IV 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. CON. RES. 310 
Expressing the sense of the Congress with respect to unilateral altering, 
by the European Union, of the standards for imports of certain wood 
products. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 18, 2005 
Mr. FORD submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred 
to the Committee on International Relations 
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 
Expressing the sense of the Congress with respect to unilat-
eral altering, by the European Union, of the standards 
for imports of certain wood products. 
Whereas the International Standard for Phytosanitary Meas-
ures Number 15, commonly known as ‘‘ISPM 15’’, is a 
United Nations standard adopted in 2002 to reduce the 
risk of introducing plant pests and pathogens that can be 
detrimental to agriculture and to natural, cultivated, and 
urban forest resources; 
Whereas more than 20 countries have implemented ISPM 15, 
including the United States; 
Whereas the European Union has announced its intent to 
alter the ISPM 15 standard as it applies to imports of 
wood packaging materials, without meeting all of the pro-
•HCON 310 IH 
cedural terms and technical stipulations as agreed to in 
the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC); 
Whereas the United States shares with the European Union 
and the other nations participating in the IPPC the goal 
of implementing and maintaining international standards 
that enhance the free flow of goods around the world, 
while preserving and protecting crops and forests from 
the introduction of targeted nonnative quarantine pests; 
Whereas the IPPC provides a specific process for evolving the 
standard contained in ISPM 15 that begins with tech-
nical justification; 
Whereas the European Union’s implementation date for man-
dating that all wood packaging be debarked by March 1, 
2006, does not allow time for the IPPC process to com-
plete its evaluation of any scientific evidence that is 
forthcoming; and 
Whereas any unilateral introduction of requirements for im-
ports of wood packaging would represent a significant 
trade barrier to shippers in the United States exporting 
goods to European Union countries: Now, therefore, be 
it 
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that— 
(1) the European Union’s unilateral attempt to 
alter the International Standard for Phytosanitary 
Measures Number 15 (ISPM 15) as it applies to im-
ports of wood packaging materials is in violation of 
the 
International 
Plant 
Protection 
Convention 
(IPPC); and
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(2) the President should ask the European 
Commission to agree to the following: 
(A) Suspending the requirement that all 
wood packaging be debarked until such time as 
there is credible scientific evidence of the need 
for such a standard. 
(B) Allowing relevant scientific data to be 
processed through authorized IPPC channels. 
(C) If the relevant IPPC entities conclude 
that there is technical justification for changing 
ISPM 15, developing a clear definition of ‘‘de-
barked’’ wood packaging for pallets and con-
tainers in accordance with the terms and provi-
sions of the IPPC, and communicating such 
definition to all IPPC participating nations in a 
clear and unambiguous manner in order to en-
sure understanding of the new requirement and 
consistent enforcement by all parties. 
(D) Allowing sufficient time for the Animal 
and Plant Health Inspection Service of the 
United States Department of Agriculture to put 
in place a system for the use of a ‘‘debark’’ 
mark or other stamp or indication for pallets 
and containers, signifying compliance with ap-
plicable international requirements.
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(E) Establishing an implementation date 
for the new requirement with which United 
States wood packaging manufacturers can rea-
sonably comply. 
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