import restrictions on potted plants in july 2001 the european communities indicated that exports of plants in growing medium had been impeded for over 20 years because the united states conducted a pest risk assessment for each type of plant before allowing imports and each assessment took several years to complete. in addition the requirements for accepted species were very rigid and not proportional to the potential risk. the european communities requested the united states to adjust its import requirements and administrative procedures to allow for market access. the united states replied that its requirements reflected the need to avoid introduction of pests and diseases that could seriously undermine native ecosystems as well as cultivated plants. the roots of potted plants even in an approved medium could not be examined for signs of disease and other mitigation measures were necessary. the united states was preparing a technical proposal for review by the commission and ec member states and had proposed the formation of a joint technical working grou to address the issue. usda was willing to review any systems certification proposal submitted by the commission or its member states with the understanding that any modifications to existing us regulations would have to be scientifically justified and be subject to the us rulemaking process. in march 2005 the european communities reiterated concerns that for more than 20 years this sector had attempted to obtain better conditions for access to the us market. the most recent visit in may 2003 had resulted in a us assessment that ec member states had very high sps standards and were expected to meet us requirements. however the difficulties were continuing. for instance a danish request for approval to export schlumbergera to the united states had been submitted ten years ago and the corresponding us pest risk assessment had become available only in june 2004. the european communities urged the united states to review its internal administrative procedures in the phytosanitary field to ensure these did not create unjustified trade restriction. china shared the concerns of the european communities. in 1980 china had started to export potted plants in growing media to the united states and experienced problems similar to those of the european communities. although in 1996 china had signed a work plan for exporting plants in growing media to the united states to date china could not export to the united states. the united states recognized the importance of this issue to the european communities and had taken a number of steps to ensure that the concerns were handled as expeditiously as possible. the united states was examining how and whether its import regulations for nursery stock including plants in growing media might be changed. an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking had been published in december 2004 and all members could provide comments on that proposal. the proposal sought to streamline the specific process questioned by both the european communities and china. the united states hoped to publish a proposed rule for schlumbergera from the european communities in the near future. in june 2005 the european communities recalled that on 27 april 2005 the us authorities had notified as g sps n usa 1059 a draft rule proposing the inclusion of two species from the netherlands and denmark in the conditional positive list of plants established in approved growing media that might be imported into the united states. the european communities welcomed the progress made on this issue and requested that new applications for similar species from similar production systems or country pest status be treated as an extension of this proposed rule. this request was legitimate proportionate to the risk and trade facilitating by nature. the european communities invited the united states to publish the final rule as soon as possible. the united states indicated that the comment perio