. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/ZAF/23 
13 October 2005 
 (05-4681) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY MEASURES 
 
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  SOUTH AFRICA
 
If applicable, name of local government involved:        
2. Agency responsible:  Directorate Animal Health, Nati onal Department of 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):  Live ostrich, live poultr y and other birds, all os trich and poultry products.  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable:  All 
trading partners  
5. Title, language and number of p ages of the notified document:  Complete lifting of ban 
of exportation of live ostriches, live poultry a nd other birds, and ostr ich and poultry products 
from South Africa, due to eradication and declared freedom from Notifiable Avian Influenza (Available in English, 2 pages).  
6. Description of content:  Following the reported outbreaks of Notifiable Avian Influenza 
(NAI) in ostriches in South A frica in 2004, it was deemed n ecessary for South Africa to 
suspend exportation of live ostriches, live poultry and other birds, and ostrich and poultry 
products to prevent spread of the disease to ot her countries.  South Africa has now declared 
itself free of Notifiable Avian Influenza accord ing to the guidelines set by the International 
Organization for Animal Health (OIE) on the basis of a successful control and eradication campaign as demonstrated by the results obtained during an extensive country-wide survey in ostriches and chickens during August 2005.  The ban on exportation of live ostriches, live 
poultry and other birds, and ostrich and poultry products is now lifted completely.  It should 
be noted however that the actual export cond itions still depend on the requirements of each 
importing country.  Surveillance testing will al so be carried out in ostrich and chicken 
flocks at 6 monthly intervals to confirm South Africa’s ongoing disease-free trading status for NAI.  
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 To resume exportation of live os trich, live poultry and other birds 
and ostrich and poultry products to  all trading partner countries.  
8. Nature of the urgent problem(s) and reasons for urgent action:  To allow immediate 
resumption of trade in ostrich, poultry,  other birds and as sociated products.  G/SPS/N/ZAF/23 
Page 2  
 
 9. International standard, guideline or recommendation: 
[   ] Codex Alimentarius Commission,  [ X ] World Organization for Animal Health 
(OIE), [   ] International Plant Protection Convention,  [   ] None 
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate 
reference and briefly identify deviations:        
10. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  None  
11. Date of entry into force/period of application (as applicable):  Effective 10 September 
2005  
12. Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [   ] National notification 
authority,  [ X ] National enquiry point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if 
available) of other body:   
Dr BM Modisane, Senior Manager Animal Health, Directorate of Animal Health, Department 
of Agriculture, Private Bag X138., Pretoria, 0001, SOUTH AFRICA.  Tel:  +27-12-319 7615;  
Fax:  +27-12-329 7218;  E-mail:  smah@nda.agric.za  
13. Texts available from:  [    ] National notification authority, [  X ] National enquiry 
point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:   
Dr BM Modisane, Senior Manager Animal Health, Directorate of Animal Health, Department 
of Agriculture, Private Bag X138., Pretoria , 0001, SOUTH AFRICA.  Tel:  +27-12-319 7615; 
Fax:  +27-12-329 7218;  E-mail:  smah@nda.agric.za