Delay in Issuance of SWPM Notices to Exporting Countries
On May 20, 2003, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) issued a proposed rule to require imported solid wood packing material (SWPM) to be either heat treated or fumigated with methyl bromide, as well as marked, prior to importation, in accordance with the International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM) 15 entitled "Guidelines for Regulating Wood Packaging Material in International Trade." ISPM 15 was approved by the Interim Commission on Phytosanitary Measures of the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) on March 15, 2002.
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Publication of Final Rule Is Expected No Later than June 2004
According to APHIS sources, and as stated previously, the final rule will probably be published in the Federal Register in the April/May 2004 timeframe. Now these sources also state that publication is not expected to slip beyond June 2004.
APHIS Has Not Yet Issued Notices to Foreign NPPOs
In an October 2003 Industry Alert, APHIS had stated that beginning January 2004, as an information dissemination tool, it would start issuing notices to exporting countries' National Plant Protection Organizations (NPPOs) for SWPM not appropriately treated and marked.
However, in an update to this alert APHIS states that due to administrative difficulties, notices to NPPOs for such materials have not yet been issued. These sources add that APHIS does not know when it will be able to begin issuing these notices.
(APHIS has previously stated that it will follow its current policy on SWPM until the final rule goes into effect. The final rule is expected to have a phase-in period of six months or longer, during which time APHIS does not expect to take action against those who are not in compliance.)
(See ITT's Online Archives or 02/13/04 news, 04021310, for BP's most recent summary of the implementation of SWPM treatment and marking requirements.)
APHIS SWPM Web page available at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/swp/