[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 160 (Friday, August 17, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43171-43177]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-20692]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 160 / Friday, August 17, 2001 / 
Notices  

[[Page 43171]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. 01-046-1]


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 legislation implementing the results of the 
Uruguay Round of negotiations under the General Agreement on Tariffs 
and Trade, we are informing the public of international standard-
setting activities of the Office International des Epizooties, the 
Secretariat of the International Plant Protection Convention, and the 
North American Plant Protection Organization, and we are soliciting 
public comment on the standards to be considered.

ADDRESSES: Please send four copies of your comments (an original and 
three copies) to: Docket No. 01-046-1, Regulatory Analysis and 
Development, PPD, APHIS, Suite 3C03, 4700 River Road Unit 118, 
Riverdale, MD 20737-1238.
    Please state that your comment refers to Docket No. 01-046-1.
    You may read any comments that we receive on this docket in our 
reading room. The reading room is located in room 1141 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) 690-2817 before coming.
    APHIS documents published in the Federal Register, and related 
information, including the names of organizations and individuals who 
have commented on APHIS dockets, are available on the Internet at 
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppd/rad/webrepor.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information on the topics 
covered in this notice, contact Mr. John Greifer, Director, Trade 
Support Team, International Services, APHIS, room 1132, South Building, 
14th Street and Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250; (202) 
720-7677. For specific information regarding standard-setting 
activities of the Office International des Epizooties, contact Dr. 
Michael David, Chief, Sanitary International Standards Team, VS, APHIS, 
4700 River Road Unit 33, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; (301) 734-8093. For 
specific information regarding the standard-setting activities of the 
International Plant Protection Convention or the North American Plant 
Protection Organization, contact Mr. Narcy Klag, Program Manager, 
Phytosanitary Issues Management, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 60, 
Riverdale, MD 20737-1236; (301) 734-8469.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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 by the President 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 Agreement 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 (SPS) standard-setting 
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 international standard-setting 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 Office International des Epizooties (OIE) 
regarding animal health and zoonoses; (3) developed under the auspices 
of the Secretariat of the International Plant Protection Convention 
(IPPC) in cooperation with 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 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) or 
the member countries of the WTO.
    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 standard-setting 
activities of Codex, OIE, IPPC, and NAPPO. This responsibility was 
delegated to the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) 
Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) for Codex activities and 
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) for OIE, IPPC, and 
NAPPO activities.
    FSIS is responsible for publishing an annual notice in the Federal 
Register to inform the public of SPS standard-setting activities for 
Codex. 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.
    APHIS is responsible for publishing notice of OIE, IPPC, and NAPPO 
activities related to international standards and for representing the

[[Page 43172]]

United States with respect to these standards.
    Following are descriptions of the OIE, IPPC, and NAPPO 
organizations and the standard-setting agenda for each of these 
institutions. 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 OIE, 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.

OIE Standard-Setting Activities

    The OIE was established in Paris, France, in 1924 with the signing 
of an international agreement by 28 countries. It is currently composed 
of 157 member nations, each of which is represented by a delegate who, 
in most cases, is the chief veterinary officer of that country. The WTO 
has recognized the OIE as the international forum for setting animal 
health standards, reporting global animal situations and disease 
status, and presenting guidelines and recommendations on sanitary 
measures relating to animal health.
    The OIE facilitates intergovernmental cooperation to prevent the 
spread of contagious diseases in animals by sharing scientific research 
among its members. The major functions of the OIE are to collect and 
disseminate information on the distribution and occurrence of animal 
diseases and to ensure that scientifically justified standards govern 
international trade in animals and animal products. The OIE aims to 
achieve this through the development and revision of international 
standards for diagnostic tests, vaccines, and the safe international 
trade of animals and animal products.
    The OIE provides annual reports on the global distribution of 
animal diseases, recognizes the free status of member countries 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 member 
countries.
    The various OIE commissions and working groups undertake the 
initial analysis and preparation of draft standards, which are then 
circulated to member countries for consultation (review and comment). 
Draft standards are revised accordingly and then presented to the OIE 
General Session, which meets annually every May, for review and 
adoption. Adoption, as a general rule, is based on consensus of the OIE 
membership.
    The next OIE General Session is scheduled for the third or fourth 
week of May 2002 in Paris, France. The Deputy Administrator for APHIS' 
Veterinary Services is the official U.S. delegate to the OIE. The 
Deputy Administrator intends to participate in the proceedings and will 
discuss or comment on APHIS' position on any standard up for adoption.

OIE Code Chapters Up for Adoption

    Revisions to the following chapters of the OIE International Animal 
Health Code are expected to be presented for adoption at the next 
General Session in May 2002:
    1. Scrapie: This is a disease of sheep and goats. This will 
constitute a new chapter in the OIE Code. It will provide guidance for 
safe trade in sheep and goats, including their products, with respect 
to scrapie. The United States intends to support adoption of this new 
Code chapter assuming it is ready for such consideration and is 
consistent with our scientific knowledge of this disease.
    2. Classical swine fever (CSF): This is a disease of hogs. This is 
not a new chapter in the OIE Code. This chapter is being updated in 
order to incorporate contemporary scientific knowledge about this 
disease (e.g., new knowledge regarding surveillance for CSF, testing, 
etc.). These changes may affect current OIE export certification 
standards for products affected with CSF. The United States intends to 
support this revised Code chapter assuming it is ready for such 
consideration and is consistent with our scientific knowledge of this 
disease.
    3. Newcastle disease: This a poultry disease. This is not a new OIE 
Code chapter. Changes are being made to this chapter to reflect 
contemporary scientific knowledge about Newcastle disease (e.g., new 
knowledge regarding surveillance for the disease, testing, etc.). These 
changes may affect current OIE export certification standards for 
products affected with Newcastle disease. The United States intends to 
support adoption of this revised Code chapter assuming it is ready for 
such consideration and is consistent with our scientific knowledge of 
this disease.
    4. Diseases of bees: This represents a revision to or updating of 
an existing OIE Code chapter. This chapter, which addresses most 
diseases of honeybees, including mites, will be revised to incorporate 
changes in scientific knowledge about various honeybee diseases. This 
chapter will continue to provide guidance for certifying honeybee 
packages and queen bees for export purposes. The United States intends 
to support adoption of this revised chapter assuming it is ready for 
such consideration and is consistent with our scientific knowledge of 
this disease.
    5. Infectious Bursal Disease (IBD): This is a disease of poultry. 
This existing chapter will be revised to incorporate contemporary 
scientific knowledge about IBD (e.g., new knowledge regarding 
surveillance for the disease, testing, etc.). These changes may affect 
current OIE export certification standards for products that may be 
affected with IBD. The United States intends to support adoption of 
this revised Code chapter assuming it is ready for such consideration 
and is consistent with our scientific knowledge of this disease.
    As a matter of process, these chapters are drafted (or revised) by 
ad hoc groups composed of technical experts nominated by the OIE Code 
Commission by virtue of their subject-area expertise (not their 
national affiliation). Once the ad hoc expert group completes its task 
of drafting a new chapter or revising an existing one, it is then 
distributed to member countries for review and comment. Typically, the 
OIE distributes the proposed or revised Code chapters to its member 
countries by late October of each year. The draft standard is revised 
by the Code Commission on the basis of relevant scientific comments 
received from member countries.
    The United States (i.e., USDA/APHIS) intends to review and comment 
on all draft chapter revisions once it receives them from the OIE, most 
likely in late October or early November 2001. USDA/APHIS intends to 
distribute these drafts to the U.S. livestock industry, veterinary 
experts in various U.S. academic institutions, and other

[[Page 43173]]

interested persons for review and comment. These drafts are also posted 
on a website maintained by the U.S. Animal Health Association (USAHA). 
Hence, U.S. comments submitted to the OIE will be based on APHIS' 
analysis and relevant scientific information received from various 
domestic commenters. Additional information regarding these draft 
standards may be obtained by contacting Dr. Michael David (see FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT above).
    Generally, if a country has concerns with a particular draft 
standard, and supports those concerns with sound technical information, 
the Commission will revise that standard accordingly and present the 
revised draft for adoption at the General Session in May. In the event 
that a country's concerns regarding a draft standard are not taken into 
account, that country may refuse to support the standard when it comes 
up for adoption at the General Session. However, each member country is 
obligated to review, comment, and make decisions regarding the adoption 
of standards strictly on their scientific merits.

OIE Future Work Program

    In the next few years, the Code Commission is expected to establish 
ad hoc groups of experts to update and/or develop the standards for the 
following diseases:
    1. Transmissible spongiform encephalopathy in small ruminants: This 
would be a new OIE Code chapter intended to provide guidance for export 
certification of sheep and goats and their products. The United States 
will consider its position on this new standard after it reviews a 
prepared draft.
    2. Bovine tuberculosis: This would represent a revision of an 
existing OIE Code chapter. Changes to this chapter are being considered 
due to new scientific information about this disease. Changes to this 
chapter could result in changes in the current export certification 
standards for cattle. The United States intends to support adoption of 
this new Code chapter assuming it is ready for such consideration and 
is consistent with our scientific knowledge of this disease. The United 
States will consider its position on this revised standard after it 
reviews a prepared draft.
    3. Paratuberculosis: This would represent a revision of an existing 
OIE Code chapter. Changes to this chapter are being considered due to 
new scientific information about this disease, primarily as it affects 
cattle and sheep. The United States will consider its position on this 
revised Code chapter after it reviews a prepared draft.
    4. Chronic wasting disease: This is a disease of wildlife and farm-
raised animals, primarily deer and elk. This would be new OIE Code 
chapter that would provide guidance for trade in deer and elk and their 
products.
    The United States will consider its position on this new standard 
after it reviews a prepared draft.
    In addition, the Code Commission anticipates establishing 
guidelines for the following issues:
    1. Guidelines on the judgment of equivalence: This represents a new 
undertaking for OIE and is intended to provide guidance on making 
equivalency determinations in the area of animal health. The United 
States will consider its position on this issue once it reviews a 
prepared draft.
    2. Notification of animal diseases: Work in this area is intended 
to provide improved guidance on procedures to follow for reporting 
animal disease outbreaks and occurrences among OIE members. The United 
States will consider its position on this matter after it reviews a 
prepared draft.
    3. Code appendices on embryos: Work in this area is intended to 
ensure that all OIE Code chapters that address different animal 
diseases include adequate guidance on export certification for trade in 
embryos with respect to that particular disease. The United States will 
consider its position on this matter after it reviews a prepared draft.

Other OIE Topics

    Every year at the General Session, two technical items are 
presented. At the May 2001 General Session, the following technical 
items were presented:
    1. The importance of emerging diseases in public and animal health 
and trade. An expert in this area, including new zoonotic diseases, 
provided a summary report on this topic. This report is expected to be 
included in the report of the OIE's 2001 General Session.
    2. The role of communication management in supporting veterinary 
services. An expert on public information provided a summary report on 
how different OIE member countries address their public information 
needs with regard to informing the public about their animal health 
activities. This report will also be published in the report of the 
OIE's 2001 General Session. The two technical items for the May 2002 
General Session have not yet been determined.
    The information in this notice includes all the information 
currently available to us on OIE standards currently under development 
or consideration. Information on OIE standards is available on the OIE 
web page at http://www.oie.int. Further, a formal agenda for the next 
General Session will be available to member countries in February 2002, 
and copies will be available to the public once the agenda is 
published. For the most current information on meeting times, working 
groups, and/or meeting agendas, including information on official U.S. 
participation in OIE activities, and U.S. positions on standards being 
considered, contact Dr. Michael David (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT above). Those wishing to provide comments on any areas of work 
under the OIE may do so at any time by responding to this notice (see 
ADDRESSES above) or by providing comments through Dr. David.

IPPC Standard-Setting Activities

    The IPPC is a multilateral convention adopted in 1952 for the 
purpose of securing common and effective action to prevent the spread 
and introduction of pests of plants and plant products and to promote 
appropriate measures for their control. Under the IPPC, the 
understanding of plant protection has been, and continues to be, broad, 
encompassing the protection of both cultivated and noncultivated plants 
from direct or indirect injury by plant pests. Activities addressed by 
the IPPC include the development and establishment of international 
plant health standards, the harmonization of phytosanitary activities 
through emerging standards, the facilitation of the exchange of 
official and scientific information among countries, and the furnishing 
of technical assistance to developing countries that are signatories to 
the IPPC.
    The IPPC is placed under the authority of the FAO, and the members 
of the Secretariat of the IPPC are appointed by the FAO. The IPPC is 
implemented by national plant protection organizations in cooperation 
with regional plant protection organizations, the Interim Commission on 
Phytosanitary Measures (ICPM), and the Secretariat of the IPPC. The 
United States plays a major role in all standard-setting activities 
under the IPPC and has representation on FAO's highest governing body, 
the FAO Conference.
    The United States became a contracting party to the IPPC in 1972 
and has been actively involved in furthering the work of the IPPC ever 
since. The IPPC was amended in 1979, and the amended version entered 
into force in 1991 after two-thirds of the

[[Page 43174]]

contracting countries accepted the amendment. More recently, in 1997, 
contracting parties completed negotiations on further amendments that 
were approved by the FAO Conference and submitted to the parties for 
acceptance. This 1997 amendment updated phytosanitary concepts and 
formalized the standard-setting structure within the IPPC. The 1997 
amended version of the IPPC will enter into force once two-thirds of 
the current contracting parties notify the Director General of FAO of 
their acceptance of the amendment. At this date, 21 of the required 72 
member countries have deposited their official letters of acceptance. 
The U.S. Senate gave its advice and consent to acceptance of the newly 
revised IPPC on October 18, 2000. The United States is in the process 
of preparing and submitting to the FAO Director General its official 
instrument of acceptance.
    The IPPC has been, and 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 national plant protection organization is 
APHIS' Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) program. The steps for 
developing a standard under the revised IPPC are described below.
    Step 1: Proposals for a new international standard for 
phytosanitary measures (ISPM) or for the review or revision of an 
existing ISPM are submitted to the Secretariat of the IPPC in the form 
of a discussion paper accompanied by a topic or draft standard. Drafts 
can be submitted by individual countries, but are more commonly 
submitted by regional plant protection organizations (RPPO's). 
Alternately, the Secretariat can propose a new standard or amendments 
to existing standards.
    Step 2: A summary of proposals is submitted by the Secretariat to 
the ICPM. The ICPM identifies the topics and priorities for standard 
setting from among the proposals submitted to the Secretariat and 
others that may be raised by the ICPM.
    Step 3: Specifications for the standards identified as priorities 
by the ICPM are drafted by the Secretariat. The draft specifications 
are submitted to the Standards Committee for approval/amendment and are 
subsequently made available to members and RPPO's for comment (60 
days). Comments are submitted in writing to the Secretariat. Taking 
into account the comments, the Standards Committee finalizes the 
specifications.
    Step 4: The standard is drafted or revised in accordance with the 
specifications by a working group designated by the Standards 
Committee. The resulting draft standard is submitted to the Standards 
Committee for review.
    Step 5: Draft standards approved by the Standards Committee are 
distributed to members by the Secretariat and RPPO's for consultation 
(120 days). Comments are submitted in writing to the Secretariat. Where 
appropriate, the Standards Committee may establish open-ended 
discussion groups as forums for further comment. The Secretariat 
summarizes the comments and submits them to the Standards Committee.
    Step 6: Taking into account the comments, the Secretariat, in 
cooperation with the Standards Committee, revises the draft standard. 
The Standards Committee submits the final version to the ICPM for 
adoption.
    Step 7: The ISPM is established through formal adoption by the ICPM 
according to Rule X of the Rules of Procedure of the ICPM.
    Step 8: Review of the ISPM is completed by the specified date or 
such other date as may be agreed upon by the ICPM.
    Each member country is represented on the ICPM by a single 
delegate. Although experts and advisers may accompany the delegate to 
meetings of the ICPM, only the delegate (or an authorized alternate) 
may represent each member country in considering a standard up for 
approval. Parties involved in a vote by the ICPM are to make every 
effort to reach agreement on all matters by consensus. Only after all 
efforts to reach a consensus have been exhausted may a decision on a 
standard be passed by a vote of two-thirds of delegates present and 
voting.
    Technical experts from the United States have participated directly 
in working groups and indirectly as reviewers of all IPPC draft 
standards. In addition, documents and positions developed by APHIS and 
NAPPO have served as the bases for many of the standards adopted to 
date. This notice describes each of the IPPC standards currently under 
consideration or up for adoption. The full text of each standard will 
be available on the APHIS Internet website at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/standards. Interested individuals may review the 
standards posted on this website and submit comments via the website.
    The next ICPM meeting is scheduled for March 11-13, 2002. The 
Deputy Administrator for APHIS' PPQ program is the U.S. delegate to the 
ICPM. The Deputy Administrator intends to participate in the 
proceedings and will discuss or comment on APHIS' position on any 
standard up for adoption. The provisional agenda for the meeting is as 
follows:

Provisional Agenda for the Fourth Interim Commission on 
Phytosanitary Measures

    1. Opening of the session.
    2. Adoption of the agenda.
    3. Report by the chairperson.
    4. Report by the Secretariat.
    5. Adoption of international standards (see section below entitled 
``IPPC Standards Up for Adoption in 2002'' for details).
    6. Items arising from the Third Session of the ICPM (see section 
below entitled ``New Standard Setting Initiatives'' for details).
    7. Work program for harmonization.
    8. Status of the 1997 revised IPPC.
    9. Other business.
    10. Date and venue of the next meeting.
    11. Adoption of the report.

IPPC Standards Up for Adoption in 2002

    It is expected that the following standards will be sufficiently 
developed to be considered by the ICPM for adoption at its March 2002 
meeting. The United States, represented by APHIS' Deputy Administrator 
for PPQ, will participate in the consideration of these standards. The 
U.S. position on each of these issues will be developed prior to the 
ICPM session and will be based on APHIS' analysis, information from 
other U.S. Government agencies, and relevant scientific information 
from interested stakeholders. The standards that are most likely to be 
considered for adoption include:
    1. Guidelines for pest listing: The IPPC requires contracting 
parties to establish and update lists of regulated pests for 
phytosanitary certification purposes. Guidelines were developed for 
meeting these obligations at a working group meeting in January 2000. 
These draft guidelines describe lists of regulated pests, the purpose 
of the guidelines, and their relationship to phytosanitary 
certification procedures. The United States intends to support adoption 
of this draft standard assuming it is ready for such consideration.
    2. Guidelines for pest reporting: Under the IPPC, members have an 
obligation to report pest outbreaks or incidents that may be of 
potential danger to other members. This standard will provide a common 
format for such reporting between members. The United States intends to 
support adoption of

[[Page 43175]]

this draft standard assuming it is ready for such consideration.
    3. General considerations and specific requirements for regulated 
non-quarantine pests: The 1997 revised IPPC broadened the scope of 
regulated pests to include ``regulated non-quarantine pests.'' These 
are defined as a non-quarantine pests associated with propagative 
materials and whose presence in such plants affects the intended use of 
those plants with an economically unacceptable impact and are therefore 
regulated by the national plant protection organization. This standard 
describes the concept of regulated non-quarantine pests and identifies 
their characteristics. It also describes the application of the concept 
in practice and relevant elements for regulatory systems. This general 
standard will be followed at a later time by the development of a 
related standard that will provide guidance for conducting pest risk 
analyses specific to regulated non-quarantine pests (see item 7 under 
``New Standard-Setting Initiatives''). The United States intends to 
support adoption of this draft standard assuming it is ready for such 
consideration.
    4. Systems approaches for risk management: Given the eventual loss 
of methyl bromide as a quarantine tool, many countries are relying 
increasingly on new approaches for reducing pest risks and meeting 
foreign import requirements. Systems approaches, or the use of multiple 
pest risk mitigation measures, have emerged as an increasingly popular 
way to certify commodities for export. This standard is intended to 
harmonize the approach used by countries in establishing systems 
approaches for export purposes. The United States intends to support 
adoption of this draft standard assuming it is ready for such 
consideration.
    At this time, it appears likely that only the above standards will 
be presented for adoption at the next ICPM meeting in April 2002. The 
United States intends to support adoption of these standards at the 
April 2002 ICPM meeting.

New Standard-Setting Initiatives

    A number of expert working group meetings or other technical 
consultations will take place during 2001 and early 2002 on the topics 
listed below. These standard-setting initiatives are not expected to be 
completed prior to March 2002 and, therefore, will not be ready for 
adoption at the 2002 ICPM session. Nonetheless, APHIS intends to 
participate actively and fully in each of these working groups. The 
U.S. position on each of the topics to be addressed by these various 
working groups will be developed prior to these working group meetings 
and will be based on APHIS' technical analysis, information from other 
U.S. Government agencies, and relevant scientific information from 
interested stakeholders.
    1. Environmental impact of quarantine pests, including invasive 
species: The ICPM agreed to establish a technical expert group to 
further develop an IPPC standard for evaluating the environmental 
impacts of quarantine pests, including quarantine pests that are 
invasive. A technical expert group was scheduled to meet on this issue 
August 6-10, 2001. The first effort to solicit input from the public 
took place on March 8, 2001, when APHIS held a public meeting on 
genetically modified organisms (GMO's) and invasive species. The 
transcript of this public meeting is available on the Internet at 
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppd/rad/webrepor.html. We plan to publish a 
second request for comment from the public in the Federal Register in 
July 2001 before this particular standard is discussed at the August 
2001 meeting.
    2. Living modified organisms (LMOs): The ICPM agreed on the need to 
develop a standard to address the plant pest risk of LMOs. The first 
preparatory step, however, is to develop the specifications for an LMO 
standard (i.e., elements and parameters to guide the development of a 
particular standard). An open-ended expert working group will meet in 
September 2001. This expert working group is charged to develop a 
detailed standard specification that identifies the plant pest risks 
associated with LMOs or products of modern biotechnology; identifies 
elements relevant to the assessment of these plant pest risks; 
considers existing international regulatory frameworks and guidelines; 
identifies areas within pest risk assessment (PRA) standards and other 
ISPM's that are relevant to the phytosanitary aspects of LMOs that are 
products of modern biotechnology; and identifies the plant pest risks 
associated with LMOs that are products of modern biotechnology that are 
not adequately addressed by existing ISPM's. The target date for 
completion of the LMO standard is 2004. The first effort to solicit 
input from the public took place on March 8, 2001, when APHIS held a 
public meeting on GMO's and invasive species. The transcript of this 
public meeting is available on the Internet at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppd/rad/webrepor.html. We plan to publish a second 
request for comment from the public in July 2001 before this particular 
standard is discussed at the September 2001 meeting.
    3. Strategic planning and technical assistance: A working group on 
strategic planning and technical assistance will meet in October 2001 
to update the ICPM's strategic plan, including its technical assistance 
program. In particular, the strategic planning group will seek to 
further develop specific procedures for identifying topics and 
establishing setting standard-setting priorities; develop a program for 
the promotion of technical assistance on phytosanitary issues; 
determine priorities for the IPPC Secretariat's technical assistance 
activities; and support the development of guidance for countries to 
use in the evaluation of national regulatory systems.
    4. RPPO technical consultation: The establishment of guidelines for 
the recognition of RPPO's is a function of the ICPM. The task of 
preparing draft guidelines on this subject was completed during a RPPO 
technical consultation held in September 2000. During the RPPO 
consultation scheduled for 2001, procedures that describe how the 
guidelines are to be implemented will be developed for consideration by 
the next session of the ICPM.
    5. Guidelines on the use of nonmanufactured wood packing materials: 
This standard will describe phytosanitary measures to reduce the risk 
of introduction and spread of quarantine pests associated with 
nonmanufactured wood packing materials used for the transport of 
commodities in international trade. The Standards Committee will 
continue work on this draft standard. It is not expected to be 
completed and ready for ICPM adoption until 2003.
    6. Guidelines for surveillance for specific pests--citrus canker: 
Plant health officials may obtain information on pests of concern in 
specific sites in an area over a defined period of time through 
specific surveys. The collected information may be used to determine 
the presence or distribution of pests in an area, or on a host or 
commodity, or their absence from an area (in order to establish and 
maintain pest-free areas). This specific surveillance standard will 
describe the components of survey and monitoring systems for the 
purpose of detecting citrus canker and generating the necessary data 
for use in pest risk analyses, the establishment of pest free areas 
and, where appropriate, the preparation of pest lists.
    7. Pest risk analysis for regulated non-quarantine pests: Certain 
pests that are not quarantine pests may be subject to phytosanitary 
regulations and

[[Page 43176]]

procedures because their presence above a specific level results in 
economically unacceptable impacts associated with the intended use of 
the plants. Under the IPPC, such pests are referred to as regulated 
non-quarantine pests. Under the IPPC, phytosanitary regulations and 
procedures covering regulated non-quarantine pests should be 
technically justified. The classification of a pest as a regulated non-
quarantine pest and any restrictions placed on the importion of the 
plant species with which it is associated must be justified by pest 
risk analysis. This standard will provide guidance for conducting an 
appropriate pest risk assessment necessary to demonstrate that 
importation of a particular plant for propagation is a pathway that may 
result in an economically unacceptable impact and to guide subsequent 
risk management decisions.
    8. Irradiation as a quarantine treatment: This initiative will 
consider the development of standardized guidance for evaluating, 
adopting, and applying irradiation as a phytosanitary treatment. The 
objective is to promote consistency by providing harmonized guidelines 
concerning the technical and operational aspects of employing 
irradiation as a treatment for plant pests. The International Atomic 
Energy Agency (IAEA) based in Vienna, Austria, has offered both 
technical and financial support for the development of an irradiation 
standard.
    For more detailed information on the above topics, which will be 
addressed by various working groups established by the ICPM, contact 
Mr. Narcy Klag (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT above).
    Also, APHIS posts draft standards on its website (http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/standards) as they become available to us. The 
website also provides information on when comments on standards are 
due. Additional information on IPPC standards is available on the FAO's 
website at http://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 Mr. Narcy Klag (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 Mr. Klag.

NAPPO Standard-Setting Activities

    NAPPO, a regional plant protection organization created in 1976 
under the IPPC, coordinates the efforts among Canada, the United 
States, and Mexico to protect their plant resources from the entry, 
establishment, and spread of harmful plant pests, while facilitating 
intra- and inter-regional trade.
    NAPPO conducts its business through panels and annual meetings held 
among the three member countries. The NAPPO Executive Committee charges 
individual panels with the responsibility for drawing up proposals for 
NAPPO positions, policies, and standards. These panels are made up of 
representatives from each member country who have scientific expertise 
related to the policy or standard being considered.
    Proposals drawn up by the individual panels are circulated for 
review to government and industry officials in Canada, Mexico, and the 
United States, who may suggest revisions. In the United States, draft 
standards are circulated to industry, States, and various government 
agencies for consideration and comment. The draft standards are posted 
on the Internet at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/standards. Interested 
persons may submit comments via this website. Once revisions are made, 
the proposal is sent to the NAPPO working group and the NAPPO standards 
panel for technical reviews and then to the Executive Committee for 
final approval, which is granted by consensus.
    The annual NAPPO meeting is scheduled for October 16-18, 2001, in 
Banff, Alberta, Canada. The Executive Committee meeting will take place 
on October 14, 2001, and a special session will be held on October 15, 
2001, where industry groups can bring issues to the attention of the 
Executive Committee. The Deputy Administrator for APHIS' PPQ program is 
the U.S. member of the Executive Committee. The Deputy Administrator 
intends to participate in the proceedings and will discuss or comment 
on APHIS' position on any standard up for adoption in the event that 
there is no consensus on whether to adopt that standard.

Work Plan for 2001/2002--NAPPO Panel Activities

    The work plan for the year was established after the October 2000 
Annual Meeting in San Diego, CA. The Deputy Administrator for PPQ 
participated in establishing this NAPPO work plan (see panel 
assignments below).
    Below is a summary of current panel assignments as they relate to 
the ongoing development of NAPPO standards. USDA/APHIS intends to 
participate actively and fully in the work of each of these panels. The 
U.S. position on each topic will be guided and informed by the best 
scientific information available on each of these topics. Information 
regarding the following NAPPO panel topics, assignments, and 
activities, and updates on meeting times and locations, may be obtained 
from the NAPPO home page at http://www.nappo.org or by contacting Mr. 
Narcy Klag (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT above).
    Accreditation Panel (Laboratory Accreditation Standard): This NAPPO 
panel will undertake the following in support of the ``Accreditation of 
Laboratories for Phytosanitary Testing'' standard: (1) Develop a 
process for the evaluation and acceptance of equivalent diagnostic 
tests used by NAPPO countries; and (2) collaborate with other NAPPO 
panels as required regarding the ongoing maintenance of the inventory 
of NAPPO-approved diagnostic tests. The United States will consider its 
position on this standard after it reviews a prepared draft.
    Accreditation Panel (Inspector Accreditation): This NAPPO panel 
will work towards implementing the conditions of the ``Accreditation of 
Individuals to Sign Federal Phytosanitary Certificates'' standard. A 
review of the U.S. system was conducted in June 2001; reviews of other 
countries' systems will follow. A written report will be given to the 
Executive Committee at its meeting on October 14, 2001.
    Biological Control Panel: This panel will develop a protocol for 
post-release monitoring to be incorporated as part of the existing 
standards on biological control (``Guidelines for Petition for Import 
and Release of Nonnative Entomophagous Agents for the Biological 
Control of Pests,'' and ``Guidelines for Petition for Import and 
Release of Nonnative Phytophagous Agents for the Biological Control of 
Pests''). The United States will consider its position on this protocol 
after it reviews a prepared draft.
    Biotechnology Panel: This panel will develop a NAPPO standard for 
the review of products of biotechnology that focuses on the assessment 
of the potential to present a plant pest risk. It will finalize modules 
1, 2, and 3 of the standard regarding the importation of transgenic 
plants for release into contained facilities, for confined field 
release, and for unconfined field release, respectively. The panel will 
begin development of module 4 regarding importation of transgenic 
material for uses other than planting.
    The panel will also collaborate with the NAPPO Pest Risk Analysis 
Panel to contribute to the development of

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international standards on the plant pest risks of LMOs/products of 
modern biotechnology and on the environmental risks associated with 
plant pests. The United States will consider its position on this 
standard after it reviews a prepared draft.
    Citrus Panel: This panel will continue the development of a NAPPO 
citrus standard entitled, ``Guidelines for the Importation into and 
Movement of Citrus Propagative Material within NAPPO Countries with 
Respect to Viruses and Virus-like Pests, Viroids, Phytoplasms, 
Bacteria, and Fungi.'' The United States will consider its position on 
this standard after it reviews a prepared draft.
    Forestry Panel: This panel will continue to share information 
received from consultations on the NAPPO nonmanufactured wood packing 
material standard, participate in the development of the international 
standard on nonmanufactured wood packing material, and cooperate with 
the Insect and Disease Study Group of the North American Forestry 
Commission to identify quarantine pests and treatment options for 
nonmanufactured wood packing material and research priorities in 
support of regional and international standards for nonmanufactured 
wood packing material. The United States will consider its position on 
any standard developed by this panel after it reviews a prepared draft.
    Fruit Panel: This panel will complete the standard on 
``Verification and Maintenance of Fruit Fly-Free Areas.'' The United 
States will consider its position on this standard after it reviews a 
prepared draft.
    Fruit Tree Panel: This panel will develop a list of standardized 
diagnostic tests to be used when certifying fruit tree nursery stock. 
The United States will consider its position on the list of tests after 
it reviews a prepared draft.
    Grain Panel: This panel will develop a list of standardized 
diagnostic tests to be used when certifying grain shipments and will 
complete guidelines for the establishment, verification, and 
maintenance of free areas for Karnal bunt. The United States will 
consider its position on the list of tests and the guidelines after it 
reviews the prepared drafts.
    Grapevine Panel: This panel will develop a list of standardized 
diagnostic tests to be used when certifying grapevine shipments. The 
United States will consider its position on the list of tests after it 
reviews a prepared draft.
    Pest Risk Analysis Panel: This panel will collaborate with the 
Potato Panel in the development of a PRA to support implementation of 
the NAPPO standard on ``Requirements for the Importation of Potatoes 
into a NAPPO Member Country.'' Also, it will collaborate with the NAPPO 
Biotechnology Panel to contribute to the development of international 
standards on the plant pest risks of LMOs/products of modern 
biotechnology and on the environmental risks associated with plant 
pests. The United States will consider its position on this standard 
after it reviews a prepared draft.
    Potato Panel: This panel will develop a standard that provides 
detailed criteria that would define appropriate conditions for 
minituber production and list the standardized diagnostic tests to be 
used when certifying potato shipments. The United States will consider 
its position on this standard after it reviews a prepared draft.
    Seeds Panel: This panel will prepare a proposal to the IPPC to 
endorse the seed-testing methods of the International Seed Testing 
Association, as well as develop a list of standardized diagnostic tests 
to be used when certifying seed shipments. The United States will 
consider its position on the proposal and the list of tests after it 
reviews the prepared drafts.
    Standards Panel: This panel is responsible for providing updates on 
standards in the NAPPO newsletter; coordinating the review of new and 
amended NAPPO standards and ensuring that comments received during the 
country consultation phase are incorporated as appropriate; organizing 
conference calls and preparing NAPPO discussion documents for possible 
use at the IPPC; promoting implementation of finalized NAPPO guidelines 
and standards; and developing a NAPPO process for implementing the 
recently adopted IPPC standard for the ``Notification of Interceptions 
and Non-Compliance'' within the NAPPO region.
    The PPQ Deputy Administrator, as the official U.S. delegate to 
NAPPO, intends to participate in the adoption of those regional plant 
health standards, including the work described above, once they are 
completed and ready for such consideration.
    The information in this notice includes all the information 
available to us on NAPPO standards currently under development or 
consideration. For updates on meeting times and for information on the 
working panels that becomes available following publication of this 
notice, check the NAPPO web page at http://www.nappo.org or contact Mr. 
Narcy Klag (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT above). Information on 
official U.S. participation in NAPPO activities, including U.S. 
positions on standards being considered, may also be obtained from Mr. 
Klag.
    Those wishing to provide comments on any of the topics being 
addressed by any of the NAPPO panels may do so at any time by 
responding to this notice (see ADDRESSES above) or by transmitting 
comments through Mr. Klag.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 9th day of August 2001.
Craig A. Reed,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 01-20692 Filed 8-16-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-U