. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/USA/1340 
20 June 2006 
 (06-2998) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
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):  Almonds, apples/crabapples, highbush and lowbush blueberries, Brussels 
sprouts, cherries, nursery stock, parsley, pear s, pistachios, and walnuts;  apples, peaches, 
nectarines, apricots, plums/prunes, and grapes  
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:  NOTICE.   Azinphos-
methyl and Phosmet Proposed Decisions; Noti ce of Availability (Available in English, 
2 pages).  
6. Description of content:   
This notice announces the availability of EPA's  proposed re-evaluation decisions for the 
pesticides azinphos-methyl and phosmet, the gr ower impact assessments, human health 
documents, environmental fate and effects documents, and othe r related documents.  EPA is 
proposing a schedule to phase out the remaini ng uses of azinphos-methyl and is proposing 
to lengthen some restricted-entry intervals (REIs) and seek additional biomonitoring data for the nine time-limited uses of phosmet.  EPA is also proposing certain additional restrictions on the use of azinphos-methyl and phosmet.  EPA is proposing a schedule to 
phase out the remaining uses of azinphos-methy l and is proposing to lengthen some 
restricted-entry intervals (REIs) and seek a dditional biomonitoring data for the nine time-
limited uses of phosmet. EPA is also proposing certain additional restrictions on the use of 
azinphos-methyl and phosmet.  
In its notice, EPA is proposing that the remaining uses of azinphos-methyl be phased out 
according to the following schedule:  almonds, pistachios, walnuts, Brussels sprouts, and 
nursery stock in 2007 and apples/crabapples, blueberries, cherries, pears, and parsley in 2010.  EPA is also proposing certain additio nal risk-mitigation restrictions and activities, 
including larger buffers, reducing annual a pplication rates, and eliminating the few 
remaining aerial uses.  G/SPS/N/USA/1340 
Page 2  
 
  7. Objective and rationale:  [ X ] food safety, [   ] animal health, [ X ] plant protection, 
[ X ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [   ] protect territory from other damage from pests   
8. 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:   
9. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  Federal Register: 
9 June 2006 (Volume 71, Number 111) Pa ges 33448-33449 (Available in English). 
http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA -PEST/2006/June/Day-09/p8929.htm   
10. Proposed date of adoption:   
11. Proposed date of entry into force:   
12. Final date for comments:  8 August 2006  
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [   ] National notification 
authority, [ X ] National enquiry point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if 
available) of other body:  Special Review and  Registration Division (7508P), Office of 
Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001  
13. Texts available from:  [ X ] National notifi cation authority, [   ] National enquiry 
point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:  
Ms Deborah Thompson, United States SPS Nati onal Notification Authority, USDA Foreign 
Agricultural Service, Food Safety & Technical Services Division, Stop 1027, Washington D.C. 20250.  Tel:  202-720-4051;  Fax:  202-690-0677;  E-mail:  fstsd@fas.usda.gov