. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
G/SPS/N/SAU/27 
25 May 2012  
 (12-2799) 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY MEASURES 
 
1. Notifying Member:  KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA 
If applicable, name of local government involved:     
2. Agency responsible:  Animal and plant Quarantine Department, Ministry 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 bovine animals 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable: 
[ ] All trading partners   
[X] Specific regions or countries:  California (United States of America)  
5. Title of the notified document:  Notice of the Ministry of Agriculture Decision No. 
221947 dated 10/06/1433 H (01 May 2012) en titled "Temporary Ban of Importation of 
Live Bovine Animals" originated from California (United States of America) Language(s):  Arabic  Number of pages:  1 
 http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2012/sps/SAU/12_2026_00_x.pdf  
6. Description of content:  Following the OIE reports, Ref. No. 11893, dated 26 April 2012, 
which indicates that Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) disease outbreak has 
reoccurred in California (United States of America), it is deemed necessary for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to prevent the entry of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) disease into the country.   Therefore, the import of live bovine animals from California (United States of America) to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is temporarily 
suspended. 
7. Objective and rationale:  [X] food safety, [ ] 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:  An outbreak of Bovine 
Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) was reported by official announcement of the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE).  It started on 19 April 2012 in California (United States of America) and was confirmed on 23 April 2012.  The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is instituting this emergency measure to pr event the entry of Bovine Spongiform 
Encephalopathy (BSE) disease into the country due  to the risk of transmission of the BSE 
agent to animals and humans through consumption of infected animal products. G/SPS/N/SAU/27 
Page 2  
 
  9. Is there a relevant international standard ?  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? 
 [X] Yes   [ ] No 
 If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:    
10. Other relevant documents and langua ge(s) in which these are available:       
11. Date of entry into force ( dd/mm/yy )/period of application (as applicable):  1 May 2012.  
(10/06/1433 H) 
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. 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:   
Ministry of Agriculture, Animal and plant Quarantine Department  
Animal and plant Quarantine Depart ment, Ministry of Agriculture 
Airport Road, Riyadh 11195 Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Tel:  +(966 1) 4044292, +(966 1) 4016666 Ext. 3074 
Fax:  +(966 1) 4011323 
E-mail:  alfadhls@hotmail.com  Website:  http://www.moa.gov.sa/public/portal  
13. Texts available from:  [ ] National Notification Authority, [ ] National Enquiry Point.  
Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body:   
Ministry of Agriculture, Animal and plant Quarantine Department 
Animal and plant Quarantine Depart ment, Ministry of Agriculture 
Airport Road, Riyadh 11195 
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Tel:  +(966 1) 4044292, +(966 1) 4016666 Ext. 3074 Fax:  +(966 1) 4011323 E-mail:  alfadhls@hotmail.com  
Website:  http://www.moa.gov.sa/public/portal