G/SPS/GEN/1698  
15 March  2019 
(19-1608) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: Spanish  
 
  
RECOGNITION OF PERU AS A COUNTRY FREE OF FOOT -AND-MOUTH DISEASE  
WITHOUT VACCINATION  
COMMUNICATION FROM PERU  
The following communication, received on 1 4 March  2019, is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of Peru. 
 
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1.  Peru wishes to inform WTO Members of the work that has been done to secure  Peru's current 
health status as a country free of foot -and-mouth disease without vaccination . 
2.  In May 2005, ten regions in the south of Peru obtained international recognition from the World 
Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) as areas free of foot-and-mouth disease without vaccination . 
Ica, Arequipa, Ayacucho, Huancavelica, Apurímac, Cusco, Puno, M oquegua, Madre de Dios and Tacna  
were recognized  as areas where  export programmes for animals and animal products and 
by-products  could be implemented without any of the inconvenience caused by foot -and-mouth 
disease . 
3.  In May 2007, the OIE certified seven new regions in Peru as free of foot -and-mouth disease 
without vaccination : Amazonas, Loreto, San Martín, Huánuco, Ucayali, Pasco  and Junín. With this 
new disease -free zone, the percentage of Peruvian territory internationally recognized  as free of 
foot-and-mouth disease without vaccination rose from 33.6 % (south of the country) to 88.4 % 
(north  and centre) . 
4.  By 2008, more than  97.6% of Peruvian territory  was free from foot -and-mouth disease without 
vaccination  and had obtained international recognition from t he OIE ; the rest of the country (2.4 %), 
which comprised  strategic areas identified as being at risk, such as Piura, Tumbes, the province of 
San Ignacio in Cajamarca and Lima, was declared free of the disease with vaccination . 
5.  In this light, and in order to  maintain the health status achieved, the National Agrarian Health 
Service (SENASA ) enhanced  its quarantine and animal health surveillance systems, following up on 
notified cases of  vesicular diseases and conducting serological monitoring at national level  to rule 
out the presence of viral activity . 
6.  As part of the contingency measures introduced to maintain the status of the disease -free areas 
recognized  by the OIE, SENASA, through the Animal Health Directorate and the national 
foot-and-mouth disease progra mme, following a technical evaluation, set up  an animal health 
protection zone (buffer zone) at Peru's north -western border in the regions of Tumbes  and Piura and 
the province of  San Ignacio in Cajamarca . In this zone, r outine epidemiological surveillance activities  
were conducted, suspected cases of vesicular disease were dealt with, the movement of animals and 
animal products and by -products  was controlled,  and strategic vaccination measures were 
implemented . 
7.  In May 2018, the OIE recognized  Peru as a country entirely free of foot -and-mouth disease 
without vaccination . G/SPS/GEN/1698  
- 2 - 
  8.  Foot-and-mouth disease remains one of the most important livestock diseases worldwide due to 
its highly contagious nature and ability to adapt . The clinical damage it causes in  various animal 
species has a significant direct impact on animal welfare and an economic impact in terms of 
agribusiness productivity . It also poses serious market access problems for animals and products of 
animal origin due to international trade restri ctions established by the veterinary services of 
importing countries . 
9.  Being recognized  as a country free of foot -and-mouth disease without vaccination means that 
Peru is saving USD 10  million  a year on costs related to the control and eradication of the di sease , 
including on expenditure related  to the purchas e of vaccines . 
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