WORLD TRADE G/SPS/N/USA/102
26November 1997
ORGANIZATION
(97-5214)
Committee onSanitary andPhytosanitary Measures
NOTIFICATION
1. Member toAgreement notifying: UNITED STATES
Ifapplicable, name oflocal government involved:
2. Agency responsible: Department ofAgriculture, Animal andPlant Health Inspection
Service
3. Products covered (tariff item number(s) asspecified innational schedules deposited with
theWTO. ICSnumbers may beprovided inaddition, where applicable): BSE-Belgium
4. Title andnumber ofpages ofthenotified document: Changes inDisease Status of
Belgium Because ofBSE(available inEnglish, 2pages)
5. Description ofcontent: TheAnimal andPlant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
isamending theregulations byadding Belgium tothelistofcountries where bovine
spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) exists because thedisease hasbeendetected inacow
inthatcountry. Theeffect ofthisaction istoprohibit orrestrict theimportation of
ruminants which havebeeninBelgium andcertain fresh, chilled, andfrozen meat, and
certain other animal products andanimal by-products from ruminants which havebeen
inBelgium. Thisaction isnecessary toreduce theriskthatBSEcould beintroduced
intotheUnited States.
6. Objective andrationale: Human andanimal health
7. Aninternational standard, guideline orrecommendation does notexist [X].
Ifaninternational standard, guideline orrecommendation exists, whenever possible,
identify deviations:
8. Relevant documents andlanguage(s) inwhich these areavailable: 62FR61433,
18November 1997; 9CFR Part94
9. Proposed date ofadoption: Seeparagraph 10
10. Proposed date ofentry intoforce: Interim ruleeffective 31October 1997
./.G/SPS/N/USA/102
Page2
11. Final date forcomments: 20January 1998
Agency orauthority designated tohandle comments: Animal andPlant Health Inspection
Service, USDA
12. Texts available from: National enquiry point []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