G/SPS/N/PHL/480  
 
22 December 2020  
(20-9288) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY MEASURES  
1. Notifying Member:  PHILIPPINES  
If applicable, name of local government involved:   
2. Agency responsible:  Department of Agriculture  
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national 
schedules deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, 
where applicable):  HS Code: 0105 - Live poultry, "fowls of the species Gallus 
domesticus, ducks, geese, turkeys and guinea fowls"; HS Code: 0207 - Meat and edible 
offal of fowls of the species Gallus domesticus, ducks, geese, turkeys and guinea fowls, 
fresh, chilled or frozen; HS Code: 0407 Birds' eggs, in shell, fresh, preserved or cooked; 
HS Code: 04071 - Fertilised eggs for incubation; HS Code: 04072 - Other fresh eggs; 
HS Code: 040790 - Birds' eggs, in shell, preserved or cooked; HS Code: 05119 - Other  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[ ] All trading partners   
[X] Specific regions or countries:  Menen, West Vlaanderen, Belgium  
5. Title of the notified document:  Department of Agriculture Memorandum Order No. 73 
Series of 2020, Temporary Ban on the Importation of Domestic and Wild Birds and their 
Products Including Poultry Meat, Day -Old Chicks, Eggs and Semen Originating from 
Menen, West Vlaanderen, Belgium . Language(s): English . Number of pages: 2 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2020/SPS/PHL/20_7888_00_e.pdf  
6. Description of content:  The Order, signed on 14 December 2020, institutes the 
following emergency measures for the importation of domestic and wild birds and their 
products from Menen, West Vlaanderen, Belgium:  
1) Ban on the importation of domestic and wild birds and their products, including poultry 
meat, day -old chicks, eggs and semen;  
2) Immediate suspension of the processing, evaluation of the application and issuance 
of SPS import clearance for the above -stated commodities;  
3) All incoming poultry meat shipments with SPS import clearance issued on or before 
8 December 2020 will be allowed p rovided frozen poultry meat has a 
slaughter/process date of 21 days prior to the start of the HPAI outbreak (on or before 
29 October 2020). All shipments will be subject to veterinary quarantine rules and 
regulations;  
4) Stoppage and confiscation of all shipm ents of the above -stated commodities (with 
exception on heat -treated products) into the country by all Veterinary Quarantine 
Officers/Inspectors at all major ports of entry if the provisions written in Item 3 are 
not followed;  
5) Importation of meat products of poultry is subject to the conditions provided in 
Articles 10.4.19, 10.4.20 and 10.4.26 of the OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code 
(2019).  G/SPS/N/PHL/480  
 
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  7. Objective and rationale: [  ] food safety, [X]  animal health, [  ] plant protection, 
[ ] protect humans from anima l/plant pest or disease, [  ] protect territory from 
other damage from pests.  
8. Nature of the urgent problem(s) and reason for urgent action:  Based on the official 
report submitted by Dr. Herman Claeys, Chef du Service Politique sanitaire, Animaux et 
Végétaux, Direct orat G énéral Animaux, Végétaux et Alimentation, Service Public Fédéral 
Santé Publique, Sécurité de la Chaine Alimentaire et Environnement, Bruxelles, Belgium 
to the World Organisation for Animal Helath (OIE) on 27 November 2020, there was an 
outbreak of H5N5 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) virus which started on 
18 November 2020 in Menen, West Vlaanderen, Belgium affecting broilers as confirmed 
by Sciensano (National laboratory).  
9. Is there a relevant international standard? If so, i dentify the standard:  
[ ] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex 
standard or related text) :  
[X] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g.  Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number) : Chapter 10.4 of the Terrestrial Animal 
Health Code (2019)  
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) :  
[ ] None  
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?  
[X] Yes   [  ] No 
If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:   
10. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:    
11. Date of entry into force ( dd/mm/yy )/period of application (as applicable):  
Immediately  
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [X]  National Notification 
Authority, [X]  National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address 
(if available) of other body:   
Office of the Director  
Policy Research Serv ice 
Department of Agriculture  
Elliptical Road, Diliman, Quezon City  
Tel: +(632) 926 7439  
Fax: +(632) 928 0590  
E-mail: spspilipinas@gmail.com  
13. Text(s) available from: [X]  National Notification Authority, [X]  National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if available) of other body:   
Office of the Director  
Policy Research Service  
Department of Agriculture  
Elliptical Road, Diliman, Quezon City  
Tel: +(632) 926 7439  
Fax: +(632) 928 0590  
E-mail: spspilipinas@gmail.com