WORLD TRADE G/SPS/N/CAN/422 16 February 2010 ORGANIZATION (10-0887) Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original: English NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY MEASURES 1. Notifying Member: CANADA If applicable, name of local government involved: 2. Agency responsible: Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) 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): Fresh or chilled tomato fruits (Solanum lycopersicon or Lycopersicon esculentum) (ICS Codes: 65.020, 67.080) 4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable: [ ] All trading partners [X] Specific regions or countries: Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Bahrain, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, France, Greece, Kuwait, Italy, Libya, Malta, Morocco, the Netherlands, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, Tunisia, United Kingdom, Uruguay, and Venezuela 5. Title of the notified document: Language: Number of pages: 6. Description of content: Canada is taking emergency measures to mitigate the risk of entry, establishment and spread of the plant pest, Tuta absoluta. As of 24 February 2010, tomato fruit entering Canada from countries where Tuta absoluta is known to occur must be accompanied by a Phytosanitary Certificate with an additional declaration stating: "This consignment originated from a place where Tuta absoluta is known not to occur and was inspected and found free of Tuta absoluta." 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: Tuta absoluta is an emerging pest of tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) for Canada. It is recognized around the world as a serious pest of tomato production. Tuta absoluta is very damaging to tomato plants and tomato fruit. This pest originated in South America but in the past few years it has spread rapidly through countries in the Mediterranean Basin. More recently, it has become established in greenhouse environments in Northern Europe. Canada currently has no phytosanitary import requirements in place to prevent the introduction of Tuta absoluta with tomato fruit imported from infested parts of the world. /. G/SPS/N/CAN/422 Page 2 The risk of introduction is the highest during the winter months when Canada imports most tomato fruit. Therefore, the CFIA has decided to put emergency measures in place to reduce the risk of entry of Tuta absoluta into Canada. It is important that these phytosanitary import requirements be implemented immediately in order to effectively mitigate the risk of this pest becoming established in Canada. 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) ISPM N°1, Principle 2.11 [ ] 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): 24 February 2010 [ ] Trade facilitating measure 12. Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [X] National Notification Authority, [ ] National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body: 13. Texts available from: [ ] National Notification Authority, [ ] National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body: Supporting documents are not presently available. .