WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/GEN/999 
8 March 2010 
 (10-1223) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
REPORT OF THE INTERNATIONAL PLANT PROTECTION  
CONVENTION SECRETARIAT (IPPC) 
 
Meeting of 17-18 March 2010
 
 
 
 The following communication, received on 4 March 2010, is being circulated at the request of 
the IPPC . 
 
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I. INTRODUCTION 
1. The report covers the period November 2009 to  February 2010.  Annexed is the list of 
approved International Standards for Phytosanita ry Measures (ISPMs) current up to March 2010. 
2. The Committee is invited to note that the Fi fth Session of the Commission on Phytosanitary 
Measures (CPM-5) will be held in Rome from 22- 26 March 2010.  The following standards are being 
proposed for adoption: 
- A new ISPM on Pest free potato ( Solanum spp .) micropropagative material and 
minitubers for international trade; 
- An appendix to ISPM No. 26 (Establishment of pest free areas for fruit flies 
(Tephritidae) on Fruit fly trapping; 
- A new ISPM on Design and operation of post-entry quarantine stations for plants; 
- Annexes to ISPM No. 28 ( Phytosanitary treatments for regulated pests ) 
• Irradiation treatment for Conotrachelus nenuphar  
• Irradiation treatment for Cylas formicarius elegantulus   
• Irradiation treatment for Euscepes postfasciatus  
• Irradiation treatment for Grapholita molesta   
• Irradiation treatment for Grapholita molesta  under hypoxia 
- An amendment to ISPM No. 5 (Glossary of phytosanitary terms). 
II. STANDARD-SETTING WORK PROGRAMME  (UPDATE:  FEBRUARY 2010) 
A. STANDARDS COMMITTEE (SC) 
3. The SC met in November 2009 at FAO Headquarters in Rome, Italy.  It reviewed four draft 
ISPMs and recommended them to the CPM for adop tion under the regular process.  The SC also 
reviewed recommendations made by the Technical Panel for the Glossary (TPG) to correct 
inconsistencies in a number of adopted ISPMs.  In  addition, the SC approved two specifications for 
member consultation and requested the secretariat to call for new submissions of cold treatments.  The G/SPS/GEN/999 
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  SC also proposed some adjustments to the work programme to the CPM, including the addition of 
four new topics. 
B. C
ALL FOR EXPERTS  
4. In December 2009, the IPPC secretariat made a ca ll for nomination of experts to take part in 
the work of an Expert Working Group (EWG) to develop a draft ISPM for Specification 48 (International movement of used vehicles, machiner y and equipment) and an EWG to develop a draft 
ISPM for Specification 43 (Movement of soil an d growing media in association with plants in 
international trade).  
C. M
EMBER CONSULTATION FOR DRAFT SPECIFICATIONS  
5. In December 2009, the secretariat made availabl e on the International Phytosanitary Protocol 
(IPP), for a 60 day member consultation, four draft specifications that had been approved by the SC.  
National Plant Protection Organizations (NPPOs), Regional Plant Protection Organizations (RPPOs) 
and relevant international organi zations  were invited to submit their comments to the secretariat. 
D. CALLS FOR PHYTOSANITARY TREATMENTS  
6. At the November 2009 SC meeting it was noted that there was a need for additional cold 
treatments for pests of Citrus spp .  In December 2009, the secretariat made a call for submissions of 
additional cold treatments for th e control of the fruit flies Ceratitis capitata  and Bactrocera tryoni  on 
Citrus spp . 
III. INFORMATION EXCHANGE 
A. CONTACT POINTS  
7. In 2009 81 per cent of IPPC contact points have updated their information at least once.  This 
contributes substantially to improving communication be tween the secretariat and contracting parties. 
B. UNOFFICIAL CONTACT POINTS  
8. The following contracting parties have unofficial contact points and still need to make formal 
nominations for official IPPC contact points: 
- Africa: Botswana, Seychelles; 
- Asia: Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Myanmar;  
- Europe: Greece, Italy;  
- Latin America and the Caribbean: Ba hamas, Saint Kitts and Nevis;  
- Near East: Bahrain, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates;  
- Southwest Pacific: Fiji, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Vanuatu. 
C. INTERNATIONAL PHYTOSANITARY PORTAL (IPP) 
9. At the beginning of December 2009, a new re vamped and updated version of the IPPC 
website ( https://www.ippc.int  ) was released.  The changes and u pdates were based on considerable 
feedback from all groups of users of the IPP.  Th e new website looks very fresh, different and has a 
number of improvements to make it user friendly and relevant.  Updating of reported information 
stills remains a concern.  Contracting parties are urged to update the IPP.  G/SPS/GEN/999 
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D. PEST REPORTING  
10. National pest reporting continues to improve, w ith increased reports and numbers of countries 
reporting.  However, there is still consider able room for improvement in reporting. 
11. In 2009, it was agreed that countries can choose to undertake pest reporting through their 
RPPO.  The form for countries to provide authority to RPPOs to undertake pest reporting on their 
behalf as requested is available on the IPP: https://www.ippc.int/inde x.php?id=13363& tx_publication_pi1[showUid]=215756
 
IV. CAPACITY BUILDING  
A. STRATEGY AND OPERATIONAL PLAN 
12. The IPPC convened an Open-ended Working Group (OEWG) on Phytosanitary Capacity 
Building in Rome in December 2009 to finalise a stra tegy and operational plan.  The phytosanitary 
capacity building strategy and the operational plan  will be presented to CPM-5 for approval.  The 
strategic framework document is available on the IPP. 
B. PROJECTS (PHYTOSANITARY CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT ) 
13. The main aim of the projects th at the IPPC is involved in c oncerns the proper implementation 
of the IPPC standards and the Convention.  The secretariat continued its collaboration with donor 
agencies and contracting parties in the delivery of technical assistance for capacity building in 
projects funded through various sources.  The secretariat, under a supervisory or implementation 
agreement signed between the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF) and FAO, provided 
its services to the three STDF projects listed.  A total of eight projects are being supported and are 
outlined below.  
- UNJP/URT/129/MUL - Bio security capacity building : this project is funded under the 
One UN  basket funding to address national priorities.  The secretariat assisted the 
government of the United Republic of Tan zania in identifying as well as addressing 
priorities in the context of national biosecurity. 
- STDF 171- Establishment of a Centre of Phytosanitary Excellen ce (COPE) in East 
Africa  
- STDF 230- Establishment of Lethal yellowing Disease- free areas for coconuts in 
Mozambique  
- STDF 133- Capacity building in the use of the Phytosanitary Capacity Evaluation Tool 
in the Pacific : This project has concluded its planned activities and a final report is 
being prepared. 
- TCP/MOZ/3205: Management and mitigation measures for alien invasive fruit fly 
(Bactrocera invadens) in Mozambique  
- TCP/INS/3203: Strengthening Quarantine Control Systems for Invasive Alien Species 
(IAS)  
- TCP/ERI/3204: Strengthening capacity for integrated pest management (IPM) in 
Eritrea  Citrus pilot IPM programme:  Under this project the IPPC provided training on 
information exchange and pest risk anal ysis.  Further intervention will focus on 
improving surveillance capacity and pest  diagnostic capabilities of NPPO and G/SPS/GEN/999 
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  associated officials.  This project is lead by the FAO sub-regional office for Southern 
Africa. 
- TCP/MDV/3201: Maldives - Assistance in the Drafting of Agricultural Legislation:
 
The IPPC was asked to support this project by providing technical advisory services in strengthening national phytosanitary capaciti es.  The PCE was performed by the NPPO 
and a technical assessment of the capacities of the lead institutions involved in plant 
protection was conducted.  Further work  will involve strengthening the import 
verification processes of the country.  This project is lead by the Development Law Service (LEGN) of FAO. 
C. P
ROJECT FORMULATION  
14. The IPPC secretariat, under its mandate to improve phytosanitary capacity of members, met 
with a number of donors and assisted in the formulation of a number of projects.  The most advanced of these is a regional project valued at approxi mately $2 million for dealing with the fruit fly –
Bactrocera invadens  in East Africa.  This project proposal has been submitted to the Common Fund 
for Commodities (CFC).  Four other project proposals have been prepared and are awaiting 
submission to donors.  These include: 
(a) Regional project for West Africa on Bactrocera invadens  valued at USD 9M will be 
submitted to donors by FAO in 2010; 
(b) Project to strengthen phytosanitary services in Mozambique already prepared and will 
be submitted to the NPPO a nd FAO for approval in 2010; 
(c) Project for strengthening phytosanitary services in Libya, written but placed on hold;  
and 
(d) Five multi-year trust fund projects submitted for proposal to donors by FAO. 
15. In addition, contracting parties submit project  formulation requests to the secretariat from 
time to time.  One such request for strengtheni ng phytosanitary services was received from the 
Government of Oman in 2009.  A project formulati on mission, financed by the Sultanate of Oman, is 
expected to be fielded in 2010.  
D. N
ATIONAL CAPACITY BUILDING WORKSHOPS ON INFORMATION EXCHANGE  
16. The secretariat (when possible in association with the FAO regional and sub-regional 
officers) in 2009 undertook information exchange capacity building missions in Central African 
Republic, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Guyana, Malays ia, Maldives, Mozambique, Namibia, Oman and 
Uganda.  A direct result of these information exchan ge capacity building workshops is an increase in 
the amount of information available through the IPP. 
V. KEY ACTIVITIES PROPOSED FOR 2010 
1. Standard-Setting Work Programme 
A. STANDARDS COMMITTEE (SC) 
17. The SC will meet in April 2010 and again in November 2010.  At the April meeting, five 
draft standards will be reviewed for member consultation: 
- Pest risk analysis to determine wheth er plants proposed for import are quarantine 
pests;  G/SPS/GEN/999 
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  - Integrated measures approach for managing p est risks associated with international 
trade of plants for planting; 
- Submission of new treatments for inclusion in ISPM No. 15; 
- Management of phytosanitary risks in the international movement of wood;   
- Not widely distributed: Supplement 1 to ISPM 5 (Glossary of phytosanitary terms). 
18. In addition, member comments on four draft sp ecifications will be reviewed.  Five draft 
specifications will be reviewed for member consultation in 2010. 
19. The working group of the Standards Committee (SC-7) will meet in May 2010 to consider 
member comments on the revision of ISPM No. 7 ( Export certification system ) and the revision of 
ISPM No. 12 ( Guidelines for phytosanitary certificates ). 
B. MEMBER CONSULTATION ON DRAFT ISPM S 
20. The next member consultation period for the review of draft ISPMs under the regular and 
special processes will take place from 20 June – 30 September 2010.  National Plant Protection 
Organizations (NPPOs), Regional Plant Protection Or ganizations (RPPOs) and relevant international 
organizations are invited to participate in the revi ew.  See the calendar of events on the IPPC website 
for more information. 
C. MEMBER CONSULTATION ON DRAFT SPECIFICATIONS  
21. Member consultation for the review of draft specifications is planned for December 2010.  
National Plant Protection Organizations (NPPOs), Regional Plant Protection Organizations (RPPOs) 
and relevant international organiza tions are invited to participate in the review.  See the calendar of 
events on the IPPC website for more information. 
D. TECHNICAL PANELS (TPS) AND EXPERT WORKING GROUPS (EWG S) 
22. Five technical panels (Technical panel on glo ssary, Technical panel on forest quarantine, 
Technical panel on fruit flies, Technical panel on diagnostic protocols, Technical panel on 
phytosanitary treatments) will convene from July through October 2010 to continue ongoing work in 
drafting standards, developing diagnostic prot ocols, approving phytosanitary treatments, and 
amending the Glossary of phytosanitary terms.  S ee the calendar of events on the IPPC website for 
more information. 
23. Two expert working groups will conve ne in 2010 to draft standards on Importation of plant 
breeding material and Movement of soil and growing media in association with plants in 
international trade.  
2. Information Exchange 
A. INTERNATIONAL PHYTOSANITARY PORTAL (IPP) 
24. The IPPC will continue to improve the IPP and will work with contracting parties to ensure 
the up-dating of reported information.  Contr acting parties are urged to update the IPP. 
B. PEST REPORTING  
25. The IPPC will explore with international or ganizations and RPPOs a common mechanism for 
official pest reporting. G/SPS/GEN/999 
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  C. T
OOLS  
26. The IPPC will be field testing and upgrading the phytosanitary capacity evaluation tool.  The 
tool will be hosted on FAO servers. 
3. Capacity Building  
A. PROJECTS  
27. The secretariat will continue its collaboration w ith donor agencies and contracting parties in 
the delivery of technical assistance for capacity building in projects funded through various sources. 
B. PROJECT FORMULATION  
28. The secretariat is interested in working more closely on the formulation and implementation 
of projects aimed at improving the phytosanitary status of countries and the capacities to implement 
the ISPMs and the Convention.  
C. REGIONAL WORKSHOPS TO REVIEW DRAFT ISPMS  
29. Seven regional workshops for the review of draft ISPMs are planned for the 2010 member 
consultation period.  The workshops will target th e Southwest Pacific, Africa, Near-East, Caribbean, 
Russian-speaking countries (Baltic, Central Asia , Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of 
Independent States), Latin America and Asia.  Th e tentative dates and venues for these workshops 
have been posted on the IPP. 
D. NATIONAL CAPACITY BUILDING WORKSHOPS ON INFORMATION EXCHANGE  
30. The secretariat (when possible in association with the FAO regional and sub-regional 
officers) will continue this programme and w ill target a further ten countries in 2010.   G/SPS/GEN/999 
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  ANNEX 
 
Adopted International Standard s for Phytosanitary Measures  (ISPMs) 
 
 
Texts of adopted ISPMs are available at:  https://www.ippc.int/id/13399  
 ISPM No. 1 (2006) Phytosanitary principles for the protection of plants and the application of 
phytosanitary measures in international trade  (originally adopted in 1993, 
revised in 2006) 
ISPM No. 2 (2007) Framework for pest risk analysis (originally adopted in 1995, revised in 
2007) 
ISPM No. 3 (2005) Guidelines for the export, shipment, import and release of biological control 
agents and other beneficial organisms  (originally adopted in 1996, revised in 
2005) 
ISPM No. 4 (1995) Requirements for the establishment of pest free areas  
ISPM No. 5 (2009) Glossary of phytosanitary terms  (updated as needed) 
  - Supplement No. 1 (2001) Guidelines on the interpretation and 
 application of the concept of official control for regulated pests  
  - Supplement No. 2 (2003) Guidelines on the understanding of 
 potential economic importance  and related terms including reference 
 to environmental considerations 
  - Appendix No. 1 (2009): Terminology of the Convention on 
 Biological Diversity in relation to  the Glossary of phytosanitary 
 terms  
ISPM No. 6 (1997) Guidelines for surveillance  
ISPM No. 7 (1997) Export certification system  
ISPM No. 8 (1998) Determination of pest status in an area  
ISPM No. 9 (1998) Guidelines for pest eradication programmes  
ISPM No. 10 (1999) Requirements for the establishment of pest  free places of production and pest 
free production sites ) 
ISPM No. 11 (2004)  Pest risk analysis for quarantine pests, including analysis of environmental 
risks and living modified organisms  (originally adopted in 2001, revised in 
2003 and 2004) 
ISPM No. 12 (2001) Guidelines for phytosanitary certificate s 
ISPM No. 13 (2001)  Guidelines for the notification of non-compliance and emergency action  
ISPM No. 14 (2002)  The use of integrated measures in a systems approach for pest risk 
management 
ISPM No. 15 (2002) Regulation of wood packaging material in international trade  (originally 
adopted in 2002, revised in 2009) 
  - Annex 1 (2006) Approved measures associated with wood packaging 
 materials  (methyl bromide fumigation schedule modified in 2006) 
ISPM No. 16 (2002) Regulated non-quarantine pests: Concept and application 
ISPM No. 17 (2002) Pest reporting  
ISPM No. 18 (2003) Guidelines for the use of irradi ation as a phytosanitary measure  
ISPM No. 19 (2003) Guidelines on lists of regulated pests  
ISPM No. 20 (2004) Guidelines for a phytosanitary import regulatory system  
ISPM No. 21 (2004) Pest risk analysis for regulated non-quarantine pests  G/SPS/GEN/999 
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  ISPM No. 22 (2005) Requirements for the establishment of  areas of low pest prevalence  
ISPM No. 23 (2005) Guidelines for inspection  
ISPM No. 24 (2005) Guidelines for the determination and recognition of equivalence of 
phytosanitary measures 
ISPM No. 25 (2006) Consignments in transit 
ISPM No. 26 (2006) Establishment of pest free areas for fruit flies (Tephritidae) 
ISPM No. 27 (2006) Diagnostic protocols for regulated pests 
ISPM No. 28 (2007) Phytosanitary treatments for regulated pests 
   - Annex 1 (2009) Irradiation treatment for Anastrepha ludens  
   - Annex 2 (2009) Irradiation treatment for Anastrepha obliqua  
   - Annex 3 (2009) Irradiation treatment for Anastrepha serpentina  
   - Annex 4 (2009) Irradiation treatment for Bactrocera jarvisi  
   - Annex 5 (2009) Irradiation treatment for Bactrocera tryoni  
   - Annex 6 (2009) Irradiation treatment for Cydia pomonella  
  - Annex 7 (2009) Irradiation treatment for fruit flies of the family 
 Tephritidae (generic) 
  - Annex 8 (2009) Irradiation treatment for Rhagoletis pomonella  
ISPM No. 29 (2007) Recognition of pest free areas and areas of low pest prevalence 
ISPM No. 30 (2008) Establishment of areas of low pest prevalence for fruit flies (Tephritidae) 
ISPM No. 31 (2008) Methodologies for sampling of consignments  
ISPM No. 32 (2009) Categorization of commodities a ccording to their pest risk  
 
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