G/SPS/W/322  
 
3 March  2020 
(20-1591) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
EUROPEAN UNION PROPOSAL FOR A THEMA TIC SESSION AT THE  
SPS COMMITTEE MEETIN G OF NOVEMBER 2020  
INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND AFRICAN SWINE FE VER 
The following proposal , received on 2 8 February 2020, is being circulated at the request of the 
delegations of the European Union . 
 
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1  INTRODUCTION  
1.  The European Union has dr awn on multiple occasions Members ' attention to inconsistencies in 
the application international standards  developed by the OIE to control and contain African 
swine  fever (ASF).  
2.  African swine fever (ASF ) is an infectious disease of pigs. No vaccine exists to combat this virus. 
It does not affect humans,  nor does it affect other animal species than pigs and wild boars. It can 
be transmitted either via direct animal contact or via dissemination of contamin ated food 
(e.g. sausages or uncooked meat).  
3.  In Eurasia, ASF spread to 16 European ( Geographic Europ e) and 11 Asian countries with a total 
population of around 2.2 b illion people. Most of these countries are WTO Members and connected 
by intensive, long -standing trade relations, which include the trade in pork and pork products. Pork 
products provide an important part of the diet in many of these countries and it is central for the 
protein supply of the population.  
2  TRADE AND MANAGEMENT OF AS F 
4.  Livestock  diseas es must be managed rigorously. This is often costly and may require restrictions 
in the movement of animals and animal products that may carry the infectious agent. It is in the 
best interest of importing and exporting countries to agree on trade condition s that protect their  
livestock  whilst avoiding unnecessary restrictions . For this exact reason, the Members of the 
World  Animal Health Organisation OIE have developed recommendations in the terrestrial code to 
help countries agree on safe trade conditions.  
5.  However, in reality, t rade in pork and pork products is frequently hindered by the application of 
extremely strict and disproportionate measures , namely trade bans,  that do not seem to be based 
on existing international standards or justified by the lates t solid scientific knowledge. 
These  measures render vain the substantial efforts applied by countries to try to contain the disease 
and to guarantee that pork and pork products are safe to export.  
6.  In many countries, pork is a major contributor to the prote in supply of the general population 
that cannot easily be substituted. Disproportionate restrictions cause unnecessary economic damage 
without increasing the actual level of desired livestock health protection. In addition, rigid measures 
incommensurate with the risk at hand needlessly reduce the supply of part of people 's accustomed 
diets, while resulting price increases may lead to inflation pressures and to detrimental effects on 
the wider economy.  G/SPS/W/322  
 
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  7.  In spite of the benefits of maintaining diverse supplies , it may be challenging for importing and 
exporting WTO Members to bilaterally agree on safe trade conditions and avoid unnecessary 
restrictions. For this precise reason, the relevant international standard setting bodies developed 
their specific recommend ations for the risk assessment and management of infectious animal 
diseases. In the case of ASF, these recommendations were jointly developed by OIE Members, 
adopted by consensus by the O IE General Assembly, and they are revised over time when needed.  
8.  We are facing a situation where some WTO Members seem unable to use the recommendations  
they themselves have developed with the very aim of avoiding the disproportionate trade restrictions 
that they are now imposing.  
9.  It is essential to reaffirm the importa nce of existing international standards and build consensus 
among WTO Members about their application to allow safe trade conditions for pork and pork 
products.  
3  PROPOSAL  
10.  The E uropean Union proposes a thematic session on ASF to allow for an in -depth  exchange of 
views  on the situation and possibly map out a way forward.  
11.  Ideally, this event would offer a snapshot of the epidemiological situation, of the measures 
taken by affected countries to manage the risk together with a review of available risk man agement 
options of the OIE standards  to mitigate the economic impact of ASF . 
12.  The proposed thematic session would  provide an opportunity for WTO Members to exchange 
views , share experiences, best practices and new development s, and allow relevant ISSB s to present 
existing standards, guidelines and recommendations.  
13.  The E uropean Union invites WTO Members to consider this proposal. If acceptable to the 
Committee, interested Members are invited to join the E uropean Union in developing a programme 
to make of this  thematic session an interesting and useful investment for all participants.  
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