STC Number - 38
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Temporary prohibition of fresh pork and products

Maintained by: Argentina
Raised by: European Union
Supported by:
First date raised: March 1998 G/SPS/R/10 paras. 34-35
Dates subsequently raised:
Number of times subsequently raised: 0
Relevant documents: G/SPS/N/ARG/9 G/SPS/GEN/1051
Products covered: 0203 Meat of swine, fresh, chilled or frozen.
Primary subject keyword: Animal Health
Keywords: Animal health; Pest- or Disease- free Regions / Regionalization
Status: Resolved
Solution: In October 2010, the European Union indicated that the issue was resolved (G/SPS/GEN/1051) (G/SPS/R/61, par. 47).
Date reported as resolved: 13/10/2010

Extracts from SPS Committee meeting summary reports

In March 1998, the representative of the European Communities observed that the Argentine measure applied to the entire European Communities. He indicated that the European Communities had taken measures to regionalize the three EC member States which had restrictions in this regard, in particular some parts of Germany, the South of Netherlands and parts of Spain. However, in all of these regions the situation was under control. In Belgium and Italy, with the exception of Sardinia, there had not been recent outbreaks. By introducing a restriction applying across the board to all these countries, Argentina had not abided by Article 6 of the SPS Agreement - Adaptation to Regional Conditions, Including Pest- or Disease-Free Areas and Areas of Low Pest or Disease Prevalence - nor the OIE guidelines. The representative of the European Communities urged Argentina to withdraw its measure.

The representative of Argentina said that his authorities firmly believed in the principle of regionalization stated in Article 6 of the SPS Agreement. However, Argentina had found that there was no basis of compliance within the European Communities. Argentina had requested information from a number of EC member States, but only four countries had responded. Noting that Classic Swine Fever was a highly infective OIE List A disease, which had not occurred in Argentina since 1985, he quoted, as an example, information regarding outbreaks of the disease in Spain. The Argentina Advisory Committee on Quarantine issues was assessing information received from Italy and was waiting for more information so as to adjust its measure as appropriate.

In October 2010, the representative of the European Union presented an updated list on specific trade concerns raised in the SPS Committee (G/SPS/GEN/1051). The updated list contained 14 issues, with one of them being this particular concern, that the European Union considered as having been resolved. The European Union encouraged Members to update the list of specific trade concerns raised in the Committee, and congratulated its trading partners on the cooperation on those issues. The Chairman urged other Members to systematically go through all the specific trade concerns raised in the Committee to identify those they considered as having been settled.