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APPENDIX J

INTERNATIONAL PLANT PROTECTION CONVECTION
Proposed Amendments and Modifications
*

PREAMBLE

The contracting [Governments] parties, recognizing the usefulness of international cooperation in controlling pests [and diseases] of plants and plant products and in preventing their [introduction and spread across national boundaries] spread, and their introduction across national boundaries, and desiring to ensure close coordination of measures directed to these ends, have agreed as follows:

ARTICLE I

Purpose and Responsibility

  1. With the purpose of securing common and effective action to prevent the [introduction and spread] spread and introduction of pests [and diseases] of plants and plant products and to promote measures for their control, the contracting [Governments] parties undertake to adopt the legislative, technical and administrative measures specified in this Convention and in supplementary agreements pursuant to Article III.
  2. Each contracting [Government] party shall assume responsibility for the fulfillment within its territories of all requirements under this Convention.

ARTICLE II

Scope

1. For the purposes of this Convention the term “plants” shall comprise living plants and parts thereof, including seeds in so far as the supervision of their importation under Article VI of the Convention, or the issue of phytosanitary certificates in respect of them under Articles IV (i)(a)(iv) and V of this Convention may be deemed necessary by contracting [Governments] parties; and the term “plant products” shall comprise unmanufactured [and milled] material of plant origin [,] (including seeds in so far as they are not included in the term “plants” [.]) and those manufactured products which, by their nature or that of their processing, may create a risk for the spread of pests.

2. For the purposes of this Convention, the term “pest” means any form of plant or animal life, or any pathogenic agent, injurious or potentially injurious to plants or plant products; and the term “quarantine pest” means a pest of potential national economic importance to the country endangered thereby and not yet present there, or present but not widely distributed and being actively controlled.

[2] 3. Where appropriate [T] the provisions of this Convention may be deemed by contracting [Governments] Parties to extend to storage places, [containers,] conveyances, [packing material and accompanying media of all sorts including soil involved in the international transportation of plants and plant products] and any material capable of harbouring or spreading plant pests, particularly where international transportation is involved.

[3] 4. This Convention [shall have particular reference to pests and diseases of importance to international trade] applies mainly to quarantine pests involved with international trade.

5. The definitions set forth in this Article, being limited to the application of this Convention, shall not be deemed to affect definitions established under domestic laws or regulations of contracting parties.

ARTICLE III

Supplementary Agreements

  1. Supplementary agreements applicable to specific regions, to specific pests [or dis-Eases], to specific plants and plant products, to specific methods of international transportation of plants and plant products, or otherwise supplementing the provisions of this Convention, may be proposed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (hereinafter referred to as “FAO”) on the recommendation of a contracting [Government] party or on its own initiative, to meet special problems of plant protection which need particular attention or action.
  2. Any such supplementary agreements shall come into force for each contracting [Government] party after acceptance in accordance with the provisions of the FAO Constitution and [Rules of Procedure ] General Rules of the Organization.

ARTICLE IV

National Organization for Plant Protection

1. Each contracting [Government] party shall make provision, as soon as possible to the best of its ability, for

(a) an official plant protection organization [,] with the following main functions:

(i) the inspection of growing plants, of areas under cultivation (including fields, plantations, nurseries, gardens and greenhouses), and of plants and plant products in storage [and] or in transportation particularly with the object of reporting the existence, outbreak and spread of plant [diseases and] pests and of controlling those pests [and diseases];

(ii) the inspection of consignments of plants and plant products moving in international traffic, and, [as far as practicable] where appropriate, the inspection of consignments of other articles or commodities moving in international traffic under conditions where they may act incidentally as carriers of pests [and diseases] of plants and plant products, and the inspection and supervision of storage and transportation facilities of all kinds involved in international traffic whether of plants and plant products or of other commodities, particularly with the object of preventing the dissemination across national boundaries of pests [and diseases] of plants and plant products;

(iii) the disinfestation or disinfection of consignments of plants and plant products moving in international traffic, and their containers, storage places, or transportation facilities of all kinds employed;

(iv) the [issue] issuance of certificates relating to phytosanitary condition and origin of consignments of plants and plant products (hereinafter referred to as “phytosanitary certificates");

(b) the distribution of information within the country regarding the pests [and diseases] of plants and plant products and the means of their prevention and control;

(c) research and investigation in the field of plant protection.

2. Each contracting [Government] party shall submit a description of the scope of its national organization for plant protection and of changes in such organization to the Director-General of FAO, who shall circulate such information to all contracting [Governments] parties.

ARTICLE V

Phytosanitary Certificates

1. Each contracting [Government] party shall make arrangements for the [issue] issuance of phytosanitary certificates to accord with the plant protection regulations of other contracting [Governments] parties, and in conformity with the following provisions:

(a) Inspection shall be carried out and certificates issued only by or under the authority of technically qualified and duly authorized officers and in such circumstances and with such knowledge and information available to those officers that the authorities of importing countries may accept such certificates with confidence as dependable documents.

(b) Each certificate [covering] for the export or re-export of material intended for planting or propagation shall be as worded in the Annex to this Convention [and shall include such additional declarations as may be required by the importing country]. The model certificates may also be used for other plants or plant products where appropriate and not inconsistent with the requirements of the importing country.

[(c) The certificate shall bear no alterations or erasures.] (c) Uncertified alterations or erasures shall invalidate the certliflcates.

(d) Any requirement for additional declarations shall be kept to a minimum.

2. Each contracting [Government] party undertakes not to require consignments of plants intended for planting or propagation imported into its territories to be accompanied by phytosanitary certificates inconsistent with the models set out in the Annex to this Convention.

ARTICLE VI

Requirements in Relation to Imports

1. With the aim of preventing the introduction of [diseases and] pests of plants and plant products into their territories, contracting [Governments] parties shall have full authority to regulate the entry of plants and plant products, and to this end, may:

(a) prescribe restrictions or requirements concerning the importation of plants or plant products and, in particular, list pests whose introduction is prohibited or restricted;

(b) prohibit the importation of particular plants or plant products, or of particular consignments of plants or plant products;

(c) inspect or detain particular consignments of plants or plant products;

(d) treat, destroy or refuse entry to particular consignments of plants or plant products which do not comply with the requirements prescribed under sub-paragraph (a) or (b) of this paragraph, or require such consignments to be treated or destroyed or removed from the country.

2. In order to minimize interference with international trade, each contracting [Government] party undertakes to carry out the provisions referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article in conformity with the following:

(a) Contracting [Governments] parties shall not, under their plant protection legislation, take any of the measures specified in paragraph 1 of this Article unless such measures are made necessary by phytosanitary considerations.

(b) If a contracting [Government] party prescribes any restrictions or requirements concerning the importation of plants and plant products into its territories, it shall publish the restrictions or requirements and communicate them immediately [to the plant protection services of other contracting Governments and to FAO] to FAO, any regional plant protection organization of which the contracting party is a member and other contracting parties.

(c) If a contracting [Government] party prohibits., under the provisions of its plant protection legislation, the importation of any plants or plant products, it shall publish its decision with reasons and shall immediately inform [the plant protection services of other contracting Governments and FAO] FAO, any regional plant protection organization of which the contracting party is a member and other contracting parties.

(d) If a contracting [Government] party requires consignments of particular plants or plant products to be imported only through specified points of entry, such points shall be so selected as not unnecessarily to impede international commerce. The contracting [Govemment] party shall publish a list of such points of entry and communicate it [to the plant protection services of other contracting Governments and to FAO] to FAO, any regional plant protection organization of which the contracting party is a member and other contracting parties. Such restrictions on points of entry shall not be made unless the plants or plant products concerned are required to be accompanied by phytosanitary certificates or to be submitted to inspection or treatment.

(e) Any inspection by the plant protection [service] organization of a contracting [Government] party of consignments of plants offered for importation shall take place as promptly as possible with due regard to the perishability of the plants concerned. If any certified consignment of plants or plant products is found not to conform to the requirements of the plant protection legislation of the importing country, [the plant protection service of the exporting country shall be informed] the plant protection organization of the importing country must ensure that the plant protection organization of the exporting country is properly and adequately informed. If the consignment is destroyed, in whole or in part, an official report shall be forwarded immediately to the plant protection [service] organization of the exporting country.

(f) Contracting [Governments] parties shall make provisions [which, without endangering their own plant production, will reduce to a minimum the number of cases in which a phytosanitary certificate is required on the entry of] to keep certification requirements to a minimum, particularly for plants or plant products not intended for planting [, such as cereals, fruits, vegetables and cut flowers].

(g) Contracting [Governments] parties may make provisions, with adequate safeguards, for the importation for purposes of scientific research or education, of plants and plant products and of specimens of plant pests [and disease-causing organisms under conditions affording ample precaution against the risk of spreading plant diseases and pests]. Adequate safeguards likewise need to be taken when introducing biological control agents and organisms claimed to be beneficial.

3. The measures specified in this Article shall not be applied to goods in transit throughout the territories of contracting [Governments] parties unless such measures are necessary for the protection of their own plants.

4. FAO shall disseminate information received on importation restrictions, requirements, prohibitions and regulations (as specified in paragraph 2(b), (c) and (d) of this Article) at frequent intervals to all contracting parties and regional plant protection organizations.

ARTICLE VII

International Cooperation

The contracting [Governments] parties shall cooperate with one another to the fullest practicable extent in achieving the aims of this Convention, in particular as follows:

(a) Each contracting [Government] party agrees to cooperate with FAO in the establishment of a world reporting service on plant [ diseases and] pests, making full use of the facilities and services of existing organizations for this purpose, and, when this is established, to furnish to FAO periodically the following information:

(i) reports on the [occurrence] existence, outbreak and spread of economically important pests [and diseases] of plants and plant products which may be of immediate or potential danger;

(ii) information on means found to be effective in controlling the pests [and diseases] of plants and plant products.

(b) Each contracting [Government] party shall, as far as is practicable, participate in any special campaigns for combating particular destructive pests [or diseases] which may seriously threaten crop production and need international action to meet the emergencies.

ARTICLE.VIII

Regional Plant Protection Organizations

  1. The contracting [Governments] parties undertake to cooperate with one another in establishing regional plant protection organizations in appropriate areas.
  2. The regional plant protection organizations shall function as the coordinating bodies in the areas covered [and] shall participate in various activities to achieve the objecttives of this Convention and, where appropriate, shall gather and disseminate information.

ARTICLE IX

Settlement of Disputes

  1. If there is any dispute regarding the interpretation or application of this Convention, or if a contracting [Government] party considers that any action by another contracting [Government] party is in conflict with the obligations of the latter under Articles V and VI of this Convention, especially regarding the basis of prohibiting or restricting the imports of plants or plant products coming from its territories, the Government or Governments concerned may request the Director-General of FAO to appoint a committee to consider the question in dispute.
  2. The Director-General of FAO shall thereupon, after consultation with the Governments concerned, appoint a committee of experts which shall include representatives of those Governments. This committee shall consider the question in dispute, taking into account all documents and other forms of evidence submitted by the Governments concerned. This committee shall submit a report to the Director-General of FAO, who shall transmit it to the Governments concerned and to the Governments of other contracting [Governments] parties.
  3. The contracting [Governments] parties agree that the recommendations of such a committee, while not binding in character, will become the basis for renewed consideration by the Governments concerned of the matter out of which the disagreement arose.
  4. The Governments concerned shall share equally the expenses of the experts.

ARTICLE X

Substitution of Prior Agreements

This Convention shall terminate and replace between contracting [Govemments] parties, the International Convention respecting measures to be taken against the Phylloxera vastratix of 3 November 1881, the additional Convention for the Protection of Plants signed at Rome on 16 April 1929.

ARTICLE XI

Territorial Application

  1. Any [Government] State may at the time of ratification or adherence or at any time thereafter communicate to the Director-General of FAO a declaration that this Convention shall extend to all or any of the territories for the international relations of which it is responsible, and this Convention shall be applicable to all territories specified in the declaration as from the thirtieth day after the receipt of the declaration by the Director General.
  2. Any [Government] State which has communicated to the Director-General of FAO a declaration in accordance with paragraph 1 of this Article may at any time communicate a further declaration modifying the scope of any former declaration or terminating the application of the provisions of the present Convention in respect of any territory. Such modification or termination shall take effect as from the thirtieth day after the receipt of the declaration by the Director-General.
  3. The Director-General of FAO shall inform all signatory and adhering [Governments] States of any declaration received under this Article.

ARTICLE XII

Ratification and Adherence

  1. This Convention shall be open for signature by all [Governments] States until 1 May 1952 and shall be ratified at the earliest possible date. The instruments of ratification shall be deposited with the Director-General of FAO, who shall give notice of the date of deposit to each of the signatory [Governments] States.
  2. As soon as this Convention has come into force in accordance with Article XIV, it shall be open for adherence by non-signatory [Governments] States. Adherence shall be effected by the deposit of an instrument of adherence with the Director-General of FAO, who shall notify all signatory and adhering [Governments] States.

ARTICLE XIII

Amendment

  1. Any proposal by a contracting [Government] party for the amendment of this Convention shall be communicated to the Director—General of FAO.
  2. Any proposed amendment of this Convention received by the Director-General of FAO from a contracting [Government] party shall be presented to a regular or special session of the Conference of FAO for approval and, if the amendment involves important technical changes or imposes additional obligations on the contracting [Governments] parties, it shall be considered by an advisory committee of specialists convened by FAO prior to the Conference.
  3. Notice of any proposed amendment of this Convention shall be transmitted to the contracting [Governments] parties by the Director—General of FAO not later than the time when the agenda of the session of the Conference at which the matter is to be considered is dispatched.
  4. Any such proposed amendment of this Convention shall require the approval of the Conference of FAO and shall come into force as from the thirtieth day after acceptance by two thirds of the contracting [Governments] parties. Amendments involving new obligations for contracting [Governments] parties, however, shall come into force in respect of each contracting [Government] party only on acceptance by it and as from the thirtieth day after such acceptance.
  5. The instruments of acceptance of amendments involving new obligations shall be deposited with the Director—General of FAO, who shall inform all contracting [Governments] parties of the receipt of acceptances and the entry into force of amendments.

ARTICLE XIV

Entry into Force

As soon as this Convention has been ratified by three signatory [Governments] States it shall come into force between them. It shall come into force for each [Government] State ratifying or adhering thereafter from the date of deposit of its instrument of ratification or adherence.

ARTICLE XV

Denunciation

  1. Any contracting [Government] party may at any time give notice of denunciation of this Convention by notification addressed to the Director—General of FAO. The DirectorGeneral shall at once inform all signatory and adhering [Governments] States.
  2. Denunciation shall take effect one year from the date of receipt of the notification by the Director-General of FAO.

Model Phytosanitary Certificate
annexed to the International Plant Protection Convention

MODEL PHYTOSANITARY CERTIFICATE

PLANT PROTECTION SERVICE

OF ––––––––––––––––––––––––––– No. –––––––––––––––––––––––– 

This is to certify

that the plants, parts of plants or plant products described below or

representative samples of them were thoroughly examined on (date) –––––––– ––––––––––––

 by (name) –––––––––––––––––– ––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––

an authorized officer of the (service)––––––– ––––– – –––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––

 and were found to the best of his knowledge to be substantially free from injurious diseases and pests; and that the consignment is believed to conform with the current phytosanitary regulations of the importing country both as stated in the additional declaration hereon and otherwise.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––– ––––––––– ––––– – –––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––

Fumigation or disinfection treatment (if required by importing country):

Date ––––––––––––– ––––––––– ––– Treatment ––––––––––––– ––––––––– –––––––––– ––––

Duration of exposure –––––––––––––– ––––––––– –––––––– ––––––––– ––– Chemical and

concentration–––––––– –––––––– ––––––––– ––––– – –––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––

––––––––––––––––––– –––––––– ––––––––– ––––– – –––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––

 

 Additional declaration 

                                                                                               – ––––– ––––––––––––––––––19––– 

                                                                                              ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 
                                                                                                               (SIGNATURE)

(Stamp of the Service)                                                          – ––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––   
                                                                                                                        (RANK)

––––––––––––––––––– –––––––– ––––––––– ––––– – –––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––

DESCRIPTION OF THE CONSIGNMENT

Name and address of exporter: __________________________________________________

 Name and address of consignee: ________________________________________________    

Number and description of packages:______________________________________________ 

Distinguishing marks:__________________________________________________________

Origin (if required by importing country):____________________________________________

Means of conveyance:__________________________________________________________

Point of entry:_________________________________________________________________

Quantity and name of produce:___________________________________________________

Botanical name (if required by importing country):____________________________________

Model Phytosanitary Certificate

proposed by the Government Consultation

MODEL PHYTOSANITARY CERTIFICATE

(to be typed or printed in block letters)

Plant Protection Organization                     No._______________________________________ 

of________________________________

TO: Plant Protection Organization(s)

of__________________________________________________________________________

DESCRIPTION OF CONSIGNMENT

Name and address of exporter ___________________________________________________

Declared name and address of consignee __________________________________________

Number and description of packages ______________________________________________

Distinguishing marks ___________________________________________________________

Place of origin_________________________________________________________________

Declared means of conveyance __________________________________________________ 

Declared point of entry __________________________________________________________

Name of produce and quantity declared ____________________________________________

Botanical name of plants ________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________

This is to certify that the plants or plant products described above have been inspected and found free from quarantine pests, and substantially free from other injurious pests; and that they are considered to conform with the current phytosanitary regulations of the importing country.  

________________________________________________________________________________

DESINFESTATION AND/OR DISINFECTION TREATMENT

Date ________________________________Treatment ________________________________

Chemical (active ingredient) ___________Duration and temperature_______________________

Concentration __________________________ Additional information ______________________

________________________________________________________________________________

 

Additional declaration: ________________________________________________________

                               Place of issue ____________________________________________

(Stamp of Organization) Name of authorized officer _________________________________

Date _________________________  ____________________________________________
                                                                                                 (Signature)

____________________________________________________________________________
No financial liability with respect to this certificate shall attach to ... (name of Plant Protection Organization) ... or to any of its officers or representatives. * __________________________________________________________________________

* Optional clause.

 

 

Model Phytosanitary Certificate for Re-export

proposed by the Government Consultation

MODEL PHYTOSANITARY CERTIFICATE FOR RE-EXPORT

Plant Protection Organization                        No.______________________________________ 

of___________________________________ (country of re—export)

TO: Plant Protection Organization(s)

of____________________________________ (country(ies) of re—export)

DESCRIPTION OF CONSIGNMENT

Name and address of exporter___________________________________________________

Declared name and address of consignee__________________________________________

Number and description of packages _____________________________________________

Distinguishing marks __________________________________________________________

 Place of origin _______________________________________________________________

Declared means of conveyance _________________________________________________

Declared point of entry _________________________________________________________

Name of produce and quantity declared____________________________________________

Botanical name of plants _______________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________
This is to certify that the plants products described above were imported into ...(country of re—export) ... from ... (country of origin) ... covered by Phytosanitary Certificate 
*'No.____________ , original □ certified true copy □ of which is attached to this
* Certificate. That they are packed □ repacked □ in original □ new □ containers, 
*that based on the original Phytosanitary Certificate □ and additional inspection □, they are considered to conform with the current phytosanitary regulations of the importing country, and that during storage in ... (country of re—export) ... the consignment has not been subjected to the risk of infestation or infection. '
* Insert tick in appropriate boxes, □
_____________________________________________________________________________

DISINFESTATION AND/OR DISINFECTION TREATMENT

Date ________________________________ Treatment ________________________________

Chemical (active ingredient)______________  Duration and temperature___________________

Concentration_________________________ Additional information _______________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Additional declaration:
_____________________________________________________________________________

                                                Place of issue ________________________________________ 

(Stamp of Organization) Name of authorized officer ___________________________________

                                        Date_________________   ___________________________________
                                                                                              (Signature)    

No financial liability with respect to this Certificate shall attach to … (name of Plant Protection Organization) … or to any of its officers or representatives.**


* This Appendix reproduces the text of the Convention as at present in force, with the words that it is proposed to delete being placed within square brackets and the words that it is proposed to add being underlined.

**Optional clause.

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