International Workshop on the Practical Application of ISPM No. 15

1. International Workshop on the Practical Application of ISPM No. 15 Gary Koivisto Canadian Food Inspection Agency

2. Welcome! Bienvenue! Bienvenida! • Vancouver - city with Canada's most gentle climate • Canadian palm and banana trees! • City of contrasts • Ski in the morning and play golf on the same afternoon • Eclectic culture, varied landscape • Mild climate, centre of trading, clearing house • Vancouver and southern B.C. may be one of the most vulnerable areas in Canada in terms of plant pest risks • Rocky Mountains provides barrier between B.C. and the rest of Canada

3. ISPM No.15 – Vital Standard • Canada is dealing with numerous serious pests attributable to wood packaging • Emerald Ash Borer • Asian Long-Horned Beetle • Brown Spruce Long-Horned Beetle • So much un-inspected commerce with wood packaging from diverse origins • risk is immense • ISPM No. 15 offers a simple, harmonized way to mitigate the risk and protect forest resources, urban forests, maple syrup industries, etc.

4. ISPM No. 15 – Groundbreaking Standard • The first commodity-specific standard • The commodity is associated with the majority of traded commodities • Impact on pests should be huge • Impact on trade? • Broad scale implementation required • Successful implementation of this standard will facilitate the development of further commodity-specific standards

5. Need for this workshop • Given the importance and impact of ISPM No. 15, Canada felt it vital to hold an international workshop to facilitate and encourage broad implementation by addressing: • Implementation difficulties • Describing and understanding approved treatments • Export certification systems for wood packaging material • Import regulatory systems for wood packaging material • development of implementation plans

6. Regional Workshops - NAPPO • Two workshops held in 2004 • Mexico City - 185 participants from sixteen countries • Buenos Aires - over 200 participants mainly from COSAVE region • in both workshops the private sector representatives were in the majority • Presentations focused on: • national legislation • certification systems • other implementation measures • science behind the approved treatments • Improved stakeholder communication network within and between the regions of North and South America • A European representative may address the outcome of the EPPO workshops during the main sessions

7. Canada, lumber and wood packaging • Canada’s lumber exports are valued at around CDN$12 billion per annum  • 420 Canadian lumber mills are certified to carry out kiln drying • Canada has 350 establishments certified to carry out treatment of wood packaging in accordance with ISPM No. 15 (i.e., Canada is export ready) • Canada’s import requirements come into full force on September 16, 2005 • More on this in the week!

8. Arrangements for this workshop • Participants at this workshop include: • Representatives of 82 separate national governments • 28 industry representatives • As of last week, 175 registrants in total • This Workshop was made possible by the hard work and financial contributions of: IPPC, FAO, USDA, CFS, CFIA, CMSA, CWPCA, PLIB, the Workshop Steering Committee, Government of Canada staff from the area and local industry

9. Desired outcome of this workshop • Understanding of practical simplicity of treatments and systems • Understanding of the importance of implementing the standard • Development of draft implementation plans • Desire and action to implement • Broad, harmonized implementation

10. Welcome! • Enjoy the workshop • Enjoy Vancouver • Welcome to Canada - Bienvenue - Bienvenida