Artikel IV

1. Each contracting party shall make provision, to the best of its ability, for an official national plant protection organization with the main responsibilities set out in this Article.
2. The responsibilities of an official national plant protection organization shall include the following:
a. the issuance of certificates relating to the phytosanitary regulations of the importing contracting party for consignments of plants, plant products and other regulated articles;
b. the surveillance of growing plants, including both areas under cultivation (inter alia fields, plantations, nurseries, gardens, greenhouses and laboratories) and wild flora, and of plants and plant products in storage or in transportation, particularly with the object of reporting the occurrence, outbreak and spread of pests, and of controlling those pests, including the reporting referred to under Article VIII paragraph 1(a);
c. the inspection of consignments of plants and plant products moving in international traffic and, where appropriate, the inspection of other regulated articles, particularly with the object of preventing the introduction and/or spread of pests;
d. the disinfestation or disinfection of consignments of plants, plant products and other regulated articles moving in international traffic, to meet phytosanitary requirements;
e. the protection of endangered areas and the designation, maintenance and surveillance of pest free areas and areas of low pest prevalence;
f. the conduct of pest risk analyses;
g. to ensure through appropriate procedures that the phytosanitary security of consignments after certification regarding composition, substitution and reinfestation is maintained prior to export; and
h. training and development of staff.
3. Each contracting party shall make provision, to the best of its ability, for the following:
a. the distribution of information within the territory of the contracting party regarding regulated pests and the means of their prevention and control;
b. research and investigation in the field of plant protection;
c. the issuance of phytosanitary regulations; and
d. the performance of such other functions as may be required for the implementation of this Convention.
4. Each contracting party shall submit a description of its official national plant protection organization and of changes in such organization to the Secretary. A contracting party shall provide a description of its organizational arrangements for plant protection to another contracting party, upon request.