. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/EEC/314 
1 August 2007  
 (07-3290) 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
 
   
NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY MEASURES  
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
 
If applicable, name of local government involved:    
2. Agency responsible:   Commission of the European Communities. Health & Consumer 
Protection Directorate-General  - Directorate E – Safety of the Food Chain 
3. Products covered (provide tariff item numb er(s) as specified in national schedules 
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where applicable):  Susceptible plants to red palm weevil [ Rhynchophorus ferrugineus  (Olivier)]. 
HS 0602 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable :  
Member States of the European Communities (EC)  and third countries exporting the plants  
concerned to the EC.  
5. Title, language and number of pages of the notified document:  Commission Decision 
2007/365/EC of 25 May 2007 on emergency measures to prevent the introduction into and 
the spread within the Community of Rhynchophorus ferrugineus  (Olivier) (O.J. Num. L139 
31.05.2007, pp.:24-26), available at:  http://eur-lex.europa.eu/en/index.htm  
6. Description of content:  Emergency measures against the introduction into and spread 
within the European Communities of Rhynchophorus ferrugineus  (Olivier) through the 
import, production, movement and control of susceptible plants in the European 
Communities. 
Susceptible plants (of the Palmae family) are defined as plants, other than fruit and seeds, 
having a diameter of the stem at  the base of over 5 cm of Areca catechu, Arenga pinnata, 
Borassus flabellifer , Calamus merillii, Caryota maxima, Ca ryota cumingii, Cocos nucifera, 
Corypha gebanga, Corypha elata, Elaeis guineensis, Livistona decipiens, Metroxylon sagu, Oreodoxa regia, Phoenix canariensis, Phoenix dactylifera, Phoenix theophrasti, Phoenix 
sylvestris, Sabal umbraculifera, Trachy carpus fortunei and Washingtonia spp. ; 
The measures will be reviewed after one year. 
7. Objective and rationale:  [ ] food safety, [ ] animal health, [ X ] plant protection, [ 
] protect humans from animal/pla nt pest or disease, [ X ] protect territory from other 
damage from pests    G/SPS/N/EEC/314 
Page 2  
 
  8. Nature of the urgent problem(s) and reason for urgent action:  The presence of red 
palm weevil has been detected in some areas of the EC territory.  Available scientific 
information has shown that the presence of  Rhynchophorus ferrugineus  (Olivier) on the 
above plants can lead to further spreading.  Therefore, specific measures to protect plants of Palmae family from attack of this harmful organism are urgently needed.  A survey to 
check for the presence or continued absence of  the specified organism  will be carried out 
on all plants of Palmae family in the member States to collect more scientific information 
about the susceptibility of plants.  The meas ures will be reviewed after one year. 
9. International standard, guideline or recommendation:  
[ ] Codex Alimentarius Commission, [ ] World Organization for Animal Health 
(OIE), [ X ] International Plant Protection Convention, [ ] None  
If an international standard, guidelin e or recommendation exists, give the 
appropriate reference and briefly identify deviations:  This notification complies with 
the International Standard on Phytosanitary Measures No.13 "Guidelines for the 
notification of non-compliance and emergency action".  Moreover, the European 
Communities follows International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures No.4 for the 
establishment of pest-free areas. 
10. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:   More information 
on EC plant health regime for the control of harmful organisms within the European 
Communities is available at  the link indicated below: 
http://ec.europa.eu/food/plant/organisms/emergency/index_en.htm   
11. Date of entry into force/period of application (as applicable):  25 May 2007    
12. Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [ ] National notification 
authority, [ ] National enquiry point, or  address, fax number and E-mail address (if 
available) of other body:    
13. Texts available from: [ ] Nation al notification authority, [  X ] EC enquiry point, or 
address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:   
E-mail: sps@ec.europa.eu