. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/USA/1972 
2 February 2010  
 (10-0520) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY MEASURES 
 
1. Notifying Member:  UNITED STATES
 
If applicable, name of local government involved:     
2. Agency responsible:  Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the US 
Department of Agriculture 
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):  Plants for planting, except seed, of: Acrocomia, Astrocaryum, Attalea, 
Bactris, Brahea, Butia, Calamus, Chamerops , Desmoncus, Euterpe, Manicaria, Mauritia, 
Metroxylon, Oncosperma, Roystonea, Sabal, Washingtonia  
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:  Federal Import Quarantine Order for the Palm Pests 
Rhynchophorus ferrugineus  Olivier (Red Palm Weevil), R. palmarum  Linnaeus (Giant 
Palm Weevil), and Bursaphelenchus cocophilus  Cobb (Red Ring Nematode) (dated 
25 January 2010)  Language:  English  Number of pages:  2   
6. Description of content:  The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is 
issuing a Federal Order pursuant to the regulatory authority provided by the Plant 
Protection Act of June 20, 2000, as amended, Section 412(a), 7 U.S.C. 7712(a), to prohibit 
the importation of plants for planting which may host Rhynchophorus ferrugineus  Olivier 
(Red Palm Weevil), R. palmarum  Linnaeus (Giant Palm Weevil) and Bursaphelenchus 
cocophilus  Cobb (Red Ring Nematode).  To prevent the introduction and dissemination of 
these plant pests into the United States, this Federal Order will be implemented beginning 
10 February 2010. 
Federal Orders will remain in effect until they are revised by another Federal Order or until 
an interim rule on the subject is published. 
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.    G/SPS/N/USA/1972 
Page 2  
 
  8. Nature of the urgent problem(s) and reason for urgent action:  Rhynchophorus 
ferrugineus has rapidly spread throughout palm-growing regions of the Persian Gulf and 
Europe, and R. palmarum , along with its parasite, Bursaphelenchus cocophilus are widely 
distributed in tropical regions of Central a nd South America.  These harmful, polyphagous 
palm pests have quickly spread to multiple c ountries through the nursery trade and have the 
potential to be a serious economic pest in palm growing areas of the United States.  
Infestation by these pests usually goes undetected until the damage is so severe that it generally results in the death of the host plants .  All three of these pests conceal themselves 
within the stems of their hosts and this ch aracteristic makes detection difficult during port 
of entry inspection, especially in the absence of symptoms.  These pests are not known to 
occur in the United States and are not known to be seed-transmitted.  This action is 
necessary to prevent the introduction and dissem ination into the United States of these 
harmful palm pests. 
9. Is there a relevant international standard ?  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) This notification 
complies with the International Sta ndard on Phytosanitary Measures No.13 
"Guidelines for the notification of non-compliance and emergency action".  This action is in accordance with the prin ciples related to emergency action of 
Article VII of the revised text of the International Plant Protection Convention. 
[ ] 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:    
10. Other relevant documents and language (s) in which these are available: 
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/import_export/plants/ plant_imports/federal_order/index.shtml    
11. Date of entry into force ( dd/mm/yy )/period of application (as applicable):  
10 February 2010 
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. 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:  For additional information regarding this Federal Order, please 
contact:  pq.ippc.notification@aphis.usda.gov  
13. Texts available from:  [X] National Notification Authority, [ ] National Enquiry Point.  
Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body:  United States 
SPS National Notification Authority, USDA Fore ign Agricultural Service, International 
Regulations and Standards Division (IRSD), Stop 1027, Washington D.C. 20250;  Tel:  +(1 
202) 720 1301;  Fax:  +(1 202) 720 0433;  E-mail:  us.s psenquirypoint@fas.usda.gov