. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/USA/1877 
15 October 2008  
 (08-4951) 
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:  Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the US 
Department of Agriculture 
3. Products covered (provide tariff item numb er(s) as specified in national schedules 
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where applicable):  Genetically engineer ed (GE) organisms 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable :  All 
trade partners 
5. Title, language and number of pages of the notified document:  PROPOSED RULE:  
Importation, Interstate Moveme nt, and Release into the Enviro nment of Certain Genetically 
Engineered Organisms (Docket No. APHIS-2008- 0023) (available in English, 41 pages) 
6. Description of content:  The Animal and Plant Health Insp ection Service is proposing to 
revise the regulations regarding the importati on, interstate moveme nt, and environmental 
release of certain genetically engineered organisms in order to bring the regulations into 
alignment with provisions of the Plant Protecti on Act.  The revisions would also update the 
regulations in response to advances in genetic science and technology and accumulated 
experience in implementing the current regulations. This rule would affect persons involved 
in the importation, interstate movement, or release into the environment of genetically 
engineered plants and certain other genetically engineered organisms.  
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, [ 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:   F e d e r a l  R e g i s t e r :   
9 October 2008 (Volume 73, Number 197), Pages 60008-60048; Available in English. 
To view online, go to http://www.gpoaccess. gov/fr/advanced.html , select 2008 FR Vol. 73, 
and type "60007" in search box (with quotation marks)   G/SPS/N/USA/1877 
Page 2  
 
  10. Proposed date of adoption:  N/A 
11. Proposed date of entry into force:  N/A 
12. Final date for comments:  Comments in general will be accepted at any time after 
publication of the notice of filing; however, if a final rule is prom ulgated, it will address only 
those comments that were received on or  before the final date for comments. 
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: 
You may submit comments by either of the following methods: 
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/  and search on the docket 
number (APHIS–2008–0023) to submit or view co mments and to view s upporting and related 
materials available electronically. 
• Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send two copies of your comment to Docket No. 
APHIS–2008–0023, Regulatory Analysis and Devel opment, PPD, APHIS,  Station 3A-03.8, 
4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238.  Please state that your comment refers to Docket No. APHIS–2008–0023. 
We will also consider comments made at public forums to be held in Davis, CA (28 October 
2008); Kansas City, MO (30 October 2008); and Riverdale, MD (13 November 2008). 
For further information contact:  
Biotechnology Regulatory Services, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 147, Riverdale, MD 
20737-1236; +1 (301) 734-5710. 
For information about the public  forums, contact:  Dr. T. C lint Nesbitt, BRS, APHIS, 4700 
River Road Unit 147, Riverdale, MD 20737 1238; +1 (301) 734 5673. 
13. Texts available from:  [ X ] National notificati on authority, [   ] Na tional enquiry point, 
or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body: 
United States SPS National Notification Aut hority, USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, 
International Regulations and Standards Division (IRSD), Stop 1027, Washington D.C. 
20250;  Tel:  +(1 202) 720 1301;  Fax:  +(1 202) 720 0433;  E-mail:  us.spsenquirypoint@fas.usda.gov