(1) Reasons for Proposal
In accordance with partial amendment to the Plant Protection Act (Act No. 16124, promulgated on December 31, 2018, and implemented on July 1, 2019), this amendment aims to define the matters both delegated by the Act and necessary for its enforcement such as procedures for the exemption approval of submitting a phytosanitary certificate and disinfection/discarding methods when regulated pests are discovered in articles not subject to phytosanitary measures, and further, to improve and supplement a number of weaknesses that have emerged in the operation of the current system.
(2) Major Provisions
A. Stipulate application procedures for the exemption approval of submitting a phytosanitary certificate and procedures for its disposition (Article 10-2 newly inserted)
B. Supplement applying grounds for the import of prohibited plants (including prohibited areas and prohibited pests) (Article 12 amended)
C. Clarify the kinds of plants (seeds) that are allowed to be imported under the conditions of export after processing and packaging of prohibited articles (Article 13 amended)
D. Stipulate matters to be prepared for quarantine of articles when there is a concern about pest transmission (Article 15 amended)
E. Provide legal grounds for allowing the quarantine disposition based on the pests discovered by the plant quarantine officer (Article 18 amended)
F. Provide legal grounds for the Director of the Quarantine Agency to notify the details necessary for the training of phytosanitary agents (Article 18-5 amended)
G. Complement the designation requirements for institutions specialized in the inspection of plant pests (Article 21-2 amended)
H. Stipulate disposition procedures such as disinfection and discarding method when regulated pests are discovered from industrial products, etc., not subject to phytosanitary measures (Article 23, Article 24, Article 25, Article 26, Article 27 and Article 27-2 amended, and Article 29-3 newly inserted)
I. Provide grounds for the Accreditation Board to conduct pest investigation on the appearance of import containers (Article 37-13 amended)
J. Add the qualifications of honorary phytosanitary guards (Article 48 amended)
K. Attached Tables (five are revised)
○ Revise the Import Prohibited Plants, Prohibited Areas, and Prohibited Pests (attached Table 1)
○ Revise the Management Standards for Place of Inspection (attached Table 5)
○ Revise the Standards for Administrative Disposition to Place of Inspection (attached Table 6)
○ Revise the period of complying with the order of collection, disinfection, discarding, return, and carrying (attached Table 7)
○ Revise the place of disinfection and discarding (attached Table 8)
L. Attached Form (two are newly inserted and six are revised)
○ Newly insert Form for Application of the Exemption Approval of Submitting Phytosanitary Certificate (No. 1-2)
○ Newly insert Form for the Exemption Approval of Submitting Phytosanitary Certificate (No. 1-3)
○ Revise Form for Application of Import Permission for Prohibited Articles (No. 2)
○ Revise Form for Order to Grow Plants under Post-Entry Quarantine Conditions (No. 7)
○ Revise Form for Application of Designation, Change, Approval of Change, and Report on the Change of Institution Specialized in Inspection of Plant Pests (No. 10-2)
○ Revise Form for Order of Collection, Disinfection, Discarding, Return, Carrying, and Others (No. 11)
○ Revise Form for Disposition Certificate (No. 12)
○ Revise Form for ID Card of Plant Inspectors (No. 27-4)
