. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/USA/167
22 June 1999
(99-2526)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:  English
NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY MEASURES
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  UNITED STATES
If applicable, name of local government involved:           
2. Agency responsible:  Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service
(FSIS)
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:  Pork and poultry
4. Title and number of pages of the notified document:  Dioxin in European Pork and
Poultry
5. Description of content: On 3 June 1999 FSIS placed a hold on all pork or products
containing pork originating from: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany,
Great Britain, Italy, Ireland, Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Spain and Sweden.
FSIS also placed a hold on all poultry or products containing poultry originating fromFrance and Great Britain.  FSIS is also reviewing product imported since January to
determine what, if any, additional action may be necessary.
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): This 3 June holding action was taken because of dioxin
contamination of animal feed, mostly origina ting in Belgium, which was sold to poultry and
hog farms in a number of European countries. The United States has immediate public
health concerns about the safety of European pork and poultry products based on possibledioxin contamination. We have taken this holding action to avoid the possibility of
introducing dioxin contaminated pork and poultry into the human food chain. FSIS has
informed all European governments of its action and has explained that product will be
released as soon as FSIS is assured that product exported to the United States has not been
exposed to the dioxin contaminated feed.
8. An international standard, guideline or recommendation does not exist [  X ].
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give its appropriate
reference and briefly identify deviations:           
9. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  Available in EnglishG/SPS/N/USA/167
Page 2
10. Date of entry into force/period of application (as applicable):  3 June 1999.  This action
will remain in place until competent authorities in affected countries provide information to
demonstrate that risks in potentially contaminated products from this incident, which are
exported to the United States, present reasonable certainty of no harm.
11. Texts available from/and agency or authority designated to handle comments:
[   ] National notification authority, [    ] National enquiry point or address, fax number
and E-mail address (if available) of other body:
Texts available from:
United States SPS Enquiry Point:
USDA/FAS/FSTSD
Attn:  Carolyn F. Wilson
Room 5545 South Agriculture Building
Stop 1027
1400 Independence Avenue, S.W.Washington, D.C. 20250
Tel:   (202) 720-2239
Fax:  (202) 690-0677
E-mail:  ofsts@fas.usda.gov
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:
USDA, Food Safety and Inspection Service
International Policy Division
Attn: Mr. Mark Manis
Room 4434 South Agriculture Building
1400 Independence Avenue, SWWashington, DC 20250
Tel: (202) 720-6400
Fax: (202) 720-7990