[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 184 (Friday, September 20, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49432-49433]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-24211]


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 Notices
                                                 Federal Register
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
 or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
 and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings, 
 delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 184 / Friday, September 20, 1996 / 
Notices  

[[Page 49432]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. 96-068-1]


International Sanitary and Phytosanitary Standard-Setting 
Activities

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice and solicitation of comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with legislation implementing the Uruguay Round 
of the General Agreements on Tariffs and Trade, we are informing the 
public of international standard-setting activities of the Office 
International des Epizooties and the Secretariat of the International 
Plant Protection Convention, and we are soliciting public comment on 
the standards to be considered.

ADDRESSES: Please send an original and three copies of your comments to 
Docket No. 96-068-1, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, 
Suite 3C03, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. Please 
state in your letter that your comments refer to Docket No. 96-068-1, 
and state the name of the committee or working group to which your 
comments are addressed. Comments received may be inspected at USDA, 
room 1141, South Building, 14th Street and Independence Avenue SW., 
Washington, DC, between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except holidays. Persons wishing to inspect comments are requested to 
call ahead on (202) 690-2817 to facilitate entry into the comment 
reading room.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Douglas Barnett, Assistant 
Director, International Activities, International Services, APHIS, 4700 
River Road Unit 67, Riverdale, MD 20737-1233, (301) 734-8892; or e-mail 
D[email protected]. The public may also contact Mr. John Greifer, 
Trade Support Team, International Services, APHIS, room 1128, South 
Building, 14th Street and Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 
20250, (202) 720-7677; or e-mail J[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Legislation implementing the Uruguay Round 
of the General Agreements on Tariffs and Trade (the Uruguay Round 
Agreements Act) was signed into law (Pub. L. 103-465) by the President 
on December 8, 1994. The Uruguay Round Agreements Act amended title IV 
of the Trade Agreements Act of 1979 (19 U.S.C. 2531 et seq.) by adding 
a new subtitle F, ``International Standard-Setting Activities.'' 
Subtitle F requires the President to designate an agency to be 
responsible for informing the public of the sanitary and phytosanitary 
standard-setting activities of each international standard-setting 
organization. The designated agency must inform the public by 
publishing a notice in the Federal Register, which provides the 
following information: (1) The sanitary or phytosanitary standards 
under consideration or planned for consideration by the international 
standard-setting organization; and (2) for each sanitary or 
phytosanitary standard specified, a description of the consideration or 
planned consideration of the standard; whether the United States is 
participating or plans to participate in the consideration of the 
standard; the agenda for United States participation, if any; and the 
agency responsible for representing the United States with respect to 
the standard.
    Subtitle F defines ``international standard'' as a standard, 
guideline, or recommendation: (1) Adopted by the Codex Alimentarius 
Commission regarding food safety; (2) developed under the auspices of 
the International Office of Epizootics regarding animal health and 
zoonoses; (3) developed under the auspices of the Secretariat of the 
International Plant Protection Convention in cooperation with the North 
American Plant Protection Organization regarding plant health; or (4) 
established by or developed under any other international organization 
agreed to by the member countries of the North American Free Trade 
Agreement or by member countries of the World Trade Organization.
    The Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex) was created in 1962 by 
two United Nations organizations, the Food and Agriculture Organization 
(FAO) and the World Health Organization. It is the major international 
organization for encouraging international trade in food and protecting 
the health and economic interests of consumers.
    The Office International des Epizooties (OIE) was created in Paris, 
France, in 1924, with the signing of an international agreement by 28 
countries. Today, 143 countries are members. The OIE facilitates 
intergovernmental cooperation to prevent the spread of contagious 
diseases in animals, assists in the development of animal production 
through improved health information, and shares scientific progress 
among its members. The OIE provides the major international forum for 
discussion and agreement on recommendations and proposals on topics 
such as disease control, technical cooperation, trade standards, and 
the exchange of research and disease information.
    The International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) was 
established within the FAO in 1952 in response to demands from members 
for development of global standards for plant quarantine. The IPPC 
works with plant protection organizations at national and regional 
levels, including the North American Plant Protection Organization 
(NAPPO), to harmonize plant quarantine activities worldwide, facilitate 
the dissemination of phytosanitary information, strengthen 
international cooperation, and support technical assistance to 
developing countries.
    The World Trade Organization (WTO) was established on January 1, 
1995, as the common international institution for the conduct of trade 
relations among the members in matters related to the Uruguay Round 
Agreements. The WTO is the successor organization for the General 
Agreements on Tariffs and Trade. U.S. membership in the WTO was 
approved by Congress when it enacted the Uruguay Round Agreements Act.
    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 sanitary and phytosanitary 
standard-

[[Page 49433]]

setting activities of each international standard-setting organization. 
This responsibility has been delegated to the Food Safety and 
Inspection Service (FSIS) of the United States Department of 
Agriculture (USDA) for Codex activities, and to the USDA's Animal and 
Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) for OIE and IPPC activities. 
FSIS published a notice in the Federal Register on June 4, 1996 (61 FR 
28132), informing the public of sanitary and phytosanitary standard-
setting activities for Codex.
    Accordingly, in this notice, APHIS announces the following OIE and 
IPPC (including NAPPO) activities related to international standards. 
The United States is a participant in each of the following activities 
and APHIS is the agency responsible for representing the United States 
with respect to these standards. In some cases, working groups and 
committees have not yet set meeting dates and places or determined 
specific standards to be discussed. Also, because working groups and 
the issues they address are not static, this list may not present a 
complete picture of the OIE and IPPC sanitary and phytosanitary 
standard-setting activities during the coming year.
    1. Committee/Working Group: Standards Commission of the OIE.
    Agency Participant: Dr. James Pearson.
    General Purpose: Establish standards for methods of diagnosing 
animal disease and testing biologics used for control programs.
    Dates of Meetings: September 10-11, 1996.
    Location of Meetings: Paris, France.
    Major Discussion/Agenda: Review of OIE reference laboratories; 
diagnostic test standardization; OIE reference sera; laboratory quality 
assurance; review of new edition of OIE Manual of Standards of 
Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines; and provide advice to OIE Animal Health 
Code Commission.
    2. Committee/Working Group: OIE General Session.
    Agency Participant(s): Dr. Joan Arnoldi (delegate); Dr. Alex 
Thiermann (alternate delegate and coordinator).
    General Purpose: Establish and adopt international standards 
dealing with animal health.
    Date of Meeting: May 1997.
    Location of Meeting: Paris, France.
    Major Discussion/Agenda: Animal health standards as they relate to 
trade; including risk assessment standards (including criteria for 
evaluating veterinary infrastructure) and regionalization.
    3. Committee/Working Group: IPPC/Foreign Agricultural Organization 
Working Group on Pest Risk Analysis.
    Agency Participant: Mr. Richard Orr.
    General Purpose: Development of international standards for pest 
risk analysis.
    Date of Meeting: To be announced.
    Location of Meeting: To be announced.
    Major Discussion/Agenda: To be announced.
    4. Committee/Working Group: NAPPO Biological Control Committee.
    Agency Participant: Dr. Dale Meyerdirk.
    General Purpose: Facilitate cooperation among NAPPO member 
countries regarding biological control issues, through information 
exchange, coordination, and harmonization of recommendations, 
regulations, and guidelines.
    Date of Meeting: February 1997.
    Location of Meeting: Mexico City, Mexico.
    Major Discussion/Agenda: To develop standard guidelines for the 
release of exotic biological control agents for the control of weed 
pests.
    5. Committee/Working Group: NAPPO Fruit Tree and Grapevine Nursery 
Stock Certification Standards Panel.
    Agency Participant: Dr. Joseph Foster.
    General Purpose: Set minimum standards for pathogen testing and 
propagation of fruit trees and grapevines so certified nursery stock 
can be shipped safely throughout North America.
    Date of Meeting: To be announced.
    Location of Meeting: Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.
    Major Discussion/Agenda: Pathogen lists for each crop; and 
certification schemes for each crop.
    6. Committee/Working Group: NAPPO Working Group.
    Agency Participant: Mr. Marshall Kirby.
    General Purpose: Provide general leadership, direction, and support 
to NAPPO activities.
    Dates of Meetings: October 1996; January and April 1997.
    Locations of Meetings: To be announced.
    Major Discussion/Agenda: All new and ongoing NAPPO business, 
including standards.
    7. Committee/Working Group: NAPPO Ad Hoc Irradiation Panel.
    Agency Participant: Mr. Robert Griffin.
    General Purpose: Develop NAPPO standards for the application of 
irradiation to phytosanitary problems.
    Date of Meeting: October 1996.
    Location of Meeting: Veracruz, Mexico.
    Major Discussion/Agenda: Continuing development of trilateral 
policy.
    8. Committee/Working Group: NAPPO Pest Risk Analysis Panel.
    Agency Participant: Dr. Matthew Royer.
    General Purpose: To implement NAPPO pest risk analysis standard.
    Date of Meeting: October 1996.
    Location of Meeting: Veracruz, Mexico.
    Major Discussion/Agenda: To be announced.
    9. Committee/Working Group: NAPPO Executive Committee.
    Agency Participant: Mr. Alfred Elder.
    General Purpose: To harmonize plant quarantine regulations and 
import requirements among Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
    Dates of Meetings: October 1996 and April 1997.
    Locations of Meetings: To be announced.
    Major Discussion/Agenda: Standards development process; area 
freedom standard; pest surveillance/monitoring standard; and pest risk 
analysis standard.
    Comments on standards being considered or to be considered by any 
of the committees or working groups listed above may be sent to us as 
directed under the heading ADDRESSES.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 16th day of September 1996.
Terry L. Medley,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 96-24211 Filed 9-19-96; 8:45 am]
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