WORLD TRADE G/SPS/N/USA/77
22April 1997
ORGANIZATION
(97-1737)
Committee onSanitary andPhytosanitary Measures
NOTIFICATION
1. Member toAgreement notifying: UNITED STATES
Ifapplicable, name oflocal government involved:
2. Agency responsible: Department ofAgriculture, Animal andPlant Health Inspection
Service
3. Products covered (tariff item number(s) asspecified innational schedules deposited with
theWTO. ICSnumbers may beprovided inaddition, where applicable): Dry-cured pork
products
4. Title andnumber ofpages ofthenotified document: Importation ofSliced and
Prepackaged Dry-Cured PorkProducts (5pages)
5. Description ofcontent: TheAnimal andPlant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is
proposing toallow dry-cured porkproducts thathavebeensliced andpackaged prior to
shipment totheUnited States tobeimported intotheUnited States under specified
conditions. Under USregulations certain animal products including whole hams, pork
shoulders, andporkloins from countries where foot-and-mouth disease, rinderpest,
African swine fever, hogcholera, orswine vesicular disease existmaybeimported into
theUnited States onlyunder certain conditions. Tobeeligible forimportation, these
products must havebeendry-cured andotherwise handled inaccordance with
procedures specified intheregulations. However, under ourcurrent regulations, these
same products arenoteligible forimportation iftheyhavebeensliced andpackaged
prior toshipment. Wehaveprohibited importation ofsliced andpackaged dry-cured
hams, porkshoulders, andporkloins because itisdifficult toverify theorigin ofthe
meatandhowithasbeenprocessed. Without thisinformation, wecannot easily
determine whether themeathasbeentreated andotherwise handled inamanner that
ensures itisfreeofdisease agents. TheItalian Ministry ofHealth haspetitioned USto
allow presliced andprepackaged dry-cured porktobeimported intotheUnited States
from countries where foot-and-mouth disease; rinderpest, swine vesicular disease,
African swine fever, andhogcholera exist, ifthemeatwould, except foritshaving
beensliced andpackaged, meetallcurrent requirements forimportation. TheItalian
Ministry proposed various inspection, recordkeeping andlabelling requirements that
would allow verification ofthemeats origin, treatment, andhandling. Wehave
carefully considered thispetition, andconcluded thatprescliced andprepackaged dry-
cured porkcanbeimported intotheUnited States without undue risk,under conditions
explained inthefulltextoftheproposed ruledocument. Wearetherefore proposing
toamend ourregulations toallow suchimportations.
./.G/SPS/N/USA/77
Page2
6. Objective andrationale: Thisaction would relieve some restrictions ontheimportation
ofporkintotheUnited States without presenting asignificant riskofintroducing any
serious communicable diseases ofanimals.
7. Aninternational standard, guideline orrecommendation does notexist [X].
Ifaninternational standard, guideline orrecommendation exists, whenever possible,
identify deviations:
8. Relevant documents andlanguage(s) inwhich these areavailable: 62FR18055,
14April 1997; 9CFR Part94
9. Proposed date ofadoption: Tobedetermined.
10. Proposed date ofentry intoforce: Theeffective datewillbegiven upon publication of
thefinalruleintheFederal Register.
11. Final date forcomments: 13June1997
Agency orauthority designated tohandle comments: Animal andPlant Health Inspection
Service, USDA
12. Texts available from: National enquiry point []oraddress, telefax number andE-mail
address (ifavailable) ofother body:
United States SPSEnquiry Point
USDA/FAS/OFSTS
Attn: Carolyn F.Wilson
Room 5545 South Agriculture Building
14thandIndependence
Washington, D.C. 20250
Tel: (202) 7202239
Fax: (202) 6900677
E-mail address: Wilsonc@fas.usda.gov