WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/TBT/N/ARG/134
29 August 2003
(03-4529)
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:  Spanish
NOTIFICATION
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6.
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   ARGENTINA
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):           
2. Agency responsible:   Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food (SAGPA)
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, e-mail and web-site
addresses, if available) of  agency or authority designated to handle comments
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:   Idem National
enquiry point.
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [  X ], 2.10.1 [    ], 5.6.2 [    ], 5.7.1 [    ], other:           
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwis e national tariff heading.
ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):   Genetically modified
animal organisms (GMAOs)
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:   R e l e a s e  o f
Genetically Modified Animal Organisms (GMAOs) into the Environment (15 pages, in
Spanish)
6. Description of content:   Requirements and application forms for authorization
management in respect of projects involving experimentation on genetically modified
animal organisms and/or their release into the environment.
" ...Authorizations for projects involving experimentation on genetically modified
animal organisms and/or their release into the environment shall be granted by the Ministry
of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food (SAGPA) ... "
" ...The information contained in the application shall be used solely for the purpose
of assessing the advisability of granting authorizations for projects involving
experimentation on GMAOs of agricultural interest and/or their release into the
environment.  Experimentation on GMAOs and/or their release into the environment
without the necessary licence issued by the competent authority are expressly forbidden ... "
" ... Every application for the authorization of projects involving experimentation on
GMAOs and/or their release into the environment, in which the applicant seeks to carry out
activities involving the use of genetically modified material, such as infection with
pathogens, infestation with parasites, or sampling of material, must be accompanied by the
corresponding protocol setting out all the data used by the professional in charge of the
operation.G/TBT/N/ARG/134
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6. Description of content:  (cont'd)
Imports of material(s) for experiments must comply with the animal health and
quarantine regulations in force.
The genetically modified animal organism and/or products thereof, including
reproductive material, shall be subject to animal health regulations established by thecompetent authority to prevent direct threats to human and/or animal health or general
effects on the environment ... "
" ... The applicant shall be responsible at all times for maintaining the conditions of
biosecurity and risk management specified in the authorization to supplement projects
involving experimentation on GMAOs and/or their release into the environment. This
responsibility shall obtain during the conduct of the experiment and the period following its
conclusion, as prescribed by CONABIA (Na tional Advisory Committee on Agricultural
Biotechnology) ... "
" ... CONABIA shall receive immediate oral  notification, and written notification
within TWENTY-FOUR (24) hours, in the following cases: accidental release of a
genetically modified animal organism and/or products thereof; if the characteristics of a
genetically modified animal organism or associated host organism turn out to be different tothose expected, or if any abnormal situation arises (excessive mortality, illness or
unforeseen effect on other organisms) ... "
" ... If a GMAO should escape, the applicant shall inform the technical coordination
office of CONABIA immediately and execute the contingency plan provided for in the
application ... "
" ... If the applicant wishes any of the information required in the application to
remain confidential, this should be indicated by the letters ICE ( Información Confidencial
Eliminada – Confidential Information Omitted), inscribed on the face of the application and
at the relevant points in the body of the text ... "
" ... The authorization management process shall be validly completed when the
proper conduct of the authorized projects has been verified and a favourable assessment has
been made of the required reports ..."
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:
Protection of health and the environment
8. Relevant documents:   SAGPA Resolution No. 57/2003
9. Proposed date of adoption: 24 July 2003 (Official Journal)
Proposed date of entry into force: 25 July 2003
10. Final date for comments:   Not indicatedG/TBT/N/ARG/134
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11.Texts available from:  National enquiry point [  X ] or address, telephone and fax
numbers, e-mail and web-site addresses, if available of the other body:
Focal Point of the Argentina Republic
National Directorate of Domestic Trade (DNCI)
Avada.  J.A. Roca 651, 4th floor, Sector 2
(C1067ABB) Buenos Aires
Tel:  54 11 4349 4067
Fax:  54 11 4349 4072
email:  focalotc@mecon.gov.ar
Website:  http://www.puntofocal.gov.ar