. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/TBT/Notif.00/410
14 September 2000
(00-3586)
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade
NOTIFICATION
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6.
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   CANADA
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):           
2. Agency responsible:   Canadian Food Inspection Agency
Agency or authority designated to handle comments regarding the notification shall be
indicated if different from above:   National Enquiry Point
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [     ], 2.10.1 [    ], 5.6.2 [ X], 5.7.1 [    ], other:           
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading.
ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):   Seeds
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:   Proposed Amendment
to the Seeds Regulations (page 2779-2789;  English and French)
6. Description of content:   The Canadian Seed Program provides a number of services
including the development of seed standards, certification of seed, registration of seedestablishments, accreditation of individuals to perform specified activities, training,
information, inspection and enforcement.
Due to the fiscal pressures of the mid-90s, the Food Production and Inspection Branch
(FPIB) of Agriculture and Ag ri-Food Canada negotiated with its industry clients for
increased cost recovery of services provided.  The Canadian Seed Growers’ Association
(CSGA), the Canadian Seed Trade Association (CSTA) and the Commercial Seed Analysts
Association of Canada (CSAAC) formed a nego tiating team to respond to FPIB’s “Business
Alignment Plan” (BAP).  One of the results was the establishment of the Canadian Seed
Institute (CSI) in 1996 and its official recognition by the CFIA in 1998.  The stated purpose
of this organization is to “deliver approved services” in support of the Canadian seed
certification and import accreditation programs.  Its major objectives are to keep costs downwhile increasing the ability of the industry to manage its own quality control requirements.
During BAP negotiations (1995-98), it was clearly understood that once CSI became fully
operational the Government would no longer provide the same services in a competitive
environment.  To that end, the Seed Program had planned to (1) move forward with feesincreases in 2000 to bring its level of cost recovery to 100 percent, and (2) in the medium
term, propose amendments to the Seeds Regulations that would enable the CFIA to cease
providing services to the seed certification and import accreditation programs that were
available through the CSI or other approved conformity verification bodies.
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:
Prevention of deceptive practices.G/TBT/Notif.00/410
Page 2
8. Relevant documents:   Canada Gazette, Part 1, 2 September 2000
9. Proposed date of adoption:
Proposed date of entry into force: }Not stated
10. Final date for comments:   2 October 2000
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [     ] or address, e-mail and telefax
number of the other body:   The electronic version of this  document can be downloaded at:
http://canada.gc.ca/gazette/part1/pdf/g1-13436.pdf