RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE G/SPS/N/USA/20
6March 1996
ORGANIZATION
(96-0799)
Committee onSanitary andPhytosanitary Measures
NOTIFICATION
1. Member toAgreement notifying: UNITED STATES
Ifapplicable, name oflocal government involved:
2. Agency responsible: Department ofAgriculture, Animal andPlant Health Inspection
Service (20)
3. Products covered (tariff item number(s) asspecified innational schedules deposited with
theWTO. ICSnumbers may beprovided inaddition, where applicable): Cattle exports
4. Title andnumber ofpages ofthenotified document: Cattle exportations; Tuberculosis
andBrucellosis TestRequirements (2pages)
5. Description ofcontent: Thisisaninterim ruleandrequest forcomments onaproposal
foranamendment totheregulations concerning exportation oflivestock byeliminating
requirements forpre-export diagnostic testsfortuberculosis andbrucellosis incertain
cattle being exported from theUnited States directly toslaughter. Slaughter cattle
affected willbethose exported from states freeofbrucellosis ortuberculosis andthose
exported tocountries thathaveadisease surveillance system equivalent tothatofthe
Untied States andthatagree toshare withtheUnited States anyfindings ofbrucellosis
ortuberculosis inU.S.origin cattle. (TheAdministrator hasdetermined thatCanada
andMexico haveatuberculosis surveillance system; andthatCanada hasabrucellosis
surveillance system; thatisequivalent totheUnited States.) TheAgency believes that
these testrequirements canbeeliminated without compromising theintegrity ofour
brucellosis andtuberculosis surveillance systems.
6. Objective andrationale: Tofacilitate themovement ofU.S.slaughter cattle toforeign
countries.
7. Aninternational standard, guideline orrecommendation does notexist [X].
Ifaninternational standard, guideline orrecommendation exists, whenever possible,
identify deviations:
8. Relevant documents: 61FR6917, 23February 1996; 9CFR Part91
./.G/SPS/N/USA/20
Page2
9. Proposed date ofadoption andentry intoforce: Thisinterim rulewaseffective on
15February 1996
10. Final date forcomments: 23April 1996
11. Texts available from: National enquiry point []oraddress andtelefax number ofother
body: United States SPSEnquiry Point:
USDA/FAS/OFSTS
Attn: Carolyn F.Wilson
Room 5545 South Agriculture Building
14thandIndependence
Washington, D.C. 20250
Phone (202) 720-2239
Fax(202) 690-0677