G/SPS/GEN/1874/Rev.1  
 
22 February  2021 
(21-1475) Page: 1/3 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures    
 
SPS COMMITTEE THEMATIC SESSION ON AFRICAN SWINE FEVER  
TUES DAY, 23 MARCH  2021 
WTO, CENTRE WILLIAM RAPPARD, GENEVA  
PROGRAMME  
Revision  
The SPS Committee agreed, at its November 2020 meeting, to hold a thematic session on African 
swine fever (ASF) immediately preceding its March 2021 meeting, based on a proposal submitted 
by the European Union.1 
According to the World Organisation for Ani mal Health (OIE)2, ASF is a severe viral disease affecting 
domestic and wild pigs. ASF is not a risk to human health.  There is no approved vaccine against the 
disease. This transboundary animal disease can be spread by  direct contact with infected live or  
dead pigs; indirect contact, through ingestion of contaminated material (e.g. food waste, feed, or 
garbage); and contaminated fomites or biological vectors , where present.  
Historically, outbreaks have been reported in Africa and parts of Europe, South Ame rica, and the 
Caribbean. More recently, the disease has been reported in multiple countries across Africa, Asia 
and Europe.  It is responsible for serious production and economic losses.  
The thematic session will provide an opportunity for WTO Members to in crease their awareness of 
regionalization principles, and learn from each other by sharing experiences about the challenges, 
as well as the benefits, of  defining safe trade conditions for pigs, pork and pork products . This, 
in turn, should contribute to building confidence among trading partners when recognizing or seeking 
recognition of their regionalization measures.  
The session will focus on trade -related questions and can be seen as a follow -up to the Thematic 
Session on Regionalization that was held in July 2017.3 It will offer a snapshot of the epidemiological 
situation , the economic impact,  and a review of available risk management options  based on the 
OIE standards that aim to  mitigate the  negative  economic impact of ASF by facilitating safe trade 
worldwide.  
The thematic session will be held in Geneva, Switzerland, on Tuesday, 23 March  2021, beginning at 
10 a.m. , and continuing in the afternoon at 15:00 , as necessary. The thematic session can be 
attended virtually thro ugh the Interprefy platform.  
 
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1 G/SPS/W/322 . 
2 Key facts on African swine fever , OIE: https://www.oie.int/en/animal -health -in-the-world/animal -
diseases/african -swine -fever/ . 
3 The information on the Thematic Session on Regionalization can be found in the following link: 
https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/sps_e/wkshop11july17_e.htm . G/SPS/GEN/1874/Rev.1  
 
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  Chairperson:  Mr Gregory MacDonald  
1  RELEVANT  PROVISIONS OF THE SPS AGREEMENT  AND WORK OF THE SPS COMMITTEE  
Speaker:  
• WTO  Secretariat . 
2  OVERVIEW: INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS, WORLDWIDE EPIDEMIOLOGICAL  
SITUATION AND  ECONOMIC IMPACT  
2.1  International standards and epidemiological situation worldwide  
Speaker:  
• Mr Gregorio Torres , Head of Science Department , OIE. 
2.2  Economic impact worldwide and future of global pig production  
Speakers:  
• Dr Josef Schmidhuber , Deputy  Director in the Trade and Markets Division , FAO. 
• Mr Rupert Claxton , Meat Director, GIRA . 
Followed by Q&A session and discussion . 
3  SHARING OF NATIONAL EXPERIENCE S 
Speakers : 
• Dr Xiaodong Wu , Director of the National Research Center for Exotic Animal Diseases, China 
Animal Health and Epidemiology Center. The epidemic situation of African swine fever and its 
normalized prevention and control in China . 
• Mr Bernard Van Goethem , Directo r, Crisis preparedness in food, animals and plants, 
DG SANTE, European Commission . Tools to ensure safe trade in the EU Single Market . 
• Dr Jean -Francois Heymans , Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO), Belgium . Examples of 
successful eradication of ASF . 
• Dr Dietrich Rassow , Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO), Germany . Trade in pork – 
The perspective of a Member where ASF is present in wildlife . 
• Dr Mpho Maja , Director of Animal Health, Department of Agriculture, Land R eform and Rural 
Development, South Africa . Trade in pork – The perspective of a Member where ASF is 
endemic in wildlife . 
• Dr Juan Gay , General Director of Animal Health of the National Service of Agrifood Health, 
Safety and Quality (SENASICA) , Mexico. Epidemiological surveillance on ASF in seaports . 
• Dr Jaspinder Komal , Vice-president, Science Branch, Chief Veterinary Officer and OIE 
Delegate for Canada,  Canadian Food Inspection Agency. President, Regional Steering 
Committee, GF -TADs for the Americas.  
Followed by Q&A session and discussion . G/SPS/GEN/1874/Rev.1  
 
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  4  INTERNATIONAL AND REGIONAL INITIATIVES  
4.1  Regional/cross border cooperation and global partnerships (global action)  
Speaker s: 
• Mr Andriy Rozstalnyy , Animal Health Officer, FAO.  GF-TADs Global Initiative on ASF Control 
and FAO 's contribution to regional coordination and cooperation.  
• United States ( Speaker TBC) . USDA Involvement in International Collaboration around 
ASF. 
4.2  Scientific collaboration  
Speaker:  
• PD Dr Sandra Blome , Past Scien tific Director, GARA (Global African Swine Fever Research 
Alliance) . 
Followed by Q&A session and discussion . 
5  CLOSING REMARKS  
 
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