. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/USA/2182 
31 March 2011  
 (11-1585) 
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):  Bromeliad plants in growing media 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable: 
[ ] All trading partners   
[X] Specific regions or countries:  Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands  
5. Title of the notified document:  Importation of Bromeliad Plan ts in Growing Media From 
Belgium, Denmark, and the Nether lands (Docket No. APHIS-2010-0005) 
Language(s):  English  Number of pages:  3 
6. Description of content:  The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is proposing to 
amend the regulations governi ng the importation of plants and plant products to add 
Bromeliad plants of the genera Aechme a, Cryptanthus, Guzmania, Hohenbergia, 
Neoregelia, Tillandsia, and Vriesea from Belgium,  Denmark, and the Netherlands to the list 
of plants that may be imported into the United States in an approved growing medium, 
subject to specified growing, inspection, and cer tification requirements.  We are taking this 
action in response to requests from those three countries and after determining that the plants could be imported, under certain c onditions, without resulting in the introduction 
into, or the dissemination within, the United States of a plant pest or noxious weed. 
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)    G/SPS/N/USA/2182 
Page 2  
 
  [ ] 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:  15 March 2011 (Volume 76, Number  50), Notices Pages 13890-13892. Available 
online in English at:  http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-03-15/html/2011-5965.htm   
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-2010-0005) 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-2010-0005 Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238.  Please state that your comment refers to Docket No. APHIS-2010-0005. 
For further information contact:  Mr. William Aley, Senior Import Specialist, Commodity Import Analysis and Operations, 
PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; +1 (301) 734-5057. 
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