UNITED
NATIONS                                                                                                                                                        E



 
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL
COUNCIL 
Distr.
GENERAL
TRADE/WP.7/GE.6/2002/1
20-December-2001
ORIGINAL:ENGLISH


ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR EUROPE
COMMITTEE FOR TRADE, INDUSTRY AND
ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT
Working Party on Standardization of
Perishable Produce and Quality Development
Specialized Section on Standardization of
Seed Potatoes
4 to 6 March 2002, Geneva
 
 

PROVISIONAL AGENDA FOR THE THIRTY-SECOND SESSION

to be held in the Palais des Nations, Geneva,
commencing at 10.00 hrs on Monday, 4th March 2002










NOTE by the secretariat: Document numbers in square brackets have been reserved for papers not received by the secretariat at the time of the preparation of the agenda. They will either be distributed before the meeting in the original language only (if received until 6 weeks before the session) or at the session as informal papers (if received later). They will also be available on the homepage if sent in electronic format.
 
1. Adoption of the agenda   TRADE/WP.7/GE.6/2002/1
English  French  Russian
2. Matters of interest since the thirty-first session 

Answer from the legal services

  TRADE/WP.7/GE.6/2002/2

English  French  Russian

3. Information on the results of the meetings of the bureau   TRADE/WP.7/GE.6/2002/3

English  French  Russian

4. Review of the UN/ECE Standard for Seed Potatoes TRADE/WP.7/2001/9/Add.11 (Text of the standard in force)
English   French  Russian
  (a) Proposal for a new introduction to the UNECE Standard for Seed Potatoes Document TRADE/WP.7/GE.6/2002/4 was not received and is replaced by: TRADE/WP.7/GE.1/2002/INF.1
  (b) Development of international classes within categories TRADE/WP.7/GE.6/2002/5 
(Canada, United Kingdom)

English  French  Russian

  (c) Minimum conditions for production of pre-basic TC TRADE/WP.7/GE.6/2002/11
(United Kingdom)

English  French  Russian

  (d) Amendments to Annex IX to include common and powdery scab [TRADE/WP.7/GE.6/2002/6 (France)]
5. Separation of quality and quarantine pests

Table on quarantine and quality diseases

[TRADE/WP.7/GE.6/2002/7 (Secretariat)]

TRADE/WP.7/GE.6/2002/8 (France)
English   French  Russian

6. List of varieties [TRADE/WP.7/GE.6/2002/9 (Switzerland)]
7. Superficial necrosis caused by virus [TRADE/WP.7/GE.6/2002/10 (France, United Kingdom)]
8. Standardization of methods  
9. Concerns of seed buyers TRADE/WP.7/GE.6/2002/12
(United Kingdom)

English  French  Russian

10. Questions related to GMO [TRADE/WP.7/GE.6/2002/13 

(European Commission)]

11 Destination tolerances for tuber rots [TRADE/WP.7/GE.6/2002/14 (Netherlands, United States, United Kingdom)]
12. Discussion on areas of certification schemes that might benefit from further standardization  
13. Results of the Questionnaire on certification schemes  
14. Status of the revised UN/ECE Standard for Seed Potatoes, its promotion and future role  
15. Matters of Interest related to the activities of the:

- European Union

- World Trade Organization

- European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization (EPPO)

- North American Plant Protection Organization (NAPPO)

- International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC)

 
16. Preparation of the meetings of rapporteurs and the next session of the Specialized Section  
  (a) Date and place  
  (b) Establishment of long and short term objectives  
17. Preparation of the 58th session of the Working Party on Standardization of Perishable Produce and Quality Development  
18. Other business  
19. Election of officers  
20. Adoption of the report TRADE/WP.7/GE.6/2002/15

English  French  Russia


 

Proposed timetable

04 March 10.00 - 13.00 Items 1-4
    15.00 - 18.00 Items 4
05 March 10.00 - 13.00 Items 5 -9
    15.00 � 18.00 Items 10 - 13
06 March 10.00 - 13.00 Item 13 - 19
    15.00 � 18.00 Item 20*

* Note by the secretariat: This working procedure was decided at the last session of the Specialized Section to make full use of the three days of the meeting. The report of the sessions on Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning will only be available in English at the reading of the report.
 
 


ANNOTATIONS

Item 1 Adoption of the agenda

Document for this session: TRADE/WP.7/GE.6/2002/1

According to the Commission's Rules of Procedure, the first item on the provisional agenda is the adoption of the agenda.
 

Item 2 Matters of interest arising since the thirty-first session

Document for this session: TRADE/WP.7/GE.6/2002/2

Document TRADE/WP.7/GE.6/2002/2 sums up the relevant outcome of the fifth session of the Committee for Trade, Industry and Enterprise Development and the fifty-seventh session of the Working Party on Standardization of Perishable Produce and Quality Development. The document also contains a summary of the reply received from the legal services concerning questions asked by the Specialized Section.

Item 3: Information on the results of the meetings of the bureau

Document for this session: TRADE/WP.7/GE.6/2002/3

Document TRADE/WP.7/GE.6/2002/3 sums up the outcome of the meetings of the bureau of the Specialized Section on Standardization of Seed Potatoes held in Milan 23 July 2001 and Changins, 17-19 September 2001
 

Item 4: Review of the UN/ECE Standard for Seed Potatoes
Document for this session: TRADE/WP.7/2001/9/Add.11 (Text of the standard in force)

(a) Proposal for a new introduction to the UNECE Standard for Seed Potatoes

The document TRADE/WP.7/GE.6/2002/4 was not received and is replaced by INF.1

At the last meeting of the Specialized Section it had been decided to rewrite the introduction to the standard to better reflect its purpose and application. This discussion was continued at the bureau meetings. The secretariat will present a first consolidated draft of the introduction at the session.

(b) Development of international classes within categories

TRADE/WP.7/GE.6/2002/5 (Canada, United Kingdom)

At the last meeting of the Specialized Section in March 2001, a proposal (Trade/WP.7/GE6/2001/4) for the "Introduction of Sub-divisions in the Categories" was presented by the rapporteurs from Canada and the United Kingdom. The principle of sub-division of all categories was accepted and the rapporteurs requested to prepare a revised paper based on comments at the meeting. The present paper sets out the proposals within the framework and in the style of the current UN ECE Standard

(c) Minimum conditions for production of pre-basic TC

TRADE/WP.7/GE.6/2002/11 (United Kingdom)

The paper sets out proposals for revising Annexes II, IV and V to complement the proposal to introduce �international classes� into the Standard and in particular to define more specifically the requirements for the production of Pre-basic TC class seed potatoes with cross-referencing to other schemes, where appropriate.

(d) Amendments to Annex IX to include common and powdery scab

[TRADE/WP.7/GE.6/2002/6 (France)]

At the meeting of the bureau in Changins the delegation of France offered to prepare a proposal to amend Annex IX to include common and powdery scab.
 
 

Item 5: Separation of quality and quarantine pests

Document for this session: [TRADE/WP.7/GE.6/2002/7 (Secretariat)]

TRADE/WP.7/GE.6/2002/8 (France) At the bureau meeting in Milan it was decided to look into the possibility to separate quality and quarantine pests in the standard. The discussion was continued at the bureau meeting in Changins and is summarized in TRADE/WP.7/GE.6/2002/3. The Chairman and the Secretariat will prepare a discussion paper on that topic. The delegation of France prepared a table on quality and quarantine diseases.

Item 6: List of varieties

Document for this session: [TRADE/WP.7/GE.6/2002/9 (Switzerland)]

At the bureau meeting in Changins it was agreed that the standard should define the concept of variety. The delegation of Switzerland will prepare a paper explaining:

- How OECD deals with this question;
- Why it should be included in the standard (transparency, GMO, use of micropropagation)
- How it could be included in the standard.
Item 7: Superficial necrosis caused by virus

Document for this session:     [TRADE/WP.7/GE.6/2002/10 (France, United Kingdom)]

The delegations of France and the United Kingdom will prepare a proposal concerning superficial necrosis caused by virus (e.g. rattle).

Item 8: Standardization of methods

Discussion at the last session: TRADE/WP.7/GE.6/8, paras. 37-40

At the last session the delegation of the Russian Federation suggested the standardisation of methods for detection of viruses and pests as a possible new area of work. It was decided to begin work on this based on the replies to the questionnaire once sufficient replies to the questionnaire have been received.

Item 9: Concerns of seed buyers

Document for this session: TRADE/WP.7/GE.6/2002/12 (United Kingdom)*

The Specialized Section will continue the discussion on concerns of seed buyers based on the information provided by the United Kingdom.

Item 10: Questions related to GMO

Document for this session: [TRADE/WP.7/GE.6/2002/13 (European Commission)]

At the last session a working group (Canada, the Russian Federation and the European Community)

was formed to look at the following issues related to GMOs:

- identity of the variety
- the impact of GMOs on the standard
- the possibility to label the variety
- to check whether the present system is still valid to assess varietal identity and purity.

The European Community will provide the relevant Council decision and the report of the standing committee establishing a threshold.
 
 

Item 11 : Destination tolerances for tuber rots

Document for this session: [TRADE/WP.7/GE.6/2002/14 (France, Netherlands, United States, United Kingdom)]

At the last session possible ways to deal with tuber rots in the standard were mentioned:

- low tolerances at shipment

- impose tolerances at destination

- recommend ways to assure the quality of production, storage, transport and handling.

It was agreed to discuss quality assurance (based information from France) and to form a small group (Netherlands, United States, United Kingdom) who would look at destination tolerances for tuber rots.
 

Item 12: Discussion on areas of certification schemes that might benefit from further standardization
Any further proposals are welcome under this agenda item.

Item 13: Results of the Questionnaire on national certification schemes

The secretariat has received 30 replies to the questionnaire up to now. A proposal will be made at the session how to consolidate and publish the information received.
 

Item 14: Status of the revised UNECE Standard for Seed Potatoes, its promotion and future role
Delegations are invited to make any comments concerning the functioning of the standard under this agenda item.

Item 15: Matters of Interest related to the activities of the:

- European Union

- World Trade Organization

- European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization (EPPO)

- North American Plant Protection Organization (NAPPO)

- International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC)

These organizations have been invited to bring any matters of interest to the Meeting under this item.
 

Item 16: Preparation of the meetings of the bureau and the next session of the Specialized Section
(a) Date and place

(b) Establishment of long and short term objectives

Item 17: Preparation of the 58th session of the Working Party on Standardization of Perishable Produce and Quality Development
Delegations are invited to mention any item that should be brought to the attention of the Working Party.
 

Item 18: Other business
Any other area of interest can be discussed under this agenda item.

Item 19: Election of officers

According to the Commission's Rules of Procedure and established practice, the Specialized Section is expected to elect a Chairman and Vice-Chairman. At its thirty-first session the group elected Mr. P.G. Bianchi(Italy) as its Chairman and Mr. P. Miauton (Switzerland) as its Vice-Chairman.

Item 20: Adoption of the report

The Working Party will adopt the report of its thirty-second session on the basis of a draft prepared by the secretariat.
 
 

NOTE BY THE SECRETARIAT:

Contributions should be sent to the secretariat either on diskette by mail to :

Food Standards Officer

UN/ECE Trade Division

Palais des Nations

Office 432

1211 Geneva 10

Tel: (41) 22 917 2450 Fax: (41) 22 917 0041

or by e-mail to:

[email protected]

Meeting documentation will be available on our homepage:

http://www.unece.org/trade/agr/welcome.htm