Posted on Wed, 20 Apr 2016, 15:03

Deadline on Sat, 14 May 2016, 22:00

As agreed by the Commission for Phytosanitary Measures in its eleventh session in April 2016 (CPM-11 (2016)), the CPM Bureau will discuss the issue of sea containers at their 21-23 June 2016 meeting. The Bureau was requested by the CPM to consider the development of a "set of complimentary actions" which, combined, may offer some value in assessing and managing the pests threats associated with sea containers and to propose such a possible program of complimentary actions to CPM-12 (2017).

IPPC contracting parties and other interested parties are invited to submit discussion papers by 15 May 2016 to the IPPC Secretariat ([email protected]) for the CPM Bureau to consider.

Thank you for your kind cooperation.

Further background information is provided below.

During CPM-11 (2016), a special topics session was held on the issue of sea containers. The presentations that were given outlined the complex logistics of the movement of sea containers and the potential risks of the spread of pests. All presentations as well as discussion papers presented on the issue during CPM-11 (2016) can be found at this link.

CPM-11 (2016) recognized the risk of pests and regulated articles, other than cargo, that can be moved with sea containers and recognized that the implementation of the IMO/ILO/UNECE CTU Code, and of the Recommendation CPM 10/2015_01 on Sea Containers would help address this risk.

Agreeing that the harmonization of requirements through the development of a draft ISPM on Minimizing pest movement by sea containers (2008-001) is considered as complex to achieve, CPM-11 (2016) agreed that the status of the topic for the draft ISPM should be changed to pending and reconsidered by the CPM in maximum five years, to allow for the implementation of the CTU Code and Recommendation CPM 10/2015_01 and an analysis of their impact on reducing pest movement by sea containers.

However, the CPM agreed that some coordinated actions should be considered for assessing and addressing the pest risks associated with sea containers. The CPM encouraged NPPOs to gather information on the movement of pests via the sea containers to help clarify the risk. In addition, the CPM requested the Bureau to consider the development of a "set of complimentary actions" which, combined, may offer some value in assessing and managing the pests threats associated with sea containers and to propose such a possible program of complimentary actions to CPM-12 (2017). The Bureau will assign half a day during their 21-23 June 2016 meeting to consider the issue. In this regard, the CPM encouraged interested parties and contracting parties to submit discussion papers by 15 May 2016 to the IPPC Secretariat for the CPM Bureau to consider.