. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/GTM/34 
26 May 2005 
 (05-2153) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   Spanish 
  
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  GUATEMALA
 
If applicable, name of local government involved:        
2. Agency responsible:  Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food  
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):  Wood packaging material  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable: 
 Countries trading with Guatemala  
5. Title, language and number of pages of the notified document :  Ministerial Agreement 
No. 2055-2004 of 15 December 2004. Provisi ons Governing Wood Packaging Material 
used in International Trade (12 pages)  
6. Description of content:  The Agreement regulates certifica tion of raw coniferous and non-
coniferous wood packaging material with a vi ew to controlling quarantine pests associated 
therewith, and establishes rules for the registrati on of natural and legal persons that treat raw 
wood packaging material used in internationa l trade.  The Agreement does not cover wood 
packaging manufactured entirely from wood products such as plywood, particle board, 
oriented strand board or veneer sheets manufactured using glue, heat and pressure or a combination thereof.  Nor does it cover wood packaging such as ven eer peeler cores (by-
products of veneer production), sawdust, wood chip s (raw or thinly cut to a thickness of less 
than six millimetres), wood wool. 
 It also sets forth requirements for the re gistration of natural or legal persons that 
carry out chemical and/or heat treatment on raw wood packaging used in shipments;  
establishes the period of validity of the registra tion of natural or legal persons;  describes the 
equipment, personal protection gear, materials and plant to be used in chemical (methyl 
bromide) treatment using fixed chambers and the characteristics thereof;  the fumigation equipment and materials (and pe rsonal protection gear) to be used in chemical (methyl 
bromide) treatment using the tent method;  technical specifications for chemical treatment 
and heat treatment;  pest families targeted by the treatment;  treatment certificate;  packaging mark;  requirements for recycled, re manufactured or repaired wood packaging;  
types of packaging;  agricultural pesticides;  reciprocity under this Agreement;  prohibitions 
and disciplinary measures;  transitional measures and validity.  
7. Objective and rationale: [    ] food safety,  [    ] animal health,  [  X ] plant protection, 
[   ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [  X ] protect territory from 
other damage from pests        G/SPS/N/GTM/34 
Page 2  
 
 8. International standard, guideline or recommendation: 
[   ] Codex Alimentarius Commission,  [   ] World Organization for Animal Health 
(OIE), [ X ] International Plant Protection Convention,  [   ] None If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate 
reference and briefly identify deviations:  ISPM No. 15:  Guidelines for regulating wood 
packaging material in international trade.  
9. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  Ministerial 
Agreement 2055-2004 of 15 December 2004 (available in Spanish)  
10. Proposed date of adoption:  Guatemala, 25 January 2005  
11. Proposed date of entry into force:  Guatemala, 26 January 2005  
12. Final date for comments:  60 days after date of notification  
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [  X ] National notification 
authority, [  X ] National enquiry point, or add ress, fax number and E-mail address (if 
available) of other body:   
Ministerio de Agricultura, Ganadería y Alim entación, Unidad de Políticas e Información 
Estratégica, Área de Información, 5ª. Avenida 8-06 zona 9, Guatemala City.  Tel.: (502) 2361-7786, 2334-1048;  Fax:  (502) 2361-7783;  E-mail:  
informacion.upie@maga.gob.gt
 
 Enquiry Point
: 
Contact Person :  Gustavo Adolfo Hernández Arreaga 
E-mail:  ghernandez@maga.gob.gt  
 
Ministerio de Agricultura, Ganadería y Alim entación, Unidad de Normas y Regulaciones, 
Oficina de Normas y Procedimientos, 7ª. Av enida 12-90 zona 13, Anexo Edificio Monja 
Blanca.  Fax:  (502) 24753058, 2457-30 68, 2475-3074;  E-mail:  correo@unr.gob.gt  
 
13. Texts available from:  [  X ] National notification authority, [  X ] National enquiry 
point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:        
Ministerio de Agricultura, Ganadería y Alim entación, Unidad de Políticas e Información 
Estratégica, Área de Información, 5ª. Avenida 8-06 zona 9, Guatemala City.
Tel.:  (502) 2361-7786, 2334-1048;  Fax:  (502) 2361-7783;  E-mail:  
informacion.upie@maga.gob.gt  
 Enquiry Point
: 
Contact Person :  Gustavo Adolfo Hernández Arreaga 
E-mail:  ghernandez@maga.gob.gt  
 
Ministerio de Agricultura, Ganadería y Alim entación, Unidad de Normas y Regulaciones, 
Oficina de Normas y Procedimientos, 7ª. Av enida 12-90 zona 13, Anexo Edificio Monja 
Blanca.  Fax:  (502) 24753058, 2457-30 68, 2475-3074;  E-mail:  correo@unr.gob.gt