1 
 Procedure for the Recognition of Infectious Animal Disease -Free 
Status of a Foreign Country  (Zone)  
 
(Note:  In case of any discrepancy between the English version and the Chinese text of  
this Procedure, the Chinese text shall govern. ) 
 
Amended by Council of Agriculture on February 6, 2002  
Amended by Council of Agriculture on November 3, 2021 and entering into force on December 1, 
2021  
Amended by Ministry of Agriculture on August 25, 2023  
 
Point 1  
This procedure is provided for processing the application of a foreign country (zone ) 
for the recognition of its status as being free from infectious animal disease(s) by the 
Ministry of Agriculture  (hereinafter  as the "MOA"). 
 
Point 2  
2.1 For the applicant country which considers itself as complying with the criteria 
established in the “Terrestrial Animal Health Code” of the World Organisation for 
Animal Health (hereinafter as the “WOAH  Code ”) for infectious animal disease 
free or the risk status, the country may apply for recognition of infectious animal 
disease -free status for the entire country or a zone, or  the risk status . 
2.2 Infectious animal diseases refer to one of the following:  
2.2.1 foot and mouth disease  
2.2.2 contagious bovine pleuropneumonia  
2.2.3 peste des petits ruminants  
2.2.4 African swine fever  
2.2.5 classical swine fever  
2.2.6 glanders  
2.2.7 African horse sickness  
2.2.8 highly pathogenic avian influenza  2 
 2.2.9 Newcastle disease  
2.2.10  rabies  
2.2.11  bovine spongiform encephalopathy  
2.2.12  infectious animal diseases otherwise designated  
2.3 Countries (zone) tha t are disease free from infectious animal diseases mentioned 
in Point 2.2.1 shall comply with the criteria for foot and mouth disease free 
country or zone where vaccination is not practiced as established in the WOAH  
Code.  
 
Point 3  
3.1 The central competent au thority of veterinary of the applicant country shall 
submit the dossiers in Chinese or English for the recognition of infectious animal 
disease -free status of entire country or a zone and the risk status of BSE to the 
import/export animal quarantine author ity, the Animal and Plant Health 
Inspection Agency  (hereinafter as “ APHIA ”), for review based on the type of 
infectious animal disease respectively.  
3.2 A country applying for the recognition of infectious animal disease -free zone for 
highly pathogenic avian influenza, Newcastle disease or foot and mouth disease 
where vaccination is not practiced shall comply with “The Principles for the 
Recognition of Infectious Animal Disease -Free Status of a Foreign Country by 
Zoning Focused on Highly Pathogenic Avian Influ enza (HPAI), Newcastle Disease 
(ND), or Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) Where Vaccination Is Not Practiced” ( as 
Appendix ). 
 
Point 4  
4.1 Upon receiving the application, APHIA  will refer to available international animal 
disease information and conduct one of the f ollowing actions:  
4.1.1 Reject the application with the list of the facts leading to such a decision 
based on international animal disease information which shows that the 
applicant country is affected or not complying with the relevant 
requirements for free sta tus in the WOAH  Code ; 3 
 4.1.2 Reprocess the risk assessment after the requested supplementary  
documents are provided by the applicant country when the submitted 
information or required supplementary documents are incomplete;  
4.1.3 Reprocess the risk assessment after th e detailed information on the animal 
health status of the applicant country is collected and evaluated or an 
on-site verification is conducted when submitted documents are complete 
but fail to clarify the animal health status of the applicant country; or  
4.1.4 Process the risk assessment after the requested documents are complete 
and the animal health status is clear and comply with the free status  
criteria established in the WOAH  Code.  
4.2 After the risk assessment process for Point 4.1.2 to Point 4.1.4, one of the 
following actions will be conducted:  
4.2.1 Reject the application with the list of the facts leading to such a decision;  
4.2.2 Reprocess the risk assessment after the requested supplementary 
documents are provided by the applicant country;  
4.2.3 Reprocess the risk assessment after an on -site verification conducted by 
APHIA ; 
4.2.4 Submit the application to the Animal Quarantine Advisory Committee of 
APHIA  for further scrutiny and accept possible recommendations made by 
the Committee to reject, reprocess the risk assessment or approve; or  
4.2.5 Approve the recognition for application for recovery of the applicant 
country’s  disease -free status.  
 
Point 5  
5.1 The recognition of infectious animal disease -free status for the entire country or a 
zone, and the status of risk level of BSE is established and announced by the MOA. 
The MOA may adjust the risk status of BSE based on information published by the 
WOAH .  
5.2 The official recognition mentioned on Point 5.1 will become invalid immediately 
when the country or zone(s) is/are infected with the aforementioned disease and 
has (have) been removed from the list of disease -free countries.  4 
 5.3 The country mentioned on Point 5 .2 may submit an application along with the 
requested information and certified document to APHIA  for the recovery 
recognition  of its disease -free status once the disease has been eradicated and 
the criteria listed in the WOAH  Code has been fulfilled .