W
ORLD
T
RADE
O
RGANIZATION
G/TBT/N/CAN/2422 June 2008(08-2562)
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original: English
NOTIFICATION
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6.
1. Member to Agreement notifying: CANADA
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):
2. Agency responsible: Canadian Food Inspection Agency
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, e-mail and web-site addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:
Canadian Enquiry Point 200-270 Albert Street Ottawa, Ontario Canada, K1P 6N7 Tel.: (+1 613) 238 3222 Fax.: (+1 613) 569 7808 E-mail: enquirypoint@scc.ca
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [ X ], 2.10.1 [ ], 5.6.2 [ ], 5.7.1 [ ], other:
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):
1001101010 Durum wheat, seed, within access commitment 1001102010 Durum wheat, seed, over access commitment 1001901020 Wheat, seed, within access commitment 1001902020 Wheat, seed, over access commitment 10030010 Barley seed
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document: Proposed Amendment to the Seeds Regulations (7 pages, available in English and French).
6. Description of content:
Western Canada has used kernel visual distinguishability (KVD) as a tool for segregating wheat in the grain handling system into classes (quality types) based on end use (bread, pasta, pastry, etc.). KVD requires that the grain of wheat varieties with similar quality characteristics have similar appearances.
The proposed amendment would remove KVD requirements for imported wheat seed. Specifically, the regulatory amendments would revoke section 42 of the Regulations to remove KVD-related restrictions on importation of wheat into the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) Area.
G/TBT/N/CAN/242 Page 2
This affects countries that export wheat seed to Canada. The proposed amendment would permit the import into Canada of seed of unregistered wheat varieties for conditioning, research, seeding by the importer or for production of pedigreed seed (for export or in anticipation of registration of the variety in Canada), as is currently the case for all other crop kinds.
This regulatory amendment would also remove the specific import requirements for spring barley seed to be distinguishable from other registered varieties for imports into the CWB Area. While distinguishability has not been a requirement for variety registration or importation of spring barley since 1996, the Regulations were not previously amended to reflect this change.
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where applicable: To facilitate international trade by removing KVD requirements for imported wheat seed that have already been removed for wheat seed of national origin.
8. Relevant documents:
Canada Gazette, Part I, 24 May 2008, Pages 1615-1621 (available in English and French) The full current Seeds Regulations can be downloaded at:
http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/ShowFullDoc/cr/C.R.C.-c.1400///en (English)
http://lois.justice.gc.ca/fr/ShowFullDoc/cr/C.R.C.-ch.1400///fr (French) 9. Proposed date of adoption:
Proposed date of entry into force:
1 August 2008 10. Final date for comments: 23 June 200811. Texts available from: National enquiry point [ X ] or address, telephone and fax numbers, e-mail and web-site addresses, if available of the other body:
The electronic version of the proposed regulatory text can be downloaded at:
http://gazetteducanada.gc.ca/partI/2008/20080524/pdf/g1-14221.pdf (Canada Gazette) or
http://canadagazette.gc.ca/partI/2008/20080524/html/regle1-e.html (English)
