STC Number - 135
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Restrictions on beef and pork

Maintained by: South Africa
Raised by: Brazil
Supported by:
First date raised: June 2002 G/SPS/R/27 paras. 19-20
Dates subsequently raised: November 2002 (G/SPS/R/28 para. 175)
Number of times subsequently raised: 1
Relevant documents: Raised orally; RD/SPS/28/Rev.1
Products covered: 0201 Meat of bovine animals, fresh or chilled.; 0202 Meat of bovine animals, frozen.; 0203 Meat of swine, fresh, chilled or frozen.
Primary subject keyword: Animal Health
Keywords: Animal health; International Standards / Harmonization; Pest- or Disease- free Regions / Regionalization; Foot and mouth disease; Risk assessment
Status: Resolved
Solution: In November 2017, information was received from Brasil on the resolution of this STC (RD/SPS/28/Rev.1, of 19/02/2018).
Date reported as resolved: 02/11/2017

Extracts from SPS Committee meeting summary reports

In June 2002, Brazil stated that on February 2002, South Africa had informed his authorities of its decision to suspend imports of beef and pork from Brazil, because FMD vaccination was practised there. South Africa's import ban raised serious concerns because it was not based on the OIE standards nor on scientific evidence or risk assessment nor had the measure been notified. Brazil argued that Articles 3.1, 3.3, 5.4, 5.6 and Annex B of the SPS Agreement had been violated and requested South Africa to lift the ban and accept the risk mitigation procedures established by the OIE.

South Africa took note of the Brazilian concerns and indicated that his authorities were committed to bilateral consultations with a view to find a quick solution to the problem. He hoped to inform the Committee of the successful outcome of these consultations by the next Committee meeting.

In November 2002, Brazil informed the Committee that the South African authorities had authorized imports of meat and pork from Brazilian regions free of FMD. Some difficulties remained regarding administrative procedures for meat products, but Brazil expected these to be resolved soon. In his view, the impending solution to the trade problem was testament to the important benefits brought to international trade in agricultural products by the SPS Agreement.

In November 2017, the Secretariat informed that in September 2017 it had contacted all Members who had raised specific trade concerns (STCs) that had not been discussed in the previous year, to request an update on their status. In furtherance of this request, information was received from Brazil on the resolution of this STC. The Secretariat indicated that the information received had been circulated in document RD/SPS/28 of 31 October 2017 (RD/SPS/28/Rev.1 du 19/02/2018) and that the SPS IMS would be updated on this basis, using the date of the November 2017 SPS Committee meeting as the date of resolution of the relevant STCs.