 
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national 
schedules deposited with the WTO;  ICS nu mbers should be provided in addition, 
where applicable): Elephant grass ( Miscanthus  x giganteus ) rhizomes 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected , to the extent relevant or practicable: 
[ ] All trading partners  
[X] Specific regions or countries: United States of America  
5. Title of the notified document: Requisitos Fitosanitarios para la importación de rizomas 
de pasto gigante (Miscanthus x giganteus) originarios y procedentes de Estados Unidos 
(Phytosanitary requirements for the importation into Mexico of elephant grass ( Miscanthus  
x giganteus ) rhizomes originating in and coming from the United States of America)  
Language(s): Spanish  Number of pages: 1 
Text available at:  
http://www.senasica.gob.mx/?id=5456  
http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2015/SPS/MEX/15_2599_00_s.pdf  
6. Description of content: Pursuant to the Decision establishing the module of 
phytosanitary requirements for the importation of goods regulated by the Ministry of 
Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food in relation to plant health 
(Acuerdo por el que se establece el módulo de requisitos fitosanitarios para la importación 
de mercancías reguladas por la Secretaría de Agricultura, Ganadería, Desarrollo Rural, Pesca y Alimentación, en materia de sanidad vegetal ), published in the Mexican Official 
Journal on 7 February 2012, the phytosanitar y requirements for the importation into 
Mexico of elephant grass ( Miscanthus  x giganteus ) rhizomes originating in and coming 
from the United States of America, established on the basis of a pest risk analysis, have 
been submitted to public comment.  
Imports into Mexico of elephant grass rhizomes from the United States of America require 
a phytosanitary certificate issued by the US National Plant Protection Organization. The 
rhizomes must also undergo certain chemical treatments and meet specific packaging 
requirements, as established in the notified text.   
7. Objective and rationale: [ ] food safety, [ ] animal health, [ ] plant protection, 
[ ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [X] prot ect territory from 
other damage from pests.  G/SPS/N/MEX/286 
 
- 2 - 
 
  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 Organisation 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 
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: Not 
applicable 
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : Not applicable 
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : To be determined 
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: [X] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 1 September 2015 
Agency or authority designated to hand le comments: [X] National Notification 
Authority, [ ] National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e-mail address (if 
available) of other body:   
Comments may be sent to:  
medidasfito.dgsv@senasica.gob.mx 
13. Texts available from: [X] National Notifi cation Authority, [ ] National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body:    
Subsecretaría de Competitividad y Normatividad  
Dirección General de Normas Av. Puente de Tecamachalco 6, Piso 2, Lomas de Tecamachalco Sección Fuentes, C.P. 53950 
Naucalpan de Juárez, Estado de México 
Tel.: (+52 55) 5729-9100, Ext. 43220 E-mail: normasomc@economia.gob.mx 
Website: http://www.senasica.gob.mx/?id=5456