. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/MYS/7
16 January 2001
(01-0195)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:  English
NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY MEASURES
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  MALAYSIA
If applicable, name of local government involved:           
2. Agency responsible:  Department of Veterinary Services, Ministry of Agriculture and
Department of Public Health, Ministry of Health
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).  Beef and beef products including offals  Regions or countries likely to be
affected, to the extent relevant or practicable:  United Kingdom, Ireland, Belgium,
Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Italy, Austria,
Finland, Greece, Luxembourg and Switzerland
4. Title and number of pages of the notified document:  Ban on the importation of beef and
beef products including offals from the United Kingdom, Ireland, Belgium, Denmark,
France, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Italy, Austria, Finland, Greece,
Luxembourg and Switzerland and recall of such products from the domestic market.
5. Description of content:  Following the increased incidence of BSE in Europe, the
Government of Malaysia has imposed an import ban on all beef and beef products including
offals from the United Kingdom, Ireland, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, the
Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Italy, Austria, Finland, Greece, Luxembourg, and
Switzerland effective 5 January 2001.  All products affected are recalled from the domestic
market.
6. Objective and rationale:  [  X ] food safety,  [  X ] animal health,  [     ] plant protection,
[ X ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [     ] protect territory from
other damage from pests           
7. Nature of the urgent problem(s):  Cases of BSE have been reported increasingly in some
European countries in recent months, thus incr easing the risk of transmission of the BSE
agent through consumption of bovine products originating from these countries.  There have
also been new cases of vCJD in the affected region, strengthening further the potential risk
of infection in humans.  The Government of Malaysia therefore has decided to impose a ban
on the importation of beef and beef products from the above countries in order to eliminate
the risk of entry of the BSE agent into Malaysia.  In addition all such products in thedomestic market will be recalled to remove any potential risk of exposure to humans.
8. An international standard, guideline or recommendation does not exist [  X ].
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give its appropriate
reference and briefly identify deviations:           G/SPS/N/MYS/7
Page 2
9. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  National language
and in English
10. Date of entry into force/period of application (as applicable):  5 January 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:
Department of Veterinary Services
9th floor, Wisma Chase Perdana
Off Jalan Semantan, Bukit Damansara50630 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Tel:  603 254 0077
Fax:  603 254 5804
E-mail:  krishnan@jph.gov.my
Director
Food Quality Control Division
Public Health Department
Ministry of Health Malaysia
4th Floor, Block E, Offices Complex, Jalan Dungun
Damansara Heights, 50490 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Tel:  603 255 5493Fax:  603 253 7804
E-mail:  ccp-Malaysia@dph.gov.my