G/SPS/N/PHL/442  
 
17 July 2019  
(19-4755) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY MEASURES  
1. Notifying Member:  PHILIPPINES  
If applicable, name of local government involved:   
2. Agency responsible:  Department of Agriculture  
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):  Meat 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[ ] All trading partners   
[X] Specific regions or countries:  Germany  
5. Title of the notified document:  DA Memorandum Order No. 18 series of 2019 , 
Temporary Suspension of System Accreditation for all German Foreign Meat 
Establishments (FMEs) to Export Meat i nto the Philippines . Language(s): English . 
Number of pages: 1 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2019/SPS/PHL/19_3996_00_e.pdf  
6. Description of content:  The Order temporarily suspends system accreditation of all 
German FMEs to export meat into the Philippines pending the results of the thorough 
investigation to be conducted by DA. Shipments of meat in transit upon the issuance of 
this Order will be allowe d to enter the country subject to 100% physical inspection. 
The Order also immediately suspends the processing, evaluation of the application and 
issuance of Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS import clearance from Germany starting on 
1 July  2019.  
7. Objecti ve 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 reason for urgent action:  Based o n the 
investigation conducted by the Bureau of Animal Industry and National Meat Inspection 
Service, it was determined that there indeed was co -mingling of pork flat bones from 
Poland which is an African Swine Fever (ASF) affected country with the legitima te 
importation from Germany.  Relative to this incident, there have been lapses in the 
inspection system of Germany to ensure export of safe food for the Philippine market,   
and there is a need to prevent the entry of the ASF virus into the country to prote ct the 
health of the local swine population.  
9. Is there a relevant international standard? If so, identify the standard:  
[ ] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex 
standard or related text) :  
[X] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g.  Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number) : Chapters 1.1, 4.3, 15.1 and 
Article  15.1.22 of the Terrestrial Animal Health Code 2018  
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) :  G/SPS/N/PHL/442  
 
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  [ ] None  
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?  
[X] Yes   [  ] No 
If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:   
10. Other relevant documents and language(s) in  which these are available:    
11. Date of entry into force ( dd/mm/yy )/period of application (as applicable):  
2 July 2019 
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [X]  National Notification 
Authority, [X ] National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address 
(if available) of other body:   
Office of the Director  
Policy Research Service  
Department of Agriculture  
Elliptical Road, Diliman  
Quezon City  
Tel: +(632) 926 7439  
Fax: +(632) 928 0590  
E-mail: spspilipinas@gmail.com  
Website: http://spsissuances.da.gov.ph/  
or 
National Veterinary Quarantine Services  
Bureau of Animal Industry  
Visayas Avenue, Diliman  
Quezon City  
Tel: +(632) 920 0815  
Fax: +(6 32) 920 0916  
E-mail: nvqs_bai@yahoo.com  
 quarantine_bai@yahoo.com  
13. Text(s) available from: [X]  National Notification Authority, [X]  National Enquiry 
Point . Address, fax number and e -mail address (if available) of other body:   
Office of the Director  
Policy Research Service  
Department of Agriculture  
Elliptical Road, Diliman  
Quezon City  
Tel: +(632) 926 7439  
Fax: +(632) 928 0590  
E-mail: spspilipinas@gmail.com  
Website: http://spsissuances.da.gov.ph/  
or 
National Veterinary Quarantine Services  
Bureau of Animal Industry  
Visayas Avenue, Diliman  
Quezon City  
Tel: +(632) 920 0815  
Fax: +(632) 920 0916  
E-mail: nvqs_bai@yahoo.com  
 quarantine_bai@yahoo.com