G/SPS/N/PHL/406  
 
12 February  2018 
(18-0929) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY MEASURES  
1. Notifying Member:  PHILIPPINES  
If applicable, name of local government involved:   
2. Agency responsible:  Department of Agriculture (DA), Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI)  
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): Domestic and wild birds and their products including poultry  meat, 
day-old chicks, eggs and semen  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[ ] All trading partners  
[X] Specific regions or countries: Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of  
5. Title of the notified document: Departmen t of Agriculture (DA) Memorandum Order 
(MO) No. 04, series of 2018, Temporary ban on the importation of domestic and wild birds 
and their products including poultry meat, day -old chicks, eggs, and semen originating 
from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia . Languag e(s): English.  Number of pages: 1 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2018/SPS/PHL/18_0821_00_e.pdf  
6. Description of content: This order provides the rationale and the conditions in instituting 
this emergency measure imposing a temporary ban on the importation of poultry and 
poultry products from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.  
7. Objective and rationale: [  ] food safety, [X]  animal health, [  ] plant prot ection, 
[ ] 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: This MO was issued 
based on the official report submitted by Dr Ali Al Dowe riej, Director General of Veterinary 
Health and Monitoring Department, Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, 
Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) on 
22 December 2017 and 2 January 2018, indicating that  there were outbreaks of H5N8 
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) virus in Riyadh and Al Mazahmyia in the 
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia affecting birds.  
9. Is there a relevant international standard? If so, identify the standard:  
[ ] Codex Alimentarius Co mmission (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) : Articles 10.4.19, 10.4.20 and 10.4.26 
of the OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code, 2017  
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) :  G/SPS/N/PHL/406  
 
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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): 
17 January 2018  
[ ] 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:  
Office of the Dir ector 
Policy Research Service  
Department of Agriculture  
Elliptical Road, Diliman  
Quezon City  
Tel: +(632) 926 7439  
Fax: +(632) 928 0590  
E-mail: spspilipinas@da.gov.ph  
or 
National Veterinary Quarantine Services  
Bureau of Animal Industry  
Visayas Avenue, Diliman  
Quezon City  
Tel: +(632) 920 0815  
Fax: +(632) 920 0916  
E-mail: nvqs_bai@yahoo.com  
 quarantine_bai@yahoo.com  
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:  
Office of the Director  
Policy Research Service  
Department of Agriculture  
Elliptical Road, Diliman  
Quezon City  
Tel: +(632) 926 7439  
Fax: +(632) 928 0590  
E-mail: spspilipinas@da.gov.ph  
or 
National Veterinary Quarantine Services  
Bureau of Animal Industry  
Visayas Avenue, Diliman  
Quezon City  
Tel: +(632) 920 0815  
Fax: +(632) 920 0916  
E-mail: nvqs_bai@yahoo.com  
 quarantine_bai@yahoo.com