G/SPS/N/SAU/288  
 
15 August 2017  
(17-4376) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitar y Measures  Original: English  
 
  NOTIFICATION OF EMER GENCY MEASURES  
1. Notifying Member : KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARA BIA 
If applicable, name of local government involved:   
2. Agency responsible:  Livestock Risk Assessment Department, Ministry of Environment, 
Water and 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): Equine  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent r elevant or practicable : 
[ ] All trading partners   
[X] Specific regions or countries: Netherlands, Switzerland  
5. Title of the notified document : Notice of Ministry of Environment Water and 
Agriculture, Decision No. 293/1291/1438 dated 30 July 2017 (7/11/1 438H) entitled 
"Temporary ban on the importation of Equine" from Netherlands and Switzerland . 
Language (s): . Number of pages:   
6. Description of content: Following the OIE report s, ref. No. 27, Vol. 30 dated 
3 July 2017, and ref. No. 28, Vol. 30 dated 10 July 2017, which indicate that Equine 
Infectious Anaemia (EIA) outbreak s have reoccurred in Netherlands and Switzerland, it 
is deemed necessary for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to prevent the entry of EIA 
disease into the country. Therefore, the import of e quine from Netherlands and 
Switzerland 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 territo ry from 
other damage from pest s.  
8. Nature of the urgent problem(s) and reason for urgent action: Outbreaks of EIA 
were reported by official announcement of the World Organization for Animal Health 
(OIE) in Ne therlands and Switzerland. They urge the King dom of Saudi Arabia to 
institute this emergency measure to prevent the entry of EIA 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 12.5  
[ ] Internation al Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) :  
[ ] None G/SPS/N/SAU/288  
 
- 2 - 
 
  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): 
30 July 2017 (7/11/1438 AH)  
[ ] Trade facilit ating  measure   
12. Agency or authority designated to handle comments : [ ] National Notification 
Authority, [ ] Natio nal Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e-mail address 
(if available) of other body:  
Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture  
Livestock Risk Assessment Department  
King Abdel Aziz Road, Riyadh 11195  
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia  
Tel: +(966 11) 4044292  
 +(966 11) 4016666  
E-mail: sanad@mewa.sa  
Website: http://www.moa.gov.sa/public/portal  
13. Text(s)  available from:  [ ] National Notification Authority, [  ] National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body:  
Ministr y of Environment, Water and Agriculture  
Livestock Risk Assessment Department  
King Abdel Aziz Road, Riyadh 11195  
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia  
Tel: +(966 11) 4044292  
 +(966 11) 4016666  
E-mail: sanad@mewa.sa  
Website: http://www.moa.gov.sa/public/portal