. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/USA/505
28 September 2001
(01-4666)
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, Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service - APHIS
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).  Ruminant meat and products  Regions or countries likely to be affected, to
the extent relevant or practicable:  Japan
4. Title and number of pages of the notified document:  Prohibition of the Importation of
all Ruminant Meat, Meat Products and Other Ruminant Protein Products from Japan due to
Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE)
5. Description of content:   On 10 September 2001, the Office International des Epizooties
(OIE) received information from the Director of Animal Health Division, Ministry of
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Tokyo, reporting a highly suspected case of bovine
spongiform encephalopathy in Japan.  Due to this reporting, the U. S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA), Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), VeterinaryServices (VS) is placing a prohibition on the importation of ruminant meat, meat products
and other ruminant products from Japan.  This prohibition is effective immediately,
10 September 2001, because APHIS believes that the current situation in BSE-affected
countries is a potential threat to the health and safety of U.S. livestock.  Therefore, APHIS
is taking emergency measures to mitigate this risk and to protect livestock, livestock
producers, and industries in the United States.
Effective immediately, we are suspending th e importation of ruminant meat, meat products,
and other ruminant products that have been stored, processed, or otherwise associated with a
facility located in Japan.  The prohibited products include but may not be limited to:  meat,
meat and bone meal (MBM), meat meal, b one meal, blood meal, protein meal, tankage,
offal, or any product containing such.
As with restrictions placed on other BSE affected countries, importations from Japan of
non-ruminant material will not be eligible for entry until APHIS can verify that these
products have not been commingled or cross-contaminated with ruminant products.
6. Objective and rationale:  [  X ] food safety,  [  X ] 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 action is necessary to prevent the introduction of
BSE into the United States.G/SPS/N/USA/505
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:  APHIS is taking this action in accordance with
Chapter 2.3.13.1 of the Office International des Epizooties (OIE) Animal Health Code.
9. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  Letter from APHIS
Technical Trade Services, National Center for Import and Export dated 12 September 2001
(Available in English).
An interim rule concerning this action is being prepared and will be published in the Federal
Register in the near future.  The interim rule will be published as an addendum to this
emergency notification as soon as it is published.
10. Date of entry into force/period of application (as applicable):  This emergency action is
effective 10 September 2001.
11. Texts available from/and agency or authority designated to handle comments:
[ X ] National notification authority, [  X ] National enquiry point or address, fax
number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:
United States SPS Enquiry Point/Notification Authority
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) 690-0677E-mail:  ofsts@fas.usda.gov