. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/USA/1590 
13 June 2007  
 (07-2492) 
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 number(s) as specified in national schedules 
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where applicable):  Honey 
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.  
Fenpyroximate; Pesticide Tolerances for Emer gency Exemptions (available in English, 
6 pages)  
6. Description of content:  This regulation establishes a time-limited tolerance for combined 
residues of fenpyroximate in or on honey. This action is in response to EPA's granting of 
an emergency exemption federal law authorizin g use of the pesticide in managed beehives. 
This regulation establishes a maximum permissi ble level for residues of fenpyroximate in 
this food commodity. The tolerance expi res and is revoked on 31 December 2010. 
7. Objective and rationale:  [ ] food safety, [ X ] animal health, [ ] plant protection, [ 
] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [ X ] protect territory from other 
damage from pests    
8. Nature of the urgent problem(s) and reason for urgent action:  The varroa mite (Varroa 
jacobsoni) is an ectoparasite of honeybees. It was first detected in the continental United 
States in 1979 and is currently the most importa nt pest of honey bee colonies. The feeding 
of varroa mites has a number of effects on th e bee from damaging tissue to shortening the 
bee's life span as an adult. Further, the m ites vector disease viruses and heavy levels of 
parasitism increase bee mortality and weaken co lonies. Fluvalinate is currently registered 
for the control of varroa mites; however, populations of varroa mites have developed 
resistance to fluvalinate. The applicants fo r this use pattern assert that the continued 
survival of managed bee colonies is critical to the production of many agricultural crops and it is becoming increasingly difficult to contro l varroa mites due to pesticide resistance. 
EPA has authorized under FIFRA section 18 the use of fenpyroximate on honey for control 
of varroa mites in Nebraska, North Dakota, New York, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington 
States. In addition, EPA has authorized the u se of fenpyroximate in beehives for control of 
varroa mites in Texas. After having reviewed the submission, EPA concurs that emergency 
conditions exist for these states. G/SPS/N/USA/1590 
Page 2  
 
  9. International standard, guideline or recommendation:  
[ ] Codex Alimentarius Commission, [ ] World Organization for Animal Health 
(OIE), [ ] International Plant Protection Convention, [ X ] None  
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give the 
appropriate reference and briefly identify deviations:    
10. Relevant documents and language(s ) in which these are available:   Federal Register: 
9 May 2007 (Volume 72, Number 89) Ru les and Regulations Page 26317-26322; 
http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-PEST/2007/May/Day-09/p8954.htm 
11. Date of entry into force/period of application (as applicable):  This regulation is 
effective 9 May 2007 and expires on 31 Dece mber 2010.  Objections and requests for 
hearings must be received on or before 9 July 2007, and may be identified by docket 
number EPA-HQ-OPP-2007-0237. 
12. Agency or authority designated to handl e 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 Fore ign Agricultural Service, International 
Regulations and Standards Division (IRSD), St op 1027, Washington D.C. 20250;  Tel.:+(1 
202) 720-1301;  Fax: +(1 202) 69 0-0677;  E-mail: fstsd@fas.usda.gov