. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/FRA/6
16 May 2003
(03-2644)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:  French
NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY MEASURES
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  FRANCE          
If applicable, name of local government involved:           
2. Agency responsible: Ministry of Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and Rural Affairs,
Directorate-General of Food and Nutrition, In ternational Sanitary Coordination Division.
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): Bees ( Apis mellifera ), hives, queens with or without attendants, and bee-
keeping material.           
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable:  Any
country marketing the products concerned.          
5. Title, language and number of pages of the notified document:  Order Suspending the
Introduction into France of Bees, Hives, Queens with or without Attendants, and Bee-
Keeping Material from Third Countries (4 pages, available in French).          
6. Description of content:  This draft order suspends the introduction into France of bees
(Apis Mellifera), hives,  queens and their attendants, and bee-keeping material from third
countries.  It prevents the introduction into France of the small hive beetle ( Aethina tumida
of the  Nitidulidae family), a destructive pest that attacks bee colonies, originally from
South Africa, but currently to be found, accordin g to our information, as far afield as the
United States and Australia.  Furthermore, the French authorities have considered it
necessary to take additional protective measur es against the spread of the Kashmir virus,
which also affects bees but currently seems to be confined to New Zealand.  However, these
products may be imported into France from third countries, subject to the presentation of a
certificate confirming the absence of the small hive beetle ( Aethina tumida  of the
Nitidulidae  family) and the Kashmir virus in those countries.                    
7. 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           
8. Nature of the urgent problem(s) and reasons for urgent action:  In the absence of a
European Commission decision, to establish a safeguard measure in accordance with the
provisions of Article 18 of Directive 91/496/EEC, in order to provide sanitary protection for
the bee-keeping sector (apiary-destroying pests).  This measure is of an urgent nature, given
that beekeepers in France import the products targeted by the draft order at the beginning ofspring when hive activity resumes.          G/SPS/N/FRA/6
Page 2
9. International standard, guideline or recommendation:
[    ] Codex Alimentarius Commission,  [    ] Office International des Epizooties,
[    ] International Plant Protection Convention,  [ X] None
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate
reference and briefly identify deviations:           
10. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:
- Directive 91/496/EEC laying down the principles governing the organization of
veterinary checks on animals entering the Community from third countries and
amending Directives 89/662/EEC, 90/ 425/EEC and 90/675/EEC - in particular
Article 18 thereof;
- Directive 92/65/EC of 13 July 1992, as amended, laying down animal health
requirements governing trade in and imports into the Community of animals,
semen, ova and embryos not subject to animal health requirements laid down in
specific Community rules referred to in Annex A(I) of Directive 90/425/EC;
- Decision 2000/462/EC of 12 July 2000 concerning health certification for imports
of bees/hives and queens and their attendants from third countries;
- Customs Code, in particular Article 18 thereof;
- Rural Code, in particular Articles L 236-1 to L 237-3 thereof;
- Order of 6 June 1994 concerning health requirements for the import of live animals,
products of animal origin and animal foods tuffs or foodstuffs of animal origin from
third countries.
All the above are available in French.          
11. Date of entry into force/period of application (as applicable):  April 2003          
12. Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [ X ] National notification
authority,  [    ] National enquiry point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if
available) of other body:           
13. Texts available from:  [  X ] National notification authority, [     ] National enquiry
point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body: