G/SPS/GEN/1364  
 
8 October 2014  
(14-5712)  Page: 1/3  
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English/French/Spanish  
 
 61ST MEETING OF THE SPS COMMITTEE 
COMMUNICATION FROM THE WORLD ORGA NISATION FOR ANIMAL HEALTH (OIE) 
The following communication, received on 7 October 2014, is being circulated at the request of the 
OIE. 
 
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 1.  The World Organisation for Animal Health (O IE) is pleased to provid e this update to the 
61
st meeting of the SPS Committee. 
2.  The report summarises key developments in the OIE standard-setting work programme, with a 
focus on the September 2014 meetings of the Terrestrial Animal Health Standards Commission (Code Commission) and the Aquatic Animal Health Standards Commission (Aquatic Animals 
Commission). 
3.  The reports of both meetings will be available on the OIE website shortly. Key topics addressed 
at these meetings include: 
1  CRITERIA FOR LISTING DISEASES 
4.  Following further discussion on this subject during the OIE General Session in May 2014 the 
OIE has committed to bring together an ad hoc  group to review the existing disease listing criteria. 
2  ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE 
5.  Considering the increasing importance of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in animal health and 
public health, OIE continues to tackle the issue under its mandates. Updating the OIE standards on AMR is an important on-going role for the OIE. Four out of five chapters in the OIE Terrestrial 
Animal Health Code dedicated to AMR have already undergone major revision and been adopted 
by the OIE member countries. A new draft chapter on "Risk analysis for antimicrobial resistance arising from the use of antimicrobial agents in aquatic animals" has been developed, and is being 
circulated for member countries' review and comments with the September meeting report of the 
Aquatic Animals Commission. 
3  DEFINITION OF SAFE COMMODITIES 6.  The Code Commission is proposing a definition for safe commodity to be included in the 
glossary for member countries' consideration. Adoption of such a definition in the glossary is 
expected to more clearly highlight instances of inappropriate use of unwarranted sanitary 
measures for all of those commodities specifically identified as safe in the various disease-specific 
standards. 
4  FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE (FMD) 7.  Extensive work has been undertaken by an ad hoc  group, the Scientific Commission for Animal 
Diseases, the Code Commission and OIE staff to co mprehensively review the FMD chapter, and the 
process for official recognition of FMD status by the OIE. The revised chapters are being circulated G/SPS/GEN/1364 
 
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  with the report of the September meeting report of the Code Commission for member countries' 
review and comment, with a view to proposing the revised chapters for adoption in May 2015. 
5  GLANDERS 8.  Extensive work has also been undertaken to comprehensively review and update the current 
chapter. Again the revised chapter is being circul ated with the report of the September meeting 
report of the Code Commission meeting fo r member countries' review and comment. 
6  OIE CAPACITY-BUILDING: PVS PATHWAY 
9.  The OIE continues its global initiative to support member countries wishing to comply with 
quality standards of national Veterinary Services and Aquatic Animal Health Services by following the PVS Pathway. A summary of progress on PVS Pathway missions is provided in the attached Annex. 
10.  Members may also be interested to note that "implementation of internationally agreed 
standards for core capacities such as the World Health Organisation International Health Regulations, the World Organisation for Animal Health Performance of Veterinary Services and 
other global health security frameworks" have very  recently been identified as key objectives of 
the Global Health Security Agenda to advance a world safe and secure from infectious disease threats. G/SPS/GEN/1364 
 
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  ANNEX 
A SUMMARY OF PROGRESS ON PVS PATHWAY EVALUATIONS 
PVS Evaluation missions: State of play (5 September 2014) 
 OIE members PVS Evaluation 
requests 
received PVS Evaluation 
missions 
implemented Reports 
available for 
(restricted) 
distribution to 
Donors and 
Partners 
Africa 54 53 51 40 
Americas 29 25 23 18 
Asia, the Far East 
and Oceania 32 23 19 11 
Europe 53 16 16 12 
Middle East 12 13 11 5 
TOTAL 180 130 120 86 
 
PVS Gap Analysis: State of play (5 September 2014) 
 OIE members PVS Gap 
Analysis 
requests 
received PVS Gap 
Analysis 
missions 
implemented Reports 
available for 
(restricted) 
distribution to 
Donors and 
Partners 
Africa 54 46 41 23 
Americas 29 15 11 10 
Asia, the Far East 
and Oceania 32 18 13 7 
Europe 53 8 7 2 
Middle East 12 8 4 0 
TOTAL 180 95 76 42 
 
Veterinary Legislation: State of play (5 September 2014) 
 OIE members PVS Legislation mission 
requests received PVS Legislation missions 
implemented 
Africa 54 37 21 
Americas 29 7 6 
Asia, the Far East 
and Oceania 32 5 5 
Europe 53 5 2 
Middle East 12 4 4 
TOTAL 180 58 38 
 
 
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