1. 21st Session of the Technical Consultation among Regional Plant Protection Organizations Uganda, 30 Nov.-3 Dec. 2009 APPPC Update Yongfan Piao Executive Secretary of APPPC Secretariat

2. I. 26th Session of APPPC (30 Aug.04 Sept., India) The revised Agreement of Plant Protection for Asia and Pacific came into force from 4 September 2009 (introduce mandatory contribution) The Rules of Procedure and Financial Rules-adopted Two Regional Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (RSPMs)

3. Development of RSPMs Two RSPMs adopted at the 26th Session Guidelines for Protection against South American Leaf Blight of Rubber This will allow the process for the acceptance of the 2nd part of the 1999 amendments to the agreement to proceed (deletion of the Article IV and Appendix B, notification, acceptance) Guidance on Land Border Plant Quarantine

4.  According to the Agreement (1955), the Contracting Governments were requested to take the measures against the South American leaf blight (SALB) disease of the Hevea rubber tree, which was specified in Appendix B to this Agreement.  In 1999, the Agreement was amended in line with WTO-SPS Agreement and the revised text of IPPC in 1997. This amendment was approved by the FAO Council at its 117th Session in 1999.  It was decided that the amended Agreement, providing for the deletion of the Appendix B, will only be distributed when the Director-General is notified by the Secretary of the Commission that a satisfactory regional standard on SALB has been adopted by the Commission. Background of SALB issue:

5.  The Regional Standard on SALB was adopted by the 26th Session of APPPC in early September 2009.  The Session invited the Director-General to transmit the amended Agreement to all members of APPPC for their acceptance.  The amendments would come into force as from the 30th day after acceptance by two thirds of the Contracting Governments. Background of SALB issue:

6. Appendix B: 2. Each Contracting Government shall prohibit by law the importation into its territory or territories of any plant or plants of the genus Hevea from outside the Region, unless (a-d)... 3. Each Contracting Government shall prohibit by law the importation into its territory or territories of any plant or plants of the genus Hevea capable of further growth or propagation (excluding seed) from the American tropics or from any other country in which SALB (Dothidella ulei) is present, unless,... 4. Each... shall prohibit by law the importation into its territory or territories of any seed of any plant of the genus Hevea from the any other country in which SALB is present, unless,... 5. Each...... territories of any plant or plants of the genus Hevea not capable of further growth or propagation (such as fresh or dried herbarium speciments): unless,... 6. Each...... of any plant or plants other than the genus Hevea, capable of further growth or propagation and originating in the American tropics or in any other country in which SALB is present, unless...... 7. etc. (Since 1955......now)

7. PRA for SALB and the RSPM-SALB FAO TCP-“PRA for SALB was approved on July 2001; a Phase II of the project on January 2004 Sent a SALB expert from Malasia to Brazil to work with rubber research organizations and regulatory counterparts to conduct studies on critical areas identified in previous workshops This study filled information gaps that were deemed vital to the finalizing of the PRA. A 3rd regional workshop was held on April 2006, and the PRA was revised, taking into account the results of the investigative mission in Brazil. The same expert was sent to New Zealand on March 2007 supported by FAO to examine the draft PRA for SALB with consultation with New Zealand PRA specialists.

8. PRA for SALB and the RSPM-SALB Further information and technical justification and amendment of the assertions made in the analysis were made. A Regional workshop on PRA for SALB-- by the APPPC SC on July 2007 for further review of the PRA for rubber and necessary modifications. The finalized draft PRA was submitted to the 25th Session of APPPC (Aug. 2007) and was adopted The the draft RSPM on SALB was developed and reviewed by the SC (July 2008) in line with the standard setting procedure and was adopted by the 26th Session of APPPC (Sept. 2009). (the PRA and the draft RSPM was sent to the Brazil Rep to FAO in 2008) Now it is time for member countries to accept the 2nd set of the amendment of the Agreement (1999) which is the deletion of the Appendix B and relevant Article about the SALB.

9. II. Inputs to the Development of ISPM  APPPC Regional Workshop (10 th ) for the Review of the Draft ISPM funded by Korea again in 2009: 16 countries (14-18 Sept. Bushan)  Draft-Revision of ISPM No. 12: Guidelines for phytosanitary certificates A number of alternatives term were proposed: electronically issued equivalent, electronic phytosanitary certification, electronic transfer of certification data of the duration of validity of a PC was discussed at length: need info on when actual period of concern was and what lengths of time might be involved with different circumstances The difficulties with the term place of origin were noted Regarding the seed trade- the provision of information meeting the requirements of second or third etc importing countries--no agreed comments.

10. III. Information Exchange among APPPC Members (Cont.) 2nd edition of plant protection profiles from member countries-published  NPPO structure  Functions  Key contacts  Update information on regulations and policy  Infrastructures  Progress  Status of implementation of ISPMs  Etc. APPPC Website-start to develop

11. IV. TA-Capacity building  A regional training workshops on PRA and Import regulation, Jakarta, Indonesia, November 2008 (Indonesia and Malaysia)  A regional training workshops on PRA and Import regulation, Bangkok, March 2009 (Thailand, Philippines, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh)  A regional training workshop on “Phytosanitary inspection and phytosanitary certification”, Bangkok, Thailand, 27- 31 July 2009 (13 countries attended this workshop, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Viet Nam, Japan and China) --GCP/RAS/226/JPN: Cooperation for the Improvement of Phytosanitary Capacity in Asian Countries through Capacity Building (10 countries-CLMV, BD, PAK, SRL, INS, MY, THA- 10 countries)  A regional training workshop on ISPM No.15 for ASEAN countries in Korea

12. Projects Regional Project on Cooperation for the Improvement for Phytosanitary Capacity in Asian Countries through Capacity Building (GCP/RAS/226/JPN) (Jan. 2007-Dec. 2011), (CLMV, BD, PAK, SRL, INS, MY, THA-10 countries) TCP/CMB/3104 (D): Strengthening the SPS Services (3/2008- 9/2009) “Phytosanitary Capacity Building for the Mekong Region”- NZAID, 2006-2009)

13. Thank you