G/SPS/N/PHL/453  
 
6 February 2020  
(20-0970) 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):  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:  Slovak Republic  
5. Title of the notified document:  Department of Agriculture Memorandum Order No. 8 
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  
Slovakia  Language(s):  English  Number of pages:  1 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2020/SPS/PHL/20_0986_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 from Slovak 
Republic  and immediately suspends the processing, evaluation of the application and 
issuance of Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) import clearance of the said goods. All 
shipme nts of the aforementioned commodities into the country will be stopped and 
confiscated by all DA Veterinary Quarantine Officers /Inspectors at all major ports.  
7. Objective and rationale: [  ] food safety, [X]  animal health, [  ] plant protection, 
[ ] protec t 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. Jozef Bires, Director and Chief Veterinary Offi cer, State Veterinary 
and Food Administration, Ministry of Agriculture, Bratislava, Slovak Republic  to the World 
Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) on 10 January 2020, there was an outbreak of H5N8 
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) virus in Zbehy,  Nitra, Nitra, affecting birds.  
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) :  
Articles 10.4.19, 10.4.20 and 10.4.26 of the OIE Terrestrial Animal Hea lth Code 
(2019)  G/SPS/N/PHL/453  
 
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  [ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM nu mber) :  
[ ] 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):  
29 January 2020  
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [X]  National Notification 
Auth ority, [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   
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  
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  
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