G/SPS/N/PHL/529  
6 February 2024  
(24-0946) 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 the extent relevant or practicable : 
[ ] All trading partners   
[X] Specific regions or countries:  The States of California and Ohio , United States of 
America  
5. Title of the notified document:  Department of Agriculture Memorandum Order No. 03, 
Series of 2024 , Temporary ban on the importation of domestic and wild birds and their 
products including poultry meat, day -old chicks, eggs and semen originating from the 
States of California and Ohio, USA . Language(s):  English . Number of pages:  2 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2024/SPS/PHL/24_00638_00_e.pdf  
6. Description of content:  The Order, signed on 15 Januar y 2024, bans the importation of 
domestic and wild birds and their products, including poultry meat, day -old chicks, eggs 
and semen from California and Ohio, U nited States of America . It also immediately 
suspends the processing, evaluation of application, a nd issuance of SPS import clearance 
for the said goods. All shipments that are in transit/loaded/accepted unto port before the 
official communication of this order to the American authorities shall be allowed provided 
the products were slaughtered/slaughte red 14 days before the first outbreak in the 
particular locality. Fresno County, California, 20 Nov ember  2023; Union County, Ohio, 
21 November  2023.  
7. Objective and rationale: [  ] food safety, [X]  animal health, [  ] plant protection, 
[ ] protect humans f rom 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 the Deputy Administrator and Chief Veterinary Officer, Animal and 
Plant Health Inspection Service, Veterinary Services, United States Department of 
Agriculture, Washington DC, U nited States of America  to the World Organisation for Animal 
Health (WOAH) and Plant Health Inspect Service (APHIS) official website in 
December  2023 , there were several outbreaks of H5N1 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza 
(HPAI) in the States of California and Ohio, U nited States of America  affecting birds as 
confirmed by the National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) Ames, Iowa (National 
Laboratory ). G/SPS/N/PHL/529  
 
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  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) : Chapter 10.4 of the Terrestrial Health 
Code (2021)  
[ ] International Plant Protection C onvention (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  
Tel: +(632) 8926 7439  
Fax: +(632) 8928 0590  
E-mail: spspilipinas@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  
Tel: +(632) 8926 7439  
Fax: +(632) 8928 0590  
E-mail: spspilipinas@da.gov.ph