G/SPS/N/ARE/125  
 
26 September 2017  
(17-5093) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY MEASURES  
1. Notifying Member:  UNITED ARAB EMIRATES  
If applicable, name of local government involved:   
2. Agency responsible:  Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE)  
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): Live fish (HS Code: 0301), fish and its products (HS Code: 0302)  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[ ] All trading partners  
[X] Specific regions or countries: Panama  
5. Title of the notified document: Regulate the importation of live fish and its products 
from the establishments or areas free from the Red sea bream iridoviral disease in 
Panama . Language(s): Arabic.  Number of pages: 2 
6. Description of content: Following the notification published by the World Organization 
for Animal Health (OIE) regarding the outbreak of Red sea bream iridoviral disease in 
Panama, the United Arab Emirates is applying a temporary emergency measure to prevent 
the risk of introducing Red sea bream iridoviral disease through the imports of live fish and 
its products from Panama. Th erefore, MOCCAE regulates the importation of live fish and its 
products from free establishments or free areas only in Panama. The competent authority 
in Panama should declare that in the accompanied health certificates for export of live fish 
and their pr oducts (as additional declaration).  
7. Objective and rationale: [X]  food safety, [X]  animal health, [  ] plant protection, 
[ ] 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: To address 
biosecurity risks associated with imported live fish and its products. Therefore there is a 
risk of entering Red sea bream iridoviral disease to the United Arab Emirates with imported  
live fish and its products from infected areas.  
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) : Chapter 10.8 of the World Organization 
for Animal Health (OIE), Aquatic Animal Health code  
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) :  
[ ] None  G/SPS/N/ARE/125  
 
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  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 avail able:    
11. Date of entry into force ( dd/mm/yy )/period of application (as applicable): 
25 September 2017  
[ ] 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:  
Ministry of Climate Change and Environment  
Eng. Majd Mohamed Alherbawi  
Director of Food Safety Department  
P.O. Box 1509  
United Arab Emirates - Dubai  
Tel: +(971 4) 214 8472  
Fax: +(971 4) 265 5822  
Mobile: +(971 50) 6260516  
E-mail: mmalherbawi@moccae.gov.ae  
Website: http://www.moccae.gov.ae  
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:  
Ministry of Climate Change and Environment  
Eng. Ahlam Almannaei  
Agricultural Engineer in Food Safety Department  
SPS Enquiry Point  
P.O. Box 1509  
United Arab Emirates - Dubai  
Tel: +(971 4) 214 8495  
Fax: +(971 4) 265 5822  
Mobile: +(971 50) 5903056  
E-mail: aaalmannaei@moccae.gov.ae  
Website: http://www.moccae.gov.ae