[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 164 (Friday, August 23, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54615-54621]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-21539]


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 Notices
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  Federal Register / Vol. 67, No. 164 / Friday, August 23, 2002 / 
Notices  

[[Page 54615]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. 02-051-1]


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: You may submit comments by postal mail/commercial delivery 
or by e-mail. If you use postal mail/commercial delivery, please send 
four copies of your comment (an original and three copies) to: Docket 
No. 02-051-1, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 
3C71, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. Please state 
that your comment refers to Docket No. 02-051-1. If you use e-mail, 
address your comment to [email protected]. Your comment must 
be contained in the body of your message; do not send attached files. 
Please include your name and address in your message and ``Docket No. 
02-051-1'' on the subject line.
    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:   

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 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. The United States Department 
of Agriculture's (USDA's) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) 
informs the public of Codex standard-setting activities and Animal and 
Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) informs the public of OIE, 
IPPC, and NAPPO standard-setting activities.
    FSIS publishes an annual notice in the Federal Register to inform 
the public of SPS standard-setting activities for Codex. Codex was 
created in 1962 by

[[Page 54616]]

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 publishes notice of OIE, IPPC, and NAPPO activities related 
to international standards and for representing the 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 162 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 May 18-24, 2003, in 
Paris, France. The Associate Administrator for APHIS' Veterinary 
Services is the official U.S. delegate to the OIE. The Associate 
Administrator intends to participate in the proceedings and will 
discuss or comment on APHIS' position on any standard up for adoption. 
Information about current and past OIE draft Code chapters may be found 
at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/ncie/oie/ or by contacting Dr. Michael 
David (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT above).

OIE Code Chapters Up for Adoption

    Existing Code chapters that may be revised and new chapters that 
may be drafted in preparation for the next General Session in 2003 
include the following:

1. 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.

2. Guidelines for Conducting a Risk Assessment on Bovine Spongiform 
Encephalopathy (BSE) in Cattle

    This is intended to provide guidance on conducting a risk 
assessment that identifies all potential factors for BSE occurrence and 
their historic perspective in a nation's cattle herd. These factors 
include: the feeding of meat-and-bone meal or greaves of ruminant 
origin; the importation of meat-and-bone meal or greaves potentially 
contaminated with a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) or 
feedstuffs containing either; importation of animals or embryos/oocytes 
potentially infected with a TSE; epidemiological situation concerning 
all animal TSEs in the country or zone; extent of knowledge of the 
population structure of cattle, sheep, and goats in the country or 
zone; and the origin of any unprocessed animal by-products, the 
parameters of the rendering processes and the methods of animal feed 
production.

3. Maedi-visna

    This is a disease of sheep and goats. This would represent a new 
OIE Code chapter. The Chapter will provide recommendations for the 
trade of sheep and goats and their products as it pertains to Maedi-
visna.

4. Traceability

    This represents a new undertaking for OIE in the area of animal 
health and is intended to provide guidance on traceability, or the 
tracking of animals and animal products throughout their production 
system.

5. 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.
    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, the chapter is 
then distributed to member countries for review and comment. 
Historically, the OIE has distributed the proposed or revised Code 
chapters to its member countries by late October of each year. However, 
this year the OIE will try to provide proposed chapters by early 
September to allow Member States more time for comment. The draft 
standard is revised by the OIE Code Commission on

[[Page 54617]]

the basis of relevant scientific comments received from member 
countries.
    The United States (i.e., USDA/APHIS) intends to review and, where 
appropriate, comment on all draft chapter revisions once it receives 
them from the OIE. USDA/APHIS intends to distribute these drafts to the 
U.S. livestock industry, veterinary experts in various U.S. academic 
institutions, and other interested persons for review and comment. The 
drafts will be posted on the Internet at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/ncie/oie/. 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 OIE Code 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 OIE Code Commission is expected to 
address the following issues or establish ad hoc groups of experts to 
update and/or develop the standards for the following issues:

1. Animal Welfare

    This represents an effort to develop principles that can be applied 
to different animal welfare standards, such as housing, transportation, 
and slaughter. The United States will consider its position on this new 
standard after it reviews a prepared draft.

2. Food Safety

    This represents an effort to reduce the public health risks in food 
from microbiological, chemical, and other risk factors at the farm 
level and prior to slaughter and would be accomplished by working more 
closely (strengthening relationships) with the relevant international 
organizations such as Codex, FAO, and WHO. The United States will 
consider its position on this new standard after it reviews a prepared 
draft.

3. Avian Influenza, Foot and Mouth Disease, and BSE

    These represent revisions to existing chapters. The United States 
will consider its position on these new standards after it reviews a 
prepared draft.

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 will consider its position on this 
new standard after it reviews a prepared draft.

5. BSE 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.

Other OIE Topics

    Every year at the General Session, two technical items are 
presented. For the May 2003 General Session, the following technical 
items will be presented:
    1. The socioeconomic impact of animal diseases.
    2. Regionalization as an instrument for preventing the propagation 
of diseases, including those of camelids.
    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 
Internet at http://www.oie.int. Further, a formal agenda for the next 
General Session will be available to member countries in February 2003, 
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 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, 39 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,

[[Page 54618]]

2000. The President submitted the official letter of acceptance to the 
FAO Director General on October 4, 2001.
    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 basis 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 Web site at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/pim/standards/. Interested individuals may 
review the standards posted on this website and submit comments via the 
website.
    The next ICPM meeting is scheduled for April 7-11, 2003, at FAO 
Headquarters in Rome, Italy. The Deputy Administrator for APHIS' PPQ 
programs 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 2003'' 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 2003

    It is expected that the following standards will be sufficiently 
developed to be considered by the ICPM for adoption at its April 2003 
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. Environmental Impact of Quarantine Pests

    This work will supplement and strengthen the existing standard on 
``Pest Risk Analysis for Quarantine Pests'' by providing detailed 
guidelines for evaluating the environmental impacts of quarantine 
pests, including quarantine pests that are invasive. This standard was 
reviewed and edited by the Standards Panel and was entered into the 
country consultation phase during the early part of 2002. The Standards 
Panel will review comments from consultation and prepare the final 
draft. The expectation is that the standard will be completed and ready 
for ICPM approval in 2003. The United States intends to support 
adoption of this draft standard, assuming it is ready for such 
consideration.

2. Economic Importance

    The ICPM (at its third meeting) agreed on the need to develop 
guidelines to clarify the meaning and scope of ``economic importance''-
-a term found in the pest risk analysis (PRA) standard,

[[Page 54619]]

in the definition of quarantine pest, and other IPPC documents. The 
goal is to ensure a common understanding that ``economic importance'' 
of pest introduction may include monetary and/or non-monetary impacts 
(e.g., pest impacts on wild flora or the environment which may be 
difficult to express in dollar terms). Such guidelines will help 
clarify the scope of the IPPC as covering not only agriculturally 
significant pests, but also pests which may be harmful to wild flora or 
non-cultivated systems. This standard was reviewed and edited by the 
Standards Panel and was entered into the country consultation phase 
during the early part of 2002. The Standards Panel will review comments 
from consultation and prepare the final draft. The goal is to have a 
guideline prepared for ICPM approval in 2003. The United States intends 
to support adoption of this draft standard assuming it is ready for 
such consideration.

3. Guidelines for the Use of Irradiation as a Phytosanitary Measure

    This standard provides technical guidance for the evaluation, 
adoption, and use of irradiation as a phytosanitary treatment. It is 
designed to encourage consistency by providing essential information 
concerning the technical and operational aspects of using irradiation 
as a treatment for plant pests. This standard is important as it 
provides an alternative to the use of methyl bromide as a treatment for 
quarantine pests. This standard was reviewed and edited by the 
Standards Panel and was entered into the country consultation phase 
during the early part of 2002. The Standards Panel will review comments 
from consultation and prepare the final draft. The goal is to have a 
guideline prepared for ICPM approval in 2003. The United States intends 
to support adoption of this draft standard assuming it is ready for 
such consideration.

New Standard-Setting Initiatives, Including Those in Development

    A number of expert working group meetings or other technical 
consultations will take place during 2002 and early 2003 on the topics 
listed below. These standard-setting initiatives are not expected to be 
completed prior to March 2003 and, therefore, will not be ready for 
adoption at the 2003 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. Living Modified Organisms (LMOs) Standard

    At its third annual meeting in 2001, the ICPM agreed on the need to 
develop a phytosanitary standard for assessing potential pest risks 
associated with LMOs. The goal of this standard is to provide clear and 
comprehensive guidance on the conduct of PRA procedures as regards the 
phytosanitary risks that may be presented by LMOs. Accordingly, this 
standard will take into account: Existing PRA procedures and standards 
(IPPC and others that may be relevant); relevant hazards and methods 
for the evaluation of the potential phytosanitary risks presented by 
LMOs; and, the goal of ensuring a PRA procedure for LMOs that is 
consistent with relevant aspects of the Cartagena Protocol. The target 
date for completion of the LMO standard is 2004.

2. Efficacy of Phytosanitary Measures

    ICPM consensus exists on the need to develop a standard for 
evaluating the efficacy of phytosanitary measures. The goal is to 
ensure the development of guidelines for evaluating phytosanitary 
measures on a consistent, rigorous, and sound basis and providing IPPC 
recognition of those which meet established criteria. This standard 
will be critical for supporting future commodity specific standards 
(e.g. hot water treatment for fruit flies) as well as the development 
of IPPC guidelines for making ``equivalency'' determinations. Work on 
this standard will begin in 2002 with the goal of having the standard 
ready for ICPM approval in 2004.

3. Guidelines for Equivalence

    It is recognized that different phytosanitary measures can provide 
equivalent plant health protection for the purpose of international 
trade. This standard will provide guidelines for assessing and 
comparing different phytosanitary measures in order to make equivalency 
determinations. This standard will be directly linked to the draft 
standards work, currently underway, related to ``efficacy of 
measures.'' ICPM members agreed on the need to establish criteria and 
guidance for evaluating the efficacy of measures (i.e., treatments, 
systems, etc.) prior to developing guidelines for equivalence.

4. Guidelines for Surveillance for Specific Pests (Citrus Canker)

    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 
and the establishment of pest-free areas. During the course of work on 
this particular standard, there have emerged substantial differences of 
opinion among experts regarding several aspects of the standard, 
particularly the appropriate statistical levels for survey. Work will 
continue on this draft standard in 2002 with the goal of having it 
ready for ICPM approval in 2004.

5. Pest Risk Analysis for Regulated Non-Quarantine Pests

    Certain pests that are not quarantine pests may be subject to 
phytosanitary regulations and 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.'' The classification 
of a pest as a regulated non-quarantine pest and any restrictions 
placed on the importation 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 PRA necessary to 
demonstrate that importation of a particular plant for propagation may 
result in an unacceptable impact and to guide subsequent risk 
management decisions. The goal is to have this standard ready for ICPM 
approval in 2004.

6. Guidelines for an Import Regulatory System

    A first draft was considered by an IPPC working group in 1997. 
Since then the draft has undergone several revisions. In November 2001, 
the IPPC Interim Standards Committee recommended that a small working 
group be organized to consider the latest draft. The primary issue is 
the level of detail that the standard will contain as regards 
structural and operational aspects of import regulatory systems. The 
group met in February 2002 and developed a revised edition. This draft 
will be reviewed by the Standards Panel in November 2002.

7. Inspection Methodology

    The first draft of the standard on inspection methodology was 
prepared in 1995. Since then the draft standard has undergone several 
revisions and has been distributed to members for their formal review 
(1999). An expert group

[[Page 54620]]

may be convened in the near future to consider the draft standard in 
light of Members' comments.

8. Pest Listing

    The IPPC requires contracting parties to establish and update lists 
of regulated pests for phytosanitary certification purposes. A working 
group is drafting standardized guidelines for meeting these 
obligations. These draft guidelines will describe lists of regulated 
pests, the purpose of the guidelines, and their relationship to 
phytosanitary certification procedures. There were some serious 
reservations by several countries after country consultations, however, 
these concerns have now been resolved with those countries. Work will 
continue on this draft standard in 2002 with the goal of having it 
ready for ICPM approval in 2004.
    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 the Internet (http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/pim/standards) as they become available and 
provides information on when comments on standards are due. Additional 
information on IPPC standards is available on the FAO's Web site 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 that Web site. 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 21-25, 2002, in 
Oaxaca, Mexico. The NAPPO Executive Committee meeting will take place 
on October 20, and a special session will be held on October 21 to 
solicit the input of industry groups so that suggestions can be 
incorporated into the NAPPO work plan. The Deputy Administrator for 
APHIS' PPQ programs is a member of the NAPPO 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 
or any proposals to develop new standards.
    The work plan for 2002 was established after the October 2001 
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. For each of 
the following panels, the United States will consider its position on 
any draft standard after it reviews a prepared draft. 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).

1. Accreditation Panel (Inspector Accreditation)

    This panel will work towards facilitating the proper implementation 
of the standard ``Accreditation of Individuals to Sign Federal 
Phytosanitary Certificates.'' A review of the U.S. system was conducted 
in June 2001 and a review of the Canadian system was conducted in early 
2002. A review of Mexico's system will follow. A written report will be 
provided to the Executive Committee.

2. Biological Control Panel

    This panel will work on developing a standard for biological 
control facilities.

3. Biotechnology Panel

    This panel will continue to 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. Modules for unconfined field 
release and importation of transgenic material for uses other than 
planting will be drafted.

4. Citrus Panel

    The panel will continue to work on the standard for the entry of 
citrus propagative material into NAPPO member countries.

5. Forestry Panel

    The panel will work on trying to harmonize, between NAPPO 
countries, the implementation of the international standard for wood 
packaging material.

6. Fruit Panel

    The panel will finalize the standard ``Verification and Maintenance 
of Fruit Fly-Free Areas.'' Approval of this standard by the NAPPO 
Executive Committee is expected this year.

7. Fruit Tree Panel

    The panel will finalize the standard ``NAPPO Guidelines for the 
Safe Movement of Plum Pox Host Material.''

8. Grapevine Panel

    This panel will finalize the NAPPO grapevine standard and prepare 
it for approval by the NAPPO Executive Committee.

9. Pest Risk Analysis Panel

    This panel will coordinate NAPPO input on the development of the 
IPPC standard entitled ``Pest Risk Analysis for Regulated Non-
Quarantine Pests.''

10. Phytosanitary Alert System

    This panel will finalize the NAPPO standard on pest reporting. The 
standard should be approved by the Executive Committee this year.

11. Potato Panel

    This panel will review and revise the NAPPO Potato Standard pest 
list and

[[Page 54621]]

then conduct in-country consultations regarding pest status.

12. Potato Technical Advisory Group

    This ad-hoc panel will prepare the minituber production guidelines 
for North America for country consultations.

13. Standards Panel

    This panel is responsible for the following: Providing updates on 
standards for 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; and promoting implementation of recently adopted IPPC 
standards. The panel will finalize a NAPPO standard for implementing 
the recently adopted IPPC standard ``Notification of Interceptions and 
Non-Compliance'' and will finalize a standard for developing bilateral 
workplans.
    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 may become available following publication of this 
notice, check the NAPPO Web page on the Internet 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 19th day of August, 2002.
Peter Fernandez,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 02-21539 Filed 8-22-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P