RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE G/SPS/N/USA/43
23May1996
ORGANIZATION
(96-2041)
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
3. Products covered (tariff item number(s) asspecified innational schedules deposited with
theWTO. ICSnumbers may beprovided inaddition, where applicable): Horses
4. Title andnumber ofpages ofthenotified document: Horses Imported intotheUnited
States (4pages)
5. Description ofcontent: TheAnimal andPlant Health Inspection Service isproposing to
amend thehorse importation regulations toclarify theinformation required onthe
application forapermit toimport horses intotheUnited States andtoclarify health
certificate requirements forimported horses thattransit another country enroute tothe
United States. Among other things, wepropose tospecify that"route oftravel" must
include alistofallofthecountries thatthehorse willtransit enroute totheUnited
States, allofthemodes oftransportation thatwillbeusedtomove thehorse from the
country oforigin totheportofentry intheUnited States, andallofthelocations
where thehorse willbeoffloaded prior toarrival attheUSportofentry. Inthepast,
inaddition toneglecting tolistallofthecountries oftransit, some importers have
mistakenly omitted information onthemodes oftransportation usedtotransport a
shipment ofhorses andlocations where theshipment ofhorses willbeoffloaded.
Because different countries havedifferent disease statuses, andtheriskofthehorses '
exposure todisease increases when shipped byground transportation andwhen
offloaded atsome locations within countries oftransit, acomplete assessment ofthe
import riskassociated withaparticular shipment ofhorses isonlypossible when allof
theessential information isavailable ontheimport permit application. Wearealso
proposing toclarify theregulations concerning thelocations foroffloading. Currently,
theregulations donotspecify appropriate locations where horses maybeoffloaded in
countries oftransit. Weareproposing torequire thatif,during shipment totheUnited
States, ahorse isoffloaded inacountry oftransit, thenthathorse must beoffloaded in
afacility thatiscapable ofbeing cleaned anddisinfected andthatisapproved bythe
country oftransit 'sMinistry ofAgriculture forthe
./.G/SPS/N/USA/43
Page2
offloading ofin-transit horses. Wearealsoproposing tospecifiy thatwhile thehorse
isoffloaded inthefacility, thehorse must bekeptseparate from allother horses. We
believe these proposed actions arenecessary toensure thatimporters ofhorses provide
adequate andaccurate information onimport permit applications andtoensure that
horses areproperly handled from thetimethehorses leave theirfarmoforigin until
thehorses arrive intheUnited States.
6. Objective andrationale: Toensure thecontinued protection ofthehealth ofhorses in
theUnited States.
7. Aninternational standard, guideline orrecommendation does notexist [X].
Ifaninternational standard, guideline orrecommendation exists, whenever possible,
identify deviations:
8. Relevant documents: 61FR21389, 10May1996; 9CFR PART 92
9. Proposed date ofadoption andentry intoforce: Theeffective datewillbegiven upon
publication ofthefinalruleintheFederal Register.
10. Final date forcomments: 9July1996
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) 6900677