. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/CUB/7 
27 January 2005 
 (05-0336) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   Spanish 
  
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  REPUBLIC OF CUBA
 
If applicable, name of local government involved: 
2. Agency responsible:  Ministry 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):  Fresh, chilled or frozen meat of bovine  animals, swine, sheep and poultry 
meat, cured, cooked and salted meat products , and dairy products and their derivatives.  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected , to the extent relevant or practicable:  
Countries with which Cuba either maintains trad e relations or is esta blishing trade relations 
for the first time. 
5. Title, language and number of pages of the notified document:  Regulations on  Sanitary 
Certification of foreign plants producing food of  animal origin that wish to export to Cuba, 
issued on 3 March 1999 (available in Spanish, 3 pages).  
6. Description of content:  Importation of food of animal origin into Cuba involves as a first 
step sanitary certification at source, carried out by one or more veterinary experts appointed 
by the Directorate-General of the Institute of  Veterinary Medicine.  The Regulations outline 
the general programme to be followed by the ap pointed veterinary specialist(s);  subject to 
agreement between the official veterinary authorities of the exporting country and the 
importing country.  
7. Objective and rationale: [  X ] food safety,  [  X ] animal health,  [    ] plant protection, 
[ X ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [   ] protect territory from 
other damage from pests        
8. International standard, guideline or recommendation: 
[ X ] 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:        
9. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  Regulations on  
sanitary certification of foreign plants producing f ood of animal origin that wish to export to 
Cuba, issued on 3 March 1999 (ava ilable in Spanish, 3 pages).  
10. Proposed date of adoption:  Not applicable  G/SPS/N/CUB/7 
Page 2  
 
 11. Proposed date of entry into force:  Not applicable  
12. Final date for comments:  Not applicable  
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [    ] National notification 
authority, [    ] National enquiry point, or add ress, fax number and E-mail address (if 
available) of other body:        
13. Texts available from:  [  X ] National notification authority, [    ] National enquiry 
point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:   
Ministerio de Comercio Exterior, Dirección de Organismos Internacionales, Calle Infanta 
N° 16 esquina 23, Ciudad de la Habana, Muni cipio Plaza de la Revolución, República de 
Cuba, Fax:  (537) 542266, E- mail:  rebeca.gonzalez@mincex.cu 
Instituto de Medicina Veterinaria Dirección Nacional, Calle 12 N° 355 entre 15 y 17, Ciudad Habana, Municipio Plaza de la 
Revolución, República de Cuba.  Fax:  ( 537) 303537.  E-mail:  dnimv@infomed.sld.cu