65th Meeting of the SPS Committee
Communication from the World Organisation for Animal
Health (OIE)
The
following communication, received on 4 March 2016, is being circulated at the
request of the OIE.
_______________
The
OIE is pleased to provide this update for the information of SPS Committee
Members.
As a
preliminary matter, please note that from 1 January 2016 Dr Monique Eloit has
assumed the responsibilities of OIE Director General as successor of Dr Bernard
Vallat, who served for 15 years.
This
report focuses on: 1) the developments in the OIE standards for terrestrial and
aquatic animals; 2) the survey on the participation of Veterinary Services in
National Committees for implementation of the new Trade Facilitation Agreement
of the World Trade Organization; 3) the fourth OIE Global Conference on
Veterinary Education in June 2016; and 4) capacity building using the OIE PVS
Pathway.
1 Developments in the OIE standards for terrestrial and aquatic
animals
1.1. The Biological Standards Commission met from 2-5 February 2016 and
reviewed member countries' comments and prepared new and revised text portions
in the Manual of Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines for
Terrestrial Animals to be proposed for adoption at the 84th
General Session (22‑27 May 2016).
1.2. The Terrestrial Animal Health Standards Commission (Code Commission)
met from 8‑19 February 2016 and reviewed member countries' comments and
prepared new and revised text portions in the Terrestrial
Animal Health Code (Terrestrial Code).
Texts will be proposed for adoption, at the 84th General Session, or
circulated for member countries' comments.
1.3. The Aquatic Animal Health Standards Commission met from 15-19
February 2016 and reviewed member countries' comments and prepared new and
revised text portions in the Aquatic Animal Health Code
(Aquatic Code) and Manual of
Diagnostic Tests for Aquatic Animals. Texts will be proposed for
adoption at the 84th General Session, or circulated for comments.
1.4. The OIE draws the attention of WTO Members to the following
important developments in the Terrestrial Code and
Aquatic Code. The number of chapters to
be proposed for adoption is limited this year, respecting the principle of the
two-year cycle of standard development so as to provide member countries with
enough time to examine, and opportunities to comment on, the text.
1.1 Terrestrial Code
1.1.1 Glossary definitions for OIE Standards, Guidelines and other matters
1.5. As reported at the October 2015 SPS Committee meeting, draft
definitions for OIE Standard and OIE Guideline were circulated among member
countries and their comments were examined by all Specialist Commissions. The
revised definitions in both Terrestrial Code
and Aquatic Code will be circulated for member
countries' further consideration.
1.6. The glossary definitions for "zone"
were amended and will be circulated for member countries' consideration.
1.1.2 OIE procedures relevant to WTO SPS Agreement (Chapter 5.3.)
1.7. Taking into account comments of recent WTO Dispute Settlement Body
panels and with a view to removing unnecessarily discursive text, Chapter 5.3.
was revised to align it with established Code format and will be circulated for
member countries' consideration.
1.1.3 Criteria
1.8. The work of developing criteria for assessing the safety of
commodities started last year in order to explain the basis of how the lists of
safe commodities in disease specific chapters are developed. The revised draft,
reflecting consideration of member countries' comments, will be circulated for member
countries' further consideration.
1.1.4 Compartments free from FMD with vaccination
1.9. In response to member countries' comments and following consultation
with experts, a new article establishing "compartments free from FMD with
vaccination" was drafted and will be circulated for member countries'
consideration. If adopted in future, this will be a novel approach, as up to
now vaccination within a compartment is not considered a biosecurity measure.
1.1.5 African Swine Fever
1.10. Given the continuing challenges of controlling this disease in
several parts of the world, there is a high level of interest in the revision
of the current Terrestrial Code chapter on "Infection
with African swine fever virus". Since commencement of the work in 2014,
there have been two rounds of consultation on a proposed revision of the
current chapter with member countries. The comments from the second round of
consultation were examined by the Code Commission in February 2016. Considering
the high number of comments received and subsequent substantial amendments
made, including the restructuring of the article for free status, it was
considered premature to propose the draft for adoption at May 2016 General
Session. The latest amended draft will be sent for a further round of
consultation with member countries.
1.1.6 New Chapter of PRRS
1.11. The development of a chapter on infection with porcine reproductive
and respiratory syndrome virus was discussed when the disease re-emerged in
Asia in 2008 but did not begin until 2013 because of uncertainties about the
pathways of global spread and inadequate diagnostic tests. The first draft of a
new chapter circulated for member countries' consideration in 2014 generated
many comments that have now been reviewed by experts and the Specialist
Commissions. The amended draft will be circulated for member countries' further
consideration.
1.2 Aquatic Code and Manual
1.2.1 Criteria for the inclusion of diseases in the OIE list (Chapter
1.2.)
1.12. The Aquatic Animals Commission considered member countries' comments
and made relevant amendments also ensuring harmonisation of respective chapters
in the Terrestrial and Aquatic Code,
as far as possible, noting that some differences are necessary due to the
different circumstances of aquatic and terrestrial animal diseases.
1.2.2 Infection with B. salamandrivorans
1.13. The Aquatic Animals Commission concluded that B. salamandrivorans, a fungal infection of salamanders with
serious implications for biodiversity, meets the criteria for listing in
Chapter 1.3. and is being proposed as an OIE listed disease.
1.2.3 Acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND)
1.14. New draft chapters for AHPND for both the Aquatic Code
and Aquatic Manual have been circulated for member
countries' comments. AHPND has resulted in significant mortalities in farmed shrimp
in Asia and Latin America.
1.2.4 Susceptible species
1.15. The list of susceptible species in disease-specific chapters of the Aquatic Code are in the process of review based on the
criteria for listing species as susceptible to infection with a specific
pathogen as described in Chapter 1.5.
2 The survey on the participation of Veterinary Services in National
Committees for implementation of the new Trade Facilitation Agreement of the
World Trade Organization
2.1. The OIE and the World Customs Organisation (WCO) revised their
cooperation agreement in 2015, aiming to strengthen cooperation and boost
collaboration between national Customs Administrations and Veterinary Services
(VS) in matters of common interest. One of the key areas of common interest
identified is the implementation of the WTO Agreement on Trade Facilitation
(TFA), with a focus on Coordinated Border Management.
2.2. As a first step, adjusting the model WCO questionnaire to OIE
purposes, a survey was conducted among all member countries in order to raise
awareness of the TFA among VS and to evaluate the current situation to enable
consideration of possible development of capacity-building activities.
2.3. The response rate has been rather low (49/180) as compared with
general surveys conducted by the OIE. Among the 26 member country responses
indicating that a National Committee on Trade Facilitation (NCTF) had been
established, 14 indicated that the VS had been invited to become an NCTF
member. Further awareness-raising and participation of VS in NCTFs is being
encouraged, and development of a joint Customs Administration and Veterinary
Services capacity building initiative on coordinated border management is being
explored.
3 The fourth OIE Global Conference on Veterinary Education:
Implementing OIE guidelines to ensure the excellence of the veterinary
profession
3.1. With the valuable contribution of the Department of Livestock
Development (as National Veterinary Authority) of the Kingdom of Thailand, the
4th OIE Global Conference on Veterinary Education will be held in Bangkok on
22–24 June 2016.
3.2. This Conference will address ways to further improve the quality of
the veterinary profession globally, through encouraging worldwide harmonisation
of veterinary education based on OIE guidelines focusing on global Public Good
aspects of veterinary activities. The discussions will extend to the need for
closer collaboration between Veterinary Authorities (VAs), Veterinary Statutory
Bodies (VSBs) and Veterinary Education Establishments (VEEs). The Conference
will also take up the importance both of veterinarians' capacity to better face
challenges not necessarily within the domain of veterinary science alone, and
the availability of various innovative teaching methods.
3.3. Approximately 600 participants from all over the world are expected
to attend the Conference.
3.4. Further information about the Conference is available at: http://www.oie.int/eng/vet-education-conf2016/introduction.html.
4 Capacity building using the OIE PVS Pathway
4.1. The OIE continues its global initiative to support member countries
wishing to strengthen VS and Aquatic Animal Health Services (AAHS) using the
OIE PVS Pathway.
4.2. A summary of OIE Members' engagement in the PVS Pathway may be found
at Annex 1.
Annex 1
A summary of progress on PVS Pathway evaluations
PVS Evaluation missions: State of play up to 1
March 2016
|
OIE members
|
PVS Evaluation requests received
|
PVS Evaluation missions implemented
|
Reports available for restricted distribution to Donors and Partners
|
Publication on the OIE website
|
Africa
|
54
|
53
|
51
|
34
|
9
|
Americas
|
29
|
25
|
24
|
10
|
9
|
Asia, the Far East and
Oceania
|
32
|
25
|
24
|
10
|
2
|
Europe
|
53
|
19
|
19
|
10
|
1
|
Middle East
|
12
|
13
|
11
|
5
|
1
|
TOTAL
|
180
|
135
|
129
|
69
|
22
|
PVS Evaluation missions of the AAHS: State of play
up to 1 March 2016*
|
OIE members
|
PVS Evaluation requests received
|
PVS Evaluation missions implemented
|
Reports available for restricted distribution to Donors and Partners
|
Publication on the OIE website
|
Africa
|
54
|
4
|
3
|
0
|
1
|
Americas
|
29
|
7
|
3
|
0
|
0
|
Asia, the Far East and
Oceania
|
32
|
4
|
4
|
0
|
0
|
Europe
|
53
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
Middle East
|
12
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
TOTAL
|
180
|
17
|
10
|
0
|
1
|
* Including PVS Evaluation of the AAHS Follow-Up
missions.
PVS GAP Analysis missions: State of play up to 1
March 2016*
|
OIE members
|
PVS Gap Analysis requests received
|
PVS Gap Analysis missions implemented
|
Reports available for restricted distribution to Donors and Partners
|
Publication on the OIE web site
|
Africa
|
54
|
51
|
47
|
19
|
10
|
Americas
|
29
|
18
|
13
|
5
|
4
|
Asia, the Far East and
Oceania
|
32
|
20
|
15
|
6
|
1
|
Europe
|
53
|
9
|
8
|
3
|
1
|
Middle East
|
12
|
10
|
4
|
0
|
0
|
TOTAL
|
180
|
108
|
87
|
33
|
16
|
* Including Second Gap Analysis missions and Aquatic Gap
Analysis missions.
PVS Evaluation
- Follow up missions: State of play up to 1 March 2016*
|
OIE members
|
PVS Evaluation Follow-Up
requests received
|
PVS Evaluation Follow-Up
missions implemented
|
Reports available for
restricted distribution to Donors and Partners
|
Publication on the OIE website
|
Africa
|
54
|
15
|
13
|
1
|
2
|
Americas
|
29
|
9
|
8
|
0
|
5
|
Asia, the Far East and Oceania
|
32
|
7
|
5
|
1
|
2
|
Europe
|
53
|
5
|
4
|
1
|
0
|
Middle East
|
12
|
5
|
2
|
1
|
0
|
TOTAL
|
180
|
41
|
32
|
4
|
9
|
* Including Second Follow-Up missions.
Veterinary
Legislation - Support missions: State of play up to 1 March 2016*
|
OIE members
|
Veterinary Legislation Identification mission requests received
|
Veterinary Legislation Identification missions implemented
|
Veterinary Legislation Identification mission reports received
|
Agreement requested
|
Agreement signed
|
Africa
|
54
|
41
|
28
|
26
|
7
|
3
|
Americas
|
29
|
8
|
6
|
6
|
2
|
1
|
Asia, the Far East and
Oceania
|
32
|
7
|
6
|
6
|
1
|
0
|
Europe
|
53
|
5
|
4
|
4
|
1
|
0
|
Middle East
|
12
|
5
|
4
|
4
|
1
|
0
|
TOTAL
|
180
|
66
|
48
|
46
|
12
|
4
|
*
Does not include (Pilot project) Botswana, SouthAfrica and 1st
mision in Zambia.
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