STC Number - 25
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Restrictions on wheat and oilseeds

Maintained by: Poland
Raised by: United States of America
Supported by:
First date raised: March 1997 G/SPS/R/7 paras. 13-14
Dates subsequently raised: November 1998 ( G/SPS/R/13 para. 27)
Number of times subsequently raised: 1
Relevant documents: G/SPS/GEN/265
Products covered: 12 Oil seeds and oleaginous fruits; miscellaneous grains, seeds and fruit; industrial or medicinal plants; straw and fodder; 1001 Wheat and meslin.
Primary subject keyword: Plant Health
Keywords: Good Offices/Consultations/Dispute Settlement; Plant health; Territory protection
Status: Not reported
Solution: In July 2001 (G/SPS/R/22, par. 127), the representative of the United States introduced an update to the Secretariat document on specific trade concerns (G/SPS/GEN/204/Rev.1). The United States had examined the issues it had raised in the Committee to determine whether the issues had been resolved. This exercise had shown that the SPS Committee was a useful forum to address and resolve trade issues. The US document presented the US view on the status of the relevant issues, and the United States was prepared to discuss other Members' views on this status.
Date reported as resolved:

Extracts from SPS Committee meeting summary reports

In March 1997, the representative of the United States noted that Poland had a long history of importing US wheat and oilseeds and questioned the phytosanitary health purpose for Poland's current restrictions. Many of the weed seeds currently subject to the restrictions in question existed on a world-wide basis; some of them were even known to be established in Poland. The US representative urged Poland to review its policy in order to ensure that it was consistent with WTO requirements.

The representative of Poland replied that the measure in question did not, in practice, affect trade between the two countries. No shipment of US grain or oilseeds had been rejected because of quarantine risk occurrence. Poland assured the United States that it would provide a detailed explanation of its measures.

In November 1998, the Secretariat and the Chairman had also been requested to facilitate bilateral consultations between the United States and Poland, regarding tolerance levels for weed seeds, particularly of the genus Ambrosia. The consultations had taken place prior to the Committee meeting and had focused on technical aspects of pest risk analysis. Both parties had agreed to continue the consultations, and the Chairman was optimistic that they would lead to a rapid resolution.

In July 2001, the representative of the United States introduced an update to the Secretariat document on specific trade concerns (G/SPS/GEN/204/Rev.1). The United States had examined the issues it had raised in the Committee to determine whether the issues had been resolved. This exercise had shown that the SPS Committee was a useful forum to address and resolve trade issues. The US document presented the US view on the status of the relevant issues, and the United States was prepared to discuss other Members' views on this status.