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ISPM 15 - uidelines for regulating wood packaging material in international trade delineates approved phytosanitary measures that may be applied to wood packaging material (WPM) by countries in order to reduce the risks posed by the introduction or spread of associated quarantine pests.

WPM treated in accordance with the regulatory and operational requirements of the ISPM 15 is required to bear the registered ISPM 15 Mark (shown below). The purpose of this Mark is to certify that the WPM has been subjected to an officially approved and recognized treatment or process, or a combination thereof. Moreover, the use of the Mark is intended to facilitate verification during inspection at the points of export or entry, thus easing the operational difficulties associated with verifying compliance with the treatment process for WPM.

The ISPM 15 Mark is registered by FAO according to the international registration procedure established under the Madrid System for the International Registration of Marks. The use of the Mark is the responsibility of the countries through their official National Plant Protection Organizations (hereafter �NPPO�).

The Mark is intended to be used in compliance with ISPM 15 (Annex II) and must correspond to the registered format of the standard as per attached file.

Recent practices reveal at times substantial divergence from the Mark used in ISPM 15. Such variations in the Mark increase the risks of counterfeiting and imitation which may cause confusion as to whether the WPM has been legitimately certified. Multiple variants of the Mark may weaken the purpose for which the Mark was established and this may result in a loss of rights, trade and decline in the quality of related products. Lawful uses of the Mark are put at risk, and ultimately the intended purpose of ensuring that the WPM does not serve as a pathway for plant pests is undermined.

We therefore urge Contracting Parties to ensure that the Mark is always used in conformity with the ISPM 15 model format. Any other variations of the Mark are neither legally valid nor protected.