WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/MEX/171
18 April 2001
(01-1951)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:  Spanish
NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY MEASURES
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  MEXICO
If applicable, name of local government involved:           
2. Agency responsible:  Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries
and Food
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national schedules
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where
applicable).  Livestock and livestock products and by-products.  Regions or countries
likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable:  United Kingdom, France,
Netherlands, Republic of Ireland, Argentina, Ge rmany, Austria, Belgium, Belize, Bulgaria,
Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Estonia, Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia, Finland, Hungary, Icel and, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg,
Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, Uruguay and Vanuatu.
As regards all other countries, either foot-and-mouth disease is endemic or Mexico has not
recognized them as free from the disease.
4. Title and number of pages of the notified document:  Agreement establishing emergency
measures to prevent the introduction of foot-and-mouth disease into the United States ofMexico in view of the recent outbreaks in a number of countries (5 pages).
5. Description of content:  The purpose of the Agreement is to establish emergency measures
to prevent the introduction of foot-and-mouth disease into the United States of Mexico in
view of the recent outbreaks in a number of countries.  It applies mainly to live animals
susceptible to foot-and-mouth disease, including domestic and wild cloven-hoofed animals,
armadillos, hedgehogs, rodents (rats, mice a nd guinea pigs, among others), otters, brown
bears, elephants, buffalos, water hogs (capibaras), rabbits and chinchillas and any otheranimals which may be determined by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural
Development, Fisheries and Food, and their products and by-products including biological
and food materials originating in and/or consigned from countries affected by foot-and-
mouth disease which Mexico has not recognized as free from the disease or which are
considered to be at risk.
6. Objective and rationale:  [     ] food safety,  [  X ] animal health,  [     ] plant protection,
[    ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease,  [     ] protect territory from
other damage from pests           G/SPS/N/MEX/171
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7. Nature of the urgent problem(s):  Mexico is free from foot-and-mouth disease and has
had this status since 1954, when the disease was eradicated from the national territory.
Foot-and-mouth disease is a highly contagious viral disease affecting domestic
biungulates (cattle, sheep, goats and pigs) and other wild species, which are importantpotential spreaders, being unfenced.  It has particularly severe socio-economic and sanitary
implications, causing losses in the production of milk, meat and other products and
generating high control and eradication costs. It also seriously affects international trade in
livestock and its products and by-products owing to the prohibitions and restrictions that
countries free from the disease impose on those affected by it.
Foot-and-mouth disease produces direct and indirect losses.  It impacts meat and
dairy production directly, causing a short-term reduction in the earnings of theestablishments affected.  Indirect losses are caused by a drop in medium- and long-term
productivity due to reduced reproduction capacity and the number of animal deaths, culls
and abortions, and the higher incidence of mastitis which generally accompanies outbreaks
and causes irreversible losses in dairy herds.
Foot-and-mouth disease has negative effects on national and international trade in
livestock and products and by-products owing to the health restrictions imposed on the
countries affected.
In the United Kingdom, France, Netherlands, and the Republic of Ireland outbreaks
of foot-and-mouth disease occurred on 21 February and 12, 21 and 22 March 2001,
respectively, and trade in livestock and its products and by-products between the membercountries of the European Union is still unrestricted.  Furthermore, an outbreak was reported
on 12 March 2001 in Argentina, which the Office International des Epizooties (OIE) had
recognized as being free of the disease.
At the date of publication of the said Agreement, Mexico recognizes the following
countries or regions as being free of foot-and-mouth disease:  Australia, Canada, CentralAmerica, the Caribbean, Chile, United Stat es of America, Japa n, New Caledonia, New
Zealand and Singapore.  Mexico further considers the following countries to be free of the
disease but at risk:  Germany, Austria, Belgium, Belize, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Estoni a, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia,
Finland, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lith uania, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Portugal,
Romania, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, Uruguay and Vanuatu. As regards the remaining
countries, either foot-and-mouth disease is endemic or Mexico has not recognized them asfree of the disease.
The growing globalization of trade is conducive to the spread of foot-and-mouth
disease, particularly in Europe and South America, where the suspension of vaccination, has
led to large susceptible animal populations, hence increasing the risk.
The main mechanism whereby foot-and-mouth disease spreads from affected
countries to free countries is the movement of livestock and certain of its products and by-
products, since they are automatically reservoirs or carriers of the disease.  It can also be
transmitted by humans, their clothing, utensils and implements.G/SPS/N/MEX/171
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8. An international standard, guideline or recommendation does not exist [  X ].
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give its appropriate
reference and briefly identify deviations:           
9. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  Diario Oficial de la
Federación (Official Journal) of 8 April 2001 (available in Spanish).
10. Date of entry into force/period of application (as applicable):  The day following its
publication in the Diario Oficial de la Federación (6 April 2001).
The provisions shall apply pending a review of the situation in countries in which
foot-and-mouth disease is endemic or which Me xico has not recognized as free of the
disease.
11. Texts available from/and agency or authority designated to handle comments:
[    ] National notification authority, [ X] National enquiry point or address, fax number
and E-mail address (if available) of other body:
Website:  http://www.secofi.gob.mx/dgn1.html  (Standards catalogue)