§ 4403 — Duties Of Secretary Of Agriculture

The Secretary of Agriculture of the United States shall be the competent authority to implement the agreement. To ensure compliance with the standards specified in the agreement, the Secretary of Agriculture may— (1) designate appropriate organizations to inspect or test equipment, or both; (2) issue certificates of compliance in accordance with annex 1, appendix 1, paragraph 4 of the agreement; (3) prescribe such regulations as may be necessary to implement the agreement and administer this chapter, including, but not limited to, provision for suspending or denying the designation of any organization to inspect or test equipment and for denying the issuance of certificates of compliance as may be necessary to ensure compliance with the provisions of this chapter and the regulations issued thereunder; (4) make periodic onsite inspections of facilities and procedures used by those seeking certificates of compliance and by organizations designated to test or inspect equipment under this chapter; (5) require submission of reports by those seeking certificates of compliance and by organizations designated to test or inspect equipment under this chapter; (6) require maintenance of records by those seeking certificates of compliance and by organizations designated to test or inspect equipment under this chapter, such records to be made available to the Secretary upon request; (7) inform contracting parties, through the Secretary of State of the United States, of all general measures taken in connection with the implementation of the agreement; and (8) take such other action as may be considered appropriate to implement the agreement and administer this chapter.