G/SPS/N/USA/3165  
 
20 April 2020  
(20-3103) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
1. Notifying Member:  UNITED STATES OF AME RICA 
If applicable, name of local government involved:   
2. Agency responsible:  Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)  
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 animals, fertilized eggs, and germplasm  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or pract icable : 
[X] All trading partners   
[ ] Specific regions or countries:   
5. Title of the notified document:  Notice: APHIS Acceptance of Electronic Signatures from 
USDA Accredited Veterinarians . Language(s):  English . Number of pages:  1 
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/export/wto -notice -hc 
6. Description of content:  Effectively immediately, APHIS will accept U.S. ve terinary 
export health certificates for live animals and germplasm that have been electronically 
signed and issued by a USDA Accredited Veterinarian through the Veterinary Export 
Health Certification System (VEHCS), a secure, online United States governmen t-owned 
system controlled by APHIS.  
There will be no change made to Competent Authority signature/endorsement of the 
veterinary export health certificate. If digital endorsement is not permitted by a given 
trading partner, APHIS will continue to apply an i nk (wet) signature and embossed seal 
to veterinary export health certificates during endorsement. Regardless of the type of 
signatures applied, an original, hardcopy of the veterinary export health certificate will 
travel with the shipment during the expor t process.  
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. 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) :  
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g.  Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number) :  
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) :  
[X] None  G/SPS/N/USA/3165  
 
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  Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?  
[ ] Yes   [  ] No 
If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international sta ndard:   
9. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : 16 April 2020  
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : 16 April 2020  
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [  ] Six months from date of publication , 
and/or  (dd/mm/yy) : 16 April 2020  
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [  ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : Not applicable.  
Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [X]  National Notification 
Authority, [  ] National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address 
(if av ailable) of other body:   
Email:  vs.live.animal.import.export@usda.gov   
13. Text(s) available from: [  ] National Notification Authority, [  ] National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if available) of other body:   
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/export/wto -notice -hc 
United States SPS National Notification Authority, USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, 
International Regulations and Standards Division (IRSD), Stop 1014, Washington D.C. 
20250; Tel : +(1 202) 720 1301; Fax: +(1 202) 720 0433; 
E-mail: us.spsenquirypoint@fas.usda.gov