. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/CHE/10
11 December 1997
(97-5424)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures
NOTIFICATION
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  Switzerland
If applicable, name of local government involved:
2. Agency responsible:   Swiss Federal Veterinary Office, CH-3097 Liebefeld-Berne
3. Products covered (tariff item number(s) as specified in national schedules deposited
with the WTO.  ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  Live
sheep and goats (0104)
4. Title and number of pages of the notified document:  Health certificate for the
importation of animals of the ovine and caprine species (2 pages)
5. Description of content:  Requirements for the importation of live sheep and goats
- Brucellosis (B. melitensis):  disease freedom of the herd of origin and individual animal
testing
- Caprine Arthritis/Encephalitis:  disease freedom of the herd of origin and individual
animal testing
- Scrapie:  the disease has to be mandatorily notifiable in the country of origin;  disease
freedom of the herd of origin since two years and random check sampling atpost-mortem examination on old ewes from the holding(s) of origin.
6. Objective and rationale:  Protection of human and animal health
- Brucellosis (B. melitensis):  a nationwide monitoring and eradication programme is in
force
Caprine Arthritis/Encephalitis:  CAE is a notifiable disease in Switzerland;  a
monitoring and eradication plan is implem ented on a voluntary basis as from 1991;  as
from 1998 the sampling will become compulsory and the Federal Veterinary Office
decides on the sample size to ascertain that, with a probability of 99% the prevalence of
CAE is below 0,1%
Scrapie:  prevention of introduction of the disease.  Since 1995 (1 case), no case was
reported in Switzerland.  According to Swiss legal provisions, in the case of scrapie, the
whole flock has to be eradicated.G/SPS/N/CHE/10
Page 2
7. An international standard, guideline or recommendation does not exist [  ].
If an international standard, guideline or  recommendation exists, whenever possible,
identify deviations:
In general, the requirements concerning Brucellosis are in compliance with Chapter 3.3.2. of
the International Animal Health Code.  However, testing requirements to obtain the status ofa herd officially free of B. melitensis are defined in accordance to 97/231/EC.
In the case of Caprine Arthritis/Encephalitis, Swiss requirements go beyond Chapter 3.3.4.
of the International Animal Health Code, as three consecutive serological tests at an interval
of 12 months of all animals over six months of age on the holding with negative results for
the disease are made a condition for import.
No international standard, guideline or recommendation does exist for scrapie.
8. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  Health certificate for
the importation of animals of the ovine and caprine species (draft) (in English and German)
9. Proposed date of adoption:   Not stated
10. Proposed date of entry into force:   1 March 1998
11. Final date for comments:  15 February 1998
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:
12. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [  ] or address, telefax number and
E-mail address (if available) of other body:
Swiss Federal Veterinary Office
Schwarzenburgstrasse 161
CH-3097 Liebefeld-Berne
Switzerland
Tel:  41 31 323 85 17
Fax:  41 31 323 85 22