G/SPS/N/PHL/456  
4 March 2020  
(20-1693) 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 meat, day -old 
chicks, eggs and semen  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the exten t relevant or practicable : 
[ ] All trading partners   
[X] Specific regions or countries:  Germany  
5. Title of the notified document:  Department of Agriculture Memorandum Order No. 15 
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 
Germany . Language(s): English . Number of pages: 2 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2020/SPS/PHL/20_1741_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 (SPS) i mport clearance for the said goods.   All incoming poultry shipments 
with SPS import clearance issued on or before 11 February 2020 will be allowed provided 
frozen poultry meat has a slaughter/process date of 21 days prior to the HPAI outbreaks 
(on or befor e 15 January 2020), and will be subject to veterinary quarantine rules and 
regulations.   All shipments of the said commodities into the country, except heat -treated 
products, shall be stopped and confiscated by all DA Veterinary Quarantine 
Officers/Inspect ors at all major ports if they do not follow the previously stated provisions.  
7. Objective and rationale: [  ] food safety, [X]  animal health, [  ] plant protection, 
[ ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [  ] protect territory from 
other dam age from pests.  
8. Nature of the urgent problem(s) and reason for urgent action:  Based on the official 
report submitted by Dr. Dietrich Rassow, Chief Veterinary Officer, Directorate of Animal 
Health and Animal Welfare, Federal Ministry of Food and Agricu lture, Berlin, Germany to 
the World Organisation for Animal Health on 10 February 2020, there was one outbreak of 
H5N8 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in Bretzfeld, Hohenlohekries, Baden -
Wurttemberg affecting birds on 6 February 2020, as confirmed  by the Friedrich -Loeffler -
Institut (National laboratory).  G/SPS/N/PHL/456  
 
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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 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):  
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  
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@yaho o.com  
 quarantine_bai@yahoo.com  G/SPS/N/PHL/456  
 
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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