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STC number: 80
Restrictions on poultry meat imports
Maintained by:
Bolivia, Plurinational State of
Raised by:
Chile
Supported by:
First date raised:
November 2000 G/SPS/R/20, para. 94
Dates subsequently
raised:
Number of times
subsequently raised:
Relevant
document(s):
Products covered:
March 2001 (G/SPS/R/21, paras. 33-35)
July 2001 (G/SPS/R/22, para. 132)
2
Primary subject
keyword:
Subject keywords:
Animal Health
Status:
Resolved
Solution:
Agreement on a protocol and progress reported in July 2001
Date reported as
resolved:
1 July 2001
Raised orally
0207 Meat and edible offal, of the poultry of heading 01.05, fresh,
chilled or frozen.
Animal health
Extracts from SPS Committee Meeting summary reports
In November 2000, Chile reported that in August 2000 it had consulted with the authorities of
Bolivia, in the context of Article 5.8 of the SPS Agreement, regarding requirements on poultry
meat imports with respect to Inclusion body hepatitis. This disease was endemic to Bolivia and
restrictions on imports from Chile were not justified. Chile hoped that this issue would soon be
resolved. The representative of Bolivia indicated that he would transmit this information to his
authorities.
In March 2001, Chile noted that Bolivia had failed to notify the measure, and requested that a
scientific risk assessment be carried out as quickly as possible. Bilateral discussions on the issue
had ceased since August 2000. Bolivia explained that import conditions for poultry and other
agricultural products had been changed because of problems which Inclusion body hepatitis caused
in the bird population and the associated negative economic impact. During the last five years,
Bolivia's state veterinary laboratories had determined the clinical absence of Inclusion body
hepatitis in Bolivia, but the disease had been diagnosed in Chile. Regarding preventive vaccination,
Bolivia stated that this was justifiable only if the virus was present on a farm. Secondly, total
protection against the disease was only possible if the serotype present in the vaccination was the
same as that present in farm strains. Thirdly, successful protection depended on other immunosuppressant factors, and in Chile there was a risk of Avian infectious anaemia. Bolivia's National
Food and Agricultural Health Service was revising the standard, and would inform Chile of the
results. Bolivia wished to solve the matter expediently and to the benefit of both parties.
In July 2001, Chile informed the Committee that the sanitary authorities of both countries had
agreed to work on a protocol, and thanked Bolivia for the progress made.