. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/USA/333
25 September 2000
(00-3847)
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:  Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service - APHIS
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national schedules
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where
applicable).  Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or
practicable:  Plants
4. Title and number of pages of the notified document:  Importation of Artificially Dwarfed
Plants in Growing Media From the People’s Republic of China (4 pages)
5. Description of content:  APHIS is proposing to amend the regulations governing the
importation of plants and plant products to allow artificially dwarfed (penjing) plants of the
genera Buxus, Ehretia (Carmona), Podocarpus, Sageretia, and Serissa to be imported into
the United States from the People's Republic of China in an approved growing mediumsubject to specified growing, inspection, and certification requirements. We have assessed
the pest risks associated with the importation of these artificially dwarfed plants established
in growing media and have determined that they may be imported from the People's
Republic of China under the conditions proposed without presenting a significant risk of
introducing or disseminating dangerous plant pests. This proposed rule would relieve
restrictions that currently allow these genera to be imported only as bare-rooted plants.
6. 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           
7. An international standard, guideline or recommendation does not exist [    ].
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate
reference and briefly identify deviations:  APHIS is proposing this action in accordance
with Article 6, Paragraph 1 of the Intern ational Plant Protection Convention (IPPC).
8. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  65 FR 56803,
20 September 2000 (Available in English)
9. Proposed date of adoption: To be determined.
10. Proposed date of entry into force: To be determined.G/SPS/N/USA/333
Page 2
11. Final date for comments:  20 November 2000
Agency or authority designated to handle comments: Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service   [    ] National notification authority, [     ] National enquiry point, or
address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:  Detailed
instruction on where and how to send comments is in the body of the full text - which willbe sent upon request to the address in paragraph 12.
12. Texts available from: [  X ] National notification authority, [  X ] National enquiry point
or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:
United States SPS Enquiry Point/Notification Authority
USDA/FAS/FSTSD
ATTN: Carolyn F. Wilson
Room 5545 South Agriculture Building
Stop 1027
1400 Independence Avenue, S.W.Washington, D.C. 20250
Phone (202) 720-2239
Fax (202) 690-0677
E-mail Address: ofsts@fas.usda.gov