G/SPS/N/ALB/194  
 
24 November 2016  
(16-6466) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  NOTIFICATION OF EMER GENCY MEASURES  
1. Notifying Member : ALBANIA  
If applicable, name of local government involved:    
2. Agency responsible:  Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Water 
Management  
3. Products covered (pr ovide tariff item number(s) as specified in national 
schedules deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in 
addition, where applicable): Live animals (all ruminants and herbivores affected by 
the bluetongue disease), semen, embryos and ova of all ruminants and herbivores 
affected by bluetongue disease  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[ ] All trading partners   
[X] Specific regions or countries:  
1. France, in the region s of: Allier, Creuse, Che r, Nièvre, Saône -Et-Loire, Cantal, Indre, 
Loire, Loiret, Corrèze, Aveyron, Cher, Lozère, Haute -Loire, Yonne, Isère, Haute -
Vienne, Dordogne, Lot, Vienne, Charente -Maritime, Gironde, Rhône, Puy -de-Dôme, 
Ariège, Haute -Savoie, Doubs, Haute -Marne, Côte -d'Or, Ha utes-Pyrénées, Ain, 
Doubs, Haute -Garonne, Meuse, Jura, Vosges, Ardèche, Savoie;  
2. Italy, in the regions of: Veneto, Trento;  
3. Croatia, in the regions of: Sibensko -Kninska, Dubrovacko -Neretvanska, Licko -
Senjska, Karlovacka, Sisacko -Moslavacka , Istarska, Osijeck o-Baranjska;  
4. Serbia, in the region of: Srbija; and  
5. Cyprus, in the regions of: Larnaca , Lefkosia, Ammochostos . 
5. Title of the notified document : Order of the Minister of Agriculture, Rural 
Development and Water Management "On some protective measures aga inst the 
Bluetongue disease in France, Italy, Croatia, Serbia and Cyprus" . Language (s): 
Albanian . Number of pages:  2 
6. Description of content: This Order of the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development 
and Water Management provides some protective meas ures against the outbreak of 
bluetongue disease in the regions  indicated  in point 4. A ban has been placed on the 
import s of all ruminants and herbivores as well as semen, embryos and ova of all 
ruminants and herbivores affected by bluetongue disease, from  the territories describe d 
in point 4, to the Albanian territory . In addition, t he veterinary certificate should 
guarantee their origin. The measures also consist in stopping the import of unsterile 
biological materials originating from all ruminants and h erbivores affected by bluetongue 
disease in the territories describe d in point 4, to the Albanian territory.  
7. Objective and rationale: [ ]  food safety, [X]  animal health, [ ]  plant protection, 
[X] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [X]  protect territory 
from other damage from pests. The objective is to protect animal health in the 
territory of Albania against the bluetongue disease outbreak into the territories described 
in point 4.  G/SPS/N/ALB/194  
 
- 2 - 
 
  8. Nature of the urgent problem(s) and reason for urgent  action: This Order is to 
protect animal health against bluetongue disease, by banning the import and transit of 
all ruminants and herbivores as well as semen, embryos and ova of all ruminants and 
herbivores affected by bluetongue disease.  
9. Is there a r elevant 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 Co de, chapter number) : Chapter number 8.3 "Bluetongue 
disease"  
[ ] Internation al Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) :   
[ ] None  
Does this proposed regulation conform to the re levant international standard?  
[X] Yes   [ ] No 
If no, describe, whenev er possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard :   
10. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  
Notifications  submitted to  the World Organization for Animal Health, OIE, related to the 
outbreak of blueton gue disease in France (11  November 2016), Italy 
(14 November  2016), Croatia (10 November 2016), Serbia (7 November 2016), and 
Cyprus (6  November 2016) according to the Terrestrial Animal Health Code.  
11. Date of entry into force  (dd/mm/yy )/period of appli cation (as applicable): 
17 November 2016   
[ ] Trade facilit ating  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 oth er body:   
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:  
General Directory of Agriculture Services and Fishery  
SPS Enquiry Point - Albania  
Tel: +(355 4) 2 259 333  
Fax: +(355 4) 2 259 333  
E-mail: mbumk_sps@yahoo.com  
Website: http://www.bujqesia.gov.al