WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
G/SPS/N/USA/2315 
4 January 2012  
 (12-0009) 
Committee on Sanitary and 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):  Chinese sand pears 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable: 
[ ] All trading partners   
[X] Specific regions or countries:  China  
5. Title of the notified document:  Proposed Rule: Importation of Chinese Sand Pears From 
China (Docket No. APHIS-2011-0007)  Language(s):  English  Number of pages:  5 
 http://www.regulations.gov/#!docum entDetail;D=APHIS-2011-0007-0001  
6. Description of content:  The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is proposing to 
amend the fruits and vegetables regulations to allow the importation of Chinese sand pears 
(Pyrus pyrifolia ) from China into the United States.  As a condition of entry, sand pears 
from areas in China in which the Oriental fruit fly ( Bactrocera dorsalis ) is not known to 
exist would have to be produced in accordance with a systems approach that would include 
requirements for registration of places of pr oduction and packinghouses, sourcing of pest-
free propagative material, inspection for quaran tine pests at set intervals by the national 
plant protection organization of China, bagging of fruit, safeguarding, labelling, and 
importation in commercial consignments.  Sand pears from areas in China in which Oriental fruit fly is known to exist could be im ported into the United States if, in addition to 
these requirements, the places of production and packinghouses have a monitoring system in place for Oriental fruit fly and the pears are treated with cold treatment.  All sand pears 
from China would also be required to be accomp anied by a phytosanitary certificate with an 
additional declaration stating that all conditions  for the importation of the pears have been 
met and that the consignment of pears has been inspected  and found free of quarantine 
pests.  This action would allow for the im portation of sand pears from China into the 
United States while continuing to provide pr otection against the introduction of quarantine 
pests. 
Federal Register Volume 76, Number 242 (Friday, 16 December 2011), Pages 78168-
78172 G/SPS/N/USA/2315 
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  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)   
[ ] 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:      
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) :  We will consider all comments that we receive on or before 
14 February 2012. 
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/#!docum entDetail;D=APHIS-2011-0007-0001 . 
Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your  comment to Docket No. APHIS-2011-0007, 
Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, AP HIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road 
Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. 
Supporting documents and any comments we receive on this docket may be viewed at 
http://www.regulations.gov/#! docketDetail;D=APHIS-2011-0007 . 
For further information contact: Mrs. Donna L.  West, Senior Import Specialist, Regulatory 
Coordination and Compliance, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 
20737-1231; +1 (301) 734-0627.  G/SPS/N/USA/2315 
 Page 3 
 
 
  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), St op 1014, Washington D.C. 20250;  Tel:  +1 
(202) 720 1301;  Fax:  +1  (202) 720 0433;  E-mail:  us.spsenquirypoint@fas.usda.gov