. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/USA/722
12 June 2003
(03-3075)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:  English
NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY MEASURES
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   UNITED STATES
If applicable, name of local government involved:
2. Agency responsible:   Animal Plant Health Inspection Service
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):   Propagative material of  Pelargonium spp. and Solanium spp.
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable:
Regions or countries exporting propagative material of Pelargonium spp. and/or Solanium
spp.
5. Title, language  and number of pages of the notified document:  Additional declaration
for Imported Articles of Pelargonium spp. and Solanum spp.  To Prevent Introduction of
Potato Brown Rot, English, Volume 68, Number 100, PP 28115-28119,
www.aphis.usda.gov/ppd/rad/webrepor
6. Description of content:   We are amending the regulations to require that an additional
declaration appear on the phytosanitary certificate that must accompany all articles of
Pelargonium spp. and Solanum spp. imported into the United States, except those importedunder the Canadian greenhouse-grown restricted plant program.  The additional declaration
must state either that the articles of Pela rgonium spp. and Solanum spp. were produced in a
production facility that has been tested and found to be free of Ralstonia solanacearum race
3 biovar 2 or that Ralstonia solanacearum race 3 biovar 2 is not known to occur in the region
in which the articles were produced.  We have recently discovered that articles ofPelargonium spp. and Solanum spp. imported into the United States pose a risk of carrying
this bacterial strain, which causes potato brown ro t.  This action is necessary to prevent the
introduction of this bacterial strain into the United States .
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. Nature of the urgent problem(s) and reason for urgent action:   Ralstonia solanacearum
race 3 biovar 2 has been detected in imported geranium cuttings.  Ralstonia solanacearum
race 3 biovar 2 is a highly pathogenic bacterium with a wide host range among commercial
crops, and is not established in the United States.G/SPS/N/USA/722
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9. International standard, gu ideline or recommendation:
[   ] Codex Alimentarius Commission, [   ] Office International des Epizooties,
[   ] International Plant Prot ection Convention, [ X ] None
If an international standard , guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate
reference and briefly identify deviations:
10. Relevant documents and language(s ) in which these are available:   English
11. Date of entry into force/period of application (as applicable):   16 May  2003
12. Agency or authority designated to handl e comments:  [   ] National notification
authority, [ X ] National enquiry point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if
available) of other body:
William Janis, Room 5545 South Agriculture Building, Stop 1027, 1400 Independence Ave.
S.W., Washington DC 20250, Phone 202 720 9047, Fax: 202 690 0677, FSTD@FAS.
USDA.GOV.
13. Texts available from:  [ X ] National notification authority, [   ]  National enquiry
point,  or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body: