. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/EEC/241 
30 March 2004 
 (04-1436) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION  
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
 
If applicable, name of local government involved: 
2. Agency responsible:   Commission of the European Communities, Health & Consumer 
Protection Directorate-General  Directorate E – Food Safety:  Plant Health, Animal Health 
and Welfare, International Questions 
3. Products covered (provide tariff item numbe r(s) as specified in national schedules 
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where applicable):  Fresh meat, meat products and meat prep arations of farmed and wild cervids 
(CN 0208;  ICS 65.020.30) 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected , to the extent relevant or practicable:  
Canada and the United States 
5. Title, language and number of pages of the notified document:   SANCO/3440/2003 
Rev.4 Draft Commission Regulation amending Annex XI to Regulation (EC) No 999/2001 
of the European Parliament a nd of the Council as regards the import of cervid products from 
Canada and the United States (4 pages) 
6. Description of content:  Import of certain products for human consumption derived from 
cervid animals, from Canada and the United States: 
(a) Farmed cervid meat, produ cts and preparations made fro m it, must be derived from 
animals which have tested negatively fo r Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), and 
which come from a herd where CWD has not been suspected or confirmed; 
(b) Wild cervid meat must be derived from animals which have tested negatively for 
CWD, and which come from a region wh ere CWD has not been suspected or 
confirmed in the last three years; 
(c) Import of meat products or preparations derived from wild cervids is not permitted.  
In both cases import of offal and spinal cord is not permitted. 
The proposed measures are base d on the opinion of the Scientific Steering Committee (see 
item 9). 
7. Objective and rationale:  [ X ] food safety, [   ] animal health, [   ] plant protection, 
[  ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease,  [   ]  protect territory from other 
damage from pests 
Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) has been repor ted in farmed and wild deer and elk in 
Canada and the United States.  So far, no native cases of the disease have been confirmed 
elsewhere.   G/SPS/N/EEC/241 
Page 2  
 
  The OIE has not established so far an  international standard for CWD. 
In its opinion of 6-7 March 2003 the Scient ific Steering Committee of the European 
Communities recommended reinforce protecti on of animal and public health in the 
Community from the risk posed by CWR in cervids in Canada and the United States. 
 
8. International standard, guideline or recommendation:  
[   ] Codex Alimentarius Commission, [   ] World Organization for Animal Health 
(OIE), [   ] International Plant Protection Convention, [ X ] None  
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate 
reference and briefly identify deviations:  
9. Relevant documents and language(s ) in which these are available:  European 
Commission Document SANCO/3440/2003 Rev.4 Draft Commission Re gulation amending 
Annex XI to Regulation (EC) No. 999/2001 of th e European Parliament and of the Council 
as regards the import of cervid  products from Canada and the Un ited States (Available in all 
EC languages).  When adopted it will be publ ished at the Official Journal available at:  
http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/en/oj/index.html 
Scientific Steering Committe e (Meeting of 6-7 March 2003) Opinion on Chronic Wasting 
Disease and tissues that might carry a risk for human and animal feed chains  (Available 
from htttp://europa.eu-int/comm/ food/fs/sc/ssc/out323 en pdf) 
10. Proposed date of adoption:   Towards the end of May 2004 
11. Proposed date of entry into force:   July 2004 
12. Final date for comments:  Sixty (60) days after th e date of notification 
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [ X ] EC notification authority, 
[   ] National enquiry point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of 
other body:    
13. Texts available from:  [   ] National notifica tion authority, [ X ] EC enquiry point, or 
address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body: