. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/VEN/3
12 March 2003
(03-1393)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:  Spanish
NOTIFICATION
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  VENEZUELA
If applicable, name of local government involved:
2. Agency responsible:  Ministry of Agriculture and Land / Autonomous Agricultural Health
Service (SASA)
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national schedules
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where
applicable):
Chapter I:  01.02:  01.02.10.00, 01.02.90, 01.02.90.10, 01.02.90.90; 01.04:  01.04.10,
01.04.10.10, 01.04.10.90, 01.04.20, 01.04.20.10, 01.04.20.90; 01.06:  01.06.00.90;
Chapter II:  02.01:  02.01.10.00, 02.01.20.00, 02.01.30.00; 02.02:  02.02.10.00, 02.02.20.00,
02.02.30.00; 02.04:  02.04.10.00, 02.04.21.00, 02.04.22.00, 02.04.23.00, 02.04.30.00,
02.04.41.00, 02.04.42.00, 02.04.43.00, 02.04.50.00; 02.06:  02.06.10.00, 02.06.21.00,
02.06.22.00, 02.06.29.00, 02.06.30.00; 02.10:  02.10.20.00, 02.10.90, 02.10.90.10,
02.10.90.90;
Chapter V:  05.04:  05.04.00.10, 05.04.00.20, 05.04.00.30; 05.06:  05.06.10.00, 05.06.90.00;
05.10:  05.10.00.10; 05.11: 05.11.99.40, 05.11.99.40;
Bovine animals, sheep, goats and buffaloes and the ova, embryos, products and by-products
thereof.
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable:
This restriction is applicable to products originating in or consigned from the
following countries:
Europe: Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein,
Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom (Great
Britain, Northern Ireland, Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey)
and all other countries and regions which report outbreaks of Bovine Spongiform
Encephalopathy (BSE) in their territory.
5. Title, language and number of pages of the notified document:  Resolution Prohibiting
the Importation of Bovine Animals, Sheep, Goats and Buffaloes and the Ova, Embryos,
Products and By-products Thereof  (2 pages, in Spanish).
6. Description of content:  This Resolution prohibits the importation of bovine animals,
sheep, goats and buffaloes and the ova and embryos thereof in order to protect domesticproduction and prevent the introduction and spread of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
(BSE). This emerging disease is spreading throughout Europe and constitutes a threat to
both public health and the herds and flocks of third countries, including Venezuela.
Furthermore, given that a correlation has been proved between this disease and
ruminants being fed products containing ma mmal protein (bone-meal, meat-meal, meat-
and-bone meal, ground bone, meal containing internal organs, inter alia ), importation of the
products and by-products of the above-mentioned species is also prohibited.G/SPS/N/VEN/3
Page 2
6. Description of content:  (cont'd)  Pursuant to the International Animal Health Code of the
Office International des Epizooties (OIE), the only products exempt from the prohibition,
provided that they meet the related requirements, are milk, milk products, semen, protein-
free tallow (maximum level of insoluble impurities of 0.15 per cent in weight) and
derivatives made from this tallow, dicalcium phosphate (with no trace of protein or fat),
hides and skins, and gelatin and collagen prepared exclusively from hides and skins.
The Resolution also specifies the labelling conditions for such products when
intended for consumption by animals other than ruminants.
Offenders will be penalized under the Animal and Plant Health Protection Law and
other related legislation.
7. Objective and rationale: [     ] food safety,  [  X ] animal health,  [     ] plant protection,
[ X ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [  X ] protect territory from
other damage from pests
8. International standard, guideline or recommendation:
[    ] Codex Alimentarius Commission,  [ X ] Office International des Epizooties,
[   ] International Plant Protection Convention,  [    ] None
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate
reference and briefly identify deviations:
9. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  Official Gazette of
the Republic of Venezuela No. 37,186, Resolution DM (Office of the Minister)/No. 206
(available in Spanish).
10. Proposed date of adoption:  26 April 2001
11. Proposed date of entry into force:  27 April 2001
12. Final date for comments:  Although the measure has already been adopted and entered into
force, comments will be accepted for 60 days fo llowing submission of the notification by the
Permanent Mission to the Central Registry of Notifications for subsequent amendments.
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:
Autonomous Agricultural Health Service (SASA),
Av. Lecuna, Torre Este, 12th floor, Parque Central, El Conde,
Caracas, Venezuela.Tel.:  (58 212) 509-0140 / 509-0184 / 509-0315 / 509-0378
Fax:  (58 212) 509-0376
E-mail:  mat_sasa@yahoo.es
13. Texts available from:  [  X ] National notification authority, [     ] National enquiry
point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:
Autonomous Agricultural Health Service (SASA),
Av. Lecuna, Torre Este, 12th floor, Parque Central, El Conde,
Caracas, Venezuela.
Tel.:  (58 212) 509-0140 / 509-0184 / 509-0315 / 509-0378
Fax:  (58 212) 509-0376
E-mail:  mat_sasa@yahoo.es