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2011 Country Consultation on draft International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPMs)
This year’s batch of draft international standards has been posted on the International Phytosanitary Portal. Member countries have until the end of September to submit comments on the drafts to the IPPC Secretariat. As a member of the European Union, the UK discusses and prepares comments with the other member states; these are then submitted as an EU position.
We welcome comments from interested parties on the draft international standards and will take into consideration any comments received as we prepare the UK position for discussion with other member states. Comments are invited from anyone with an interest in these standards. Please send them to Ian Brownlee in the Forestry Commission - ian.brownlee@forestry.gsi.gov.uk.
As the discussions on an EU position will take place during September we need any comments by mid-August to allow them to be considered.
This year’s drafts can be found at this link and are summarised below:
1. Draft amendments to ISPM 5. Glossary of phytosanitary terms
The addition of two terms is proposed: “confinement” and “exclusion”.
Revision of the following terms is proposed: “absorbed dose”, “consignment in transit”, “phytosanitary certificate”, “quarantine station”
Deletion of these terms is proposed: “certificate”, “gray (Gy)”, “hitch-hiker pest”, “legislation”, “plant pest”, “antagonist”, “competitor”, “control point”, “dosimeter”, “dosimetry”, “ionizing radiation”
2. Draft revision to Supplement no. 1. Guidelines on the interpretation and application of the concept of official control for regulated pests (Not widely distributed) of ISPM 5. Glossary of phytosanitary terms
The term “not widely distributed” is used in other standards and in IPPC parlance. Defining the term is seen as necessary in order to ensure a common understanding. Limited consequential changes to the existing supplement to the Glossary on “official control” are proposed.
3. Draft annex 4 to ISPM 11:2004. Pest risk analysis for plants as quarantine pest and consequential changes in core text of ISPM 11:2004
This annex provides guidance for conducting pest risk analysis (PRA) to determine if a plant is a pest of cultivated plants or wild flora, whether it should be regulated, and to identify appropriate phytosanitary measures. It focuses primarily on plants proposed for import and does not cover the unintentional introduction of plants as contaminants in commodities or conveyances.
4. Draft revision to Annex 1 of ISPM 15:2009. Approved treatments associated with wood packaging material
This revision would make various changes to the provisions in the Annex in respect of the use of fumigation and heat treatment of wood packing material, including in respect of dielectric heat treatment (which is proposed for adoption under point 7, below)
5. Draft Annex to ISPM 28:2007. Heat treatment of wood packaging material using dielectric heat
Recognition of a heat treatment technique using dielectric heat is proposed. (Updated 8 July 2011)
The Plant Health Service is at the Forestry Commission's office in Edinburgh, where the Head of Plant Health and Operations Manager are based. There are two regional officers who support Plant Health Inspectors over the whole of Great Britain. Their regions are North, (Scotland, North England as far south as the counties of Cheshire, Greater Manchester, North Yorkshire excluding Humber ports and North Wales) and South (all counties of England south of those mentioned and South Wales). We keep our clients informed of the rules and other significant items of interest by publishing regular Plant Health Newsletters. We aim to publish these at six-monthly intervals. We also publish a range of advisory leaflets and posters, which can be ordered, usually free of charge, from the Plant Health Service at the Forestry Commission Edinburgh Office.
