G/SPS/N/ARE/234  
 
15 February 2021  
(21-1247) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY MEASURES  
1. Notifying Member:  UNITED ARAB EMIRATES  
If applicable, name of local government involved:   
2. Agency responsible:  Ministry of Climate Change and Environment  
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 poultry (HS Code: 0105), day -old chicks (HS Code: 0105.11), 
hatching eggs, and poultry products including poultry meat (HS Code: 0207) except 
heat-treated products  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[ ] All trading partners   
[X] Specific regions or countries:  Pleven in Bulgaria  
5. Title of the notified document:  United Arab Emirates is imposing a temporary ban on 
the importation of domestic and wild birds and their untreated by -products from Pleven 
in Bulgaria . Language(s): Number of pages:  
6. Description of content:  Following the notification published by the World Organization 
for Animal Health (OIE) regarding the outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza virus 
(HPAI) in Pleven in Bulgaria, the United Arab Emirates is applying a precautionary sanitary 
measure to  prevent the risk of introducing HPAI virus through the imports of live birds 
and their products from Pleven in Bulgaria.  
These measures include:  
1. Temporary ban on the importation of domestic and wild birds and their untreated by -
products and day -old chicks and hatching eggs from Bulgaria to the United Arab 
Emirates;  
2. Temporary ban on the importation of poultry meat and table eggs and their non -heat 
treated products from Pleven in Bulgaria to the United Arab Emirates;  
3. Consignments of table eggs and poultry meat and their products from Pleven in 
Bulgaria that were produced after 12 January 2021 are not allowed to be exported to 
the United Arab Emirates;  
4. Consignments of poultry meat and table eggs and their non -heat treated products 
from non -infected province in Bulgaria will be released according to the health 
certificate form for export of "meat and meat products" and the health certificate form 
for exp ort of "table eggs and egg products" currently used, provided that the 
competent authorities in Bulgaria should send a health statement saying that the 
imported product(s) from areas where Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza virus (HPAI) 
has not been registe red within a radius of 25 km around the 
farm/slaughterhouse/packing establishment the source of the products on at least for 
a period of not less than three months before production, and all necessary 
precautions have been taken to prevent the consignment from being in contact with 
any source of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza virus (HPAI). This is to be done 
temporarily until the approval of the health certificate forms is completed between 
the two countries;  G/SPS/N/ARE/234  
 
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  5. Continue to allow the importation of heat -treated poultry products (treated meat and 
treated egg products) from all provinces in Bulgaria.  
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. Nature of the urgent problem(s) and reason for urgent action:  There is a risk of 
contamination from importing poultry from Pleven in Bulgaria, which is affected with 
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza. These applied measures are in compliance with 
Article  10.4.4, Chapter 10.4 of the World Organization for Animal Heal th (OIE) Terrestrial 
Animal Health Code.  
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 He alth (OIE) (e.g.  Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number) : Chapter 10.4 of the World 
Organization for Animal Health (OIE) Terrestrial Animal Health Code  
[ ] 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 language(s) in which these are available:    
11. Date of entry into force ( dd/mm/yy )/period of application (as applicable):  
14 February 2021  
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [X]  National Notification 
Authority, [X ] National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address 
(if available) of other body:   
Ministry of Climate Change and Environment  
SPS Notification and Inquiry Point  
United Arab Emirates  
Tel: +(971 4) 214 8472  
 +(971 4) 214 8495  
E-mail: uaesps@mocc ae.gov.ae  
 mmalherbawi@moccae.gov.ae  
 aaalmannaei@moccae.gov.ae  
Website: http://www.moccae.gov.ae  
13. Text(s) available from: [X]  National Notification Authority, [X]  National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if available) of other body:   
Ministry of Climate Change and Environment  
SPS Notification and Inquiry Point  
United Arab Emirates  
Tel: +(971 4) 214 8472  
+(971 4) 214 8495  
E-mail: uaesps@moccae.gov.ae  
 mmalherbawi@moccae.gov.ae  
 aaalmannaei@moccae.gov.ae  
Website: http://www.moccae.gov.ae