G/SPS/N/PHL/429  
 
19 December 2018  
(18-8019) Page: 1/3 
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, egg s and semen  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[ ] All trading partners  
[X] Specific regions or countries: Bulgaria  
5. Title of the notified document: Department of Agriculture Memorandum Order No. 37 
Series of 2018 Temporary Ban on the Importation of Domestic and Wild Birds and their 
Products Including Poultry Meat, Day -Old Chicks, Eggs and Semen Originating from 
Bulgaria . Language(s): English .  Number of pages: 1 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2018/SPS/PHL/18_6503_00_e.pdf  
6. Description of content: The Order temporarirly  bans the importation of domestic and 
wild birds and their products, including poultry meat, day -old chicks, eggs and semen, 
and suspends the processing and evaluation of the application and issuance of Sanitary 
and Phytosanitary (SPS) import clearance for  the aforementioned commodities. Stoppage 
and confiscation of all shipments of the said commodities into the country will be 
conducted by all DA Veterinary Quarantine Officers/Inspectors at all major ports.  
7. Objective and rationale: [X]  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: Based on the official 
reports submitted by Dr  Damyan Iliev, Chief Veterinary Officer and Deputy Executive 
Director, Bulgarian Food Safety Agency, Ministry of Agriculture and Food, Sofia, Bulgaria 
to the World Organisation for Ani mal Health (OIE) from 8 October to 4 November 2018, 
there were outbreaks  of H5N8 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) virus in two 
provinces affecting birds as confirmed by National reference laboratory for avian influenza 
and Newcastle disease (National laboratory).  
9. Is there a relevant international standard? If so, i dentify the standard:  
[ ] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex 
standard or related text) :  G/SPS/N/PHL/429  
 
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  [X] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g.  Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number) : Chapter 10.4, Articles 10.4.19, 
10.4.20 and 10.4.26 of the OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code, 2018  
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (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): 
9 November 2018  
[ ] 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:  
Department of Agr iculture (DA)  
Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI)  
Office of the Director  
Policy Research Service  
Department of Agriculture  
Elliptical Road, Diliman  
Quezon City  
Tel: +(632) 926 7439  
Fax: +(632) 928 0590  
E-mail: spspilipinas@da.gov.ph  
 
or 
 
National Veterinary Quarantine Services  
Bureau of Animal Industry  
Visayas Avenue, Diliman  
Quezon City  
Tel: +(632) 920 0815  
Fax: +(632) 920 0916  
E-mail: nvqs_bai@yahoo.com  
 quarantine_bai@yahoo.com  G/SPS/N/PHL/429  
 
- 3 - 
 
  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:  
Department of Agriculture (DA)  
Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI)  
Office of the Director  
Policy Research Service  
Department of Agriculture  
Elliptical Road, Diliman , 
Quezon City  
Tel: +(632) 926 7439  
Fax: +(632) 928 0590  
E-mail: spspilipinas@da.gov.ph  
 
or 
 
National Veterinary Quarantine Services  
Bureau of Animal Industry  
Visayas Avenue, Diliman  
Quezon City  
Tel: +(632) 920 0815  
Fax: +(632) 920 0916  
E-mail: nvqs_bai@yahoo.com  
 quarantine_bai@yahoo.com