G/SPS/N/PHL/476  
 
4 December 2020  
(20-8724) 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):  HS Code: 0105 - Live poultry, "fowls of the species Gallus 
domesticus, ducks, geese, turkeys and guinea fowls"; HS Code: 0207 - Meat and edible 
offal of fowls of the species Gallus domesticus, ducks, geese, turkeys and guinea fowls, 
fresh, chilled or frozen; HS Code: 0407 - Birds' eggs, in shell, fresh, preserved or cooked; 
HS Code: 04071 - Fertilised eggs for incubation; HS Code: 04072 - Other fresh eggs; 
HS Code: 040790 - Birds' eggs, in shell, preserved or cooked; HS Code: 05119 - Other  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[ ] All trading partners   
[X] Specific regions or countries:  Netherlands  
5. Title of the notified document:  Department of Agriculture Memorandum Order No   65 
Series of 2020 Temporary Ban on the Importation of Domestic and Wild Birds and their 
Products Including Poultry Meat, Day -Old Chicks, Eggs and Seme n Originating from 
Gelderland and Groningen, Netherlands . Language(s): English . Number of pages: 2 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2020/SPS/PHL/20_7436_00_e.pdf  
6. Description of content:  The Order, signed on 26 November 2020, institutes the 
following emergency measures for the importation of domestic and wild birds and their 
products from Gelderland and Groningen, Netherlands:  
1) Banning the importation of domestic and wild birds and their products, including poultry 
meat, day -old chicks,eggs and seme n; 2) Immediate suspension of the processing, 
evaluation of the application and issuance of SPS import clearance to the above -stated 
commodities; 3) All incoming poultry meat shipments with SPS import clearance issued 
on or before 17 November 2020 will be allowed provided that frozen poultry meat has a 
slaughter/process date of 21 days prior to the start of the first HPAI outbreak (on or 
before 8 October 2020). All shipments will be subject to veterinary quarantine rules and 
regulations; 4) Stoppage and con fiscation of all shipments of the above stated 
commodities (with the exception on heat -treated products) into the country by all 
Veterinary Quarantine Officers/Inspectors at all major ports of entry if the provisions 
written in Item 3 are not followed; 5) Importation of meat products of poultry is subject 
to the conditions provided in Articles 10.4.19, 10.4.20 and 10.4.26 of the OIE Terrestrial 
Animal Health Code (2019).  
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.  G/SPS/N/PHL/476  
 
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  8. Nature of the urgent problem(s) and reason for urgent action:  Based on the 
updated reports of Dr. Christianne Bruschke, Chief Veterin ary Officer, Agriculture, Nature 
and Food Quality, Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, The Hague, 
Netherlands to the World Organisation for Animal Health on 7, 13 and 17 November 2020, 
there were additional outbreaks of H5N8 Highly Pathogenic  Avian Influenza in Gelderland 
and Groningen , 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 Orga nization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g.  Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health 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/