. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/USA/1050 
7 April 2005 
 (05-1437) 
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 
3. Products covered (provide tariff item numbe r(s) as specified in national schedules 
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where 
applicable):  Fruits and Vegetables 
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 Fruits and 
Vegetables;  Proposed rule. Federal Register :  31 March 2005 (Volume 70, Number 61) 
[Page 16431-16445] Available in English. http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/24 22/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/05-
6269.htm  or http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppd/rad/webrepor.html  
6. Description of content:  The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is 
proposing to amend the fruits and vegetables regulations to list a number of fruits and 
vegetables from certain parts of the world as eligible, under specified conditions, for 
importation into the United States.  Many of these fruits and vegetables are already eligible 
for importation under permit, but are not specifical ly listed in the regulations.  All of the 
fruits and vegetables, as a condition of entry, would be inspected and subject to treatment 
at the port of first arrival as may be required by  an inspector.  In addition, some of the fruits 
and vegetables would be required to be treated or meet other special conditions.  We also 
propose to recognize areas in several countries as free from certain fruit flies; provide for 
the importation of untreated citrus from Me xico for processing under certain conditions; 
add, modify, or remove certain definitions ; eliminate or modify existing treatment 
requirements for specified commodities; and make other miscellaneous changes.  These 
actions would improve the transparency of ou r regulations while continuing to protect 
against the introduction of quarantine pest s through imported fruits and vegetables. 
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:    G/SPS/N/USA/1050 
Page 2  
 
 9. Relevant documents and language(s ) in which these are available:  English 
10. Proposed date of adoption:   TBA 
11. Proposed date of entry into force:   TBA 
12. Final date for comments:  31 May 2005 
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [   ] National notification authority, [   ] National enquiry point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if 
available) of other body:   Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send four copies of 
your comment (an original and three copies) to Docket No. 03-048-1, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3C71, 4700 River Road, Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 
20737-1238. Please state that your comment refers to Docket No. 03-048-1. 
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov
 and follow the instructions 
for locating this docket and submitting comments. 
13. Texts available from:  [ X ] National notification authority, [ X ] National enquiry point, 
or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:   
United States SPS Enquiry Point /Notification Point 
This document can be obtained from–United States SPS Enquiry Point/Notification Point, 
[USDA/FAS/ FSTSD, ATTN: Ju lie Morin, South Agriculture Building, Stop 1027, 1400 
Independence Ave. S.W., Washington DC 20250  Tel:  202 720-4051;  Fax:  202 690 0677; 
E-mail:  FSTSD@FAS. USDA.GOV]