WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
G/SPS/N/USA/2295 
15 November 2011  
 (11-5863) 
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):  Dracaena plants 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable: 
[ ] All trading partners   
[X] Specific regions or countries:  Costa Rica  
5. Title of the notified document:  Proposed Rule: Importation of Dracaena Plants From 
Costa Rica (Docket No. APHIS-2011-0073)  Language(s):  English  Number of pages:  6 
"http://frwebgate2.access.gpo.gov/cgi-
bin/TEXTgate.cgi?WAISdocID=1bvO 4L/0/1/0&WAISaction=retrieve " 
6. Description of content:  The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is 
proposing to amend the plants for planting regulations to provide conditions for the 
importation into the continental United States of Dracaena spp. plants from Costa Rica.  
These conditions would apply to plants less th an 460 mm in length, which are currently 
allowed to be imported, and would also a llow for the importation of plants over 460 mm 
and up to 1,371.6 mm in length, which are curre ntly prohibited.  As a condition of entry, 
Dracaena spp. plants from Costa Rica would have to be produced in accordance with 
integrated pest risk management measures th at would include requirements for registration 
of places of production and packinghouses, a pest management plan, inspection for 
quarantine pests, sanitation, and traceabilit y from place of production through the packing 
and export facility and to the port of entry into  the United States.  All Dracaena spp. plants 
from Costa Rica would also be required to be  accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate 
with an additional declaration stating that a ll conditions for the importation of the plants 
have been met and that the consignment of plants has been inspected and found free of 
quarantine pests.  This action would allow for the importation of oversized Dracaena spp. 
plants from Costa Rica into the United States while continuing to provide protection against 
the introduction of quarantine pests. 
Federal Register Volume 76, Number 211 (Tuesday, 1 November 2011), Pages 67379-
67384 G/SPS/N/USA/2295 
Page 2  
 
  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 
3 January 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-2011-0073-0001  
Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your  comment to Docket No. APHIS-2011-0073, 
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-2011-0073  
For further information contact:  Mr. William D. Aley, Senior Import Specialist, Plants for 
Planting Policy, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; +1 
(301) 734-5057  G/SPS/N/USA/2295 
 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