G/SPS/N/ARE/252  
 
12 April 2022  
(22-2994) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY MEASURES  
1. Notifying Member:  UNITED ARAB EMIRATES  
If applicable, name of local government involved:   
2. Agency responsible:  Ministry of Climate Change and Environment  
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):  Live poultry (HS Code: 0105), day -old chicks (HS Code: 0105.11), 
hatching eggs, and poultry products including poultry meat (HS Code: 0207) except 
heat-treated products  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[ ] All trading partners   
[X] Specific regions or countries:  Province of West Flanders (West -Vlaanderen) in 
Belgium  
5. Title of the notified document:  United Arab Emirates is imposing a temporary ban on 
the importation of domestic and wild birds and their untreated by -products from Belgium . 
Language(s): . Number of pages:  
6. Description of content:  Following the notification published by the World Organisation 
for Animal Health (OIE) regarding the outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus 
(HPAI) in the Province of West Flanders (West -Vlaanderen) in Belgium, the United Arab 
Emirates is apply ing a precautionary sanitary measure to prevent the risk of introducing 
HPAI virus through the imports of live birds and their products from the Province of 
West Flanders (West -Vlaanderen) in Belgium.  
These measures include:  
1. Temporary ban on the importatio n of domestic and wild birds and their untreated 
by-products and day -old chicks and hatching eggs from Belgium to the United Arab 
Emirates;  
2. Applying the "mechanism of importing falcons from high -risk countries" on importing 
from Belgium;  
3. Continue to allow the importation of heat -treated poultry products (treated meat and 
treated egg products) from Belgium;  
4. Allow the entry of consignments of unheat -treated poultry meat and table eggs from 
areas (according to the second administrative division (Provinces)) th at are not 
infected, according to the currently used health certificate models, provided that the 
competent authorities of the country of export send a health statement: "The imported 
products were produced (and packed) from live poultry from a facility 
(farm/slaughterhouse/packing facility) in an area (defined within a 25 km radius 
around the facility) in which no highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) have been 
recorded for a period of no less than (28) days prior to exportation with the application 
of the destruction policy or for a period of no less than (12) months prior to export 
without applying the policy of destruction "; 
5. Consignments of unheat -treated poultry meat and table eggs and its products from the 
Province of West Flanders (West -Vlaanderen)  produced after 14 March 2022 are not 
allowed to be exported to the United Arab Emirates.  G/SPS/N/ARE/252  
 
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  7. Objective and rationale: [X]  food safety, [X]  animal health, [  ] plant protection, 
[X] 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:  There is a risk of 
contamination from importing poultry from the Province of West Flanders (West -
Vlaanderen) in Belgium, which is affected with Highl y Pathogenic Avian Influenza. These 
applied measures are in compliance with Article 10.4.4, Chapter 10.4 of the World 
Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) Terrestrial Animal Health Code.  
9. Is there a relevant international standard? If so, identify the s tandard:  
[ ] 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 10.4.4, Chapter 10.4 of the 
World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) Terrestrial Animal Health Code  
[ ] 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):  
11 April 2022  
[ ] 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:   
Ministry of Climate Change and Environment  
SPS Notification and Inquiry Point  
United Arab Emirates  
E-mail: uaesps@moccae.gov.ae  
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:   
Ministry of Climate Change and Environment  
SPS Notification and Inquiry Point  
United Arab Emirates  
E-mail: uaesps@moccae.gov.ae