   
  
G/SPS/GEN/2208   
13 March 2024  
(24-2275) Page: 1/1 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: Spanish  
 
  
SELF -DECLARATION OF COUNTRY FREE DOM  FROM INFECTION WITH  
HIGH  PATHOGENICITY AVIAN INFLUENZA VIRUSES IN POULTRY  BY CHILE  
COMMUNICATION FROM CHILE  
The following communication, received on 12 March 2024, is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of Chile. 
 
_______________  
 
 
1.  Pursuant to Article 6 of the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures, 
which concerns regio nal conditions, including pest - or disease -free areas and areas of low pest or 
disease prevalence, and in order to comply with the principle of transparency, Chile hereby informs 
WTO Members of the following:  
a. The Agriculture and Livestock Service (SAG) is the health authority responsible for 
protecting animal health in Chile;  
b. On 22  August  2023, Chile issued a self -declaration of country -wide freedom from infection 
with high pathogenicity avian influenza ( HPAI) viruses in poultry, having undertaken all of 
the surveillance measures provided for  in the guidance of the World Organi sation for 
Animal Health (WOAH) and having fully complied with the time frame set by WOAH;  
c. Domestic legislation establishes the control measures that must be applied within an 
establis hment in the event of an HPAI outbreak. The legislation applicable to the control 
of HPAI is stipulated in Decree with Force of Law No.  RRA16 of 19631 establishing the 
animal health regulations and Organic Law No.  18.755 of 19892 on the Agriculture and 
Livestock Service;  
d. Chile has an HPAI contingency plan, a key technical document , that is triggered in the 
event of an HPAI outbreak in poultry or non -poultry birds. The plan sets out specific 
procedures to be followed to respond to the situation and contains clear guidance on how 
to mitigate the impact of the outbreak. In addition, Chile has a zoning protocol that defines 
specific areas and actions to contain and control the spread of the virus in different regions 
of the country. In this way, g uarantees are provided  with respect to product certification 
and compliance with export market requirements;  
e. The declaration of country  freedom from infection with HPAI viruses  in poultry and the 
timely information provided by Chile facilitate the trade of its poultry products and 
by-products;  
f. Chile emphasizes that zoning arrangements facilitate trade during an emergency.  
2.  This communicati on is submitted  for purposes of transparency and to provide information to 
Members.  
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1 https://www.bcn.cl/leychile/navegar?idNorma=3954 . 
2 https://www.bcn.cl/leychile/navegar?idNorma =30135 . 