WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/GEN/407
19 June 2003
(03-3292)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:  English/
                 French/
                 Spanish
ISSUES OF INTEREST TO THE SPS COMMITTEE
DISCUSSED BY THE OIE INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE
AT THE 71ST GENERAL SESSION
Communication from the Office International des Épizooties (OIE)
1. The 71st General Session of the International Committee of the OIE, the World Organization
for Animal Health, was held at the OIE headquarters (Paris, France) from 18-23 May 2003.
2. Of the OIE membership of 164 member countries, 140 c ountries or territories were
represented by their delegates, and 30 international organizations and institutions also participated.
3. Issues relevant to the work of the SPS Committee discussed by the OIE International
Committee during the General Session were as follows:
Implementing the recommendations of the OIE Third Strategic Plan
4. The work carried out in 2002 and planned for 2003 continued the implementation of the OIE
Third Strategic Plan.
5. New tools designed to allow greater transparency of the animal health status of member
countries are gradually being introduced: active search for unofficial animal health information and,
where appropriate, confirmation by the delegates concerned;  real-time dissemination of emergency
messages, and greater use of electronic transfer of information.
6. Relations with international organizations were intensified, notably in the field of food safety,
animal welfare, financing veterinary research and support for the official veterinary services of
developing countries.  The OIE International Committee approved agreements between the OIE and
the World Health Organization, the Southern African Development Community, the International
Equestrian Federation, the Secretariat of the Pacific Community, and the Economic Community ofLivestock, Meat and Fishery Resources.  Interna tional organizations with which the OIE has signed
cooperation agreements all made presentations on their activities.
7. Discussions with FAO and with WHO aimed at updating the existing agreements with the
OIE are progressing and should be finalised in 2003.
8. The operational implementation of the Doha Declaration included the organization of a
seminar during the World Veterinary Congress in Tunis, Tunisia, on behalf of the delegates from
Africa and the Middle East, and the allocation of a grant from the European Union to facilitate theparticipation of experts from developing countries in the preparation of international standards.
9. As usual, two major technical items were presented and discussed.  This year, they addressed
"the use of economic analysis to define animal health policies" and "regionalization as an instrument
for preventing the propagation of animal diseases, including those of camelids".G/SPS/GEN/407
Page 2
Animal production food safety work programme
10. The Chairman of the Working Group on Animal Production Food Safety made a presentation
on the activities of the Working Group to date.  Dr McKenzie described the outcomes of the first
meeting of the Working Group and the 2003 work programme, and noted the close cooperation of theOIE and the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC).  The priority issues identified included a joint
review by the OIE and CAC of their current standards to identify gaps and areas of duplication,
zoonoses, the updating of the current OIE International Animal Health Code (now called the OIE
Terrestrial Animal Health Code or Terrestrial C ode) chapters on tuberculosis and brucellosis, and
working with the CAC on joint and linked standa rds and on the mutual recognition of standards.
Animal welfare work programme
11. The Chair of the Animal Welfare Working Group made a presentation (via DVD) on the
activities of the Working Group to date.  Dr Bayvel described the outcomes of the first meeting of the
Working Group held in October 2002 and the 2003 work programme.  This included the setting up ofexpert ad hoc Groups to examine the animal welfare aspects of land and sea transportation, humane
slaughter and killing for disease control purposes.  He also noted the preparations underway for the
first global conference on animal welfare to be held in February 2004.  Longer term activities
included increasing awareness of animal welfare in undergraduate teaching, promoting collaboration
on animal welfare among academic and research institutions, the development of an animal welfarecommunications plan, and drafting of guidelines and standards for animal housing and management.
Adoption of new provisions in the OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code
12. The OIE International Committee approved additions or amendments to the Terrestrial Code
on the following subjects:
1. animal disease notification;
2. evaluation of veterinary services;
3. equivalence;
4. foot and mouth disease (FMD);
5. bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE);
6. classical swine fever;
7. scrapie;
8. Rift Valley fever;
9. leptospirosis, bovine anaplasmosis, bovine babesiosis, theileriosis;  and
10. embryos.
Again, there was significant discussion on the revised chapter on FMD as it proposed changes to the
pathways for regaining free status and the condit ions for trading in certain commodities such as
deboned meat.
13. Guidelines for the judgement of equivalence were adopted and have been incorporated into
the Terrestrial Code (see document G/SPS/GEN/ ---).
14. The OIE International Animal Health Code Commission (now called the OIE Terrestrial
Animal Health Standards Commission) and the OIE Fish Diseases Commission (now called the OIE
Aquatic Animal Health Standards Commission) c ontinued their coordinated work on harmonization
of the two Codes.
15. The OIE Standards Commission (now called th e OIE Biological St andards Commission)
finalised guidelines on antimicrobial resistance.  Th ree of the four guidelines will be included in the
Terrestrial Code and one into a chapter of the OIE Manual of Standards for Diagnostic Tests andG/SPS/GEN/407
Page 3
Vaccines (now called OIE Manual of Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines for Terrestrial Animals or
Terrestrial Manual) on antimicrobial resistance.
16. Priorities for the work programme for the next year, in addition to the food safety and animal
welfare work programmes, include:  a complete review of the BSE chapter;  further work on the
proposed revised avian influenza chapter;  revised chapters on bee diseases;  surveillance for vector-borne diseases;  guidelines on compartmentalisatio n;  and improving the interactivity between the
Terrestrial Code and the OIE animal health information systems.
17. Over the next year, the OIE A and B disease lists in the Terrestrial Code (and the
corresponding lists in the OIE International Aqua tic Animal Health Code (now called OIE Aquatic
Animal Health Code or Aquatic Code) will be combined into a single list of terrestrial animal
diseases;  similar changes will be made to the lists of aquatic animal diseases.  The single OIE list
system, which will become operational on 1
st January 2005, will take account of whether the disease
or pathogenic agent has a significant impact on  production (morbidity and mortality) or the
environment, or whether it has zoonotic potential; as well as whether it has a potential for
international spread, or if it is an emerging disease.
Report of the OIE Foot-and-mouth Disease and Other Epizootics Commission (now called the
Scientific Commission for Animal Diseases)
18. The Commission reviewed the international situation with respect to FMD and other major
transboundary diseases and made detailed summaries of the situation in various regions of the world
for the benefit of member countries.
19. An ad hoc group is developing recommendations relating to mass carcase disposal resulting
from disease stamping out actions.
20. During the year, the Commission initiated the development of guidelines for the interpretation
of the biomolecular characterisation of FMD viruses to improve the understanding of the
epidemiology of the disease.  This exercise is being conducted in cooperation with all OIE FMD
reference laboratories, and is coordinated by the Secretary General of the FAO European FMD
Commission.
21. A special edition of the OIE Scientific and Technical Review devoted to FMD was published
in December 2002.
22. Surveillance guidelines for FMD have been finalized and will be incorporated into the
Terrestrial Code.
Adoption of new provisions in the OIE Aquatic Animal Health Code
23. The OIE International Committee approved the 6th edition of the Aquatic Code and the 4th
edition of the OIE Diagnostic Manual for Aquatic Animal Diseases (now called OIE Manual of
Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines for Aquatic Animals or  Aquatic Manual).  Additions or amendments to
the Aquatic Code were made on the following subjects:
• guidelines for fallowing in aquaculture;
• epizootic haematopoetic necrosis;
• yellowhead virus – gill associated virus and related agents;
• white spot disease;
• general information on mollusc and crustacean diseases;G/SPS/GEN/407
Page 4
• consistency between Aquatic Code chapters and the Aquatic Manual in
nomenclature;  and
• surveillance and sampling guidelines for aquatic animal health.
24. The OIE International Committee also approved criteria for listing an aquatic animal disease
and criteria for the urgent notification of aquatic animal diseases.
Recognition of the status of member countries in regard to rinderpest, FMD and BSE
25. The OIE Scientific Commission for Animal Diseases revised the lists of countries that it
considers to be entirely free or to contain zones free from rinderpest infection or from FMD, in
accordance with the relevant sections of the Terrestrial Code.  These proposals were sent to the
Delegates of member countries, who had a period of 60 days in which to respond.
26. The OIE International Committee asked the Director General of the OIE to publish the list of
member countries recognized as free from rinderpest infection (ee Appendix 1) and the list of member
countries recognized as FMD free (see Appendix 2).
27. The OIE ad hoc Group on BSE status has not yet recognized any member country as meeting
the requirements in the Terrestrial Code for fr eedom from BSE.  The OIE International Committee
agreed that evaluation be extended to countries which fulfil the criteria in the Terrestrial Code for
provisional freedom from BSE.
Invitation to the People's Republic of China and Taipei China
28. The Director General presented a draft Resolution and its two appendices (see Appendix 3)
intended to ensure the universality of the OIE by  inviting the People's Republic of China and Taipei
China to create the conditions for their effective pa rticipation in the work of the OIE.  Taipei China
was invited to adopt a new name within the OIE, without prejudice to the exercise of its rights and
prerogatives, and the People's Republic of China was invited to participate fully in the work and
activities of the Organization.G/SPS/GEN/407
Page 5
Appendix 1
RESOLUTION No. XXIII
Recognition of member countries Free from Rinderpest Infection and Rinderpest Disease
CONSIDERING THAT
1. During the 63rd General Session, the International Committee adopted Resolution
XIV "Establishment of a list of countries that are free of rinderpest",
2. During the 68th General Session, the International Committee adopted Resolution
XIII designating a baseline list of member countries that were free from rinderpest
infection.  The countries included in the list  certified that they meet the requirements
specified in Chapter 2.1.4. of the International Animal Health Code (the Code ),
3. The OIE has also developed a list of countries that are considered to be free from
rinderpest disease in accordance with Chapter 2.1.4. of the Code ,
4. Recommendations of the Commission regarding countries that are evaluated as free
from rinderpest disease and from rinderpest infection have been submitted to membercountries for comments as outlined in Resolution XVI which was adopted during the
67
th General Session of the International Committee,
5. The FMD and Other Epizootics Commission proposed that an updated list of
countries and zones previously recognised as free from rinderpest disease and
rinderpest infection and those newly pr oposed by the Commission in consultation
with member countries be adopted annually by resolution,
6. The Commission proposed that member countries so recognised reconfirm annually
that their rinderpest status remains unchanged and that this annual reconfirmation
would be a requirement for maintaining OIE recognition,
7. Information published by the OIE is derived from declarations made by the official
Veterinary Services of member countries.  The OIE is not responsible for inaccurate
publication of country disease status based on inaccurate information or changes inepidemiological status or other significant events that were not promptly reported to
the Central Bureau subsequent to the time of declaration of freedom,G/SPS/GEN/407
Page 6
THE COMMITTEE RESOLVES THAT
The Director General publish the following list of member countries recognised as free from
rinderpest infection, according to the provisions of Chapter 2.1.4. of the Code:
Albania
AlgeriaAndorra
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Barbados
Belgium
BoliviaBosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazil
Bulgaria
CanadaChile
Colombia
Costa Rica
Croatia
CubaCyprus
Czech Rep.
Denmark
Ecuador
El SalvadorEstonia
Finland
Former Yug. Rep. of Macedonia
FranceGermany
GreeceGuatemala
Guyana
Honduras
Hungary
Iceland
Indonesia
IrelandItaly
Jamaica
Japan
Korea (Rep. of)
LaosLatvia
Lesotho
Lithuania
Luxembourg
MadagascarMalawi
Malaysia
Malta
Mauritius
MexicoMoldavia
Morocco
Namibia
Nepal
NetherlandsNew Caledonia
New ZealandNorway
Panama
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Poland
PortugalRomania
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
South AfricaSpain
Swaziland
Sweden
Switzerland
Taipei ChinaTrinidad and Tobago
Tunisia
Ukraine
United Kingdom
United States of AmericaUruguay
Vanuatu
Venezuela
Vietnam
Zimbabwe
AND
That the Director General publish the following list of member countries or zones as being free from
rinderpest disease according to the provisions of Chapter 2.1.4. of the Code :
Benin
Bhutan
Burkina FasoEgyptGhana
Guinea
India
1
MaliMauritania
Myanmar
NigerSenegalThailand
Togo
Turkey
                                                     
1 Zones designated by the Delegate of India in documents addressed to the Director General on
February 2003.G/SPS/GEN/407
Page 7
AND
That the Delegates of member countries whose countries or zones within their national territories are
recognised as rinderpest infection or rinderpest disease free, annually reconfirm by letter in November
of each year that both their status and the criteria by which their status was recognised remainunchanged.  It is understood that these Delegates will immediately notify the Central Bureau ifrinderpest infection or disease should occur in these countries or zones.
(Adopted by the International Committee of the OIE on 20 May 2003)G/SPS/GEN/407
Page 8
Appendix 2
RESOLUTION No. XX
Recognition of the Foot and Mouth Disease Status of Member Countries
CONSIDERING THAT
1. During the 63rd General Session, the International Committee adopted Resolutions XI
and XII, "Establishment of a list of foot and mouth disease (FMD) free countries
where vaccination is not practised", and "Procedure for the recognition of the foot and
mouth disease status of member countries", respectively,
2. During the 64th General Session, the International Committee adopted Resolution XII,
which asks that the Director General publish a list of the countries or zones within
national territories that fulfil the criteria of one of the FMD free categories described
in Chapter 2.1.1. of the International Animal Health Code  (the Code ),
3. The Foot and Mouth Disease and Other Epizootics Commission has continued to
apply the procedure approved by the International Committee, and has supported the
recognition of the FMD free status of additional countries and zones within national
territories for annual adoption of the list by the International Committee,
4. Recommendations of the Commission regarding the evaluation of countries as being
free from foot and mouth disease have been submitted to member countries for
comments as outlined in Resolution XVI ,which was adopted during the 67th General
Session of the International Committee,
5. The FMD and Other Epizootics Commission proposed that an updated list of
countries and zones previously recognised as free from foot and mouth disease andthose newly proposed by the Commission in consultation with member countries be
annually adopted by resolution,
6. During the 65
th General Session, the International Committee adopted Resolution XII,
which stated that the Delegates of member countries where countries or zones within
their national territories are recognised as FMD free annually confirm by letter eachNovember both their status and that the criteria by which their status was recognised
remain unchanged,
7. During the 65
th General Session, the International Committee adopted Resolution
XVII delegating to the Foot and Mouth Disease and Other Epizootics Commission the
authority to recognise, without further International Committee consultation, that a
member Country or zone within its territory has regained its previously recognised
FMD free status following outbreaks that are eradicated in accordance with therelevant provisions of Chapter 2.1.1. of the Code ,
8. During the 70
th General Session, the International Committee adopted Resolution
XVIII asking member countries applying for evaluation for freedom from FMD to
meet part of the costs sustained by the OI E Central Bureau in the evaluation process,
9. Information published by the OIE is derived from declarations made by the official
Veterinary Services of member countries.  The OIE is not responsible for inaccurateG/SPS/GEN/407
Page 9
publication of country disease status based on inaccurate information or changes in
epidemiological status or other significant events that were not promptly reported to
the Central Bureau subsequent to the time of declaration of freedom,
THE COMMITTEE RESOLVES
That the Director General publish the following list of member countries recognised as FMD free
countries where vaccination is not practised, according to the provisions of Chapter 2.1.1. of the
Code2 :
Albania
Australia
Austria
Belgium
Bosnia and HerzegovinaBulgaria
Canada
Chile
Costa Rica
CroatiaCuba
Cyprus
Czech Rep.
Denmark
El SalvadorEstonia
Finland
Former Yug. Rep. of Macedonia
FranceGermany
Greece
Guatemala
Guyana
HondurasHungary
Iceland
Indonesia
Ireland
ItalyJapan
Korea (Rep. of)
Latvia
Lithuania
LuxembourgMadagascar
Malta
Mauritius
MexicoNetherlands
New Caledonia
New Zealand
Nicaragua
NorwayPanama
Poland
Portugal
Romania
SingaporeSlovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
SwitzerlandUkraine
United Kingdom
United States of America
Vanuatu
AND
That the Director General publish the following list of member countries as having an FMD free zone
where vaccination is not practised, according to the provisions of Chapter 2.1.1. of the Code:
Argentina: zone situated south of the 42° parallel South;
Colombia: Northwest region of Choco Department;
Namibia: zone designated by the Delegate of Namibia in a document addressed to the Director
General on 6 February 1997;
Philippines: Mindanao, Visayas, Palawan and Masbate;
South Africa: zone designated by the Delegate of South Africa in a document addressed to the
Director General in May 2002;
                                                     
2 For information on the status of non-contiguous territories of member countries recognised as FMD
free, please address enquiries to that country’s Delegate or to the Director General.G/SPS/GEN/407
Page 10
AND
That the Director General publish the following list of member countries as having FMD free zones
where vaccination is practised, according to the provisions of Chapter 2.1.1. of the Code:
Bolivia: zone of Chiquitania designated by the Delegate of Bolivia in documents addressed to the
Director General on January 2003;
Brazil: States of Bahia, Espírito Santo, Goiás, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais,
Paraná, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, São Paulo, Sergipe, Tocantins,
the Federal District, and Rondonia;
Colombia: zone designated by the Delegate of Colombia in documents addressed to the Director
General on January 2003.
(Adopted by the International Committee of the OIE on 20 May 2003)G/SPS/GEN/407
Page 11
Appendix 3
RESOLUTION No. XVIII
Invitation to the People's Republic of China and Taipei China to create the necessary conditions
for their effective participation in the work  of the Office International des Epizooties
1. Following on from the proposals made by the Working Group set up in 1996 " to seek,
with the agreement of the parties, a solu tion to the Chinese technical representations
within the OIE ", and mindful of the solution adopted within the WTO since 2001 to
enable the representation of the People's Republic of China (PRC) and Taiwan, the
Director General, in liaison with the Administrative Commission, has for the past two
years conducted intensive negotiations with the interested parties.
2. At the 70th General Session, the Director General reported back to the OIE
International Committee, which requested him to pursue his efforts.
3. It now appears that, in order to resolve the remaining difficulties, and thereby enable
the Organization to fulfil its missions under the conditions of universality provided
for within its founding Charter, the OIE International Committee is required to make
a solemn statement calling upon Taipei China to agree to the conditions that will
allow the effective participation of the PRC in the work of the OIE, and calling on thePRC to ensure the said effective participation.
4. This is the aim of the following two draft Resolutions, which – since they form the
elements of one and the same requirement of the organization – are put to a single
vote of the OIE International Committee.
(Adopted by the International Committee on 23 May 2003)G/SPS/GEN/407
Page 12
Appendix 3 (contd)
RESOLUTION No. XVIII-1
Invitation to Taipei China to adopt a new name  within the Office Intern ational des Epizooties,
without prejudice to its full exercise of its rights and prerogatives
Preamble:
1. The Director General of the  Office International des Epizooties (OIE)  currently in
office visited the People's Republic of China (PRC), at that country's invitation, from
1 to 4 April 2002, then visited Taiwan, from 4 to 8 April 2002, at the invitation of the
Taiwanese authorities.
At the end of his visit to the PRC, a memorandum was signed with the representative
of the Ministry of Agriculture, stating the PRC's strong interest in the work of the OIE
and its willingness to take an active part in that work, notably in connection with thePRC's membership of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
2. Taiwan acceded to the OIE in 1954 under the name of "Republic of China (Taiwan)".
The name became "Taipei China" in 1992 at the time of the accession of the PRC to
the OIE.  Taiwan has always actively participated in the work of the OIE and has
contributed financially to its activities.  Taiwan also joined the WTO in 2002 underthe name of "Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu".
3. In 1996, a Working Group was established by the Director General, after consulting
the Administrative Commission, to seek, with the agreement of the parties, a solution
to their active participation within the OIE.
In a progress report, submitted on 24 April 1996, the Working Group, while
indicating that no agreement was possible as things stood, suggested that, in addition
from some minor adjustments to the wording, special attention be given to the
solution that the WTO might subsequently adopt on this problem.
4. The memorandum signed on 4 April 2002 by the Director General with the Ministry
of Agriculture of the PRC takes up this idea and provides for reactivating theparticipation of the PRC in the work of the OIE, on the condition that, "on the basis of
the model adopted by the WTO", Taipei China shall continue to participate in the said
work with the rights and prerogatives inherent in its status as member of the OIE.
5. At the 70
th General Session of the OIE International Committee, the Director General
reported on this work and these negotiations.  The President asked the representative
of Taipei China whether he would agree to adopt a different name for his country’s
membership, without prejudice to Taipei China's full exercise of its rights andprerogatives as member of the Organization, a solution in accordance with the wishes
of all of its members.  Considering the representative's negative response at the
session, it was decided that the Director General would pursue his efforts in this
direction, in conjunction with the OIE Admi nistrative Commission, and report back at
the next session of the International Committee.G/SPS/GEN/407
Page 13
6. The Director General, at the request of  the Administrative Commission of the OIE,
pursued his talks with the Parties concerned with a view to reaching a proposal aimed
at allowing them to fully participate in the activities of the Organization.
THE INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE
Given the International Agreement for the creation of an Office International des Epizooties (OIE),
done at Paris on 25 January 1924, and the entire General Rules of the OIE, in particular the provisions
setting forth the conditions for accession of members to the Organization and their rights and
obligations within the Organization,
Mindful of the need to strive unceasingly to achieve the aim of universality of the Organization,
Considering the terms of the WTO Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary
Measures, (SPS Agreement), and the formal link established by the said agreement with the standard-
setting activities of the OIE,
Considering that the official names adopted by the WTO to identify the Parties concerned at the time
of their accession to that organization are, on the one hand, "People's Republic of China" and, on the
other hand, "Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu",
Considering that Taipei China, in its capacity as a separate customs territory recognised by the WTO,
is in a position to pursue an autonomous sanitary policy in accordance with the rights and obligationsof members of the OIE,
Considering the International Animal Health Code ,
Considering the importance for the sanitary safety of world trade of the standards adopted by the
International Organizations, including the OIE,  explicitly referred to in the SPS Agreement,
1. INVITES
Taipei China to adopt, within the Organisation, the name of “Separate Sanitary
Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu”.
2. REAFFIRMS THAT
the adoption of the new name, which would replace the present name, will in no way
affect the participation of Taipei China in the existing and future work of the Office,with the rights and prerogatives inherent in its status as member of the OIE.
(Adopted by the International Committee on 23 May 2003)G/SPS/GEN/407
Page 14
RESOLUTION No. XVIII-2
Draft Resolution inviting the People's Republic of China to fully participate in
the work and activities of the Office International des Epizooties
Preamble:
1 The Director General of the Office International des Epizooties (OIE) currently in
office visited the People's Republic of China (PRC), at that country's invitation, from
1 to 4 April 2002, then visited Taiwan, from 4 to 8 April 2002, at the invitation of the
Taiwanese authorities.
At the end of his visit to the PRC, a memorandum was signed with the representative
of the Ministry of Agriculture, stating the PRC's strong interest in the work of the OIE
and its willingness to take an active part in that work, notably in connection with the
PRC's membership of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
2 The People's Republic of China acceded to the OIE in 1992 and designated its
Representative, but since then has neither participated in the work of the Organization
nor paid its contributions.
On the accession of the PRC, Taiwan, which had acceded to the OIE in 1954 under
the name of "Republic of China (Taiwan)" took the name of "Taipei China".  Taiwanhas always actively participated in the work of the OIE and has contributed
financially to its activities.
3. In 1996, a Working Group was established by the Director General, after consulting
the Administrative Commission, to seek, with the agreement of the parties, a solution
to their active participation within the OIE.
In a progress report submitted on 24 April 1996, the Working Group, while indicating
that no agreement was possible as things stood, suggested that, in addition to some
minor adjustments to the wording, special at tention be given to the solution that the
WTO might subsequently adopt on this problem.
Taiwan joined the WTO in 2002 under the name of "Separate Customs Territory of
Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu".
4. The memorandum signed on 4 April 2002 by the Director General with the Ministry
of Agriculture of the PRC takes up this idea and provides for reactivating the
participation of the PRC in the work of the OIE, on the condition that, "on the basis of
the model adopted by the WTO", Taipei China shall continue to participate in the said
work with the rights and prerogatives inherent in its status as member of the OIE.
5 At the 70th General Session of the OIE International Committee, the Director General
reported on this work and indicated ways of reaching a solution that would allow the
PRC to participate effectively in the work of the OIE.
The representative of Taipei China having rejected during the session any change in
the formulation of the name of his country’s membership within the OIE, based on the
model adopted for the WTO, the Director General was requested to spare no effort toarrive at a solution, in liaison with the OIE Administrative Commission, and to report
back at the next General Session of the International Committee.G/SPS/GEN/407
Page 15
6 The Director General, at the request of  the OIE Administrative Commission, pursued
his talks with the Parties concerned with a view to reaching a proposal aimed at
allowing them to fully participate in the activities of the organization.
THE INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE
Given the International Agreement for the creation of an Office International des Epizooties (OIE),
done at Paris on 25 January 1924, and the entire General Rules of the OIE, in particular the provisions
setting forth the conditions for accession of members to the Organization and their rights and
obligations within the Organization,
Mindful of the need to strive unceasingly to achieve the aim of universality of the Organization,
Considering the terms of the WTO Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary
Measures (SPS Agreement), and formal link that the said Agreement establishes with the standard-
setting activities of the OIE,
Noting that an agreement has been found within the WTO to ensure the effective participation of the
PRC and Taipei China in the work of that organization,
Taking note of Resolution N o. XVIII-1 adopted th is day by the International Comm ittee inviting
Taipei China to give, within the OIE, a new name to its membership, without prejudice to its full
exercise of the rights and prerogatives inherent in its status as member of the Organization,
Taking note of the positive reaction of the Delegate of Taipei China, conditioned by confirmation
from his competent authorities
REQUESTS
the People's Republic of China to take effective part in the work of the OIE and to exercise therein all
the rights and fulfil all the obligations inherent in its status as member of the Organization.
(Adopted by the International Committee on 23 May 2003)
__________