The FAO Council at its Twenty-third Session (November 1955) approved the Plant Protection Agreement for the Asia and Pacific Region (formerly Plant Protection Agreement for the South-East Asia and Pacific Region) for submission to Governments for its acceptance.

In accordance with paragraph 1, Article XI, the Agreement entered into force on 2 July 1956. The Agreement was registered with the Secretariat of the United Nations on 20 July 1956 under No. 1963.

Parties to the Agreement

The following are the participants that signed definitively or deposited their instruments of ratification or adherence on the corresponding date indicated:

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The Plant Protection Committee for the South-East Asia and Pacific Region, established under the Agreement, proposed at its Sixth Session the extension of the geographical scope of the Region by way of an amendment to paragraph (a), Article I of the Agreement. This amendment was subsequently approved by the Forty-ninth Session of the FAO Council (November 1967) and came into force with respect to all Contracting Governments on 16 August 1969, i.e. the thirtieth day following acceptance by two-thirds of the Contracting Governments.

The following participants deposited their instruments of acceptance of the amendment on the corresponding date indicated:

Pakistan (Declaration made upon acceptance of the amendment to paragraph (a), Article I, of the Agreement (November 1967)):

"The Government of Pakistan regards Taiwan as an integral part of the People's Republic of China and as such, the Government of that State alone is competent to accede to the Plant Protection Agreement for the South-East Asia and Pacific Region in respect of its territory, including Taiwan."

At its Eleventh Session (September 1978), the Committee proposed certain amendments to the Agreement, which were approved by the FAO Council at its Seventy-fifth Session (June 1979). The amendments consisted in the deletion of the words "South East" in the title of the Agreement and of the change of the name of the Committee to read "Asia and Pacific Plant Protection Commission". In accordance with paragraph 4, Article IX of the Agreement, the amendments came into force with respect to all Contracting Governments on 16 February 1983, i.e. the thirtieth day following acceptance by two-thirds of the Contracting Governments.

The following participants deposited their instruments of acceptance of the amendments on the corresponding date indicated:

At its Thirteenth Session (April 1983), the Asia and Pacific Plant Protection Commission established under the Agreement, proposed that paragraph (a), Article I of the Agreement be amended to include the People's Republic of China in the definition of the Region and requested the Director-General to take the necessary action with a view to the aforementioned provision being amended.

In keeping with paragraph 2, Article IX of the Agreement, an amendment to paragraph (a), Article I was submitted to the FAO Council for approval. The Council, at its Eighty-fourth Session (November 1983), approved the proposed amendment.

In accordance with paragraph 4, Article IX of the Agreement, the amendment came into force with respect to all Contracting Governments as from the thirtieth day after acceptance by two-thirds of the Contracting Governments, i.e. on 23 May 1990.

The following participants deposited their instruments of acceptance of the amendments on the corresponding date indicated:

In addition, at its Thirteenth Session, the Asia and Pacific Plant Protection Commission proposed certain amendments to Articles II, III, IV and XIV to the Agreement. The purpose of these amendments was to introduce mandatory contributions for the Contracting Governments in order to finance the programme of activities of the Commission.

In accordance with paragraph 2, Article IX of the Agreement, these amendments were submitted to the FAO Council for approval. The Council, at its Eighty-fourth Session (November 1983), approved the aforesaid amendments.

As these amendments entail new obligations, in accordance with paragraph 4, Article IX of the Agreement, they will enter into force as from the thirtieth day after acceptance by two-thirds of the Contracting Governments but only with respect to the Contracting Governments which at the time of entry into force or at some later date, have actually accepted the amendments.

The following participants deposited their instruments of acceptance of the amendments on the corresponding date indicated:

At its Hundred and Seventeenth Session in November 1999, the FAO Council approved two sets of amendments to the Agreement designed to bring it into line with the new revised Text of the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) and the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Agreement), as well as with modern requirements for plant protection and to strengthen the Asia and Pacific Plant Protection Commission. The Council agreed that such amendments did not involve new obligations for the Contracting Governments and, therefore, pursuant to Article IX.4 of the Agreement, will come into force with respect to all Contracting Governments as from the thirtieth day after acceptance by two-thirds of them.

As requested by the Asia and Pacific Plant Protection Commission, the second set of amendments, providing for the deletion from the Agreement of the detailed Measures to Exclude South American Leaf Blight of Heavea from the Region, set out in Article IV and Appendix B of the Agreement as currently in force (Article XIV and Appendix B of the revised Agreement) will not be circulated for acceptance until such time as the Director-General is notified by the Secretary of the Commission that a satisfactory regional standard on South American Leaf Blight of Hevea has been adopted by the Commission.

The following participants deposited their instruments of acceptance of the amendments on the corresponding date indicated: