. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/USA/453
6 June 2001
(01-2774)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:  English
NOTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY MEASURES
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  UNITED STATES
If applicable, name of local government involved:           
2. Agency responsible:  Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service - APHIS
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).  Fresh (chilled and frozen) beef  Regions or countries likely to be affected, to
the extent relevant or practicable:  Argentina
4. Title and number of pages of the notified document:  Prohibition of Beef From
Argentina (3 pages)
5. Description of content:  Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA is amending
the regulations by removing the provisions for the importation of fresh (chilled or frozen)
beef from Argentina and by removing the exemptions that allowed cured or cooked beef to
be imported from Argentina under certain conditions without meeting the requirements ofthe regulations regarding cured and cooked meat from regions where rinderpest or
foot-and-mouth disease exists.  We are taking these actions because the existence of
foot-and-mouth disease has been confirmed in that country.  The effect of these actions is to
prohibit the importation of any fresh (chilled or frozen) beef from Argentina and to prohibit
the importation of any cooked or cured beef from Argentina that does not meet the
requirements of the regulations regarding cured and cooked meat from regions where
rinderpest or foot-and-mouth disease exists.
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  APHIS is taking this action in accordance with Chapter 2.1.1 of
the Office International des Epizooties (OIE) Animal Health Code.
7. Nature of the urgent problem(s):  We are taking these actions as an emergency measure to
protect the livestock of the United  States from foot-and-mouth disease.
8. An international standard, guideline or recommendation does not exist [     ].
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give its appropriate
reference and briefly identify deviations:  APHIS is taking this action in accordance with
Chapter 2.1.1 of the Office International de s Epizooties (OIE) Animal Health Code.
9. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available  66 FR 29897,
4 June 2001 (Available in English)G/SPS/N/USA/453
Page 2
10. Date of entry into force/period of application (as applicable):  This interim rule was
effective on 19 February 2001.  We invite you to comment. APHIS will consider all
comments that we receive by 3 August 2001.
11. Texts available from/and agency or authority designated to handle comments:  The full
text of this notification, including instructions for commenting, are available from the
address below.  [ X ] National notification authority, [  X ] National enquiry point or
address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:
United States SPS Enquiry Point/Notification Authority:
USDA/FAS/FSTSD
Attn: Carolyn F. Wilson
Room 5545 South Agriculture Building
Stop 1027
1400 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20250Tel:  (202) 720-2239
Fax:  (202) 690-0677
E-mail:  ofsts@fas.usda.gov