. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/USA/379
12 January 2001
(01-0168)
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).  Europe  Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or
practicable:  Rendered animal protein products
4. Title and number of pages of the notified document:  Prohibition on All Rendered
Animal Protein Products From Europe (1 page)
5. Description of content:  As of 7 December 2000, the US Department of Agriculture has
prohibited all imports of rendered animal protein products, regardless of species, from
Europe.  This decision followed the recent determination by the European Union that feed
of non-ruminant origin was potentially cross-contaminated with the bovine spongiformencephalopathy (BSE) agent.  The restriction applies to products originating, rendered,
processed or otherwise associated with European products.  USDA is taking this emergency
action to prevent potentially cross-contaminated products entering the United States.  The
same type of rendered product from ruminant origin has been prohibited from BSE infected
countries since 1989 and the entirety of Europe since 1997.
USDA bases all decisions regarding imports on sound science and extensive research.
Although no case of BSE has ever been diagnosed in this country, we continue to takeaggressive measures to protect the United States from BSE introduction and to ensure the
security of US export markets.  These measures include active surveillance, testing,
prevention, education, and emergency preparation.  Since 1989, the United States has
banned the import of live ruminants (cattle, sheep, goats) and most ruminant products from
countries where BSE has been reported.
6. Objective and rationale:  [     ] food safety,  [  X ] animal health,  [     ] plant protection,
[ X ] 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 on an emergency basis to
prevent the introduction of BSE into the United States.
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 of the Office International des Epizooties (OIE) Animal Health Code.G/SPS/N/USA/379
Page 2
9. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  19 December 2000,
statement of Dr. Craig Reed, Administrator, USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service (Available in English)
10. Date of entry into force/period of application (as applicable):  7 December 2000
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:  USDA consulted
representatives of the affected countries about this measure on 14 December 2000.  A
formal document regarding this action will be pub lished in the Federal Register in the near
future.  The text cited in this notification is available from the address below.
United States SPS Enquiry Point/Notification Authority
USDA/FAS/FSTSD
ATTN: Carolyn F. Wilson
Room 5545 South Agriculture BuildingStop 1027
1400 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20250
Phone:  (202) 720-2239
Fax:(202)690-0677
E-mail:  ofsts@fas.usda.gov