. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/USA/2157 
16 February 2011  
 (11-0804) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
1. Notifying Member:  UNITED STATES
 
If applicable, name of local government involved:    
2. Agency responsible:  Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the US 
Department of Agriculture 
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):  Live swine, swine semen, pork, and pork products 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable: 
[ ] All trading partners   
[X] Specific regions or countries:  Estonia, Hungary, Slovak Rep., and Slovenia  
5. Title of the notified document:  Proposed Rule:  Importation of Live Swine, Swine 
Semen, Pork, and Pork Products; Estonia, Hungary, Slovakia and Slovenia (Docket No. 
APHIS-2008-0043)  Language(s):  English  Number of pages:  11 
6. Description of content:  The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is proposing to 
amend the regulations governing the importati on of animals and animal products to add 
Estonia, Hungary, Slovak Rep., and Slovenia to the region of the European Union that we recognize as a low-risk region for classical swin e fever (CSF).  Swine, swine semen, pork, 
and pork products may be imported into the United States from this region under certain 
conditions.  We are proposing to remove one  of these conditions, a 40-day holding period 
for swine semen and donor boars after the collection of swine semen, based on our 
determination that it is unnecessary.  We are also proposing to add Estonia, Slovak Rep., 
and Slovenia to the list of regions we cons ider free of swine vesicular disease (SVD) and to 
add Slovak Rep. and Slovenia to the list of  regions considered free of foot-and-mouth 
disease (FMD) and rinderpest.  These proposed ac tions would relieve some restrictions on 
the importation into the United States of cer tain animals and animal products from those 
regions, while continuing to protect against the introduction of CSF, SVD, FMD, and rinderpest into the United States. 
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. Is there a relevant international stan dard?  If so, identify the standard:  
[ ] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex standard 
or related text)   G/SPS/N/USA/2157 
Page 2  
 
  [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?   
 [X] Yes   [ ] No 
 If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:    
9. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  Federal 
Register:  11 February 2011 (Volume 76, Number 29), Notices Pages 7721-7731. Available online in English at:  http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-02-11/html/2011-3112.htm
 
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) :  Not applicable 
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) :  Not applicable 
11. Proposed date of entry into force:  [ ] Six months from date of publication , and/or  
(dd/mm/yy) :  Not applicable 
[X] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments:  [ ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the notification 
and/or (dd/mm/yy) :  12 April 2011 
Agency or authority designated to handl e comments:  [ ] National Notification 
Authority, [ ] National Enquiry Point.  Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body:   
You may submit comments by either of the following methods: 
• Federal eRulemaking Portal:  Go to http://www.regulations.gov/
 and search on the 
docket number (APHIS-2008-0043) to submit or view comments and to view supporting and related materials available electronically. 
• Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery:  Please send two copies of your comment to 
Docket No. APHIS-2008-0043, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238.  Please state that your comment refers to Docket No. APHIS-2008-0043 
For further information contact: Mr. Donald Link, Import Risk Analyst, Regionalization 
Evaluation Services, National Center for Import and Export, VS, APHIS, 920 Main Campus Drive Suite 200, Raleigh, NC 27606; +1 (919) 855-7730 
13. Texts available from:  [X] National Notification Authority, [ ] National Enquiry Point.  
Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body:   United States 
SPS National Notification Authority, USDA Fore ign Agricultural Service, International 
Regulations and Standards Division (IRSD), Stop 1027, Washington D.C. 20250;  Tel:  +(1 202) 720 1301;  Fax:  +(1 202) 720 0433;  E-mail:  us.s psenquirypoint@fas.usda.gov