SPTA 2009/03

Agenda: 06

Eleventh Meeting of the

CPM Informal Working Group on Strategic Planning and Technical Assistance

6-9 October 2009

FAO headquarters, Rome, Italy, Mexico Room D211

IPPC Secretariat Report

  1. The following is a report on the work of the Secretariat of the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC). It is based on the seven goals contained in the Commission on Phytosanitary Measures’ (CPM) five year Business Plan that was adopted by the CPM in 2006. This report covers the work programme undertaken to the middle of September 2009. This report includes activities undertaken by the FAO Plant Protection Officersat the Regional Workshops on draft International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPMs).
  1. Membership of the IPPC as of 30 September 2009 stands at 172 contracting parties;Botswana and Montenegro have recently become contracting parties to the IPPC.
  1. In addition to donations to the Trust Fund for the IPPC (detailed under agenda item 13.6.2), financial support and in-kind contributions were provided for the following purposes:
  2. the European Community (EC) contributed funds that enabled the attendance of least 60 developed and developing countries at CPM-4 and full funding of the Southwest Pacific workshop on draft ISPMs;
  3. the United States of America provided support for the Caribbean workshop on draft ISPMs;
  4. the Republic of Korea hosted and supported the Asian workshop on draft ISPMs;
  5. Japan continued to fund a major three-year capacity building project for Asia, the project manager of which was based in the FAO Bangkok office from 2009;
  6. the United States of America funded two associate professional officer (APO) positions (for the standard setting and information exchange programmes);
  7. the United States of America funded two consultants without compensation (one for one year, the other who is in their second year of a three year offer) to work on standards and support preparation for CPM;
  8. Canada funded one consultantto work for 3 months in each year for the next four years to work on standards.
  9. Japan funded an APO position which will end in November 2009;
  10. the North American Plant Protection Organization provided a staff member to assist with the CPM-4 meeting;
  11. the Joint Division of FAO/International Atomic Energy Agency Programme hosted and funded the Technical Panel on Fruit Flies meeting held in Austria in September 2009;
  12. Japan hosted and partially funded the Technical Panel on Phytosanitary Treatments meeting held in Tokyo in January2009;
  13. several contracting parties, regional organizations and international organizations hosted, organized and, in some cases, contributed financially to the running of technical panels, expert working groups, and workshops.

I. Goal 1: A robust international standard setting and implementation work programme

  1. Activities involved with the deliveryof the IPPC standard setting work programme are reported below. Several items are dealt with in more detail under agenda item 11.

Standards Committee (SC)

  1. The Standards Committee (SC) met in May 2009 at FAO Headquarters in Rome, Italy and approved several draft ISPMs for member consultation. The Secretariat, in consultation with the SC, agreed to submit only the equivalent of five draft ISPMs for member consultation in 2009 due to resource constrains for both the Secretariat and members.these draft ISPMs are listed in the section on member consultation below.
  1. In addition, the SC approved two specifications and revised and approved two specifications for member consultation. These are discussed in paragraphs 9 and 10. The SC also reviewed technical panel reports, work programmes and recommendations, and completed a number of administrative tasks but were unable to complete all their agenda items.

Standards Committee Working Group (SC-7)

  1. As part of the CPM approved extended time schedule, the Standards Committee Working Group (SC-7) met in May 2009 and for the first time, reviewed 2008 member comments on two draft ISPMs. This new time schedule allows more time for the Secretariat to process comments and also more time for the Steward to review and revise the draft ISPM. Drafts of “Fruit fly trapping (Annex 1 to ISPM No. 26)” and “Pest free potato micro-propagative material and minitubers for international trade” were revised and approved for consideration by the SC at their November meeting.
  1. For more information on discussions and decisions at the May 2009 SC meeting and the May 2009 SC working group (SC-7) meetings, please consult the meeting reports, which are posted on the IPP at

Specifications

  1. At its meeting in May 2009, the SC reviewed member comments and approved two specifications:

Specification No. 48: International movement of used vehicles, machinery and equipment;

Specification No. 49: Forest pest surveys for determination of pest status.

  1. The SC also reviewed and approved two draft specifications for member consultation:

General guidelines for inspection manual and

Experimental protocol to determine host status of fruits to fruit fly (Tephritidae) infestation.

Member Consultation 2009

  1. National Plant Protection Organizations, Regional Plant Protection Organizations and relevant international organizations have been invited to review the following draft ISPMs:

Through the special process:

1 -Diagnostic Protocol on Thrips palmi

2 -8 cold treatments for fruit flies:

Cold treatment of Citrus sinensis for Ceratitis capitata

Cold treatment of Citrus reticulata × Citrus sinensis for Ceratitis capitata

Cold treatment of Citrus sinensis for Bactrocera tryoni

Cold treatment of Citrus reticulata × Citrus sinensis for Bactrocera tryoni

Cold treatment of Citrus limon for Bactrocera tryoni

Cold treatment of Citrus paradisi for Ceratitis capitata

Cold treatment of Citrus reticulata cultivars and hybrids for Ceratitis capitata

Cold treatment of Citrus limon for Ceratitis capitata

Through the regular process:

3 -Revision of ISPM No. 7: Export certification system

4 -Revision of ISPM No. 12: Guidelines for phytosanitary certificates

5 -Draft ISPM: Design and operation of post-entry quarantine stations

6 -Glossary of phytosanitary terms (Amendment to ISPM No. 5)

Compiling member comments 2009

  1. At the 4th Session of the CPM, several contracting parties and one RPPO volunteered to assist the Secretariat in compiling member comments. Volunteers include Australia; COSAVE; Germany; Malaysia; Philippines; United Kingdom; and Zambia.
  1. Secretariat staff developed standard operating procedures and a confidentiality form for members compiling comments. Each volunteer is responsible for compiling comments on one standard (or in the case of eight draft cold treatments, two countries are compiling comments on four treatments each). The Secretariat appreciates assistance from volunteers.

Online System

  1. In an attempt to streamline the process of compiling member comments, the Secretariat is developing an online system, which is planned for the 2010 member consultation period. At the June 2009 Bureau meeting, funds were approved for development of the system and additional funds were approved for management of the tender process to hire a private software company. The implementation steps and timing are as follows:

Finalise and Issue tender document to potential suppliers, requesting indicative bids for the specific items listed above (early October)

Review responses (mid November)

Award contract (end November)

Successful bidder begins analysis phase (end November) with users and discussion with in-house information systems

Contractor produces first prototype for review (end Feb)

Prototype tested and modified, signed off (April)

Technical panels and expert working groups

  1. The majority of Technical Panel meetings have been moved to the middle of 2010 in order to avoid conflicts with the peak preparation period for CPM.
  1. Technical panels (TPs) continued work in their respective technical areas (see also IPPC standard setting work programme under agenda item 11). More detail on TP discussions, decisions, requests, and recommendations can be found in the respective meeting reports at

Technical Panel for Fruit Flies (TPFF)

  1. The 2009 meeting of the technical panel on fruit flies (TPFF) was held 31 August to 4 September, 2009 at IAEA headquarters in Vienna, Austria. The meeting was again hosted and funded by the Joint FAO/International Atomic Energy Agency Programme. At the last minute, the steward for the TPFF informed the Secretariat that he would be unable to attend and there was no time to get a replacement SC member. The panel reviewed decisions and activities of other bodies affecting the TPFF, including relevant issues discussed during the 2009 TPPT meeting. The panel reviewed their 2008-2009 work programme and developed a work programme for 2009 – 2010.
  1. The steward for Specification No. 39: Suppression and eradication procedures for fruit flies (Tephritidae), was unable to attend the meeting but in discussion with the panel Steward it was felt that the panel could develop the draft with input from the steward for this draft via e-mail. The panel developed a draft ISPM for Specification No. 39 based on a discussion paper presented by the previous steward. The 2010 meeting of the TPFF is scheduled for 3 - 7 October in Valencia, Spain to follow the 8th International Symposium of Fruit Flies of Economic Importance which will be held in Valencia.
  1. The panel noted that it urgently needed the specification Experimental protocol to determine host status of fruits to fruit fly (Tephritidae), which was approved for member consultation at the May 2009 SC meeting, sent for member consultation so the panel would be able to work on it at the 2010 TPFF meeting. The panel also proposed that the November 2009 SC meeting consider a technical change to the draft Annex to ISPM 26 “Fruit fly trapping” which had beenapproved by the May 2009 SC-7.

Technical Panel for Forest Quarantine (TPFQ)

  1. The TPFQ met in July 2009 in NanjingChina. During the meeting, the TPFQ made significant progress in developing draft text associated with the standard on the movement of wood (Specification No. 46, Management of phytosanitary risks in the international movement of wood.) The proposed standard provides guidance on the pest risks of specific wood commodity classes for which appropriate measures are proposed if justified by importing country risk assessment. The standard should be presented to the SC for review in 2010.
  1. At the 2009 meeting, the TPFQ also revised the criteria for evaluating the efficacy of treatments proposed for inclusion in ISPM No. 15 based upon advice provided by the SC in May 2009. The panel also drafted corresponding criteria for evaluating treatments in support of the new proposed wood standard. Among other drafting activities, the TPFQ initiated thereviewing data related to the development of a standard addressing the phytosanitary risks in the international movement of seeds of forest tree species as proposed under Specification No. 47. An outline and a specific work programme to draft the standard were prepared in hopes that the drafting process could be completed during the inter-session and upcoming July 2010 meeting of the panel.
  1. A paper submitted by Japan to CPM 4 (2009) regarding changes in the guidance for methyl bromide treatment in ISPM No. 15 was also reviewed by the TPFQ and corresponding changes to the standard developed where required. The revision of an existing explanatory note on ISPM No. 15 was seen as a critical necessity to address some of the concerns suggested by the Japanese paper, other guidance required for the appropriate application of treatments and in providing required technical support to NPPOs regarding the newly adopted ISPM No. 15.

Technical Panel for Phytosanitary Treatments (TPPT)

  1. The TPPT met in Tokyo, 26-30 January 2009, hosted by Japan. The TPPT considered the draft Cold treatment of Citrus limon for Ceratitis capitata, which had beenreturned bythe SC for further consideration. The TPPT agreed that the treatment was useful in providing quarantine security and this treatment was then resubmitted to the SC for its approval for member consultation.
  1. The TPPT discussed treatments submitted in 2006 and 2007, for which the TPPT had requested additional information. The TPPT recommended a vapour heat treatment, which will be submitted to the SC once it is formatted. The TPPT requested submitters of several submissions to provide additional data with the deadline of 15 October 2009. Additional data will be reviewed at the next TPPT meeting, which is scheduled in July 2010.

Technical Panel for the Glossary (TPG)

  1. An specialmeeting of the Technical Panel for Glossary, (TPG) was held 15-19 of June 2009 in Rome. The TPG members discussed inconsistencies in ISPM Nos 3, 8, 9, 10, 13, 14, 22 and Supplement no. 1 of ISPM No. 5. The discussion on ISPM No. 20 was started, but not completed. ISPMs No. 20, 23 and 25, had been prepared for discussion, but could not be considered due to lack of time. The panel tabulated the final decisions and made recommendations concerning inconsistencies (detailed information will be made available in the final report of the meeting once finalized and will be posted on the IPP). In addition, the TPG decided that ISPM Nos 2, 7, 11, 12 and 21 needed significant revisions by experts and ISPMs 4, 6, 18 needed serious revisions which the TPG could do if requested by the SC and allocated the resources. These more in-depth amendments would have to be put on the work programme and should go through member consultation.

Technical Panel for Diagnostic Protocols (TPDP)

  1. The meeting of the TPDP in 2009 was cancelled due to lack of resources. The Secretariat lead on this panel was given to temporary staff and has been changed 3 times in the last year which has seriously affected the progress of this panel.
  1. The Secretariat has now contracted a consultant to lead this file and it is hope that the work of this panel will progress in the next year.

Expert working group – Pest Risk Analysis for Plants as Quarantine Pests

  1. The meeting of the Expert Working Group (EWG) on PRA for Plants as Quarantine Pests was hosted by the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization (EPPO) in Paris, France, from 25 – 29 May 2009. Members from nine countries (Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Germany, Korea, South Africa and the USA) participated in the drafting group.

The EWG developed a draft Annex to ISPM 11 (Pest risk analysis for quarantine pests including analysis of environmental risks and living modified organisms), and provided guidance on determining pest risks associated with plants proposed for movement into an area where they are not yet present. The group also identified information requirements for determining the potential of a plant to become a pest, including key characteristics of the plant and the potentially newhabitat, impact assessment, and the relevance of historical information on pest status in similar environments. It also provided guidance on further steps in the PRA process including risk management, and risk communication. The draft ISPM will be considered by the Standards Committee at their May 2010 meeting. The EWG meeting report can be found at .

Call for experts

  1. In March 2009, the Secretariat made a call for nominations of experts to take part in the work of the following technical panels to develop ISPMs. The Technical Panel on Glossary (TPG) needs an English speaking expert with solid understanding of phytosanitary systems and terms. The Technical Panel on Forest Quarantine (TPFQ) needs an expert with field and regulatory background and experience in phytosanitary requirements for forestry products and forest quarantine issues. Nominations were also solicited for authors of diagnostic protocol for Striga spp. In response to the call, the Secretariat received 10 expert nominations for TPG, six nominations for TPFQ, and seven nominations for authors of the diagnostic protocol for Striga spp. The Secretariat evaluated the nominations and made recommendations for the selection of TP members. These recommendations together with the CVs and other relevant documentation were forwarded to the SC for their consideration.

Call for Topics

  1. The IPPC Secretariat made a biennial call for topics for the IPPC standard setting Work Programme in May of 2009. The IPPC Secretariat has received 21 submissions. The details are discussed in a separate document SPTA-2009-16, Agenda: 11.2.

Call for phytosanitary treatments

  1. A call for specific information and data for heat treatments for fruit flies is being made. The call letter was sent out in May 2009. The deadline for receiving treatments is 15 October 2009. Submissions will be considered by the TPPT.

Publication of ISPMs

  1. After CPM-4, adopted ISPMs were posted on the IPP. In consultation with the TPPT, work continues on the development of an index for phytosanitary treatments annexed to ISPM No. 28 (Phytosanitary treatments for regulated pests) and the final version of this index will be added at a later date. The 2009 book of standards in English, French and Spanish has been updated and will be posted on the IPP once the index to ISPM No, 28 is resolved. The NPPO of China has offered to assist in the formatting of a Chinese book of standards and it is hoped this will be ready sometime later this year.

Explanatory Documents

  1. The programme for the development of explanatory documents was put on hold in mid-2006 due to lack of resources with a few exceptions. No new authors or referees are being contacted to write explanatory documents, no follow-up is being done with authors or referees of documents under development, and no further action has been taken for developing explanatory documents for standards adopted after 2005.
  1. CPM-3 asked that an explanatory document on ISPM No. 31 (Methodologies for sampling of consignments) urgently be developed. The explanatory document for ISPM No. 31 was finalized and posted on the IPP in September 2009. The TPFQ has recommended revising the explanatory document for ISPM No. 15 as the revised ISPM No. 15 (2009) has been changed substantially, the current explanatory document contains errors and provides no guidance regarding good treatment application procedures.
  1. For more information on explanatory documents that have been completed and posted on the IPP, are currently under development, or are on hold, please refer to the April 14, 2009 update on explanatory documents, which is posted on the IPP at

II Goal 2: Information exchange systems appropriate to meet IPPC obligations