WORLD TRADE G/SPS/N/USA/106
18December 1997
ORGANIZATION
(97-5555)
Committee onSanitary andPhytosanitary Measures
NOTIFICATION OFEMERGENCY MEASURES
1. Member toAgreement notifying: UNITED STATES
Ifapplicable, name oflocal government involved:
2. Agency responsible: Department ofAgriculture, Animal andPlant Health Inspection
Servive, APHIS
3. Products covered (tariff item number(s) asspecified innational schedules deposited with the
WTO. ICSnumbers may beprovided inaddition, where applicable): Ruminants and
ruminant products
4. Title andnumber ofpages ofthenotified document: Temporary suspension ofimport
permits forcertain ruminants andruminant products intotheUnited States from
European countries with unknown bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) status.
(4pages -English)
5. Description ofcontent: TheAnimal andPlant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has
made adecision, effective 11December 1997, totemporarily stopissuing import permits
forliveruminants andcertain products ofruminant origin tocertain European countries
duetotheriskofBSE. Countries previously notallowed toshipparticular animals and
products because oftheir BSE status willcontinue inthatcategory. Thefollowing
products which present minimal riskofBSEtransmission arenotincluded inthisaction:
semen, milk andmilk products, hides andskins, tallow andtallow derivatives, and
certain blood products used inmicrobiologic media. Products such asgelatin and
collagen forhuman useareaddressed through authority oftheFood andDrug
Administration (FDA).
6. Objective andrationale: Human andanimal health
7. Nature oftheurgent problem(s): Current policy places theUnited States atcontinued
riskforintroduction ofBSE intotheanimal orhuman food chain andprovides no
incentive forhigh-risk nations tocomply withinternationally recommended surveillance
andriskassessment standards foranimal health. TheUnited States hasimmediate
animal andpublic health concerns about thesafety ofEuropean ruminants andruminant
products andisrequesting information about BSEsurveillance andreporting systems in
these countries.
./.G/SPS/N/USA/106
Page2
Currently, APHIS restricts importation ofliveruminants andruminant products from
nations which havereported BSEinnative borncattle. Thispassive method relies solely
ontheability ofanation 'sveterinary service todetect andreport thedisease. The
APHIS Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy (TSE) Working Group, theFDA TSE
Advisory Committee, andtheEU’sStanding Veterinary Committee haverecommended
thattheUnited States baseimport policy onactive riskassessment andsurveillance
rather thanreporting alone. Concern about theUSimport policy andpotential impact
onthehealth andwelfare oftheAmerican consumer hasbeenexpressed byOfficials of
theCenters forDisease Control andPrevention. Therefore, theUnited States hastaken
thisimmediate temporary emergency action.
8. Aninternational standard, guideline orrecommendation does notexist [].
Ifaninternational standard, guideline orrecommendation exists, whenever possible,
identify deviations:
TheOffice International desEpizooties (OIE) International Animal Health Code,
Chapter 3.2.13, Article 3.2.13.1 supports import policies based onactive analysis ofrisk
inexporting Nations. The28October 1997, Federal Register Notice, notified tothe
WTO asG/SPS/N/USA/97, onAPHIS Policy Regarding Importation ofAnimals and
Animal Products likewise prescribes anactive assessment ofriskfordecisions on
importation.
9. Relevant documents andlanguage(s) inwhich these areavailable: APHIS regulatory
decision ascontained inpress release dated 12December 1997, andnotification letter to
affected countries dated 12December 1997; citation forG/SPS/N/USA/97 is62
FR56027.
10. Date ofentry intoforce/period ofapplication (asapplicable): 11December 1997. The
period ofapplication ofthisaction isuntil theriskofBSEbeing introduced through
these sources canbeassessed.
11. Texts available from/and agency orauthority designated tohandle comments: Animal and
Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA ;National enquiry point [X]oraddress, telefax
number andE-mail address (ifavailable) ofother body:
United States SPSEnquiry Point:
USDA/FAS/FSTSD
Attn: Carolyn F.Wilson
Room 5545 South Agriculture Building
Stop1027
1400 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20250
Tel: (202) 7202239
Fax: (202) 6900677
E-mail: wilsonc@fas.usda.gov