. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/USA/508
31 October 2001
(01-5354)
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).  Meat from animal heads  Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the
extent relevant or practicable:           
4. Title and number of pages of the notified document:  Prohibition of Certain Cooked
Animal Products from Countries Affect ed by Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD)
5.Description of content: The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is
amending the regulations governing the importation of certain animal products from
countries affected by FMD.  The amended regulations will prohibit the importation of any
animal parts that are not part of a carcass that is placed in a chiller for maturation afterslaughter.
The regulations found in 9 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), part 94.4(b) describe
conditions under which the importation of cooked meat from FMD and rinderpest affected
countries is permitted.  APHIS is drafting an interim rule, effective 15 October 2001,
specifying that only meat from skeletal muscle s of the chilled carcass is included in this
permission.  Furthermore, APHIS is prohibiting the importation of any meat or animal part
from the head (including tongue, cheek, or lips, etc.), feet, hooves, and internal organs
(including the heart).
APHIS therefore requests that effective 15 October  2001, no meat from tongues,
cheek, lips, or other restricted portions be exported to the United States under theregulations in 9 CFR, part 94.4 (b).
6. Objective and rationale:  [     ] 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):  The action is necessary to prevent the introduction of
FMD into the United States.G/SPS/N/USA/508
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 after reviewing
Chapter 2.1.1 (foot and mouth disease), of the Office International des Epizooties (OIE)Animal Health Code.
9. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available: Letter from Alfonso
Torres, Deputy Administrator, Veterinary Se rvices, Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service, USDA, to FMD affected countries dated 25 October 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 notified to the WTO 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 15 October 2001
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:
Text of letter available upon request to the address below:
United States SPS Enquiry Point/Notification Authority
USDA/FAS/FSTSDATTN: Carolyn F. Wilson
Room 5545 South Agriculture Building
Stop 1027
1400 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20250Tel:  (202) 720-2239
Fax:  (202) 690-0677
     E-mail Address:  ofsts@fas.usda.gov