import restrictions on plant and plant products in march 2010 brazil expressed concerns related to malaysias import restrictions on plants and plants products due to a regulation on south american leaf blight disease. brazil considered that the regulation did not have a scientific justification. malaysias import restrictions were apparently based on a provision in the constitutive of the asia and pacific plant protection commission apppc on south american leaf blight disease. however other parties to the apppc did not apply this provision to brazil. a representative of fao conducted a pest risk analysis to verify whether the south american leaf blight disease represented a risk to malaysia but no risks had been identified. therefore brazil requested that malaysia allow the importation of plants and plants products from brazil. japan observed that the trade restriction was also a concern for japan. japan recognized the efforts of the apppc to amend its regulation so as to be consistent with the sps agreement. malaysia indicated that it had not received any information from brazil in advance of the meeting and thus could not consult with his technical officials. malaysia invited brazil to send its concern in writing so a response could be provided. in october 2015 brazil again raised concerns related to malaysias import restrictions on plants and plant products due to a regulation on south american leaf blight disease. since 2010 when the issue had been raised for the first time the measure had remained unchanged on the basis that it was consistent with asia and pacific plant protection commission apppc phytosanitary standards. brazil recalled that the regulation had no scientific justification and increased exporting costs through unnecessary laboratory analysis. in 2009 fao had completed a pest risk analysis and no risks to malaysia had been identified. a bilateral meeting had been held in the margins of the committee meeting and would be followed by another one in kuala lumpur. malaysia reported that it was reviewing import conditions on south american leaf blight disease and welcomed its bilateral discussions with brazil on this matter.