STC Number - 119
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Notification on Chinese fruit imports

Maintained by: Philippines
Raised by: China
Supported by:
First date raised: March 2002 G/SPS/R/26 para. 141
Dates subsequently raised:
Number of times subsequently raised: 0
Relevant documents: G/SPS/N/PHL/35 G/SPS/N/PHL/35/Add.1 RD/SPS/114
Products covered: 08 Edible fruit and nuts; peel of citrus fruit or melons
Primary subject keyword: Plant Health
Keywords: Plant health; Pests; Transparency
Status: Resolved
Solution: In March 2002, the temporary ban was lifted on the condition that those places identified as sources of infested exports undertake treatment to effectively kill the insect. In October 2020, information was received from China on the resolution of this STC (RD/SPS/114, 29 October 2020).
Date reported as resolved: 05/11/2020

Extracts from SPS Committee meeting summary reports

In March 2002, the representative of China recalled that the Philippines had applied an emergency restriction on imports of fruit from China, notified in G/SPS/N/PHL/35. The notification indicated that the measure was imposed because codling moth had been detected in imports of certain fruits. However, technical experts of both countries had re-identified the intercepted insect as peach fruit moth, a common pest. On this basis, the Philippines lifted the quarantine ban, but the addendum to the notification did not clarify the mistaken identification of the pest (G/SPS/N/PHL/35/Add.1). The representative of the Philippines confirmed that further investigation had revealed that the intercepted insect was not codling moth, but Carposina nipponensis, a species not previously known in the Philippines. The Philippines had lifted the temporary ban on the condition that those places identified as sources of infested exports would undertake treatment to effectively kill the insect. This decision was reflected in the addendum to the notification, although the Philippines agreed to further correct the information provided in the notification, to avoid confusion and possible unnecessary restrictions on Chinese agricultural products by other Members.

In November 2020, the Secretariat informed that in September 2020 it had contacted all Members who had raised specific trade concerns (STCs) that had not been discussed in the previous year, to request an update on their status. In furtherance of this request, information was received from China on the resolution of this STC. The Secretariat indicated that the information received had been circulated in document RD/SPS/114 of 29 October 2020, and that the SPS IMS would be updated on this basis, using the date of the November 2020 SPS Committee meeting as the date of resolution of the relevant STCs.