. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/USA/177
26 July 1999
(99-3123)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:  English
NOTIFICATION
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   UNITED STATES
If applicable, name of local government involved:
2. Agency responsible:    Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service
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).
Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable:  Pork
and pork products
4. Title and number of pages of the notified document:  Pork and pork products from Mexico
Transiting the United States (5 pages)
5. Description of content: The importation and in-transit movement of fresh (chilled or frozen)
pork and pork products from Mexico into the United States is restricted because of thepresence of hog cholera in some areas in Mexico.  The Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service (APHIS) is proposing to amend the regu lations to allow fresh (chilled or frozen)
pork and pork  products from the Mexican States of Baja California Sur, Coahuila, Nuevo
Leon, Tamaulipas, Sinaloa, Campeche, and Quintana Roo to transit the United States, under
certain conditions, for export to another country.  APHIS is proposing this action becausethere has been no outbreak of hog cholera in any of the States of Baja California Sur,
Coahuila, Nuevo Leon, Tamaulipas, Sinaloa, Campeche, or Quintana Roo since 1993, and it
appears that fresh (chilled or frozen) pork and pork products from each of the above States
could transit the United States under seal with an insignificant risk of introducing hog
cholera.
6. Objective and rationale:  [    ] food safety  [ X ] animal health [   ] plant protection
[   ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or  disease  [  ]  protect territory from other
damage from pests
7. An international standard , guideline or recommendation does not exist [   ].
If an international standard , guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate
reference and briefly identify deviations: We believe this action is in accordance with
international standards set by the Office International des Epizooties.
8. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  64 FR 38599,
19 July 1999;  9 CFR Part 94 (Available in English)
9. Proposed date of adoption:  To be determined.
10. Proposed date of entry into force: The date of entry into force will be announced when the
final rule is published in the Federal Register.G/SPS/N/USA/177
Page 2
11. Final date for comments:   17 September 1999
Agency or authority designated to handle comme nts:  [  ] National notification authority,
[  ] National enquiry point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of
other body:   Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA
Detailed instruction on where and how to send commen ts is in the body of the full text – which
will be sent upon request to the address in paragraph 12.
12. Texts available from:  [ X ] National notification authority,  [ X ]  National enquiry point,
or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:
US SPS Enquiry Point/Notification Authority:
USDA/FAS/FSTD
Attn:  Carolyn F. Wilson
Room 5545 South Agriculture Building
Stop 10271400 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20250
Tel:  (202) 720 2239
Fax::  (202) 690 0677
E-mail address:  ofsts@fas.usda.gov