SPS Notification: Order of the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Water Management "On some protective measures against Lumpy Skin Disease"（Albania G/SPS/N/ALB/192）

1.

Notifying Member: Albania

If applicable, name of local government involved:  

2.

Agency responsible: Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Water Management

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): Live animals (cattle), fresh meat of cattle, semen of cattle, pathologic materials and biological materials from cattle

4.

Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable:

[ ]      All trading partners  

[X]    Specific regions or countries: Bulgaria, Greece, Serbia

5.

Title of the notified document: Order of the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Water Management "On some protective measures against Lumpy Skin Disease"  Language(s): Albanian  Number of pages: 2

6.

Description of content: This Order of the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Water Management provides some protective measures against the outbreak of Lumpy Skin disease in the regions identified in point 4:

• ban on imports of all live animals (cattle) and fresh meat, semen of cattle, pathologic materials and biological materials from cattle and from the territories described in point 4, to the Albanian territory;
• ban on imports of fresh cattle meat and their products from the territories described in point 4, to the Albanian territory.

The veterinary certificate should guarantee their origin. The measures also consist of:

• a ban on imports of animal feeding products that contain products from animal origin;
• a ban on imports of unsterile biological materials from cattle from the territories described in point 4, to the Albanian territory.

7.

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. The objective is to protect animal health in Albania against Lumpy Skin disease outbreak into the territories described in point 4.

8.

Nature of the urgent problem(s) and reason for urgent action: This Order is to protect animal health from Lumpy Skin disease by banning the import and transit of live cattle animals, and their products.

9.

Is there a relevant international standard? If so, identify the standard:

[ ]        Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g. title or serial number of Codex standard or related text)  

[X]      World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g. Terrestrial or Aquatic Animal Health Code, chapter number) Chapter number 2.4.13, 2016 "Lumpy Skin Disease"

[ ]        International Plant Protection Convention (e.g. ISPM number)  

[ ]        None

Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?

[X] Yes   [ ] No

If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the international standard:  

10.

Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:

Relevant notifications submitted by various countries to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE):

• 23 June 2016 related to the outbreak of Lumpy Skin disease in Bulgaria;
• 1 July 2016 related to the outbreak of Lumpy Skin disease in Serbia;
• 2 July 2016 related to the outbreak of Lumpy Skin disease in Greece.

According to the OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code and according to Council Directive 82/894/EEC of 21 December 1982 on the notification of animal diseases within the Community, Lumpy Skin disease is a notifiable disease.

11.

Date of entry into force (dd/mm/yy)/period of application (as applicable): 8 July 2016

[ ]      Trade facilitating measure  

12.

Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [X] National Notification Authority, [X] National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body:  

13.

Text(s) available from: [X] National Notification Authority, [X] National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e-mail address (if available) of other body:

General Directory of Agriculture Services and Fishery

SPS Enquiry Point - Albania

Tel: +(355 4) 2 259 333

Fax: +(355 4) 2 259 333