The 2017 IPPC and 18th APPPC Regional Workshop Successfully Held in the Republic of Korea

Photo Copyright APPPC 2017

The 2017 IPPC and 18th Asia and Pacific Plant Protection Commission (APPPC) Regional Workshop was held in Busan, Republic of Korea from 4 - 8 September 2017. The workshop was organized by the APPPC and hosted by the Republic of Korea s Department of Plant Quarantine, of the Ministry of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs, with support from the IPPC Secretariat. Thirty-seven delegates from 21 countries from the Asia and Pacific region attended the workshop.

The workshop gave participants an opportunity to share their views on three draft standards out for their first consultation. It also served to assist countries to develop their technical expertise on the standards. Participants analysed the International movement of cut flowers and foliage (2008-005), Requirements for the use of fumigation treatments as a phytosanitary measure (2014-004), and 2017 Amendments to ISPM5 (Glossary of phytosanitary terms) (1994-001).

Participants also considered four draft ISPMs out for their second consultation: ISPM 6: Surveillance, Requirements for the use of temperature treatments as phytosanitary measures, revisions to ISPM 15 Annex 1 and 2 for inclusion of the suphuryl fluoride fumigation phytosanitary treatment of wood packaging, and the revision of the dielectric heating section of ISPM 15. Participants provided several substantive comments, and inputs towards the seven draft ISPMs.

Further discussions covered the sea container programmes of China and New Zealand as well as the consideration of future activities. Developments of the new Implementation and Capacity Development Committee (IC), administrative aspects of the APPPC and the programme of the International Year of Plant Health 2020 were discussed. Participants also expressed their countries emerging issues in plant health including challenging areas and actions currently being taken.

The tentative date for the 19th annual APPPC Regional Workshop for the review of Draft International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures is September 10 - 14 in Seoul, Republic of Korea.