. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/USA/366
20 December 2000
(00-5565)
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). Ruminants and swine   Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the
extent relevant or practicable:  Artigas (Uruguay)
4. Title and number of pages of the notified document:  Change in Disease Status of
Artigas, Uruguay, Because of Rinderpest and Foot-and-Mouth Disease - Interim rule and
request for comments (3 pages)
5. Description of content:  APHIS is amending the regulations governing the importation of
certain animals, meat, and other animal products by removing Artigas, a department in
Uruguay, from the list of regions considered to be free of rinderpest and foot-and-mouthdisease. We are taking this action because the existence of foot-and-mouth disease has been
confirmed there. The effect of this action is to prohibit or restrict the importation of any
ruminant or swine and any fresh (chilled or frozen) meat and other products of ruminants or
swine into the United States from Artigas.  APHIS invites your comments and will consider
all comments received by 12 February 2001.
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           
7. Nature of the urgent problem(s):  This action is necessary to prevent the introduction of
foot-and-mouth disease into the United States.
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:  65 FR 77771,
13 December 2000 (Available in English)
10. Date of entry into force/period of application (as applicable):  This interim rule was
effective 1 October 2000.G/SPS/N/USA/366
Page 2
11. Texts available from/and agency or authority designated to handle comments:
[ X ] National notification authority, [  X ] National enquiry point or address, fax
number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:  Detailed instruction on where
and how to send comments is in the body of the full text - which will be sent upon request
to the address in paragraph 12.
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. 20250Phone:  (202) 720-2239
Fax:  (202) 690-0677
E-mail:  ofsts@fas.usda.gov