G/SPS/N/PHL/457  
4 March 2020  
(20-1694) Page: 1/3 
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):  Domestic and wild birds and their products including poultry meat, 
day-old chicks, eggs and semen  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to t he extent relevant or practicable : 
[ ] All trading partners   
[X] Specific regions or countries:  Kingdom of Saudi Arabia  
5. Title of the notified document:  Department of Agriculture Memorandum Order No. 16 
Series of 2020  Temporary Ban on the Importation of  Domestic and Wild Birds and their 
Products Including Poultry Meat, Day -old Chicks, Eggs and Semen Originating from Saudi 
Arabia . Language(s): English . Number of pages: 1 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2020/SPS/PHL/20_1742_00_e.pdf  
6. Description of content:  The Order bans the importation of domestic and wild birds and 
their products, including poultry meat, day -old chicks, eggs and semen, and immediately 
suspends the processing, evaluation of the application and issuance of Sanitary and 
Phytosanitary import clearance for the aforementioned goods. All shipments of the said 
commodities into the country will be stopped and confiscated by all Veterinary Quarantine 
Officers/Inspectors at all ports.  
7. 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.  
8. Nature of the urgent problem(s) and reason for urgent action:  Based on the official 
report submitted by Dr. Sanad Alharbi, D irector, Livestock Risk Assessment Department, 
Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to the World 
Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) on 4 February 2020, there was an outbreak of H5N8 
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI)  virus in Sudair, Sudair, Riyadh, Ar Riyad 
affecting birds as confirmed by the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Riyadh (National 
laboratory).  G/SPS/N/PHL/457  
 
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  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) :  
 Article 10.4.19, 10.4.20 and 10.4.26 of the OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code 
(2019)  
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) :  
[ ] 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 t he 
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):  
24 February 2020  
[ ] 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  
Ellipti cal 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  G/SPS/N/PHL/457  
 
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  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