G/SPS/N/USA/2844  
 
15 April 2016  
(16-2138)  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: The 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): Fresh pitahaya fruit 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected , to the extent relevant or practicable: 
[ ] All trading partners   
[X] Specific regions or countries: Ecuador  
5. Title of the notified document: Proposed Rule: Importation of Fresh Pitahaya Fruit 
from Ecuador Into the Continental United States (Docket # APHIS-2015-0004)  
Language(s): English  Number of pages: 5 
https://www.regulations.gov/#!docu mentDetail;D=APHIS-2015-0004-0001 
6. Description of content: The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is proposing to 
amend the fruits and vegetables regulations to allow the importation of fresh pitahaya 
fruit into the continental United States from Ecuador. As a condition of entry, the fruit 
would have to be produced in accordance with a systems approach that would include requirements for fruit fly trapping, pre-harvest inspections, approved production sites, 
and packinghouse procedures designed to excl ude quarantine pests. The fruit would also 
be required to be imported in commercial consignments and accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate issued by the national plant protection organization of Ecuador 
stating that the consignment was produced and prepared for export in accordance with 
the requirements of the systems approach. This action would allow for the importation of fresh pitahaya from Ecuador while continuing to provide protection against the introduction of plant pests into the United States. 
Federal Register/Vol. 81, No. 68/Friday, 8 April 2016/pgs.20575-20579. 
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  n u m b e r  o f  C o d e x  
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/2844 
 
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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) : 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 
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [ ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 7 June 2016 
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-2015-0004. 
Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to Docket No. APHIS-2015-0004, 
Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. 
Ms Claudia Ferguson, M.S., Senior Regulatory Policy Specialist, Regulatory Coordination 
and Compliance, Imports, Regulations and Manuals, PPQ, APHIS, +(301) 851 2352; 
E-mail: Claudia.Ferguson@aphis.usda.gov 
Supporting documents and any comments we receive on this docket may be viewed at 
http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2015-0004. 
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 Auth ority, 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