. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/USA/2184 
31 March 2011  
 (11-1593) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
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):  Figs and pomegranates 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable: 
[ ] All trading partners   
[X] Specific regions or countries:  Chile  
5. Title of the notified document:  Proposed Rule:  Importation of Figs and Pomegranates 
From Chile Under a Systems Approach (Docket No. APHIS-2010-0024)  Language(s):  
English  Number of pages:  4 
6. Description of content:  The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is proposing to 
amend the fruits and vegetables regulations to  allow the importation into the continental 
United States of figs and pomegranates from Ch ile, subject to a systems approach.  Under 
this systems approach, the fruit would have to  be grown in a place of production that is 
registered with the Government of Chile and certified as having a low prevalence of 
Brevipalpus chilensis .  The fruit would have to undergo pre-harvest sampling at the 
registered production site.  Following post-harv est processing, the fruit would have to be 
inspected in Chile at an approved inspection s ite.  Each consignment of fruit would have to 
be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate with  an additional declaration stating that the 
fruit had been found free of Brevipalpus chilensis  based on field and packinghouse 
inspections.  This proposed rule would allow the safe importation of fresh figs and 
pomegranates from Chile using mitigation meas ures other than fumigation with methyl 
bromide. 
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 stan dard?  If so, identify the standard:  
[ ] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex standard 
or related text)   G/SPS/N/USA/2184 
Page 2  
 
  [ ] 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)    
[ ] 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:    
9. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  Federal 
Register:  16 March 2011 (Volume 76, Nu mber 51), Notices Pages 14320-14323.  
Available online in English at:  http://www. regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=APHIS-
2010-0024-0001   
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 
[X] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments:  [ ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the notification 
and/or (dd/mm/yy) :  16 May 2011 
Agency or authority designated to handl e 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/
 and search on the 
docket number (APHIS-2010-002 4) to submit or view comments and to view 
supporting and related materials available electronically. 
• Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery:  Please send two copies of your comment to Docket 
No. APHIS-2010-0024 Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Rive rdale, MD 20737-1238.  Please state that 
your comment refers to Docket No. APHIS-2010-0024. 
For further information contact:  
Ms Claudia Ferguson, Regulatory Policy Specialist, Regulatory Coordination and 
Compliance, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road  Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737 1231;  
+(1 301) 734 0754. 
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 Foreign Agricultural Service, 
International Regulations and Standards Di vision (IRSD), Stop 1027, Washington D.C. 
20250;  Tel:  +(1 202) 720 1301;  Fax:  +(1 202) 720 0433;  E-mail:  us.spsenquirypoint@fas.usda.gov