G/SPS/N/SAU/390  
 
18 February 2019  
(19-0936) 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:  Livestock Risk Assessment Department, Ministry of Environment, 
Water and Agriculture  
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): Equine  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[ ] All trading partners  
[X] Specific regions or countries: Bulgaria  
5. Title of the notified document: Notice of the Ministry of Environment, Water and 
Agriculture, Decision No. 403 639/79731/1440 dated 28 January 2019 (22/5/1440 H) 
entitled "Temporary ban on the importation of equine from Bulgaria" . Language(s): 
Arabic.  Number of pages: 1 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2019/SPS/SAU/19_0931_00_x.PDF  
6. Description of content: Following the OIE repor t, ref. No. 4, Vol. 32 dated 
21 January  2019, which indicates that Equine infectious anaemia has occurred in Bulgaria, 
it is deemed necessary for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to prevent the entry of the disease 
into the country. Therefore, the importation of equine from Bulgaria to the Kingdom of 
Saudi Arabia is temporarily suspended.  
7. Objective and rationale: [  ] 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: An outbreak of 
Equine infectious anaemia was rep orted by official announcement of the World 
Organization for Animal Health (OIE) in Bulgaria. This urges the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 
to institute this emergency measure to prevent the entry of the disease into the country.  
9. Is there a relevant internati onal 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 ): Animal Terrestrial Health Code, 
Chapter 12.5  
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) :  
[ ] None  G/SPS/N/SAU/390  
 
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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 available:    
11. Date of entry into force ( dd/mm/yy )/period of application (as applicable): 
28 January 2019 (22/5/1440 H)  
[ ] Trade facilitating measure  
12. Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [  ] National Notification 
Authority, [X]  National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address 
(if available) of other body:  
Ministry of Environment Water and Agriculture  
Livestock Risk Assessment Department  
King Abdel Aziz Road, Riyadh 11195  
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia  
Tel: +(966 11) 404 4292  
 +(966 11) 401 6666  
E-mail: anml.rsk@mewa.gov.sa  
Website: http://www.mewa.gov.sa/public/portal  
13. Text(s) available from: [ ] National Notification Authority, [X]  National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if available) of other body:  
Ministry of Environment Water and Agriculture  
Livestock Risk Assessment Department  
King Abdel Aziz Road, Riyadh 11195  
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia  
Tel: +(966 11) 404 4292  
 +(966 11) 401 6666  
E-mail: anml.rsk@mewa.gov.sa  
Website: http://www.mewa.gov.sa/public/portal