. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/USA/1549 
11 May 2007  
 (07-1955) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
 
NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY MEASURES  
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  UNITED STATES  
If applicable, name of local government involved:   
2. Agency responsible:   Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 
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):  Peaches and nectarines 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable :  Any 
US trade partners  
5. Title, language and number of pages of the notified document:  FINAL RULE.   
Propiconazole; Pesticide Tolerances for Emer gency Exemptions (available in English, 
4 pages)  
6. Description of content:  This regulation establ ishes time-limited tolerances for combined 
residues of propiconazole a nd its metabolites containing the dichlorobenzoic acid (DCBA) 
moiety expressed as parent compound, in or on peach and nectarine.  This action is in 
response to EPA's granting of emergency exem ptions under section 18 of the Federal 
Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (F IFRA) authorizing use of the pesticide on 
peach and nectarine as a post-harvest treatm ent.  This regulation establishes maximum 
permissible levels for residues  of propiconazole in these f ood commodities at 2.0 parts per 
million (ppm).  Pre-existing tolerances  were set at 1 ppm for both products. 
7. Objective and rationale:  [ X ] food safety, [ ] animal health, [ X ] plant protection, 
[ X ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [ ] protec t territory from other 
damage from pests    
8. Nature of the urgent problem(s) and reason for urgent action: The applicant states that 
market demands have required producers to change storage practices for peaches and 
nectarines, and allow a pre-ripening time of 48 hours at 68[deg]F to enhance fruit quality, 
prior to placing the fruit in cold storage at 32[deg]F.  This extra step has inadvertently 
fostered increased incidence of sour rot which has caused significant losses to growers.  The 
current storage conditions used were developed to improve fruit quality and satisfy customer 
demands.  Returning to previous storage conditions would not result in acceptable fruit 
quality for the industry or consumer.  Without th e ability to adequately manage sour rot, 
economic data provided indicates that significant economic losses will occur. G/SPS/N/USA/1549 
Page 2  
 
  9. International standard, gu ideline or recommendation:  
[ X ] Codex Alimentarius Commission, [ ] World Organization for Animal Health 
(OIE), [ ] International Plant Protection Convention, [ ] None  
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate 
reference and briefly identify deviations:  The Codex Alimentarious Commission has 
established a maximum residue limit (MRL) fo r propiconazole in/on stone fruit, which 
includes peach and nectarine, at 1.0 ppm, expressed in terms of propiconazole per se. 
10. Relevant documents and language (s) in which these are available:  [Federal Register: 25 
April 2007 (Volume 72, Number 79) Rules and Regulations Pages 20436-20439]; http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA -PEST/2007/April/Day-25/p7678.htm 
11. Date of entry into force/period of  application (as applicable):   This regulation is effective 
25 April 2007 and expires on 31 December 2010.  Objections and requests for hearings must 
be received on or before 25  June 2007, and may be identifi ed by docket number EPA-HQ-
OPP-2007-0224. 
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:  Registration Division, ( 7505P),Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental 
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001 
13. Texts available from: [ X ] National notification  authority, [ ] National enquiry point, or 
address, fax number and E-mail add ress (if available) of other body:  United States SPS 
National Notification Authority, USDA Foreig n Agricultural Service, International 
Regulations and Standards Divi sion (IRSD), Stop 1027, Wash ington D.C. 20250, Tel:  +(1 
202) 720-1301;  Fax:  +(1 202) 690- 0677;  E-mail:  fstsd@fas.usda.gov