. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/CAN/422 
16 February 2010  
 (10-0887) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY MEASURES 
 
1. Notifying Member:  CANADA
 
If applicable, name of local government involved:     
2. Agency responsible:  Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) 
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):  Fresh or chilled tomato fruits ( Solanum lycopersicon  or Lycopersicon 
esculentum ) (ICS Codes:  65.020, 67.080) 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable: 
[ ] All trading partners   
[X] Specific regions or countries:  Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Bahrain, Bolivia, 
Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, France, Greece, Kuwait, Italy, Libya, Malta, Morocco, the Netherlands, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, Tunisia, United Kingdom, Uruguay, and Venezuela  
5. Title of the notified document:     Language:     Number of pages:      
6. Description of content:  Canada is taking emergency measures to mitigate the risk of 
entry, establishment and spread of the plant pest, Tuta absoluta .  As of 24 February 2010, 
tomato fruit entering Canada from countries where Tuta absoluta  is known to occur must 
be accompanied by a Phytosanitary Certificate with an additional declaration stating: 
"This consignment originated from a place where Tuta absoluta  is known not to occur and 
was inspected and found free of Tuta absoluta ." 
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. Nature of the urgent problem(s) and reason for urgent action:  Tuta absoluta  is an 
emerging pest of tomatoes ( Solanum lycopersicum ) for Canada.  It is recognized around the 
world as a serious pest of tomato production.  Tuta absoluta  is very damaging to tomato 
plants and tomato fruit.  This pest originated  in South America but in the past few years it 
has spread rapidly through countries in the Me diterranean Basin.  More recently, it has 
become established in greenhouse e nvironments in Northern Europe. 
Canada currently has no phytosanitary im port requirements in place to prevent the 
introduction of Tuta absoluta  with tomato fruit imported from infested parts of the world. G/SPS/N/CAN/422 
Page 2  
 
  The risk of introduction is the highest during the winter months when Canada imports most 
tomato fruit.  Therefore, the CFIA has decided to put emergency measures in place to reduce the risk of entry of Tuta absoluta  into Canada.  It is important that these 
phytosanitary import requirements be implemen ted immediately in order to effectively 
mitigate the risk of this pest becoming established in Canada. 
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) ISPM N°1, 
Principle 2.11 
[ ] 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 langua ge(s) in which these are available:   -   
11. Date of entry into force ( dd/mm/yy )/period of application (as applicable):  
24 February 2010 
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [X] National Notification 
Authority, [ ] National Enquiry Point.  Address, fax number and e-mail address (if 
available) of other body:    
13. Texts available from:  [ ] National Notification Authority, [ ] National Enquiry Point.  
Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body:   
Supporting documents are not presently available.