. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/PHL/18
9 June 2000
(00-2297)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:  English
NOTIFICATION
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  PHILIPPINES
If applicable, name of local government involved:           
2. Agency responsible:  Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), and National Meat Inspection
Commission (NMIC)
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).  Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or
practicable:  Fresh/chilled/frozen meat and meat products (02.01 to 02.10 and 16.01 to
16.02)
4. Title and number of pages of the notified document:  Department of Agriculture (DA)
Administrative Order (AO) No. 16, Series of 2000:  Rules, Regulations, Guidelines,
Standards, and Procedures on the Importation of Meat and Meat Products into the
Philippines (8 pages)
5. Description of content:  DA AO 16 codifies and improves existing rules, regulations,
guidelines, standards, and procedures on the importation of meat and meat products into the
Philippines.  This AO provides the following:
Requirements at the country of origin :  (a) the importer to secure SPS Import Permit (VQC)
prior to importation, (b) the shipment to accompany an International Veterinary Certificate
(IVC);  (c) the exporter to ship-out only frozen meat slaughtered within 3 months;  (d) the
exporter's government veterinary authority to submit a monthly report on their disease
conditions, and (e) the government to suspend importation upon confirmation of diseaseoutbreak.
Issuance of SPS Import Permit :  (a) the importer to apply for VQC and pay necessary fee(s)
at the BAI and such VQC shall be issued by the Secretary of Agriculture;  (b) the DA to
issue a VQC per container van;  and (d) the VQC shall be valid for 3 months with a
provision for a month extension.
Requirements from an Importer :  (a) the importer to inform the DA of the shipment's arrival
(at least 3 days prior), (b) a shipment without a VQC shall be confiscated;  (c) the IVC to
bear the VQC serial number;  (d) the shipment is subject to the BAI and NMIC veterinary
and laboratory inspections and fees;  (e) and the released goods are subject to periodic
inspection by the NMIC.
Labelling and Packing Requirements :  (a) brand name;  (b) active ingredients;  (c) quantity
in metric system;  (d) origin;  (e) handling instructions;  (f) product classification;  (g)
marked with "FOR EXPORT TO THE PHILIP PINES";  (h) name and address of theG/SPS/N/PHL/18
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manufacturer and exporter;  (i) date slaughtered/manufactured;  (j) production lot no.;  and
(k) the language used must be English or Pilipino.
Conditions for Confiscation of Goods :  (a) the goods are imported prior to the issuance of
VQC;  (b) the goods are not backed with a VQC;  (c) the goods are not accompanied by an
IVC;  (d) the IVC does not bear the VQC number;  (e) the goods are determined to beunsafe/injurious to health/life;  (f) the goods are sourced from banned countries or countries
with disease outbreak;  (g) the shipment is sourced from unaccredited meat plant/facility;
(h) the goods are not market with "FOR EXPORT TO THE PHILIPPINES";  (i) the
importer refused access to pertinent import documents;  (j) the goods are adulterated;  (k)
the goods are used and/or transferred but not yet cleared by the NMIC;  (l) the volume of
the shipment exceeded the volume indicated in the VQC;  (m) the goods are substandard;
and (n) the goods are mislabelled.
Procedures for the Disposition of Confiscated Shipment :  (a) the goods confiscated in view
of items (a) to (j) above shall be returned to origin;  re-exported to a 3
rd country;  and/or
destroyed/burned at the owner's expense and (b ) the goods confiscated in view of items (k)
to (m) above shall be disposed in accordance with the Bureau of Customs and DA
regulations on auctioning and health/safety, respectively.
6. Objective and rationale: [  X ] food safety,  [  X ] animal health,  [     ] plant protection,
[ X ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [     ] protect territory from
other damage from pests           
7. An international standard, guideline or recommendation does not exist [     ].
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate
reference and briefly identify deviations:  Consistent with the OIE International Animal
Health Code and Codex Food Standards.
8. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  Available in English
9. Proposed date of adoption:  27 April 2000
10. Proposed date of entry into force:  19 May 2000
11. Final date for comments:  26 June 2000
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:  Office of the Director, Policy Analysis Service, DA Building,
Elliptical Road, Diliman, Quezon City;  Fax:  (632) 928 0590;  E-mail:  policy@da.gov.ph
12. Texts available from: [     ] National notification authority, [  X ] National enquiry point
or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:  Office of the
Director, Bureau of Animal Industry, Visa yas Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines;
Fax:  (632) 928 2429 or 928 2746