. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/GEN/768 
12 March 2007 
 
 (07-1013) 
Committee on Sanitary and 
Phytosanitary Measures Original:   Spanish 
 
 
 
SLAUGHTER OF IMPORTED BREEDING CATTLE 
 
Statement by Bolivia at  the Committee Meeting  
of 28 February and 1 March 2007  
 
  The following communication, received on 1 March 2007, is being circulated at the request of 
the delegation of Bolivia.  
_______________ 
 
 1. We first of all thank the delegation of Mexi co for its report, submitted under item "Other 
issues". 
2. We wish to remind the Committee that Mexico stat ed its concerns regarding this matter at the 
Committee's formal meetings in March 2005 and June 2006.  In res ponse, Bolivia reported that its 
health authorities had had 25 head of cattle from Me xico, originally intended for showing at a fair, 
slaughtered for sanitary reasons.  The measure ha d been taken because it was established that the 
animals had not been imported in accordance with th e applicable regulations and after completion of 
the necessary technical and diplomatic steps to have  the animals re-exported – a request that Mexico 
refused, because it considered Bolivia as a country at risk from foot-and-mouth disease.  We also 
recall that after the statements made at the March 2005 meeting, at which th e Mexican delegation first 
raised the issue before this Committee, Mexico thanked Bolivia for the information it had provided 
and requested that the issue be closed (see paragr aphs 45 to 47 of the Secretariat's report of the 
meeting (G/SPS/R/36)). 
3. It is important to point out that one of the re asons why the measure was applied was that those 
responsible for importing the cattle di d not have the relevant health pe rmit.  Prior to granting a permit, 
and because the importation in question was unusual in that  it was the first time that cattle of this type 
was being imported from Mexico, Bolivia's offici al sanitary service, pursuant to international 
procedures and guidelines, should have carried  out a risk analysis for bovine spongiform 
encephalopathy.  This could no t be done because those concerned did not submit all the updated 
information required. 
4. As a result of the incident, the Mexican authorities took action at both diplomatic and 
technical levels, strongly urging that Bolivia full y and officially recognize the whole of Mexican 
territory as free from bovine spongiform encephalopathy. 
5. In this regard, we wish to put forward the following comments: 
• For the purpose of recognition of a territory's sanitary status, it is important to 
consider the relevant evaluations and r esolutions of the World Organization for 
Animal Health (OIE), which is the scientific reference organization, and necessarily G/SPS/GEN/768 
Page 2  
 
  those issued by the groups of experts on the matter from the regional organizations of 
which Bolivia is a member, as well as other existing studies. 
 
• Bolivia is in the process of gathering a ll the supporting data necessary to secure 
recognition by the OIE and demonstrate that the country is entirely free from bovine 
spongiform encephalopathy, whic h is consistent with the sanitary status of the region 
to which it belongs. 
 6. Furthermore, we draw the Committee's attenti on to the fact that Bolivia has always been 
committed to addressing this issue, and hence various  bilateral meetings have been held with the 
Mexican health authorities, as well as through diplomatic channels. 
7. As to the claim filed by the affected enterpri se, the matter is proceeding in accordance with 
Bolivia's legal procedures and domestic regulations.  However, on the basis of information received 
from the competent authorities, we know that the en terprise has not pursued the judicial process and 
the latter has therefore not been defined. 
8. Lastly, Bolivia reiterates its interest in conti nuing to deal with the issue with its Mexican 
counterparts in the framework of the Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures of the 
Economic Complementarity Agreement (FTA No . 31) concluded between the two countries. 
__________