G/SPS/N/PHL/473  
 
24 November 2020  
(20-8486) 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):  0105 - Live poultry, "fowls of the species Gallus domesticus, ducks, 
geese, turkeys and guinea fowls", 0207 - Meat and edible offal of fo wls of the species 
Gallus domesticus, ducks, geese, turkeys and guinea fowls, fresh, chilled or frozen, 
0407 - Birds' eggs, in shell, fresh, preserved or cooked, 04071 - Fertilised eggs for 
incubation: 04072 - Other fresh eggs: 040790 - Birds' eggs, in she ll, preserved or cooked, 
05119 - Other  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[ ] All trading partners   
[X] Specific regions or countries:  Japan  
5. Title of the notified document:  Department of Agriculture Memorandum Order No. 62 
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 
Mitoyo, Kagawa, Japan . Language(s): English . Number of pages: 1 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2020/SPS/PHL/20_7265_00_e.pdf  
6. Description of content:  The Order, signed on Nov. 18, 2020,  bans the importation of 
domestic and wild birds and their products, including poultry meat, day old chicks and 
semen from Mitoyo City, Kagawa, Japan.  It also immediately suspends the processing, 
evaluation of the application and issuance of SPS import clearance for the said goods.  All 
shipments of the said commodities (with the exceptioin of heat treated products) into the 
country shall be stopped and confiscated by all Veterinary Quarantine Officers/Inspectors 
at all ports of entry if the pr ovisions in Item 3 are not followed.  
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 Nr. Norio Kumagai, Chief Veterinary Officer, Food Safety and 
Consumer Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries,Tokyo, Japan to 
the World Organi sation for Animal Health (OIE) on Nov. 4, 2020, there was an outbreak 
of H5N8 HIghly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) virus in Mitoyo City, Kagawa affecting 
broilers as confirmed by the National Institute of Animal Health (National laboratory).  G/SPS/N/PHL/473  
 
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  9. Is the re 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 Heal th Code, chapter number) : Chapter 10.4 of the 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):  
Immediately.  
[ ] 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/  
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/