Countries generally have prohibited imports of a foreign agricultural product if it has been associated with an unwanted pest or disease in the exporting country. Until recently, importing countries would not permit any of that product from the exporting country, even if it came from a region that did not have the disease or pest. Regionalization is a fundamental principle in the Sanitary and Phytosanitary provisions of recent trade accords. It provides for the acceptance of such imports if the exporting country can demonstrate that they are from a disease-free or a pest-free area.