. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/FRA/3
30 April 2001
(01-2178)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:  French
NOTIFICATION
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  FRANCE
If applicable, name of local government involved:  Ministry of Agriculture and
Fisheries – Ministry of the Economy, Finance and Industry
2. Agency responsible: Directorate-General of Food and Nutrition –
Directorate-General of Customs and Excise
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national schedules
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers may also be provided, where applicable).
Dogs, cats and ferrets ( Mustela putorius furo ).  Regions or countries likely to be affected,
to the extent relevant or practicable:  Intra-community trade or trade with third countries.
4. Title and number of pages of the notified document:  Draft Order Relating to the
Conditions for Importing Carnivorous Domestic Animals from Third Countries into France
(7 pages).
5. Description of content:  Trade flows of domestic animals, in particular dogs and cats, are
increasing both within the European Community  and from third countries to the European
Union.  At the same time, and owing to its long-standing rabies control policy and rabies
vaccination campaigns for foxes, France is pois ed to confirm the total eradication of this
disease on its territory and hopes to claim rabies-free status in the very near future.  Themeasures formerly provided for in this context by the 1990 notice to importers must be
updated and additional requirements established for animals from countries which are not
free from rabies.
• The proposed order sets forth the animal health requirements pertaining to the
commercial importation into France of carnivorous domestic animals from third
countries regardless of whether these are intended for sale or originate from France.
• These conditions are based on the compulsory identification of the animals and
their vaccination against common feline and canine diseases as well as on specific
regulations on rabies prevention.  The latter conditions are adapted to the status ofthe country of origin:  countries which are not free from rabies must establish the
animal's immunological condition by way of a serological test conducted more than
three but less than twelve months prior to departure;  countries of origin which are
free from rabies are required to present a certificate testifying that the animal has
spent more than the last six months in the country (or lived there since birth).
• Furthermore, dogs and cats imported for purposes of animal experimentation or for
breeding or retail establishments must meet further conditions applicable to both
the breeding establishment in the country of origin and the destination
establishment in France.
6. Objective and rationale:  [   ] food safety, [  X ] animal health, [   ] plant protection, [  X ]
protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [   ] protect territory from other
damage from pests           G/SPS/N/FRA/3
Page 2
7. An international standard, guideline or recommendation does not exist [     ].
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give its appropriate
reference and briefly identify differences:           
8. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  Rural Code, in
particular Articles L. 223-14, L. 236-1 and L. 236-2, Decree No. 91-823 of 28 August 1991
and Decree No. 96-656 of 27 June 1996 on rabies control (available in French).
9. Proposed date of adoption:  April 2001
10. Proposed date of entry into force:  August 2001
11. Final date for comments:  June 2001
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [  X ] National notification
authority, [     ] National enquiry point or address, fax number and E-mail address (if
available) of other body:           
12. Texts available from:  [     ] National notification authority, [  X ] National enquiry point
or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:
DIGITIP – SQUALPI
64-70 allée de Bercy
5574 Paris Cedex 12
and the National enquiry point:
Mission de Coordination Sanitaire Internationale
Direction Générale de l’Alimentation
Ministère de l’Agriculture et de la Pêche251, rue de Vaugirard
75732 Paris Cedex 15
Tel:  +(33) 1 49 55 81 20 and 49 55 84 86
Fax:  +(33) 1 49 55 44 62
E-mail:  catherine.rogy@agriculture.gouv.fr and
   mcsi.dgal@agriculture.gouv.fr