. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/USA/1278 
28 April 2006 
 (06-2021) 
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:  USDA - Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service  (APHIS)  
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):  Small lots of seed  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected , to the extent relevant or practicable:  
Trading partners  
5. Title, language and number of pages of the notified document:  Importation of Small 
Lots of Seed Without Phytosanitary Certificates, Final Rule (Available in English, 6 pages).  
6. Description of content:  We are amending the nursery stock regulations to allow the 
importation of small lots of seed under an import permit with specific conditions, as an 
alternative to the current phytosanitary certif icate requirement.  This change is necessary 
because several entities that import small lots  of seed- individual importers, scientists, 
horticultural societies, arboreta, and small businesses-have had difficulty obtaining the 
necessary certificates and have had difficulty obtaining the necessary certificates and have 
been adversely affected by the phytosanitary certificate requirement.  This change makes it 
feasible for those entities to import small lots of  seed.  In addition, it ensures prompt and 
consistent service for such importers while c ontinuing to protect against the introduction of 
plant pests into the United States and providi ng the Animal and Plant Health Inspection 
Service with necessary information about the qua lity, quantity, and diversity of the imported 
material.  
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. International standard, guideline or recommendation: 
[   ] Codex Alimentarius Commission,  [   ] World Organization for Animal Health 
(OIE), [   ] International Plant Protection Convention,  [   ] 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: 
13 April 2006 (Volume 71, Number 71), Pages 19097-19102. http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/24 22/01jan20061800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/06-
3554.htm  (Available in English).  G/SPS/N/USA/1278 
Page 2  
 
  10. Proposed date of adoption:  Not specified 
11. Proposed date of entry into force:  15 May 2006  
12. Final date for comments:   
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [ X ] National notification 
authority, [   ] National enquiry point,  or address, fax number and E-mail address (if 
available) of other body:  Ms Julie Morin, United States SPS National Notification 
Authority, USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, Food Safety & Technical Services Division, Stop 1027, Washington, DC 20250.  Tel:  202- 720-5683;  Fax:  202-690-0677;  E-mail: 
fstsd@fas.usda.gov
 
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:  
Ms Julie Morin, United States SPS National Notification Authority, USDA Foreign 
Agricultural Service, Food Safety & Technical Services Division, Stop 1027, Washington, DC 20250.  Tel:  202-720-5683;  Fa x:  202-690-0677;  E-mail:  fstsd@fas.usda.gov