```

[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 244 (Thursday, December 19, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 103765-103769]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-30318]

=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2024-0009]

International Sanitary and Phytosanitary Standard-Setting 
Activities

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In accordance with section 491 of the Trade Agreements Act of 
1979, as amended, and legislation implementing the results of the 
Uruguay Round of negotiations under the General Agreement on Tariffs 
and Trade, we are informing the public of the international standard-
setting activities of the World Organization for Animal Health, the 
Secretariat of the International Plant Protection Convention, and the 
North American Plant Protection Organization, and we are soliciting 
public comment on these standard-setting activities.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to www.regulations.gov. 
Enter APHIS-2024-0009 in the Search field. Select the Documents tab, 
then select the Comment button in the list of documents.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to 
Docket No. APHIS-2024-0009, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, 
APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road, Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-
1238.
    Supporting documents and any comments we receive on this docket may 
be viewed at regulations.gov or in our reading room, which is located 
in Room 1620 of the USDA South Building, 14th Street and Independence 
Avenue SW, Washington, DC. Normal reading room hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 
p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays. To be sure someone is 
there to help you, please call (202) 799-7039 before coming.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information on the topics 
covered in this notice, contact Mr. Eric Nichols, Director, Trade 
Support Team, APHIS-IS, Room 1627-S, USDA South Building, 14th Street 
and Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250; (202) 799-7122.
    For specific information regarding standard-setting activities of 
the World Organization for Animal Health, contact Dr. Paul Gary Egrie, 
Office of International Affairs, Veterinary Services, APHIS, 4700 River 
Road, Unit 33, Riverdale, MD 20737; (227) 215-2876.
    For specific information regarding the standard-setting activities 
of the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), contact Dr. 
Marina Zlotina, IPPC Technical Director, International Phytosanitary 
Standards, Plant Protection and Quarantine, APHIS, 4700 River Road, 
Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 832-0611; [email protected].
    For specific information on the North American Plant Protection 
Organization (NAPPO), contact Stephanie Dubon, NAPPO Technical 
Director, International Phytosanitary Standards, Plant Protection and 
Quarantine, APHIS, 4700 River Road, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 332-
9071; [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

[[Page 103766]]

Background

    The World Trade Organization (WTO) was established as the common 
international institutional framework for governing trade relations 
among its members in matters related to the Uruguay Round Agreements. 
The WTO is the successor organization to the General Agreement on 
Tariffs and Trade. U.S. membership in the WTO was approved by Congress 
when it enacted the Uruguay Round Agreements Act (Pub. L. 103-465), 
which was signed into law on December 8, 1994. The WTO Agreements, 
which established the WTO, entered into force with respect to the 
United States on January 1, 1995. The Uruguay Round Agreements Act 
amended Title IV of the Trade Agreements Act of 1979 (19 U.S.C. 2531 et 
seq.). Section 491 of the Trade Agreements Act of 1979, as amended (19 
U.S.C. 2578), requires the President to designate an agency to be 
responsible for informing the public of the sanitary and phytosanitary 
standard-setting (SPS) activities of each international standard-
setting organization. The designated agency must inform the public by 
publishing an annual notice in the Federal Register that provides the 
following information: (1) The SPS standards under consideration or 
planned for consideration by the SPS organization; and (2) for each SPS 
standard specified, a description of the consideration or planned 
consideration of that standard, a statement of whether the United 
States is participating or plans to participate in the consideration of 
that standard, the agenda for U.S. participation, if any, and the 
agency responsible for representing the United States with respect to 
that standard.
    ``International standard'' is defined in 19 U.S.C. 2578b as any 
standard, guideline, or recommendation: (1) Adopted by the Codex 
Alimentarius Commission (Codex) regarding food safety; (2) developed 
under the auspices of the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) 
\1\ regarding animal health; (3) developed under the auspices of the 
Secretariat of the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC or 
the Convention) and the North American Plant Protection Organization 
(NAPPO) regarding plant health; or (4) established by or developed 
under any other international organization agreed to by the member 
countries of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) or the 
member countries of the WTO.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ The World Organization for Animal Health internationally 
follows a British English spelling of ``organisation'' in its name; 
it was formerly the Office International des Epizooties, or OIE, but 
on May 28, 2022, the organization announced that the acronym was 
changed from OIE to WOAH.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The President, pursuant to Proclamation No. 6780 of March 23, 1995 
(60 FR 15845), designated the Secretary of Agriculture as the official 
responsible for informing the public of the SPS activities of Codex, 
WOAH, IPPC, and NAPPO. The U.S. Codex Office (USCO), in the United 
States Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) Trade and Foreign Affairs 
mission area, informs the public of standard-setting activities of 
Codex, and the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) 
informs the public of WOAH, IPPC, and NAPPO standard-setting 
activities.
    USCO publishes an annual notice in the Federal Register to inform 
the public of SPS activities for Codex (86 FR 29987). Codex was 
established in 1963 by two United Nations organizations, the Food and 
Agriculture Organization and the World Health Organization. It is the 
principle international organization for establishing food standards 
that protect consumer health and promote fair practices in food trade.
    APHIS is responsible for publishing an annual notice of WOAH, IPPC, 
and NAPPO activities related to international standards for plant and 
animal health and representing the United States with respect to these 
standards. Following are descriptions of the WOAH, IPPC, and NAPPO 
organizations and the standard-setting agenda for each of these 
organizations. We have described the agenda that each of these 
organizations will address at their annual general sessions, including 
standards that may be presented for adoption or consideration, as well 
as other initiatives that may be underway at the WOAH, IPPC, and NAPPO.
    The agendas for these meetings are subject to change, and the draft 
standards identified in this notice may not be sufficiently developed 
and ready for adoption as indicated. Also, while it is the intent of 
the United States to support adoption of international standards and to 
participate actively and fully in their development, it should be 
recognized that the U.S. position on a specific draft standard will 
depend on the acceptability of the final draft. Given the dynamic and 
interactive nature of the standard-setting process, we encourage any 
persons who are interested in the most current details about a specific 
draft standard or the U.S. position on a particular standard-setting 
issue, or in providing comments on a specific standard that may be 
under development, to contact APHIS. Contact information is provided at 
the beginning of this notice under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

WOAH Standard-Setting Activities

    The WOAH was established in Paris, France, in 1924, with the 
signing of an international agreement by 28 countries. It is currently 
composed of 183 Members, each of which is represented by a delegate 
who, in most cases, is the chief veterinary officer of that country or 
territory. The Deputy Administrator of APHIS' Veterinary Services 
program is the U.S. Chief Veterinary Officer and serves as the official 
U.S. Delegate to the WOAH. The WTO has recognized the WOAH as the 
international forum for setting animal health standards, reporting 
global animal disease events, and presenting guidelines and 
recommendations on sanitary measures relating to animal health.
    The WOAH facilitates intergovernmental cooperation to prevent the 
spread of contagious diseases in animals by sharing scientific research 
among its Members. The major functions of the WOAH are to collect and 
disseminate information on the distribution and occurrence of animal 
diseases and to ensure that science-based standards govern animal 
disease control efforts and international trade in animals and animal 
products. The WOAH also aims to achieve these objectives through the 
development and revision of international standards for diagnostic 
tests and vaccines.
    The WOAH provides annual reports on the global distribution of 
animal diseases, recognizes Members' disease status for certain 
diseases, categorizes animal diseases with respect to their 
international significance, publishes bulletins on global disease 
status, and provides animal disease control guidelines to Members. 
Various WOAH commissions and working groups undertake the development 
and preparation of draft standards, which are then circulated to 
Members for consultation (review and comment). Draft standards are 
revised accordingly and are presented to WOAH's World Assembly of 
Delegates (all the Members) for review and adoption during the General 
Session, which meets annually every spring. Adoption, as a general 
rule, is based on consensus of the WOAH membership.
    The 90th WOAH General Session was held from May 21 to 25, 2023, in 
Paris, France. The following are some of the chapters adopted into code 
during the 90th Session; visit https://www.woah.org/en/what-we-do/standards/codes-and-manuals/ for a full list of the current WOAH codes 
and manuals:

[[Page 103767]]

     User's Guide.
     Glossary.
     Chapter 1.3., Diseases, Infections, and Infestations 
Listed by WOAH.
     Chapter 8.14., Infection with Rabies Virus.
     Chapter 8.15., Infection with Rift Valley Fever Virus.
     Chapter 10.9., Infection with Newcastle Disease Virus.
     Chapter 11.4., Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy.
     Chapter 12.2., Contagious Equine Metritis.
     Chapter 12.2., Infection with Taylorella equigenitalis 
(Contagious Equine Metritis).
     Chapter 12.6., Infection with Equine Influenza Virus.
     Chapter 12.7., Infection with Theileria equi and Babesia 
caballi (Equine Piroplasmosis).
     Chapter 14.X., Infection with Theileria Lestoquardi, T. 
Luwenshuni and T. Uilenbergi.
     Chapter 16.1., Infection with Middle East Respiratory 
Syndrome Coronavirus.
     Chapter 8.Y., Infection with Leishmania Spp. 
Leishmaniosis.
    More information on the standards currently under consideration and 
how comments are solicited may be found at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/international-standards/woah or by contacting Dr. Paul Gary Egrie (see 
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT above).

IPPC Standard-Setting Activities

    The IPPC is a multilateral convention adopted in 1952 to prevent 
the spread and introduction of pests of plants and plant products and 
to promote appropriate measures for their control. The WTO recognizes 
the IPPC as the standard-setting body for plant health. Under the IPPC, 
the understanding of plant protection encompasses the protection of 
both cultivated and non-cultivated plants from direct or indirect 
injury by plant pests. The IPPC addresses the following activities: 
Developing, adopting, and implementing international standards for 
phytosanitary (plant health) measures (ISPMs); harmonizing 
phytosanitary activities through adopted standards; facilitating the 
exchange of official and scientific information among contracting 
parties; and providing technical assistance to developing countries 
that are contracting parties to the Convention.
    The IPPC is deposited within the Food and Agriculture Organization 
of the United Nations and is an international agreement of 185 
contracting parties. National plant protection organizations (NPPOs), 
in cooperation with regional plant protection organizations, the 
Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (CPM), and the Secretariat of the 
IPPC, implement the Convention. The IPPC continues to be administered 
at the national level by plant quarantine officials, whose primary 
objective is to safeguard plant resources from injurious pests. In the 
United States, the NPPO is the APHIS Plant Protection and Quarantine 
(PPQ) program.
    The 17th Session of the CPM was held in Rome, Italy, from March 27 
to March 31, 2023.
    The U.S. CPM adopted the following international phytosanitary 
standards in 2023. The United States develops its position on each of 
these draft standards prior to the CPM session based on APHIS' analyses 
and other relevant information from other U.S. Government agencies and 
interested stakeholders:
     ISPM 5: Glossary of phytosanitary terms (2021 revisions).
     Annex to ISPM 20 (Guidelines for a phytosanitary import 
regulatory system): Use of specific import authorizations.
     Revision of ISPM 18 (Requirements for the use of 
irradiation as a phytosanitary measure).
    The following phytosanitary treatments were adopted as Annexes to 
ISPM 28:
     Phytosanitary treatments for regulated pests: PT 45: 
Irradiation treatment for Pseudococcus jackbeardsleyi.

IPPC Standard-Setting Initiatives, Including Those Under Development

    A number of expert working group (EWG) meetings and technical 
consultations took place from October 2022 through September 2023 on 
the topics listed below. These IPPC projects are currently under 
development and intended for future adoption and publication. APHIS 
participated actively and fully in most of these drafting groups. APHIS 
developed its position on each of the topics prior to the working group 
meeting. The APHIS position was based on relevant scientific 
information and technical analyses, including information from other 
U.S. Government agencies and from interested stakeholders:
     EWG for revision of ISPMs on Pest Risk Analysis.
     EWG for revision of ISPM 26 (Establishment of pest-free 
areas for fruit flies).
     EWG for drafting Annex to ISPM 23 (Guidelines for 
inspection): Field inspection (including growing season inspection).
     Technical Panel on Commodity Standards (TPCS) drafted the 
first commodity standard as an Annex to ISPM 46 (Commodity-specific 
standards for phytosanitary measures): International movement of mango 
fresh fruit (Mangifera indica).
     Publishing of ``IPPC Guide to support the implementation 
of ISPM 15.''
     Technical Panel on Diagnostic Protocols.
     Technical Panel on Phytosanitary Treatments.
     Technical Panel for the Glossary.
    The IPPC electronic certification system (ePhyto) solution also 
progressed in 2023. There are currently 98 trading partners that are 
connected and actively sharing ePhytos through the system; APHIS 
continues to make important contributions to advancing the development 
of an international ePhyto system, including: (1) Providing ongoing 
input and support at the IPPC through the Bureau, SPG, Commission, and 
other international fora; (2) generating regional support for this new 
electronic exchange system at the hemispheric level through NAPPO and 
the Inter-American Coordinating Group for Plant Protection (GICSV); and 
(3) actively working on a long-term funding solution that will be 
necessary to sustain ePhyto into the future. For more detailed 
information on the above, contact Dr. Marina Zlotina (see FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT above).
    PPQ actively works to achieve broad participation by States, 
industry, and other stakeholders in the development and use of 
international and regional plant health standards, including through 
the use of APHIS Stakeholder Registry notices \2\ and the APHIS public 
website. Plant health stakeholders are strongly encouraged to submit 
topics for new IPPC standards and comment on draft standards, 
documents, and specifications during the consultation periods.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \2\ To sign up for the Stakeholder Registry, go to: https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDAAPHIS/subscriber/new.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    In 2023, 12 draft documents were open for consultation, including 
specifications, a Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (CPM) 
recommendation, standards, diagnostic protocols, and phytosanitary 
treatments. APHIS posts links to draft standards on its website as they 
become available and provides information on the due dates for 
comments.\3\ Additional information

[[Page 103768]]

on IPPC standards (including the IPPC work program (list of topics,\4\) 
calls for new standards, experts to serve on technical panels and other 
working groups, proposed phytosanitary treatments, the standard-setting 
process, and adopted standards) is available on the IPPC website.\5\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \3\ For more information on the IPPC draft ISPM consultation, go 
to: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/international-standards/plant-health-standards/draft.
    \4\ IPPC list of topics: https://www.ippc.int/en/core-activities/standards-setting/list-topics-ippc-standards/.
    \5\ IPPC website: https://www.ippc.int/.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    For the most current information on official U.S. participation in 
IPPC activities, including U.S. positions on standards being 
considered, contact Dr. Marina Zlotina (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT above). Those wishing to provide comments on any of the areas 
of work being undertaken by the IPPC may do so at any time by 
responding to this notice (see ADDRESSES above) or by providing 
comments through Dr. Zlotina.

NAPPO Standard-Setting Activities

    NAPPO, a regional plant protection organization created in 1976 
under the IPPC, coordinates the efforts among the United States, 
Canada, and Mexico to protect their plant resources from the entry, 
establishment, and spread of harmful plant pests, while facilitating 
safe intra- and inter-regional trade. As the NPPO of the United States, 
APHIS PPQ is the organization officially identified to participate in 
NAPPO. Through NAPPO, APHIS works closely with its regional 
counterparts and industries to develop harmonized regional standards 
and approaches for managing pest threats.
    This critical work facilitates the safe movement of plants and 
plant products into and within the region. NAPPO conducts its work 
through priority-driven projects approved by the NAPPO Executive 
Committee via an annual work program. These projects are completed by 
expert groups, including subject matter experts from each member 
country and regional industry representatives. Project results and 
updates are provided during the NAPPO annual meeting as well as NAPPO 
governance meetings. Projects can include the development of positions, 
policies, technical documents, or the development or revision of 
regional standards for phytosanitary measures (RSPMs). Projects can 
also include implementation of standards or other capacity development 
activities such as workshops.
    The PPQ Associate Deputy Administrator, as the official U.S. 
delegate to NAPPO, intends to participate in the adoption of these 
regional plant health standards and projects on the work program once 
they are completed and ready for consideration.
    The 45th NAPPO annual meeting was held virtually from October 18 to 
20, 2022, and hosted by Canada. The meeting featured several strategic 
topics related to NAPPO's work program (e.g., seeds, forest pests, lab 
accreditation, plants for planting, biological control, and risk-based 
sampling), as well as discussions on sea containers, invasive species, 
the International Year of Plant Health (IYPH), the USMCA, and a live 
ePhyto exchange demonstration between the United States and Jamaica. 
The meeting also featured a 1-day symposium on the decision-making 
procedures used by the three countries (Canada, Mexico, and the United 
States) when an exotic plant pest is confirmed in a NAPPO member 
country. The NAPPO Executive Committee meetings took place on the 
impacts of climate change on plant health.
    NAPPO governance committees, including NAPPO's Executive Committee 
and the Advisory and Management Committee, as well as expert groups, 
continue to communicate and meet virtually on a regular basis to 
actively make progress on NAPPO strategic and work program initiatives. 
The PPQ Associate Deputy Administrator or PPQ designee is the U.S. 
member of the NAPPO Executive Committee. The NAPPO Executive Committee 
met November 9, 2022; March 8, 2023; and June 28, 2023. The NAPPO 
Executive Committee adopted one regional standard between October 1, 
2022, and September 30, 2023: Revisions to RSPM 35: Guidelines for the 
movement of propagative plant material of stone fruit, pome fruit, and 
grapevine into a NAPPO member country.
    NAPPO's Advisory and Management Committee (AMC) continues to 
regularly meet virtually and in person. The AMC selects and onboards 
experts to newly launched NAPPO expert groups; addresses pending work 
program initiatives; makes recommendations to the Executive Committee; 
provides day-to-day oversight of NAPPO; and provides expert input and 
direction on financial, programmatic, and operational issues at NAPPO.
    The NAPPO expert groups, including member countries' subject matter 
experts, in collaboration with NAPPO's Secretariat, significantly made 
progress on or finalized the following regional standards from October 
2022 through September 2023:
     Completed the development or revision and consultation of 
the following regional standards: Revision of RSPM 35: Guidelines for 
the movement of propagative plant material of stone fruit, pome fruit, 
and grapevine into a NAPPO member country; Update to NAPPO Discussion 
Document 05: Management of Huanglongbing (HLB) and its vector, the 
Asian-Citrus Psyllid, Diaphorina citri; Guidance document on ISPM 25: 
Standardization of responsibilities and actions for safeguarding 
consignments that have transited one NAPPO country to enter another 
NAPPO country.
     Issued via NAPPO's Phytosanitary Alert System: 22 Official 
Pest Reports from October 1, 2022, to September 30, 2023.

New NAPPO Standard-Setting Initiatives, Including Those in Development

    The 2023 work program \6\ includes topics being worked on by NAPPO 
expert groups and NAPPO's Advisory and Management Committee. APHIS 
actively and fully participates in the development and approval of the 
NAPPO work program. The APHIS position on each topic is guided and 
informed by the best technical and scientific information available, as 
well as on relevant input from stakeholders. For each of the following, 
where applicable, the United States will consider its position on any 
draft standard after it reviews a prepared draft. Information regarding 
the following NAPPO projects, assignments, activities, and updates on 
meeting times and locations may be obtained from the NAPPO website or 
by contacting Stephanie Dubon (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT 
above).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \6\ NAPPO work program: https://nappo.org/english/governance/work-program.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    1. Seed Diagnostics: A pilot for the harmonization of diagnostic 
protocols for seed pests focused on Tomato brown rugose fruit virus 
(ToBRFV).
    2. Development of harmonized regional guidance for North America 
based on ISPM 25: Consignments in transit and the IPPC Transit Manual.
    The information in this notice contains all the information 
available to APHIS PPQ on NAPPO standards or projects under development 
or consideration. For updates on meeting times and for information on 
the expert groups that may become available following publication of 
this notice, visit the NAPPO website or contact Stephanie Dubon (see 
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT above).
    PPQ actively works to achieve broad participation by States, 
industry, and other stakeholders in the development

[[Page 103769]]

and use of international and regional plant health standards, including 
through the use of APHIS Stakeholder Registry notices \7\ and the APHIS 
public website. Plant health stakeholders are strongly encouraged to 
comment on draft standards, documents, and specifications during 
consultation periods. APHIS posts links to draft standards on the 
website as they become available and provides information on the due 
dates for comments.\8\ Additional information on NAPPO standards 
(including the NAPPO work program, calls for projects, expert groups, 
the standard-setting process, and adopted standards) is available on 
the NAPPO website.\9\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \7\ To sign up for the Stakeholder Registry, go to: https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDAAPHIS/subscriber/new.
    \8\ For more information on NAPPO consultation: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/international-standards/plant-health-standards/draft.
    \9\ NAPPO website: http://nappo.org.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    For the most current information on official U.S. participation in 
NAPPO activities, including U.S. positions on standards being 
considered, contact Stephanie Dubon (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT above). Those wishing to provide comments on any of the areas 
of work being undertaken at NAPPO may do so at any time by responding 
to this notice (see ADDRESSES above) or by providing comments through 
Stephanie Dubon.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 16th day of December 2024.
Michael Watson,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-30318 Filed 12-18-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P
```