. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/HKG/4
5 July 1999
(99-2754)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:  English
NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY MEASURES
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  HONG KONG, CHINA
If applicable, name of local government involved:           
2. Agency responsible:  Department of Health, the Government of Hong Kong Special
Administrative Region
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national schedules
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where
applicable). Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or
practicable:  Poultry, eggs and their products, foods with more than two per cent egg
products;  pork and pork products;  and beef, beef products and dairy products from
Belgium
4. Title and number of pages of the notified document:  Department of Health's
announcement and communication with relevant parties (available in English)
5. Description of content:  As a precautionary measure, the Department of Health has
prohibited the sale of dairy products, poultry meat, pork, beef, egg, and their products fromBelgium in view of the reports that Belgiu m animal products may be contaminated with
dioxin.  The prohibition will remain in force until the Department of Health is satisfied that
all existing stock and future imports of these products are not contaminated by dioxin.
6. Objective and rationale:  [  X ] food safety,  [     ] animal health,  [     ] plant protection,
[    ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [     ] protect territory from
other damage from pests           
7. Nature of the urgent problem(s):  The Department of Health has received information that
animal fat from a rendering company in Belgium was contaminated with dioxin in
January 1999.  This product was shipped to animal feed manufacturers and incorporatedinto animal feed.  To safeguard public health, meat and animal products from Belgium,
France, Germany and the Netherlands were progressively suspended from sale starting from
3 June 1999 in tandem with the information rece ived about the incident.  Having considered
the safety assurance from France, Germany, and the Netherlands, reports from the European
Commission, comments on the incident by inte rnational organizations, and Department of
Health's laboratory results on the imported products, the Department of Health removed the
prohibition on products from France, Germany and the Netherlands on 29 June 1999, butmaintained those on Belgium until the Department is satisfied that products from Belgium
are not contaminated by dioxin.G/SPS/N/HKG/4
Page 2
8. An international standard, guideline or recommendation does not exist [     ].
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give its appropriate
reference and briefly identify deviations:  Dioxin is a class one carcinogen.  In 1998,
WHO set a Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI) of 1-4 picograms per kg body weight per day.
9. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  Department of
Health's announcement and communication with relevant parties (available in English)
10. Date of entry into force/period of application (as applicable):
3 June 1999 (poultry, eggs, and their products and foods with more than two per cent egg
products)4 June 1999 (pork and pork products)
7 June 1999 (beef, beef products and dairy products)
11. Texts available from/and agency or authority designated to handle comments:
[    ] National notification authority, [  X ] National enquiry point or address, fax
number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:
Enquiry Point:
Trade DepartmentThe Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
17/F, Trade Department Tower
700 Nathan Road, Hong Kong
Tel:  (852) 2398 5398
Fax:  (852) 2789 2491
E-mail:  tdtom@netvigator.com