G/SPS/N/SAU/238  
 
22 December 2016   
(16-7038) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  NOTIFICATION OF EMER GENCY MEASURES  
1. Notifying Member : KINGDOM OF  SAUDI ARABIA  
If applicable, name of local government involved:    
2. Agency responsible:  Animal and Plant Quarantine Department, Ministry of 
Environment, Water a nd 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 birds, hatching eggs and one -day old chicks  
4. Regions or cou ntries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[ ] All trading partners    
[X] Specific regions or countries: Tunisia  
5. Title of the notified document : Notice of Ministry of Environment Water and 
Agriculture Decision No. 97894 dated 12 December 2016 (13/03/1438 AH) entitled 
"Temporary Ban of importation of Live Bird, Hatching Egg and One day Old Chick" 
originated from Tunisia . Language (s):  . Number of pages:    
6. Description of content: Following the OIE report, Ref. No. 48, Vol.  29 dated 
1 December 2016, which indicates that a HPAI outbreak has reoccurred in Tunisia, it is 
deemed necessary for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to prevent the entry of HPAI disease 
into the country. Therefore, the import of live birds, hatching eggs and one -day old 
chicks from Tunisia to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is temporarily suspended.  
7. Objective and rationale: [ ] food safety, [X] animal health, [ ] plant protection,  
[ ] protect humans fro m animal/plant pest or disease, [ ]  protect territory from 
other damage from pest s.   
8. Nature of the urgent problem(s) and reason for urgent action: An outbreak of 
HPAI was reported by official announcement of the World Organization for Animal Health 
(OIE) on 12 December 2016 in Tunisia. This urges the Kingdom of  Saudi Arabia to 
institute this emergency measure to prevent the entry of HPAI virus into the country.  
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) : Animal Terrestrial health code, 
Chapter 10.4  
[ ] Internation al Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) :   
[ ] None  G/SPS/N/SAU/23 8 
 
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  Does this proposed regulation conform to the re levant international standard?  
[X] Yes   [ ] No 
If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard :   
10. Other r elevant documents and language(s) in which these  are available:      
11. Date of entry into force  (dd/mm/yy )/period of application (as applicable): 
12 December 2016  (13/03/1438 AH)  
[ ] Trade facilit ating  measure    
12. Agency or authority designated to handle comments : [ ] National Notification 
Authorit y, [X] National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e-mail address 
(if available) of other body:  
Ministry of Agriculture  
Animal and Plant Quarantine Department  
king Abd ul aziz road  
Tel: +(966 11) 4044292  
 +(966 11) 4016666 Ext. 3074  
Fax: +(966 11) 401 1323 
E-mail: ossamaalsaleh2@gmail.com  
Website: http://www.moa.gov.sa/public/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 Agriculture  
Animal and Plant Quarantine Department  
king Abdul -Aziz road  
Tel: +(966 11) 4044292  
 +(966 11) 4016666 Ext. 3074  
Fax: +(966 11) 4011323  
E-mail: ossamaalsaleh2@gmail.com  
Website: http://www.moa.gov.sa/public/portal