G/SPS/N/USA/2948  
 
11 August 2017  
(17-4348) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  NOTIFICATION  
1. Notifying Member: UNITED STATES OF AME RICA 
If applicable, name of local government involved:  
2. Agency responsible: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the United 
States Department of Agricult ure (USDA)  
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): Cattle, beef, and beef products  
4. Regions or countries likely to be a ffected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[ ] All trading partners  
[X] Specific regions or countries: Costa Rica, Germany, Lithuania, Mexico, 
Namibia, Romania, Spain  
5. Title of the notified document: Concurrence with OIE Risk Designations for Bovi ne 
Spongiform Encephalopathy (Docket # APHIS -2016-0092).  Language(s): English . 
Number of pages: 2 
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2017/08/08/2017 -16674/concurrence -with-
oie-risk-designations -for-bovine -spongiform -encephalopathy  
6. Description of content: The Animal and Plant Healt h Inspection Service (APHIS) is 
advising the public of its decision to concur with the World Organization for Animal 
Health's (OIE) bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) risk designations for seven 
regions. The OIE recognizes these regions as being of negligible risk for BSE. APHIS is 
taking this action ba sed on its review of information supporting the OIE's risk 
designations for these regions.  
Federal Register Vol. 82, No. 151, Tuesday, 8 August  2017 pg. 37041 -37042  
7. Objective and rationale: [  ] food safety, [X]  animal health, [  ] plant protection, 
[ ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [  ] protect territory from 
other damage from pests.  
8. 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) : Chapter 11.4; 
http://www.oie.int/fileadmin/Home/eng/Animal_Health_in_the_World/docs/pdf/
2016_A20_RESO_BSE.pdf  
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) :  
[ ] None  G/SPS/N/USA/2948  
 
- 2 - 
 
  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:  
9. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:   
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : Not applicable  
Propose d date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : 8 August 2017  
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [  ] Six months from date of publication , 
and/or  (dd/mm/yy) : Not applicable  
[ ] Trade facilitating measure  
12. Final date for comments: [  ] Sixty days from the date of  circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : Not applicable  
Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [  ] National Notification 
Authority, [  ] National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address 
(if available) of other body:  
Dr Roberta Morales, Senior Staff Veterinarian, Regionalization Evaluation Services, 
National Import Export Services, VS, APHIS, 920 Main Campus Drive, Suite 200, 
Raleigh, NC 27606; +(919) 855 7735  
13. Text(s)  available from: [  ] National Notification Authori ty, [ ] National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if available) of other body:   
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2017/08/08/2017 -16674/concurrence -with-
oie-risk-designations -for-bovine -spongiform -encephalopathy