. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/USA/721
13 June 2003
(03-3090)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:  English
NOTIFICATION
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   UNITED STATES
If applicable, name of local government involved:
2. Agency responsible:   Animal Plant Health Inspections Service - APHIS
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):  Fragrant Pears
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable:  China
5. Title, language and number of pages of the notified document:  Importation of Fragrant
Pears from China, English, Volume 68, Number 100, PP.28161-28166
www.aphis.usda.gov/ppd/rad/webrepor
6. Description of content:  APHIS is to amend the fruits and vegetables regulations to allow
the importation of fragrant pears from Chin a under certain conditions.  As a condition of
entry, fragrant pears from China would have to  be grown in the Korla region of Xinjiang
Province in a production site that is registered  with the national plant protection organization
of China.  The fragrant pears would be subj ect to inspection. I n addition, the pears would
have to be packed in insect-proof containe rs that are labelled in accordance with the
regulations and safeguarded from pest infestati on during transport to the United States.  This
action would allow fragrant pears to be impor ted from China while continuing to provide
protection against the introduction of plant pests into the United States.
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. International standard, gu ideline or recommendation:
[   ] Codex Alimentarius Commission, [   ] Office International des Epizooties,
[   ] International Plant Prot ection Convention, [ X ] None
If an international standard , guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate
reference and briefly identify deviations:
9. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  English
10. Proposed date of adoption:   To be determined.
11. Proposed date of entry into force:   To be determined.G/SPS/N/USA/721
Page 2
12. Final date for comments:  22 July 2003
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [   ] National notification
authority, [ X ] National enquiry point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if
available) of other body:
Please submit comments to Docket No. 02-049 -01, Regulatory Analysis and Development,
PPD, APHIS, Station 3c71, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 10737-1238
13. Texts available from:  [   ] National notification authority,  [ X ]  National enquiry point,
or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:
Mr. William Janis
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Stop 1027
Washington, D.C. 20250
Telephone:  202 720-9047E-mail:  fstsd@fas.usda.gov