STC Number - 337
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Delay in finalizing inspection procedures on bovine and poultry meat from Argentina

Maintained by: Canada
Raised by: Argentina
Supported by:
First date raised: October 2012 G/SPS/R/69, para. 14
Dates subsequently raised:
Number of times subsequently raised: 0
Relevant documents: Raised orally.
Products covered:
Primary subject keyword: Animal Health
Keywords: Animal health; Pest or Disease free Regions / Regionalization
Status: Not reported
Solution:
Date reported as resolved:

Extracts from SPS Committee meeting summary reports

In October 2012, Argentina expressed concerns at the delays in Canada opening its market for poultry and bovine meat despite favourable risk assessments. Argentina noted that the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) had recognized the Argentine FMD-free area without vaccination. In September 2009, the CFIA indicated that the risk assessment results regarding the FMD-free area with vaccination were favourable to Argentina's exports of deboned, matured, fresh, chilled and frozen meat. Argentina's poultry was recognised as being free from Newcastle disease in 2004. Despite all required conditions having been satisfactorily met by 2011 (with the replies to questionnaires and audit of residues control by visiting bovine and poultry establishments in November 2010, among others), Canada continued to delay an audit visit to the inspection system of bovine and poultry meat which Canada itself required. Argentina maintained that this delay was inconsistent with Article 8 and Annex C of the SPS Agreement, and requested effective access to the Canadian market for bovine and poultry products from Argentina.
Canada responded that it fully intended to audit Argentina's beef and poultry meat inspection systems, but that recent budgetary and staffing restrictions forced the CFIA to postpone the visit until April 2013.