. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/USA/705
6 June 2003
(03-2929)
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):   Solid wood packing material
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 solid
wood Packing Material pp. 27480-127491 Volume 68 Number 97,
www.aphis.usda.gov/ppd/rad/webrepor
6. Description of content:  APHIS is proposing to amend its regulations related to the
importation of solid wood packing material and adopt the international standard,
"Guidelines for Regulating Wood Packing Material in International Trade", which was
approved by the Interim Commission on Phytosanitary Measures of the International Plant
Protection Convention on 15 March 2002.  APHIS intends to require that most wood
packaging material entering the United States either be heat treated or fumigated withmethyl bromide, in accordance with the Guidelines, and marked with an approved
international mark certifying treatment.  We propose to adopt the IPPC Guidelines, because
they represent the current international standa rd determined to be necessary and effective
for controlling pests in wood packaging material used in global trade, and because the
current US requirements for wood packaging material have been shown not to be fully
effective, as evidenced by the increased number of pest interceptions at ports.
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:   This action is warranted
to control the pests in wood packaging material.
9. International standard, gu ideline or recommendation:
[   ] Codex Alimentarius Commission, [   ] Office International des Epizooties,
[ X ] International Plant Protec tion Convention, [   ] None
If an international standard , guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate
reference and briefly identify deviations:   Guidelines for Regulating Wood Packing
Material in International TradeG/SPS/N/USA/705
Page 2
10. Relevant documents and language(s ) in which these are available:   English
11. Date of entry into force/period of application (as applicable):   TBA
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:
Please submit comments by 21 July 2003 to Docket No. 02-032-2, Regulatory Analysis and
Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3c71, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 10737-
1238
13. Texts available from:  [   ] National notification authority, [ X ]  National enquiry point,
or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:
Mr. William Janis, U.S. Department of  Agriculture, Stop 1027,Washington, D.C. 20250.
Telephone: 202 720-9047; E-mail:  fstsd@usda.gov