1.

Notifying Member: Japan

If applicable, name of local government involved:  

2.

Agency responsible: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

3.

Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national schedules deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where applicable): HS Codes: 060210, 060220, 060290, plants for planting (excluding seed and fruit) of the host of Xylella fastidiosa

4.

Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable:

[ ]      All trading partners  

[X]    Specific regions or countries: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Iran, Italy, Mexico, Morocco, Paraguay, Chinese Taipei, Turkey, United States of America (excluding Hawaiian Islands) and Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of

5.

Title of the notified document: Emergency measures to reduce the risk of introduction of Xylella fastidiosa through the importation of plants for planting (excluding seed and fruit) of the host of X. fastidiosa  Language(s): English  Number of pages: 2

http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2015/SPS/JPN/15_1861_00_e.pdf

6.

Description of content: In order to reduce the risk of introduction of Xylella fastidiosa into Japan, the host plants for planting (excluding seeds and fruits) of X. fastidiosa listed in the annex (link in Item 5) produced in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Iran, Italy, Mexico, Morocco, Paraguay, Chinese Taipei, Turkey, United States of America (excluding Hawaiian Islands) and Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of, where X. fastidiosa is known to occur are subject to the following additional import requirements:

The plants must be accompanied with an official government Phytosanitary Certificate stating the following additional declaration:

– The samples taken from the plants in their leafing stage were tested for Xylella fastidiosa by using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) method or Enzyme-Linked Immuno Sorbent Assay (ELISA) method and found to be free of X. fastidiosa.

The plants accompanying a Phytosanitary Certificate issued before 9 May 2015 with no additional declaration mentioned above may be allowed to import, subject to inspection of all the plants for X. fastidiosa at entry points of Japan.

7.

Objective and rationale: [ ] food safety, [ ] animal health, [X] plant protection, [ ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [ ] protect territory from other damage from pests.  

8.

Nature of the urgent problem(s) and reason for urgent action: Xylella fastidiosa is a bacterium that can infect a wide range of plants species and the disease could cause serious damage. In addition, the bacterium is recently reported to have spread in some parts of Europe. The reason for the urgent action is to prevent the introduction of the bacterium into Japan from those countries where the bacterium is known to occur.

9.

Is there a relevant international standard? If so, identify the standard:

[ ]      Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g. title or serial number of Codex standard or related text)  

[ ]      World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g. Terrestrial or Aquatic Animal Health Code, chapter number)  

[X]    International Plant Protection Convention (e.g. ISPM number) IPPC Article 7 and IPSM 1

[ ]      None

Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?

[X] Yes   [ ] No

If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the international standard:  

10.

Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:

11.

Date of entry into force (dd/mm/yy)/period of application (as applicable): The date of this notification circulated.

[ ]      Trade facilitating measure  

12.

Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [ ] National Notification Authority, [X] National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body:

Standards Information Service

International Trade Division, Economic Affairs Bureau

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

2-2-1 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8919, Japan

Tel: +(81 3) 5501 8344

Fax: +(81 3) 5501 8343

E-mail: enquiry@mofa.go.jp

13.

Text(s) available from: [ ] National Notification Authority, [X] National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body: