. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/USA/1250 
20 March 2006 
 (06-1226) 
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):  All biochemical and microbial pesticide products  
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:  Proposed rule.  
Pesticides;  Data Requirements for Biochemical and Microbial Pesticides (Available in English, 6 pages).  
6. Description of content:  EPA is proposing to update and revise its data requirements for 
the registration of microbial and biochemical pe sticide products to reflect current scientific 
knowledge.  These proposed revisions are intende d to provide EPA with data and other 
information necessary to support the registration of a biochemical and microbial pesticide 
product, and will improve the Agency's ability to make regulatory decisions about the 
human health and environmental effects of th ese pesticide products.  EPA is also proposing 
to update the definitions of a biochemical p esticide and a microbial pesticide to more 
accurately describe these categories of pesticides, and to make a conforming change to the definition of microbial pesticide.  EPA is announcing its policy to provide assistance to 
applicants when needed in determining what da ta are appropriate to s upport registration of a 
biochemical or microbial pesticide and encour aging applicants to request pre-submission 
meetings to discuss these data issues.  EPA is  announcing its intent to provide assistance to 
applicants in some narrow circumstances in preparation of an applicant's data waiver. 
The Agency invites the public to provide its views on the various options proposed or 
present any data or information for the Agency  to consider during the development of the 
final rule.  
7. Objective and rationale: [ X ] food safety,  [ X ] animal health,  [ X ] plant protection, 
[ X ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [   ] protect territory from 
other damage from pests   G/SPS/N/USA/1250 
Page 2  
 
  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: 
8 March 2006 (Volume 71, Number 45) Pages 12071-12117. 
http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-PEST/2006/March/Day-08/p2185.htm  (Available in 
English).  
10. Proposed date of adoption:  Not specified 
11. Proposed date of entry into force:  Not specified 
12. Final date for comments:  Members are encouraged to send their comments  to EPA on or 
before 6 June 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:  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 Julie Morin, United States SPS National 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