G/SPS/GEN/1519  
 
14 October  2016 
(16-5561) Page: 1/6 
Committee on Sanitary and Phyto sanitary Measures  Original: English/French/Spanish  
 
67TH MEETING OF THE SPS C OMMITTEE  
COMMUNICATION FROM T HE WORLD ORGANISATIO N FOR ANIMAL HEALTH (OIE)  
The following communication, received on 12 October  2016, is being circulated at the request of 
the OIE. 
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The World Organisation for Animal  Health (OIE) is pleased to provide this report for the 
information of WTO Members attending the 67th meeting of the SPS Committee.  
The report summarises key developments in the OIE 's standard -setting work programme, along 
with updates on the OIE 's Capacit y Building activities.  
1  DEVELOPMENTS IN THE OIE STANDARDS FOR TE RRESTRIAL AND AQUATI C ANIMALS  
1.1.  The Biological Standards Commission met from 30 August to 2 September 2016 and 
reviewed comments from member countries  and experts on the Manual of Diagnostic Test s and 
Vaccines for Terrestrial Animals . It revised twenty Chapters as well as the Glossary. These will be 
circulated for member country  comments which will be considered at its February 2017 meeting.  
1.2.  The Terrestrial Animal Health Standards Commission (Code  Commission) met from 5 to 16 
September 2016 and reviewed comments from member countries  and experts and prepared new 
and revised texts for the Terrestrial Animal Health Code  (Terrestrial Code ). Twenty -three new or 
revised Chapters as well as the Glossary and work programme will be circulated for member 
country  comments which will be considered at its February 2017 meeting.  
1.3.  The Scientific Commission for Animal Diseases met from 5 to 9 September 2016. The 
Commission examined comments from member countries  on specific Terrestrial Code chapters 
under discussion. Advice in relation to the comments was then provided to the Code Commission 
for their consideration.  
1.4.  The Aquatic Animal Health Standards Commission (Aquatic Animals Commission) met from 
12 to 16 Septemb er 2016 and reviewed member country  comments and prepared new and revised 
texts for the Aquatic Animal Health Code  (Aquatic Code ) and the Manual of Diagnostic Tests for 
Aquatic Animals . The Commission revised sixteen chapters and the Glossary in the Aquati c Code  
and eight chapters in the Aquatic Manual  which were circulated for member country  comments and 
which will be considered at its February 2017 meeting.  
1.5.  The full reports of the above four Commission meetings will be available on the OIE website 
by the end of November 2017. The OIE draws the attention of WTO Members to the following 
important developments in the Terrestrial Code  and Aquatic Code . G/SPS/GEN/1519  
 
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  1.1  Terrestrial Code  
1.1.1   OIE procedures relevant to the WTO SPS Agreement (Chapter 5.3.)  
1.6.  Chapter 5.3. has been update d taking into account the comments from member countries . 
Notably, a sentence was added to Article 5.3.7. to clar ify that the OIE definition of " zone" has the 
same meaning as "region " and "area" as used in the SPS Agreeme nt. 
1.1.2   Infection with African swine fe ver virus (Chapter 15.1.)  
1.7.  The first draft of the updated chapter, circulated for member countries ' consideration in 
February 2015, generated many comments that have now been reviewed by experts and the 
Specialist Commissi ons. 
1.1.3   Infection with Mycobacterium t uberculosis  complex (draft new Chapter 8.X.)  
1.8.  Following the merging of chapters on Brucellosis  into a single multispecies chapter in 2014, 
the Code Commission adopted the same approach and develop new draft chapter on tuberculosis  
by merging chapter 11.6. o n bovine tuberculosis  and Chapter 11.7. on bovine tuberculosis  of 
farmed Cerv idae. 
1.1.4   Lumpy skin disease (Chapter 11.11.)  
1.9.  Given the difficulties faced by many parts of the world in controlling lumpy skin disease, the 
Code Commission undertook to review member  countries ' comments on the  revised text of 
Chapter 11.11.  
1.1.5   New chapter on Infection with porcine reprod uctive and respiratory syndrome  
1.10.   The first draft of a new chapter circulated for member countries ' consideration in 2014 
generated many comments that were  reviewed by experts. The amended draft will be circulated 
for member countries ' further consideration.  
1.1.6   Glossary  
1.11.   Several definitions related to " zone" were further amended, reflecting comments from 
member countries . In addition, the Code Commission underto ok an extensive review of the terms 
defined in the Glossary to edit some terms for clarity and consistency.  
1.2  Aquatic Code  
1.2.1   Criteria for the inclusion of diseases  in the OIE list (Chapter 1.2.)  
1.12.   Member country comments supported the amendments made to this cha pter which is now 
aligned with the corresponding chapter in the Terrestrial Code . 
1.2.2   Infection with B. salamandrivorans  (Bsal) 
1.13.   Member country comments on the proposed listing of Bsal were considered and the 
Commission agreed that the crit eria for listing have  been met.  
1.2.3   General obligations related to certification (Chapter 5.1.)  
1.14.   In response to a number of member country  comments Article 5.1.4. was amended to 
improve consistency with the corresponding article of the Terrestrial Code  chapter, Criteria for the 
inclusion of diseases  in the OIE list (Chapter 1.2.).  G/SPS/GEN/1519  
 
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  1.2.4   Glossary  
1.15.   The definition for zone was revised taking into account the existing definition of 
compartment in the Aquatic Code , and amendments being proposed by the Code Commission for 
the term zone in the Terrestrial Code . 
2  CAPACITY BUILDING AC TIVITIES  
2.1  OIE PVS Pathway  
2.1.  The OIE continues its global initiative to support member countries  wishing to strengthen 
Veterinary Services and Aquatic Animal Health Services (AAHS) using the OIE PVS Pathway. 
Although more th an 130 countries have received PVS evaluations to date, recently there has also 
been engagement by major high income nations, with Australia receiving an OIE PVS evaluation in 
2015, Japan in 2016, and Canada planned for 2017. In 2017, the OIE is also plann ing a review of 
its flagship PVS Pathway program me to ensure that it continues to evolve to best serve the needs 
of its member countries . 
2.2.  A summary of OIE member countries ' engagement in the PVS P athway may be found at 
Annex 1.  
2.2  Regional Seminars for OIE Na tional Focal Points  
2.3.  OIE capacity -building activities also include Information Seminars for Recently Appointed OIE 
Delegates and Regional Seminars for OIE National Focal Points appointed for eight different areas 
(Animal Disease Notification to the OIE, Vet erinary Products, Communication, Animal Production 
Food Safety, Animal Welfare, Veterinary Laboratories, Wildlife and Aquatic Animals). The aim of 
this programme is to provide good governance concepts for improving animal health, animal 
welfare and food sa fety of animal -origin products at the national, regional and international levels, 
and to explain and clarify the role and responsibilities of newly -appointed OIE Delegates and of 
OIE National Focal Points with respect to OIE activities.  
2.4.  A revised list of Regional Seminars scheduled for 2016 is attached as Annex 2.  G/SPS/GEN/1519  
 
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  ANNEX  1 
A SUMMARY OF PROGRES S ON PVS PATHWAY EVA LUATIONS  
PVS Evaluation missions: State of play up to 1 5 October  2016  
 OIE members  PVS 
Evaluation 
requests 
received  PVS Evaluation 
missions 
implem ented  Reports 
available for 
restricted 
distribution to 
Donors and 
Partners  Publication 
on the OIE 
website 
Africa  54 53 51 34 9 
Americas  29 26 24 10 9 
Asia, the Far 
East and 
Oceania  32 25 25 11 3 
Europe  53 19 19 10 1 
Middle East  12 13 11 5 1 
TOTAL  180 136 130 70 23 
 
PVS Evaluation missions  of the A quatic Animal Health Services*: State of play up to 
15 October  2016  
 OIE members  PVS 
Evaluation 
requests 
received  PVS Evaluation 
missions 
implemented  Reports 
available for 
restricted 
distribution to 
Donors a nd 
Partners  Publication 
on the OIE 
website 
Africa  54 4 3 0 1 
Americas  29 7 3 0 0 
Asia, the Far 
East and 
Oceania  32 3 3 0 0 
Europe  53 1 1 0 0 
Middle East  12 1 0 0 0 
TOTAL  180 16 10 0 1 
* Does not i nclud e PVS Evaluation of the AAHS Follow -Up missions  (1). 
 
PVS GAP Analysis missions*: State of play up to 15 October  2016  
 OIE members  PVS Gap 
Analysis 
requests 
received  PVS Gap 
Analysis 
missions 
implemented  Reports 
available for 
restricted 
distribution to 
Donors and 
Partners  Publication 
on the OIE 
web site  
Africa  54 52 49 19 11 
Americas  29 18 13 5 5 
Asia, the Far 
East and 
Oceania  32 21 15 7 1 
Europe  53 9 9 3 1 
Middle East  12 10 4 0 0 
TOTAL  180 110 90 34 18 
* Including Second Gap Analysis missions and Aquatic Gap Analysis missions.  
 G/SPS/GEN/1519  
 
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  PVS Evaluation - Follow up missions*: State of play up to 15 October  2016  
 OIE members  PVS 
Evaluation 
Follow -Up 
requests 
received  PVS Evaluation 
Follow -Up 
missions 
implemented  Reports 
available for 
restricted  
distribution to 
Donors and 
Partners  Publication 
on the OIE 
website 
Africa  54 17 14 1 3 
Americas  29 9 8 0 5 
Asia, the Far 
East and 
Oceania  32 9 6 1 2 
Europe  53 5 4 2 0 
Middle East  12 6 3 1 0 
TOTAL  180 46 35 5 10 
* Including Second Follow -Up (2) and Evaluation Follow -Up of the AAHS (1) missions . 
 
Veterinar y Legisla tion Support missions*: State of play up to 15 October  2016  
 OIE 
members  Veterinary 
Legislation 
Identificati on 
mission  
requests 
received  Veterinary 
Legislation 
Identification 
missions 
implemented  Veterinary 
Legislation 
Identification 
mission 
reports 
receiv ed Agreement 
requested  Agreement 
signed  
Africa  54 41 35 33 9 4 
Americas  29 8 7 7 3 1 
Asia, the 
Far East 
and 
Oceania  32 7 6 6 1 0 
Europe  53 5 4 4 2 1 
Middle 
East 12 5 4 4 1 0 
TOTAL  180 66 56 54 16 6 
* Does not include (Pilot project) Botswana, South  Africa and 1st mision in Zambia.  
 Mozambique: Veterinary Legislation Identification mission report available on the OIE website . G/SPS/GEN/1519  
 
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  ANNEX  2 
Dates  Title Venue  
3-5 February 
2016 Regional Workshop for Advanced Training on the World 
Animal Health Information Sy stem (WAHIS) for National 
Focal Points for Animal Disease Notification to the OIE  Chiba, Japan  
2-4 March 
2016 Regional Seminar for OIE National Focal Points for 
Veterinary Products (4th Cycle)  Tokyo, Japan  
15-17 March 
2016 Regional Seminar for OIE Natio nal Focal Points for 
Communication of the Americas (3rd Cycle)  Panama City, Panama  
21-23 March 
2016 Regional Seminar for OIE National Focal Points for 
Veterinary Products (4th Cycle)  Dakar, Senegal  
30 March -
1 April 2016  Regional Seminar for OIE National  Focal Points for 
Animal Production Food Safety (3rd Cycle)  Rhodes, Greece  
6-7 April 2016  Regional Seminar for OIE National Focal Points on 
Animal Welfare (3rd Cycle)  Amman, Jordan  
5-7 April 2016  Regional Seminar for OIE National Focal Points for 
Veterin ary Laboratories  Jeju, Republic of Korea  
21 May 2016  Regional Information Seminar for Recently Appointed 
OIE Delegates  Paris, France  
28-30 June 
2015 Regional Seminar for OIE National Focal Points for 
Veterinary Laboratories  Buenos Aires, 
Argentina  
5-7 July 2016  Regional Workshop: Training of OIE National Focal 
Points for Wildlife (4th Cycle)  Minsk, Belarus  
12-14 July 
2016 Regional Workshop for Advanced Training on the World 
Animal Health Information System (WAHIS) for National 
Focal Points for Animal D isease Notification to the OIE 
(French -speaking countries)  Tunis, Tunisia  
6-8 
September 
2016 Regional Workshop for Advanced Training on the World 
Animal Health Information System (WAHIS) for National 
Focal Points for Animal Disease Notification to the OIE  Panama City, Panama  
27-29 
September 
2016 Regional Seminar for OIE National Focal Points on 
Communication (English -speaking countries,3rd Cycle)  Mombasa, Kenya  
11-13 
October 2016  Regional Seminar for OIE National Focal Points on 
Communication (French -speaking countries,3rd Cycle)  Bamako, Mali  
11-13 
October 2016  Regional Seminar for OIE National Focal Points for 
Veterinary Products (4th Cycle)  Budapest, Hungary  
18-20 
October 2016  Regional Workshop for Advanced Training on the World 
Animal Health Informa tion System (WAHIS) for National 
Focal Points for Animal Disease Notification to the OIE  Yerevan, Armenia  
1-3 November 
2016 Regional Workshop for Advanced Training on the World 
Animal Health Information System (WAHIS) for National 
Focal Points for Animal Disease Notification to the OIE 
(Middle East + English -speaking African countries)  Sharm El Sheikh, 
Egypt  
22-24 
November 
2016 Regional Seminar for OIE National Focal Points on 
Wildlife (Middle East + English -speaking African 
countries, 4th Cycle)  Nakur u, Kenya  
29 November 
– 1 December 
2016 Regional Seminar for OIE National Focal Points for 
Veterinary Laboratories (English and French -speaking 
countries)  Harare, Zimbabwe  
13-15 
December 
2016 Regional Seminar for OIE National Focal Points for 
Veterinary Laboratories  Jordan (TBC)  
 
 
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