. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/USA/1921 
22 April 2009  
 (09-1921) 
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 number(s) as specified in national schedules 
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where 
applicable):  Wooden handicrafts 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable: 
[   ] All trading partners, or 
[ X ] Specific regions or countries:  China  
5. Title of the notified document:  Proposed Rule:  Importation of Wooden Handicrafts from 
China (Docket No. APHIS-2007-0117)  Language:  English  Number of pages:  6 
6. Description of content:  The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is proposing to 
amend the regulations to provide for the im portation of wooden handi crafts from China 
under certain conditions.  From 2002 to 2005, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection 
Services (APHIS) issued more than 300 em ergency action notices and conducted national 
recalls to remove infested Chinese-origin w ooden handicrafts from the US marketplace.  In 
2005, APHIS suspended the importation of cer tain Chinese wooden handicrafts until we 
could more fully analyze the pest risks asso ciated with those articles.  Based on the 
evidence in a recent pest risk  analysis, APHIS has determined that these articles can be 
safely imported from China, provided certain c onditions are met.  This action would allow 
for trade in Chinese wooden handicrafts to r esume while continuing to protect the United 
States against the introduction of plant pests. 
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)     G/SPS/N/USA/1921 
Page 2  
 
   [   ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM N°)     
[ X ] None Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?   
 [   ] 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:  9 April 2009 (Volume 74, Number 67), Notices Pages 16146-16151.  Available online in English at:  http://edocket.access.gpo. gov/2009/E9-8102.htm
 
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) :  Not applicable 
Propose 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 
[   ] Trade facilitating measure 
12. Final date for comments: [   ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or ( dd/mm/yy ):  8 June 2009 
Agency or authority designated to handle 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–2007-0117) to subm it 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–2007–0117, Regulator y 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–2007–0117. 
For further information contact: 
Mr. John Tyrone Jones, Trade Director (F orestry Products), Phytosanitary Issues 
Management, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 140, Riverdale, MD 20737 1231;  Tel:  +(1 301) 734 8860 
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 Division (IRSD), Stop 1027, Washington D.C. 
20250;  Tel:  +(1 202) 720 1301;  Fax:  +(1 202) 720 0433;  E-mail:  us.spsenquirypoint@fas.usda.gov