WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/GEN/732 
12 October 2006 
 (06-4909) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English/ 
 French/  Spanish 
 
  
OIE INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS RELATED TO INVASIVE ALIEN SPECIES 
 
Communication from the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE)
 
  
 The following communication, received on 11 Octo ber 2006, is being circulated at the request 
of the OIE. 
 
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Summary 
1. Under the mandate decided by its 167 Member  Countries, the OIE develops international 
standards, guidelines and recommendations for an imal diseases and pathogens, including pathogens 
with zoonotic potential, which meet the criteria esta blished by the OIE.  This mandate does not cover 
invasive species that are unrelated to a disease or pathogen of animals (including zoonotic diseases).  
The OIE will however continue to be sensitive to th e needs of the Convention on Biological Diversity 
(CBD) by incorporating risk mitigation measures fo r potentially alien species if such species are 
linked to a specific OIE listed disease.  The OIE will remind its Member Countries of the CBD’s 
concerns in regard to the spread of invasive a lien species and will encourage them to take relevant 
considerations into account when formulating veterinary certificates for international trade.  A few 
months ago, the OIE wrote to the CBD proposing an  official cooperation agreement between the two 
international organisations that would be submitted to the Member Countries of both organisations for 
endorsement and that would establish a technical cooperation between the CBD and the OIE on issues 
of common interests.  The OIE stands ready to maintain close collaboration under an official 
agreement or less formal arrangements. 
Background 
2. At the Committee’s 36th Meeting, the Secretariat raised the issue of international standards 
related to invasive alien species and foreshadow ed the possibility that the CBD would make an 
informal presentation to the Committee at a subseque nt meeting.  The OIE is pleased to provide this 
clarification of the OIE mandate and the scope of OI E standards in relation to invasive alien species as 
defined by the CBD.  
Introduction and definitions 
3. The OIE met with the Secretariat of the CBD  in The Hague in April 2002 and discussed 
issues relating to the mandates and activities of the two organizations.  The CBD defines alien  species  
as a species (including viruses and bacteria) occurring outside its normal distribution and alien 
invasive species  as one that may threaten ecosystems, habitats or species.  G/SPS/GEN/732 
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  4. As discussed at this meeting, the role of th e OIE as a standard setting body must be judged 
relative to the Agreement on the Application of Sa nitary and Phytosanitary Measures (the so-called 
SPS Agreement) of the World Trade Organization (W TO) and the OIE internal texts and resolutions 
voted by OIE member countries.  The SPS Agreement applies to sanitary and phytosanitary measures 
to protect human, animal and plant life or h ealth relative from importation of pathogens, while 
avoiding unjustified sanitary barriers.  The reco mmendations for animal health outlined in the OIE 
Terrestrial and Aquatic Codes  and Manuals  are recognized within the SPS Agreement as reference 
standards that have the objective of safeguarding international trade in animals and animal products 
and controlling animal diseases and zoonoses worldwide while avoiding unjustified sanitary barriers.  
Within this framework, the OIE does not have a clea r role in the containment or exclusion of alien 
species, or alien invasive species, where these are not related to diseases of animals (including 
zoonotic disease agents).  
5. The CBD has placed emphasis on the greater likeli hood of incursions of invasive species due 
to rapidly accelerating trade and modern forms of tr ansport.  The OIE is sim ilarly concerned about the 
increased spread of pathogens (and their vectors) and the emergence of new pathogens, arising from 
these factors.  There is a significant difference in  the two organizations’ mandates.  For the CBD, 
species of interest are classified according to their spread outside their normal distributions, while the 
OIE does not classify pathogens on the basis of origin.  OIE Standards are developed and Member Countries’ reporting obligations are based on the re levance of diseases/pathogens to international 
trade in animals and animal products, a nd on their potential public health impact. 
6. Moreover, the OIE mandate does not address the im pact that a species (e xcept in the case of 
pathogenic agents and disease vectors) may have on the environment of an importing country.  Save 
for pest species that are subject to compulsory  reporting (see examples below), the OIE’s primary 
concern is to prevent the importation of a significan t pathogen or its vector into an importing country 
via an imported commodity (animal or animal produc t).  This approach reflects the OIE’s primary 
orientation towards health protection.  Notwith standing these differences in approach, the OIE 
acknowledges the important goals of the Conventi on, which aims to develop strategies for the 
conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity.  The OIE recently wrote to the CBD proposing an official agreement between the two international organisati ons that would make it 
possible to establish a high level of technical cooperation on issues of common interests. 
Discussion 
7. Since January 2005 the OIE has listed diseases and/or pathogens for reporting purposes and 
has, for many of these diseases, developed interna tional standards, guidelines and recommendations in 
regards to the protection of animal and human health and trade.  
8. The following criteria apply to the classification of diseases for reporting purposes: 
• Potential for international spread; 
• Zoonotic potential; 
• Significance of spread of a disease within native populations;  and  
• Zoonotic potential and probability of rapid spread of emerging diseases. 
9. The current OIE lists of diseases (terrestrial and aquatic animals) are attached.  Diseases are 
listed according to the species of animal affected (cattle, sheep and goats, equines, multiple species 
etc.), not according to possible intermediate sp ecies or vector associated with the disease.  
Nevertheless, the OIE does provide guidance on risk mitigation measures relevant to the management  G/SPS/GEN/732 
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  of disease vectors in order to prevent spread of the disease via trade.  Thus, OIE guidelines could be 
helpful in protecting against the entry of potentia lly alien species, such as ticks, mosquitoes and 
Culicoides  spp. etc., on the basis that the OIE dissemi nates technical information relevant to the 
detection and prevention of diseases such as anapla smosis, Japanese encephalitis virus and bluetongue 
that can be spread by these vectors.  To further illustrate, if a country imports sheep from a bluetongue 
infected country, the risk mitigation measures to be implemented before export apply to both the 
sheep and to the vector ( Culicoides  spp.) that might infect the sheep , even though the primary concern 
may be perceived to be prevention of the disease per se .  The OIE also publishes recommendations in 
regard to prevention of spread of parasites vi a contamination of the environment (as well as 
infestation of the animal host) for certa in pathogens, such as screwworm fly ( C. hominivorax  and C. 
bezziana) , which have resistant free living forms.  
10. Many other examples can be quoted to illustrate  how the current OIE international standards 
support the objectives of the CBD by implication. 
Conclusions 
11. It would not, in our view, be feasible to develop additional standards, guidelines and 
recommendations in the OIE Codes  with the primary aim of preventing the spread of alien species 
where these are not systematically linked to a speci fic disease and vector or group of diseases or with 
the aim to protect against animal disease and zoonoses.  However, the SPS Agreement makes provision for member countries to include non OIE listed disease agents and diseases in international 
veterinary certificates for trade if these diseases/ag ents are considered as a non acceptable risk for the 
importing country and on the basis of a scientifically b ased import risk analysis.  In this context, the 
OIE stands ready to enhance its close technical co operation with the CBD.  OIE member countries 
could support by implication the exclusion of potentially invasive alien species but this decision would remain the prerogative of the importing country and not be the subject of a prescription in the sense of the OIE’s standards.  G/SPS/GEN/732 
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  ANNEX 1 
 
CHAPTER 2.1.1 
TERRESTRIAL ANIMAL DISEASES LISTED BY THE OIE 
 
Article 2.1.1.3. 
  
The following diseases are included in the OIE List. 
1. The following diseases are included within th e category of multiple species diseases: 
- Anthrax 
- Aujeszky's disease - Bluetongue - Brucellosis ( Brucella abortus ) 
- Brucellosis ( Brucella melitensis ) 
- Brucellosis ( Brucella suis ) 
- Crimean Congo haemorrhagic fever - Echinococcosis/hydatidosis - Foot and mouth disease - Heartwater - Japanese encephalitis 
- Leptospirosis 
- New world screwworm ( Cochliomyia hominivorax ) 
- Old world screwworm ( Chrysomya bezziana ) 
- Paratuberculosis - Q fever 
- Rabies 
- Rift Valley fever - Rinderpest - Trichinellosis - Tularemia - Vesicular stomatitis 
- West Nile fever. 
2. The following diseases are included with in the category of cattle diseases: 
- Bovine anaplasmosis 
- Bovine babesiosis - Bovine genital campylobacteriosis  G/SPS/GEN/732 
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  - Bovine spongiform encephalopathy 
- Bovine tuberculosis - Bovine viral diarrhoea - Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia - Enzootic bovine leukosis 
- Haemorrhagic septicaemia 
- Infectious bovine rhinotracheitis /infectious pustular vulvovaginitis 
- Lumpy skin disease - Malignant catarrhal fever (Wildebeest only) - Theileriosis 
- Trichomonosis 
- Trypanosomosis (tsetse-transmitted). 
3. The following diseases are included within the category of sheep and goat diseases: 
- Caprine arthritis/encephalitis 
- Contagious agalactia 
- Contagious caprine pleuropneumonia 
- Enzootic abortion of ewes (ovine chlamydiosis) - Maedi–visna - Nairobi sheep disease - Ovine epididymitis ( Brucella ovis ) 
- Peste des petits ruminants 
- Salmonellosis ( S. abortusovis) 
- Scrapie - Sheep pox and goat pox. 
4. The following diseases are included within  the category of equine diseases: 
- African horse sickness 
- Contagious equine metritis 
- Dourine - Equine encephalomyelitis (Eastern) - Equine encephalomyelitis (Western) - Equine infectious anaemia - Equine influenza 
- Equine piroplasmosis 
- Equine rhinopneumonitis G/SPS/GEN/732 
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  - Equine viral arteritis 
- Glanders - Surra ( Trypanosoma evansi ) 
- Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis. 
5. The following diseases are included with in the category of swine diseases: 
- African swine fever 
- Classical swine fever - Nipah virus encephalitis - Porcine cysticercosis - Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome 
- Swine vesicular disease 
- Transmissible gastroenteritis. 
6. The following diseases are included with in the category of avian diseases: 
- Avian chlamydiosis 
- Avian infectious bronchitis 
- Avian infectious laryngotracheitis 
- Avian mycoplasmosis ( Mycoplasma gallisepticum ) 
- Avian mycoplasmosis ( Mycoplasma synoviae ) 
- Duck virus hepatitis - Fowl cholera - Fowl typhoid 
- Highly pathogenic avian influenza in birds and low pathogenicity notifiable avian influenza in 
poultry as defined in Chapter 2.7.12. 
- Infectious bursal disease (Gumboro disease) - Marek's disease - Newcastle disease 
- Pullorum disease 
- Turkey rhinotracheitis. 
7. The following diseases are included within  the category of lagomorph diseases: 
- Myxomatosis 
- Rabbit haemorrhagic disease. 
8. The following diseases are included with in the category of bee diseases: 
- Acarapisosis of honey bees 
- American foulbrood of honey bees  G/SPS/GEN/732 
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  - European foulbrood of honey bees 
- Small hive beetle infestation ( Aethina tumida ) 
- Tropilaelaps infestation of honey bees 
- Varroosis of honey bees. 
9. The following diseases are included with in the category of other diseases: 
- Camelpox 
- Leishmaniosis. G/SPS/GEN/732 
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  ANNEX 2 
  
CHAPTER 1.2.3 
AQUATIC ANIMAL DISEASES LISTED BY THE OIE 
 
Article 1.2.3.1. 
 
The following diseases of fish are listed by the OIE:  
- Epizootic haematopoietic necrosis 
- Infectious haematopoietic necrosis - Spring viraemia of carp - Viral haemorrhagic septicaemia - Infectious salmon anaemia 
- Epizootic ulcerative syndrome 
- Gyrodactylosis ( Gyrodactylus salaris ) 
- Red sea bream iridoviral disease - Koi herpesvirus disease 
Article 1.2.3.2. 
The following diseases of mollus cs are listed by the OIE: 
- Infection with Bonamia ostreae 
- Infection with Bonamia exitiosa 
- Infection with Marteilia refringens 
- Infection with Perkinsus marinus 
- Infection with Perkinsus olseni 
- Infection with Xenohaliotis californiensis 
- Abalone viral mortality 
Article 1.2.3.3. 
The following diseases of crustaceans are listed by the OIE: - Taura syndrome 
- White spot disease 
- Yellowhead disease 
- Tetrahedral baculovirosis ( Baculovirus penaei ) 
- Spherical baculovirosis ( Penaeus monodon -type baculovirus)  G/SPS/GEN/732 
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  - Infectious hypodermal a nd haematopoietic necrosis 
- Crayfish plague ( Aphanomyces astaci ) 
- Necrotising hepatopancreatitis1 
- Infectious myonecrosis1. 
 
 
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1 Listing of this disease is under study.