G/SPS/N/SAU/328  
 
15 December 2017  
(17-6970) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY MEASURES  
1. Notifying Member:  KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARA BIA 
If applicable, name of local government involved:   
2. Agency responsible:  Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA)  
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): Meat and meat products from cattle, goats and sheep  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[ ] All trading partners  
[X] Specific regions or countries: Portugal  
5. Title of the notified document: Notice of administrative order of Saudi Food and Drug 
Authority Ref. No. 10752  dated 26 November 2017 (08/03/1439 AH) entitled "Lifting of 
the temporary ban on the importation of meat and meat products from cattle, goats and 
sheep originat ed from Portugal" . Language(s): . Number of pages:   
6. Description of content: Lifting of the temporary ban on the importation of meat and 
meat products of cattle, goats and sheep from Portugal to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 
under certain conditions.  
7. Objective and rationale: [X]  food safety, [  ] animal health, [  ] plant protectio n, 
[ ] 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: The SFDA decided to 
lift the ban on the importation of meat and meat products from cattle, goats and sheep 
from Portugal and approve the Portuguese National Authority for Animal Health (DGAV) as 
a competent authority.  
This was b ased on : the OIE report No. 26 dated May 2017, that classifies Portugal as 
negligible BSE risk ; the SFDA tec hnical team's observation of the controls applied by the 
competent authorities in Portugal concerning BSE disease ; and the applied registration and 
control procedures in the meat and meat products from cattle, goats and sheep 
slaughtering and processing fa cilities.  
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) : Terrest rial Animal Health Code 
Chapter  11.4. 
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) :  G/SPS/N/SAU/328  
 
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  [ ] 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): 
26 November 2017 (08/03/1439 AH)  
[ ] 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:  
Saudi Food and Drug Authority  
SFDA - 3292 North Ring road Al Nafel Area Unit (1) - Riyadh 13312 - 6288 
Tel: +(966 11) 275 9222, ext. 3331  
Fax: +(966 11) 210 9825  
E-mail: SPSEP.Food@sfda.gov.sa  
Website: http://www.sfda.gov.sa  
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:  
Saudi Food and Drug Authority  
SFDA - 3292 North Ring road Al Nafel Area Unit (1) - Riyadh 13312 - 6288 
Tel: +(966 11) 275 9222, ext. 3331  
Fax: +(966 11) 210 9825  
E-mail: SPSEP.Food@sfda.gov.sa  
Website: http://www.sfda.gov.sa