WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/GEN/266
10 July 2001
(01-3434)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:  English/
French/
Spanish
DECISIONS RELEVANT TO THE SPS AGREEMENT
TAKEN BY THE OIE INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE
AT THE 69TH GENERAL SESSION
Communication from the Office international des épizooties (OIE)
1. The 69th General Session of the International Committee of the Office international des
épizooties (OIE) was held at the OIE headquarters (Paris, France) from 27 to 1 June 2001.
2. Approximately 500 participants, representing 140 countries or territories,
11 intergovernmental organizations and several other bodies were present.  Six Ministers of
Agriculture (Bulgaria, Colombia, France, Lebanon, Somalia and Uruguay) participated in the
inaugural session.
3. The decisions relevant to the SPS Agreement taken by the OIE International Committee
during the General Session were as follows:
Contributions by the least developed countries to the OIE Regular Budget
4. Considering the need to favour the full participation in OIE activities of the member countries
classified as "least developed countries" (LDCs) by the United Nations Economic and Social Council,
the OIE International Committee gave the Director-General a mandate to call for only 50 per cent of
the total contributions due from these member countries in accordance with the six-category scalecurrently in force (Resolution No. VIII).
Work programme aimed at implementing the recommendations of the OIE Third Strategic
Plan for the period 2001 to 2005
5. The work programme prepared by the Director-General aimed at implementing the
recommendations of the OIE Third Strategic Plan  for the period 2001 to 2005 was adopted under
Resolution No. IX of the OIE International Committee.  The work programme reinforces the
traditional priority tasks of the OIE: international animal health information, drawing up health
standards, guidelines for the prevention and eradication of animal diseases and zoonoses, coordination
of veterinary research and the dissemination of scientific and technical information, the status andefficiency of the Veterinary Services.  It also includes other activities aimed at the control of zoonoses
and food-borne diseases, the development of new st andards on animal welfare and the organization of
international solidarity and regional coordination missions.
Agreement of cooperation between the Office international des épizooties and the World Bank6. Under Resolution No. X, the OIE International Committee approved the terms of the draft
Agreement of cooperation between the OIE and the World Bank.  This Agreement conveys theG/SPS/GEN/266
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willingness of both organizations to coordinate th eir actions aimed at combating animal diseases and
in doing so to improve the safety of food of animal origin, to improve food security, to facilitate
sustainable international trade, thereby contributin g to poverty alleviation.  The Agreement is also
aimed at helping member countries to implement the World Trade Organization Agreement on the
Application of the Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures and to strengthen their Veterinary Services inorder to better control animal diseases and zoonoses.
Adoption of new provisions for the International Animal Health Code
7. By Resolution No. IX of the OIE International Committee, additions or amendments were
made to the International Animal Health Code  (the Code ) on the following subjects:
− Obligations and ethics in international trade;
− Bluetongue;
− Surveillance and monitoring systems for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE);
− Collection and processing of bovine semen;
− Embryos/oocytes, with respect to the following diseases: foot-and-mouth disease,
contagious bovine pleuropneumonia, leptospirosis and bovine brucellosis.
In Resolution No. XXIV, the OIE International Committee asked the International Animal Health
Code Commission to consider reviewing the categorisation system of countries or zones with respect
to BSE described in Chapter 2.3.13. of the Code .  The aim of the review will be to base the system not
only on the incidence rate of the disease as determined from the number of reported cases, but also on
the result of the BSE risk evaluation that countries are required to carry out in application of the firstarticle of the said chapter.  The International Committee also asked the Code Commission to improve
Appendix 3.8.3. on BSE surveillance systems, and to develop guidelines for the member countries to
ensure that the intensity of these systems at the national level is consistent with the result of the risk
evaluation.
8. With regard to the Code  Appendix on collection and processing of bovine semen, further
work needs to be done to ensure that the testing requirements in this appendix are consistent with
those relating to semen specified in other disease chapters.
Adoption of new provisions for the International Aquatic Animal Health Code
9. By Resolution No. XII of the OIE Internati onal Committee, additions or amendments were
made to the International Aquatic Animal Health Code  on the following subjects:
− Definitions;
− Notifiable diseases of fish, molluscs and crustaceans;
− International aquatic animal health certificates for live fish and their gametes, dead
eviscerated fish, live molluscs and their gametes, live crustaceans and deadcrustaceans;
− Import risk analysis.
Recognition of the status of member countries in regard to foot-and-mouth disease, rinderpest
and contagious bovine pleuropneumonia
10. The OIE Foot-and-mouth Disease and Other Epizootics Commission, meeting in September
2000 and January 2001, revised the lists of countries that it considers to be entirely or partly free fromfoot-and-mouth disease (FMD) or from rinderpest in fection, in accordance with the conditions laidG/SPS/GEN/266
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down in Chapter 2.1.1. and Appendix 3.8.2. of the Code , and accepted the submission presented by
Botswana to be recognized as free from contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP) in accordance
with the provisions of Appendix 3.8.2. of the Code .  These proposals have been sent to the Delegates
of member countries, who have a period of 60 days in which to respond.
11. In Resolutions No. XVI, XVII and XXII, the OIE International Committee asked the
Director-General of the OIE to publish the list of member countries recognized as FMD free (see
appendix 1) and the list of member countries recognized as free from rinderpest infection (see
appendix 2), and to publish the fact that Botswana has been recognized as CBPP free.
Recognition of the status of member countries in regard to bovine spongiform encephalopathy
12. Pursuant to the proposals formulated by the OIE Foot-and-mouth Disease and Other
Epizootics Commission and the comments received from the Delegates of the OIE member countries,the OIE International Committee decided to adopt a procedure enabling the OIE to recognise the BSE
free status of all or part of the territory of its member countries.  This procedure is described in
Resolution No. XV adopted by the International Committee (see appendix 3).
OIE Reference Laboratories13. The OIE International Committee took note of the additions and amendments recommended
by the Standards Commission regarding Reference Laboratories and disease experts.  The OIE
currently has 142 Reference Laboratories covering 64 diseases or groups of diseases.
14. In Resolution No. XVIII, the OIE Internationa l Committee approved the amendment to the
mandate for OIE Reference Laboratories proposed by the OIE Standards Commission.  As a result of
this amendment, the Reference Laboratories are now required to report any positive results obtained
in laboratory tests for animal diseases covered in the OIE Lists to the delegate of the member country
from which the samples tested originated.
15. The International Committee was also informed of the progress achieved on international
standardisation of diagnostic tests applicable to a number of animal diseases.
Collaborating Centres
16. The list of OIE Collaborating Centres remains unchanged.  There are currently nine.  These
Centres can provide member countries with technical assistance in the fields of animal disease
diagnosis, surveillance and control, risk analysis and veterinary drugs.G/SPS/GEN/266
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Appendix 1
RESOLUTION No. XVII
Recognition of the Foot and Mouth Disease Status of Member Countries
(Simplified Version)
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 MemberCountries’,
2. During the 64th General Session, the International Committee adopted Resolution XII, which
asks that the Director General publish in the Bulletin  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 Epizoot ics 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. During the 65th 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 each November both their
status and that the criteria by which their status was recognised remain the same,
5. During the 65th General Session, the International Committee adopted Resolution XVII
delegating to the Foot and Mouth Disease and Other Epizootics Commission the authority torecognise, 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 the relevant provisions of Chapter 2.1.1. of the Code ,
6. 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 in epidemiological status or other
significant events that were not promptly report ed to the Central Bureau subsequent to the time
of declaration of freedom,G/SPS/GEN/266
Page 5
THE COMMITTEE
RESOLVESThat the Director General publish in the Bulletin  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 Code :
1
Albania
Australia
Austria
Belgium
BulgariaCanada
Chile
Costa Rica
Croatia
CubaCyprus
Czech Rep.
Denmark
El Salvador
EstoniaFinland
Former Yug. Rep. of MacedoniaGermany
Guatemala
Guyana
Greece
HaitiHonduras
Hungary
Iceland
Indonesia
ItalyJapan
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
MadagascarMalta
MauritiusMexico
New Caledonia
New Zealand
Norway
PanamaPoland
Portugal
Romania
Singapore
SlovakiaSlovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
UkraineUnited States of America
Vanuatu
AND
That the Director General publish in the Bulletin  the following 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 :
Botswana: zone designated by the Delegate of Botswana in documents addressed to the
Director General on 26 August 1996 and 24 September 1997;
Colombia: Northwest region of Choco Department;
Republic of Korea: Island of Cheju;Namibia: zone designated by the Delegate of Na mibia in a document addressed to the Director
General on 6 February 1997,
Philippines: Mindanao.
AND
That the Director General publish in the Bulletin  the following Member Countries as having FMD
free zones where vaccination is practised, according to the provisions of Chapter 2.1.1. of the Code:
                                                     
1 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/266
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Brazil: States of Bahia, Espírito Santo, Goiás, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas
Gerais, Paraná, Rio de Janeiro, S ão Paulo, Sergipe, Tocantins and the Federal
District;
Colombia: zone designated by the Delegate of Colombia in documents addressed to the
Director General on 7 December 2000.
AND
That the Director General publish in the Bulletin  the following Member Country as being an FMD
free country where vaccination is practised, according to the provisions of Chapter 2.1.1. of the Code:
Paraguay.
(Adopted by the International Committee of the OIE on 31 May 2001)G/SPS/GEN/266
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Appendix 2
RESOLUTION No. XVI
Recognition of Member Countries free from rinderpest infection
CONSIDERING THAT1. During the 63rd General Session, the International Committee adopted Resolution XIV
‘Establishment of a list of countries that are free from rinderpest’,
2. During the 68th General Session, The International Committee adopted a resolution 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 Appendix 4.5.1.1. of the
International Animal Health Code (the Code ),
3. The FMD and Other Epizootics Commission propos ed that an updated listing of uninfected
countries and zones previously recognised as rinderpest free and those newly proposed to theCommission in consultation with Member Countries be annually included in a resolution,
4. The Commission also proposes that Member Countries so recognised reconfirm annually that
their rinderpest status has not changed and that this will be a requirement to maintain OIE
recognition,
5. 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 in epidemiological status or other
significant events that were not promptly report ed to the Central Bureau subsequent to the time
of declaration of freedom,
THE COMMITTEE
RESOLVESThat the Director General publish in the Bulletin  the following list of Member Countries recognised as
free from rinderpest infection, according to the provisions of Chapter 4.5.1.1. of the Code:G/SPS/GEN/266
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Albania
Algeria
Andorra
AngolaArgentina
Australia
Austria
Barbados
Belgium
Bolivia
Bosnia and HerzegovinaBotswana
Brazil
Bulgaria
Canada
ChileColombia
Costa Rica
Croatia
Cuba
CyprusCzech Rep.
Denmark
Ecuador
El Salvador
EstoniaFinland
Former Yug. Rep. of Macedonia
FranceGermany
Greece
Guatemala
GuyanaHaiti
Honduras
Hungary
Iceland
Indonesia
Ireland
ItalyJamaica
Japan
Korea (Rep. of)
Laos
LatviaLesotho
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Madagascar
MalaysiaMalta
Mauritius
Mexico
Moldavia
Morocco
Namibia
Netherlands
New CaledoniaNew Zealand
Norway
Panama
ParaguayPeru
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Singapore
SlovakiaSlovenia
South Africa
Spain
Swaziland
SwedenSwitzerland
Taipei China
Trinidad and Tobago
Tunisia
UkraineUnited Kingdom
United States of America
Uruguay
Vanuatu
VenezuelaVietnam
Yugoslavia
Zimbabwe
AND
That the Delegates of Member Countries, whose C ountries or zones within their national territories
are recognised as rinderpest free, annually reconfirm by letter in November of each year both their
status and that the criteria by which their status was recognised remain the same. It is understood that
they will immediately notify the Central Bureau if rinderpest infection should occur in these countriesor zones.
(Adopted by the International Committee of the OIE on 30 May 2001)G/SPS/GEN/266
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Appendix 3
RESOLUTION No. XV
Recognition of the bovine spongiform encephalopathy status of Member Countries
CONSIDERING THAT
During the 66th General Session, the International Committee adopted Resolution No. XII, which
gave the Foot and Mouth Disease and Other Epizootics Commission a mandate to develop a
procedure for presentation at the 67th General Session that will enable the OIE to accept theinformation presented by the Delegates of Member Countries in support of their declaration that their
country is free from bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in accordance with the provisions of
Article 2.3.13.2. (formerly Article 3.2.13.2.). of the International Animal Health Code  (the Code ),
In the same Resolution, the Committee asked the Foot and Mouth Disease and Other Epizootics
Commission to consider whether the OIE should prep are a list of Member Countries free from BSE
according to the provisions of Article 2.3.13.2. (formerly Article 3.2.13.2.). of the Code , taking into
account the concerns of Member Countries,
At the 68th General Session, the Committee adopted a revised Article 2.3.13.2. describing the
conditions under which a country or zone may be considered free from BSE. It also adopted revised
Chapters 1.3.1. and 1.3.2. describing risk analysis procedures that would be required to evaluate thestatus of a country or zone regarding BSE,
Methods for preparing a list of Member Countries that conform to the requirements of the Code as
free from BSE were discussed at all of the meetings of the Commission that have been held since May
1998 and these discussions were summarised in the reports of the Commission. The Commission
concluded that a list could be developed using the OIE risk analysis procedures. The data for thisanalysis would be supplied in response to a questionnaire that would be completed by Member
Countries requesting to be declared to have conformed to the requirements of the Code as free from
BSE,
A questionnaire in support of this proposal was submitted to the 68
th General Session. The
International Committee requested the opportunity to make additional comments on the questionnaire
and instructed the Commission to resubmit the revised version at the 69th General Session,
The Commission concluded that Member Country asse ssments must be based on compliance  with the
Code. Therefore, the Commission is not proposing a new version of the questionnaire and will use the
requirements in the current version of the Code  to evaluate compliance.  The Commission should
provide assistance to Member Countries by providin g guidelines on data that should be submitted and
aspects that the risk assessment should address.
The Commission concluded that it would not have ad equate time to evaluate the submissions during
the scheduled meetings of the Commission and that an Ad hoc Group of experts would be needed to
evaluate these applications,
The OIE Third Strategic Plan for 2001–2005 also stated that an Ad hoc Group should evaluate
applications for freedom from disease and that the Group’s findings should be reported to the Foot
and Mouth Disease and Other Epizootics Commission for final consideration,G/SPS/GEN/266
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The Ad hoc Group would probably have to meet several times each year and there is inadequate
funding in the OIE budget to support the cost of this Group,
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 in epidemiological status or othersignificant events that were not promptly reported  to the Central Bureau subsequent to the time of
declaration of freedom,
THE COMMITTEE
RESOLVES THAT1. Delegates of Member Countries who wish to be evaluated for conformation with the
requirements of the Code  for BSE free status, will submit a formal request to the Director
General of the OIE. The Director General will forward this request for consideration by the FMD
and Other Epizootics Commission in consultation with the Code Commission, when appropriate.
2. The Commission will develop guidelines to facilitate the submission of data and will outline
what should be supplied by Member Countries. These guidelines will be based on therequirements that are in the current version of the Code .
3. Delegates of Member countries should submit information to substantiate their declaration that
they conform to the requirements of the Code for BSE free status.  This submission should
include a risk assessment as outlined in the Code.
4. In this enquiry, Delegates will be informed that participation in the OIE procedure would be
voluntary and its costs, such as examination of documentation by and convening meetings of
designated experts, and country missions that may be required by these experts would be entirely
defrayed by participating countries regardless of the result of the procedure. However, the OIE
Director General is authorised to negotiate a reduced cost for the least developed countries.
Responses by Delegates and the recommendation of the Ad hoc Group of experts will beevaluated by the Commission in order to make a proposal to the Committee of the countries and
territories that it has evaluated and consider to conform to the requirements of the Code as BSE
free.
5. Recommendations of the Commission will be submitted to Member Countries for comment as
outlined in Resolution No. XVI that was adopted during the 67th General Session of the
International Committee.
6. Countries that are approved by the International Committee as having conformed to the
requirements of the Code as free from BSE will be published in the Bulletin  each year.
7. Delegates of Member Countries whose countries having conformed to the requirements of the
Code as free from BSE shall annually reconfirm by letter in November of each year both their
status and that the criteria by which their status was recognised remain the same. It is understood
that they will immediately notify the Central Bureau if BSE should occur in these countries orzones.
(Adopted by the International Committee of the OIE on 31 May 2001)
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