Specialized
Section on Standardization of
Seed
Potatoes
26
to 28 March 2003, Geneva
PROVISIONAL AGENDA FOR THE THIRTY-THIRD
SESSION
to be held in the Palais des Nations,
Geneva,
commencing at 10.00 hrs on Monday, 26th March 2003
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.6/2003/1
English, French,
Russian
|
|
2.
|
Matters
of interest since the thirty-second session
From
- Working Party on Agricultural
Quality Standards
- Committee for trade, Industry and Enterprise Development
- European Union
- OECD
- WTO
- NAPPO, EPPO
|
TRADE/WP.7/GE.6/2003/2
English, French,
Russian
|
|
3.
|
Information
on the results of the meetings of the bureau
|
TRADE/WP.7/GE.6/2003/2
English, French,
Russian
|
|
4.
|
Review
of the UNECE Standard for Seed Potatoes
|
TRADE/WP.7/2002/9/Add.16
(Text of the standard in force)
English, French, Russian
|
|
|
(a)
|
Proposal
for a new introduction to the UNECE Standard for Seed Potatoes
|
TRADE/WP.7/GE.6/2003/3
English, French,
Russian
|
|
|
(b)
|
Annex I: List of pests to be checked on Nuclear
(Initial)Stock
|
TRADE/WP.7/GE.6/2003/4
English, French,
Russian
|
|
|
(c)
|
Annex II: Minimum conditions to be satisfied by the crop
in respect to viruses and varietal purity
|
TRADE/WP.7/GE.6/2003/5
English, French,
Russian
|
|
|
(d)
|
Annex VIII: Assessment Key for percentage tuber surface
area coverage of blemish diseases (e.g., Common scab, black scurf and powdery
scab)
|
TRADE/WP.7/GE.6/2003/6
English, French,
Russian
|
|
|
(e)
|
New Annex IX: Summary Table of Tolerances
|
|
|
|
(f)
|
Development of the concept of variety in the Standard
|
TRADE/WP.7/GE.6/2003/8
English, French,
Russian
|
|
5.
|
Minimum
conditions to be satisfied by the production and maintenance of Nuclear
(Initial) Stock.
|
|
|
6.
|
Destination tolerances
|
|
|
7.
|
Recommended
best handling practices
|
|
|
8.
|
The
impact of GMO’s on the Standard
|
TRADE/WP.7/GE.6/2003/7
English, French,
Russian
|
|
9.
|
Superficial
necrosis caused by virus
|
|
|
10.
|
Standardization
of test methods
|
|
|
11
|
List of pests and diseases
|
TRADE/WP.7/GE.6/2003/9
English, French,
Russian
|
|
12.
|
Results
of Overview of National schemes for seed potato certification (questionnaire)
|
|
|
13.
|
Concerns
of seed buyers
|
TRADE/WP.7/GE.6/2002/12
English,
TRADE/WP.7/GE.6/2001/INF.2
English
|
|
14.
|
Discussion
on areas of certification scheme
which
may benefit from further standardization.
|
|
|
15.
|
Next
meetings and future work
|
|
|
16.
|
Preparation of the 59th session of
the Working Party on Standardization
of Perishable Produce and Quality Development
|
|
|
17.
|
Other business
|
|
|
18.
|
Election of officers
|
|
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19.
|
Adoption of the report
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Proposed
timetable
|
26
|
March
|
10.00 - 13.00
|
Items 1-4
|
|
|
|
15.00 - 18.00
|
Items 4
|
|
27
|
March
|
10.00 - 13.00
|
Items 5 -9
|
|
|
|
15.00
– 18.00
|
Items
10 - 13
|
|
28
|
March
|
10.00 - 13.00
|
Items 13 - 18
|
|
|
|
15.00 – 18.00
|
Item 19
|
ANNOTATIONS
Item 1: Adoption
of the agenda
Document
for this session: TRADE/WP.7/GE.6/2003/1
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-second session
Document
for this session: TRADE/WP.7/GE.6/2003/2
Document
TRADE/WP.7/GE.6/2003/2 sums up the relevant outcome of the sixth session
of the Committee for Trade, Industry and Enterprise Development and the
fifty-eighth session of the Working Party on Standardization of Perishable
Produce and Quality Development.
Delegations
will also be informed of relevant matters arising from the work of the European
Union, OECD Seed Scheme, WTO, NAPPO and EPPO.
Item 3: Information on the results of the meetings of
the bureau
Document
for this session: TRADE/WP.7/GE.6/2003/2
Document
TRADE/WP.7/GE.6/2003/2 contains a summary of the extended bureau meeting held
in Canada (30 September to 4 October 2002).
Item 4: Review of the UN/ECE Standard for Seed
Potatoes
Document
for this session: TRADE/WP.7/2002/9/Add.16 (Text of the standard in force)
Document
for this session TRADE/WP.7/GE.6/2003/3
(Secretariat)
The document contains a proposal
for a new introduction to the UNECE Standard for Seed Potatoes which has been
discussed at several bureau meetings. It explains the goals and purpose of the
standard and what it means to apply it as well as its relation to texts of
other organizations.
(b) Annex I: List of pests to be checked on
Nuclear (Initial) Stock
Document
for this session : TRADE/WP.7/GE.6/2003/4
The
proposal contains a definition for Initial Stock as well as a list of pests to
be checked on it.
(c) Annex II: Minimum conditions to be
satisfied by the crop in respect to viruses and varietal purity
Document
for this session : TRADE/WP.7/GE.6/2003/5
The
proposal contained in 2003/5 was originally submitted by Portugal and amended
by the bureau meeting in Canada.
(d) Annex VIII: Assessment
Key for percentage tuber surface area coverage of blemish diseases (e.g.,
Common scab, black scurf and powdery scab)
Document
for this session : TRADE/WP.7/GE.6/2003/6
The
delegation of France drafted a proposal to include images of reference tubers
for rhizoctonia, common and powdery scab. Delegations are also invited to
discuss how to further improve the annex and if it would be interesting to have
an explanatory brochure for Seed Potatoes.
(e) New Annex IX: Summary Table of Tolerances
The
delegation of Canada offered to prepare a table summarizing the tolerances in
the different annexes of the standard with the goal to facilitating its use. It
is also proposed to add an index to the standard.
(f) Development of the concept of variety in
the Standard
Document
for this session : TRADE/WP.7/GE.6/2003/8
The
delegation of Switzerland has prepared a paper on how to develop the concept of
variety in the standard, looking at the present requirements included,
explaining the need for development and proposing amendments to the standard.
Item 5: Minimum conditions to be satisfied
by the production and maintenance of Nuclear (Initial) Stock.
The
extended bureau meeting proposes holding a discussion on minimum conditions to
be satisfied by the production and maintenance of Nuclear (Initial) Stock.
Item
6: Destination
tolerances
The
extended bureau meeting proposes holding a discussion on the applicability of
destination tuber tolerances.
Item
7: Recommended best
handling practices
The
extended bureau meeting proposes holding a discussion on recommended best tuber
handling practices for shipper/receiver.
Item
8: The impact of
GMO’s on the Standard
Document
for this session : TRADE/WP.7/GE.6/2003/7
At the
last session the delegation of Canada distributed an information paper on
methods and approaches to enhance varietal integrity within seed potato
certification systems. The paper is being distributed at this session as an
official document. Further information is expected from Russia on the situation
in their country and the European Community on the relevant Council decision
and the report of the Standing Committee establishing a threshold.
The
working group (Canada, the Russian Federation and the European Community) is
continuing 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.
Item
9: Superficial
necrosis caused by virus
The
delegations of France and the United Kingdom will inform about the status of a
proposal concerning superficial necrosis caused by virus (e.g. rattle).
Item
10 : Standardization of test methods
At
recent sessions it had been suggested to have as a possible new area of work
the standardization of methods for detection of viruses and pests. It was said
that the UNECE standard could not cover everything concerning testing but could
assist in the choice of the appropriate method. The replies to the
questionnaire should serve as a starting point for this question as they give
an indication about methods used in different countries. No proposal was
finalized for this session.
Item
11 : List
of pests and diseases
Document: TRADE/WP.7/GE.6/2003/9
The document
contains the updated list of pests and diseases from France that was completed
with a column on possible test methods existing for the pests contained in the
UNECE standard.
Item
12: Results of overview of
national schemes for seed potato certification (questionnaire)
Delegations
will be informed on the status of this publication.
Item
13 : Concerns of seed buyers
TRADE/WP.7/GE.6/2002/12
TRADE/WP.7/GE.6/2001/INF.2
The
Specialized Section will continue the discussion on concerns of seed buyers.
Item 14: Discussion on areas of certification
scheme which may benefit from further standardization.
Any
additional proposals are welcome under this agenda item.
Item
15: Next meetings and
future work
Delegations are invited to
make proposals concerning the future work and meeting schedule of the
Specialized Section and the extended bureau.
Item 16: Preparation
of the 59th session of the Working Party on Agricultural Quality Standards
The Specialized Section
is invited to decide which decisions /information should be transmitted to the
annual session of the Working Party
Item 17 : Other
business
Any other area of
interest can be discussed under this agenda item.
Item 18 : 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 19 : Adoption of the report
The Specialized Section
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:
agristandards@unece.org
Meeting documentation
will be available on our homepage:
http://www.unece.org/trade/agr/welcome.htm