WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
G/SPS/N/COL/229 
28 September 2011  
 (11-4688) 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:   Spanish 
  
 
NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY MEASURES 
 
1. Notifying Member:   COLOMBIA 
If applicable, name of local government involved:  
2. Agency responsible:   Instituto Colombiano Agropecuario , ICA (Colombian Agricultural 
Institute) 
3. Products covered (provide tariff item numbe r(s) as specified in national schedules 
deposited with the WTO;  ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where 
applicable):  Wild birds and ornamental birds 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable: 
[ ] All trading partners [X] Specific regions or countries:  Andalucía (Barbate, La Janda, Cádiz), Spain 
5. Title of the notified document:  Resolución N° 003695 del 21  de septiembre de 2011 del 
Instituto Colombiano Agropecuario - ICA "Por medio de la cual se suspende la 
importación a Colombia de aves silvestres  y ornamentales procedentes de España por 
presencia de Fiebre del Nilo Occidental" (Colombian Agricultural Institute (ICA) 
Resolution No. 003695 of 21 September 2011 "s uspending the importation into Colombia 
of wild and ornamental birds from Spain following outbreaks of West Nile fever") 
Language(s):  Spanish  Number of pages:  2 
Text available online at: 
http://members.wto.org/crnattach ments/2011/sps/COL/11_3131_00_s.pdf  
6. Description of content:  Suspension of imports into Colo mbia of wild and ornamental 
birds from Spain for a period of six (6) months following outbreaks of West Nile fever; Assessment of the risk of introduction of  the disease into Colombia;  Suspension of 
applications;  Notification and entry into force. 
7. Objective and rationale:  [ ] food safety, [X] animal health, [ ] plant protection, 
[X] 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:  The World Organisation 
for Animal Health (OIE) report of 12 Sept ember 2011 notified an outbreak of West Nile 
fever in Andalucía (Barbate , La Janda, Cádiz), Spain. G/SPS/N/COL/229 
Page 2  
 
  9. Is there a relevant international standa rd?  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)  
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g. ISPM number)  
[ ] None 
Does this proposed regulation conform to  the relevant international standard? 
 [ ] 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:   N o t  
applicable 
11. Date of entry into force ( dd/mm/yy )/period of application (as applicable):  From  
21 September 2011, the date of publication in Official Journal No. 48.199, for a period of 
six (6) months. 
[ ] Trade facilitating measure  
12. Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [X] National Notification 
Authority, [ ] National Enquiry Point.  Address, fax number and e-mail address 
(if available) of other body:  
Servicio Nacional de Información 
Ministerio de Comercio, Industria y Turismo 
Dirección de Regulación Calle 28 N° 13A - 15, tercer piso Bogotá, D.C., Colombia Tel.: +(57-1) 606-4775 
Fax: +(57-1) 606-4777 
or Instituto Colombiano Agropecuario - ICA 
Subgerencia de Regulación Sanitaria y Fitosanitaria Dirección Técnica de Asuntos Internacionales Carrera 41 # 17 - 81, Piso 4, Oficina 411 (Zona Industrial - Puente Aranda) 
Bogotá, D.C., Colombia 
Tel.: +(57-1) 332-3700, Ext. 1515 Fax: +(57-1) 288-4800 Website: http://www.ica.gov.co/   G/SPS/N/COL/229 
 Page 3 
 
 
  13. Texts available from:  [X] National Notification Authority, [X] National Enquiry 
Point.  Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body:  
Ministerio de Comercio, Industria y Turismo 
Dirección de Regulación Calle 28 N° 13A - 15, tercer piso Bogotá, D.C., Colombia 
Enquiry Point: 
Contact person:  Daniel Héctor Rico R. 
Tel.: +(57-1) 606 7676, Ext. 1690 Fax: +(57-1) 606 4777 E-mail: drico@mincomercio.gov.co  Puntocontactotc-msf@mincomercio.gov.co