G/SPS/N/CRI/163  
1 September 2015  
(15-4359)  Page: 1/2  
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: Spanish  
 
  NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY MEASURES 
1. Notifying Member: COSTA RICA 
If applicable, name of local government involved:  
2. Agency responsible: Ministerio de Agricultura y Ganadería, Servicio Nacional de Salud 
Animal, SENASA  (Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, National Animal Health Service) 
3. Products covered (provide tariff item  number(s) as specified in national 
schedules deposited with the WTO; ICS num bers should be provided in addition, 
where applicable): HS tariff subheading: 0105 - Wild birds in captivity and domestic 
birds 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected , to the extent relevant or practicable: 
[X] All trading partners 
[ ] Specific regions or countries:  
5. Title of the notified document: Declaratoria de emergencia sanitaria nacional de orden 
público e interés social la prevención, el control y erradicación de la enfermedad de Newcastle Velogénico  (Declaration of a national health emergency, and declaration of the 
prevention, control and eradication of velogenic Newcastle disease as a matter of public 
policy and social interest) Language(s): Spanish Number of pages: 2 
Text available at:  
http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2015/SPS/CRI/15_3467_00_s.pdf 
6. Description of content: A nationwide epidemic and health emergency has been declared 
due to the presence of velogenic Newcastl e disease in Costa Rican territory, and the 
prevention, control and eradication of the dise ase has been declared as a matter of public 
policy and of social interest. 
7. Objective and rationale: [ ] food safety, [X] animal heal th, [ ] 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 reasons for urgent action: 
 High mortality in a backyard flock of birds in the village of Bella Vista (district of Santa 
Cecilia, canton of La Cruz) was reported to SENASA. Following an epidemiological investigation and highly specialized laboratory tests, it was determined that the cause 
was velogenic Newcastle disease virus; 
 Velogenic Newcastle disease, which until now has been an exotic disease in Costa Rica, 
is an infectious contagious condition affecting birds, caused by a virus from the 
Paramyxoviridae family. It has one of the highest rates of mortality and morbidity, 
leads to heavy financial losses and threatens food safety, as it reduces the availability of easily obtainable animal protein with a high nutritional value; 
 Infected birds play a significant role in transmitting the disease as the viral particles in 
contaminated excrement can be inhaled or in gested by susceptible birds, making this G/SPS/N/CRI/163 
- 2 - 
  the main route of infection. 
 These adverse health events require immediate and urgent attention in order to 
prevent the spread of the disease, and to control and potentially eradicate it, as they 
are causing serious damage to the country's industry and economy, and because poultry farming contributes significantly to the livestock component of GDP, as a source of basic food. The economic losses ca used by Newcastle disease are and will be 
irretrievable.  
9. Is there a relevant international stan dard? If so, identify the standard:  
[ ] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g. title or serial number of Codex 
standard or related text)  
[X] World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g. Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number)  Chapter 10.9: Infection with Newcastle 
disease virus, Terrestrial Animal Health Code 
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention ( e.g. ISPM No. ) 
[ ] 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: 
http://www.senasa.go.cr/senasa/si tio/index.php/pa ginas/view/192  
http://www.oie.int/wahis_2/public/wahid.php /Reviewreport/Review /viewsummary?fupser=
&dothis=&reportid=17615  (available in English) 
11. Date of entry into force ( dd/mm/yy )/period of application (as applicable): 
Following adoption, Official Journal La Gaceta  No. 161 of 19 August 2015 
[ ] Trade facilitating measure  
12. Agency or authority designated to hand le comments: [X] National Notification 
Authority, [ ] National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and email address (if 
available) of other body:   
13. Text(s) available from: [X] National Noti fication Authority, [X] National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and email address (if available) of other body: 
Ministerio de Agricultura y Ganadería 
Servicio Fitosanitario del Estado (SFE) Centro de Información y Notificación MSF 
Apartado Postal 1521 - 1200 
San José, Costa Rica Tel.: (+506) 2549 3454 
Fax: (+506) 2549 3598 
Email: puntocontactoMSF@sfe.go.cr