G/SPS/GEN/1774  
G/TBT/GEN/294  
6 May 2020  
(20-3441) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original: English  
 
MEASURES TAKEN BY TH E UNITED ARAB EMIRAT ES REGARDING  
ANIMAL, AGRICULTURAL  AND FOOD CONSIGNMEN TS  
IN RESPONSE TO THE C ORONA PANDEMIC  
COMMUNIC ATION  FROM THE UNITED ARAB EMIR ATES 
The following document , received on 4 May  2020, is being circulated at the request of the Delegation 
of the United Arab Emirates . 
 
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Within the framework of integration and cooperation between government agencies in the 
United  Arab Emirates, and in light of the global outbreak of t he Corona pandemic, and to ensure the 
smooth flow of animal, agricultural and food commodities and consignments in line with the 
precautionary measures implemented in the country, a set of measures has been taken in 
coordination with the concerned authorit ies in the UAE and the relevant exporting and importing 
countries, as follows:  
1. Coordinating with the countries on the approved forms and mechanisms related to 
phytosanitary certificates and food product export certificates, developing alternative 
solutions , such as adopting electronic health certificates forms and agreeing to verification 
procedures of certificates in order to reduce the use of paper health certificates.  
2. Temporarily suspending the request of some documents for vegetable and fruit 
consignmen ts imported to the country due to the difficulty of obtaining them by the 
exporters in the country of export, and working to increase the number of samples that are 
randomly picked from the consignments at the entry points, so as to ensure their compliance  
with the relevant health and technical requirements.  
3. Facilitating the entry of imported food consignments and allowing the circulation of products 
without prejudice to the requirements of the labelling items related to the safety of the 
products stated in  the following technical regulations:  
• Technical Regulation No. UAE.S9: Labelling for Pre-packaged  Food Stuffs.  
• Technical Regulation No. UAE.S GSO 2233: Requirements of Nutritional Labelling.  
• Technical Regulation No. UAE.S GSO 2333: Requirements for Health and Nutritional 
Claims Permitted for Use in Food and Conditions of Use.  
4. Taking all precautionary measures in coordination with the countries in a manner that 
guarantees the safety of the domesticated pets imported to the country and that they are 
free of any pathological symptoms.  
5. Increasing the work capacity in the Ministry's national laboratories and conducting the 
necessary testing of samples, thus allowing the rapid release of consignments imported to 
the country.  G/SPS/GEN/1774 • G/TBT/GEN/294  
 
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  6. Extending the validity of expire d certificates and licenses for an additional three months, to 
ensure that consignments arriving to the country do not get detained at entry points due to 
the expiry of registration certificates and licenses.  
7. Extending the validity period of import permits  for an additional period of three months, to 
allow the continuous flow of goods, consignments and commercial movement.  
8. Suspending delay penalties that may be imposed on some services for a period of three 
months, to prevent obstruction of any imported or exported consignments.  
9. Allowing the amendment of data of some valid permits, in order to ensure the smooth flow 
of commercial movement in light of the current circumstances.  
10. In view of the restricted travel and transportation conditions, the use of visual technology 
programs (video meetings) has been activated to ensure the completion of some services 
which involve travelling to other countries, such as renewing the accreditation of 
slaughterhouses that requires a visit, so that the current conditions do no t hinder the import 
procedures from these countries.  
11. Applying all occupational health and safety measures and providing all health and safety 
requirements for all employees at land, air, and sea entry points, as well as dealers, in order 
to guarantee their  safety.  
12. Activating emergency, crises and response plans in a way that ensures the flow of animal, 
agricultural and food consignments to the country.  
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