G/SPS/N/SAU/377  
 
25 October 2018  
(18-6714) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY MEASURES  
1. Notifying Member:  KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARA BIA 
If applicable, name of local government involved:   
2. Agency responsible:  Livestock Risk Assessment Department, Ministry of Environment, 
Water and 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): Live Pacific white shrimp (Penaeus vannamei ) 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[ ] All trading partners  
[X] Specific regions or countries: Malaysia  
5. Title of the notified document: Notice of the Ministry of Envir onment, Water and 
Agriculture, Decision No. 54035/79731/1440 dated 1 October 2018 (21/1/1440 H) 
entitled "Temporary ban on the importation of live Pacific white shrimp (Penaeus 
vannamei ) from Malaysia" . Language(s): . Number of pages:  
6. Description of content: Following the OIE report, ref. No. 38 Vol. 31 dated  
14 September 2018, which indicates that infectious myonecrosis disease has occurred in 
Malaysia, it is deemed necessary for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to prevent the entry of 
the disease into the country. Therefore, the importation of live Pacific white shrimp 
(Penaeus vannamei ) from Malaysia to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is temporarily 
suspended.  
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.  
8. Nature of the urgent problem(s) and reason for urgent action: An outbreak of 
infectious myonecrosis was reported by official announce ment of the World Organization 
for Animal Health (OIE) in Malaysia. This urges the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to institute 
this emergency measure to prevent the entry of the disease into the country.  
9. Is there a relevant international standard? If so, iden tify 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) : Aquatic Animal Health C ode, 
Chapter  9.5 
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) :  
[ ] None  G/SPS/N/SAU/377  
 
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  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): 
1 October 2018 (21/1/1440 H)  
[ ] Trade facilitating measure  
12. Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [  ] National Notification 
Authority, [X]  National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address 
(if available) of other body:  
Ministry of Environment , Water and Agriculture  
Livestock Risk Assessment Department  
Eastern Ring Road, Exit 12, Riyadh 11195  
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia  
Tel: +(966 11) 404 4292  
 +(966 11) 401 6666  
E-mail: anml.rsk@mewa.gov.sa  
Website: http://www.mewa.gov.sa/pu blic/portal  
13. Text(s) available from: [  ] National Notification Authority, [X]  National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if available) of other body:  
Ministry of Environment , Water and Agriculture  
Livestock Risk Assessment Department  
Eastern Ring Road, Exit 12, Riyadh 11195  
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia  
Tel: +(966 11) 404 4292  
 +(966 11) 401 6666  
E-mail: anml.rsk@mewa.gov.sa  
Website: http://www.mewa.gov.sa/public/portal