. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/MEX/211 
18 July 2007 
 (07-3044) 
Committee on Sanitary and 
Phytosanitary Measures Original:   Spanish 
 
  
NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY MEASURES 
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  MEXICO
 
If applicable, name of loca l government involved:        
2. Agency responsible:  Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales  – SEMARNAT 
(Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources)  
3. Products covered (provide tariff item nu mber(s) as specified in national schedules 
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where applicable):
 Trees and forestry raw materials, products and by-products, including wood packaging 
material.  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable:  Mexico's 
trading partners  
5. Title, language and number of pages of the notified document:  Norma Oficial Mexicana de 
Emergencia NOM-EM-154-SEMARNAT-2007, por  la que se establecen las medidas 
fitosanitarias para controlar, erradicar y prev enir la diseminación del termes Coptotermes 
gestroi (Emergency Mexican Official Sta ndard NOM-EM-154-SEMARNAT-2007, 
establishing phytosanitary measures to control, eradicate and prevent the spread of the Coptotermes gestroi  termite (available in Spanish, 6 pages)  
6. Description of content:  The purpose of this standard is to establish the phytosanitary 
measures which must be observed by the owners or possessors of any type of tree or forestry 
raw material, product or by-product, including wood packaging material, with a view to 
controlling, eradicating and preventing the spread of the Coptotermes gestroi  termite.  
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. Nature of the urgent problem(s) and reasons for urgent action:  An infestation of the 
Coptotermes gestroi  termite was recently detected in the urban area of the town of 
Aguascalientes, Aguascalientes, and in the port of Manzanillo, Colima.  In accordance with the 
risk analysis on Coptotermes gestroi  carried out by the General Directorate of Forestry and Soil 
Management, this termite is considered to pos e a high phytosanitary risk and represents a 
serious threat for Mexico's forest ecosystems.  Moreover, the Coptotermes gestroi  termite has 
been classified as very high risk because of its potential to settle and spread and its economic 
and environmental impact.  Given the biological ch aracteristics of this termite and its ability to 
disperse, it is highly feasible that its distribution is wider than currently thought.  G/SPS/N/MEX/211 
Page 2  
 
  9. International standard, gu ideline or recommendation: 
[   ] Codex Alimentarius Commission, [   ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), 
[   ] International Plant Protection Convention, [ X ] None 
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate 
reference and briefly identify deviations:       
10. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  Diario Oficial de la 
Federación (Mexican Official Journal) of 8 May 2007 (http://www.dof.gob.mx) (available in 
Spanish)  
11. Date of entry into force/period of application (as applicable):  9 May 2007  
12. Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [   ] National notification authority, 
[ X ] National enquiry point or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of 
other body:         
13. Texts available from: [   ] National notification authority, [ X ] National enquiry point or 
address, fax number and E-mail addres s (if available) of other body:  
Dirección General de Normas de la Secretaría de Economía 
Tel.: +(52) 55 5729 9300, ext. 43221 
Fax: +(52) 55 5520 9715 
E-mail: normasomc@economia.gob.mx  
Web site:  http://www.economia-noms.gob.mx/