THE CARTAGENA AGREEMENT COMMISSION

CONSIDERING the Article 70 of the Agreement, Decisions 16, 92, 122, 127 and 195 of the Commission and the Proposal 254 of The Joint; and

WHEREAS it is imperative that the Andean Subregion update the mechanism that allows Member Countries to maintain continuous and coordinated supervision against the risk of attack by pests and exotic diseases in agriculture and livestock, as well as to prevent dissemination and contagion of those presently existing in its territory, without same constituting a blanket restriction on intra-subregional agricultural and livestock trade;

Adhering to the spirit and the provisions of the Cartagena Agreement, Member Countries must provide lively intra-subregional trade of farm products, facilitating the stocking of markets with goods from the subregion to replace importation from other areas;

Said brisk trade requires raising the sanitary levels of agricultural and livestock production, the application of common appropriated norms for the prompt and safe mobilization of agricultural and livestock products, object of the interchange and the establishment of joint action programs;

The Andean Presidential Council, at its Fourth Meeting held in La Paz, Bolivia, agreed on the adoption of a Common Andean Agricultural and Livestock Policy, which on the subject of Agricultural and Livestock Health covers the evaluation of existing national and subregional norms and programs, to pursue its updating and coordination;

HEREBY DECIDES:

THAT THE ANDEAN AGRICULTURAL AND LIVESTOCK HEALTH SYSTEM SHALL

Article 1: To update the Andean Agricultural and Livestock Health System that serves as a framework for the preservation and improvement of the sanitary state of agriculture and livestock of Member Countries by complying with sanitary regulations and as a legal instrument for facilitating the trade of agricultural and livestock products insofar as compliance with the sanitary requirements is concerned.

Article 2: The objectives of the Andean Agricultural and Livestock Health System are as follows:

a) To coordinate and develop at the Andean level the actions of Subregional Agricultural and Livestock Health, within the priorities of the integration process and the guidelines established in the present Decision, in order to favor trade interchange, improvement of foodstuffs production and productivity, the economic development of Member Countries and contributing to the protection of human health.

b) To participate jointly in international negotiations or with third countries on technical and commercial subjects related to agricultural and livestock health. Such positions shall be adopted through the Andean Technical Committee on Agricultural and Livestock Health.

c) To maintain continuous and coordinated surveillance of the risk of pests and exotic diseases attacking subregional agriculture and livestock.

d) To prevent dissemination and contagion by already existing pests and diseases within their territory, without constituting blanket restrictions on intra-subregional agricultural and livestock trade.

e) To make available deft procedures for applying Andean Agricultural and Livestock Health instruments and ensure compliance with Andean health regulations.

f) To harmonize phytosanitary and zoosanitary legislation for the adoption of subregional sanitary norms and to harmonize sanitary registers.

g) To favor cooperation and development of joint action programs for the exclusion, prevention, control and eradication of vegetable and animal pests and diseases.

CHAPTER I

ELEMENTS OF THE SYSTEM

Article 3: The Andean Agricultural and Livestock Health System covers the following elements:

a) The General Index of Sanitary Regulations.

b) Institutional Structure.

c) Inventory of Pests and Diseases of economic importance, affecting the subregional agriculture and livestock.

d) Physical infrastructure available for the Agricultural and Livestock Health.

e) The Register of Subregional Regulations applicable to intra-subregional agriculture and livestock trade with third countries.

f) Joint Action Programs for sanitary protection of agricultural and livestock.

g) The Andean Technical Committee on Agricultural and Livestock Health (COTASA).

h) National Andean Technical Committees on Agricultural and Livestock Health.

CHAPTER II

GENERAL INDEX OF SANITARY REGULATIONS

Article 4: The General Index of Sanitary Regulations is a summary compilation of existing provisions on vegetable and animal health in the Subregion and in each of the Member Countries, filed and classified so as to permit their fast identification. Said provisions shall have attached their official texts in cases where they are required.

- The function of the General Index of Sanitary Regulations is to facilitate the identification of norms according to categories covered by the Andean Agricultural and Livestock Health System.

- The Joint is responsible for consolidating and maintaining the information updated in the General Index of Sanitary Regulations. For this purpose, Member Countries must send the official texts of existing Sanitary Regulations and of those regulations to be adopted in the future, according to the terms of the present Chapter.

- Member Countries will ensure that the information reaches The Joint through the Offices of Animal Health or Vegetable Health.

- The updating of the General Index of Sanitary Regulations implies the incorporation of new norms and the removal of those norms that were derogated.

Article 5: Said compilation shall contain the following standard identification points:

a) Type of provision, law or decree with weight of such executive decree, regulation, ministerial agreement, administrative provision, in that order;

b) Numbed of legal provision;

c) Date of issue and validity; and

d) A phrase manifesting, essentially, the content of same.

Article 6: For the purpose of order and classification of the Index regulations, these shall be included, as pertinent, in the following categories:

a) General Sanitary Regulations;

b) Specific Sanitary Regulations;

c) General Sanitary Regulations for Importation;

d) Specific Sanitary Regulations for Importation;

e) General Sanitary Regulations for Exportation;

f) Specific Sanitary Regulation for Exportation.

ANNEX V of the present Decision indicates the content and scope of each of these categories.

CHAPTER III

INSTITUTIONAL STRUCTURE

Article 7: The institutional structure shall cover the conformation, hierarchy, objectives, functions and technical personnel of the official bodies responsible for designing and applying the norms, faithfully for carrying out the health programs, as well as the subregion and national Technical Committees and other bodies or entities providing sanitary services according to law.

CHAPTER IV

INVENTORY OF PESTS AND DISEASES AFFECTING SUBREGIONAL AGRICULTURE AND LIVESTOCK

Article 8: Member Countries shall transmit to the Joint the Inventory of Plagues and Diseases that affect their domestic agriculture and livestock. The Joint will consolidate the information and draw up the Subregional Inventory of Plagues and Diseases that are economically important to the Andean Area, which shall be approved by Resolution of the Joint of the Cartagena Agreement.

Countries shall remit information within a term not greater than sixty (60) working days after the present Decision is approved, according to the format in ANNEX 1.

For a Member Country to declare itself free from pests or disease it shall act according to the criteria and procedures established by the Andean Technical Committee on Agricultural and Livestock Health, which may, if necessary, take into account the criteria and procedures established by specialized international agencies (FAO, WEO, WHO/PAHO) and Regional Sanitary Protection Agencies (RSPA).

Whenever a Member Country detects the presence of a new plague or disease, or manages to eradicate pests or disease, it shall communicate same to the Joint, accompanied by the corresponding technical card filed. The Joint, upon prior verification if necessary, shall proceed to enter same in the respective subregional inventory and to inform other Member Countries of same.

CHAPTER V

PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE OF AGRICULTURAL AN LIVESTOCK HEALTH

Article 9: The physical infrastructure shall include information and description of the installations, quarantine stations, ports, airports, postal customs and border posts authorized for trade, fumigation and disinfecting installations and equipment, production centers for biologicall and therapeutical products, quality control centers, diagnosis laboratories, field offices, etc. of both the public and private sectors.

Said description shall cover the operative capacity of the installations used to apply sanitary treatments and shall be subject to the filed card that appears in ANNEX II of the present Decision.

CHAPTER VI

SUBREGIONAL SANITARY REGULATIONS REGISTER

Article 10: The general purpose of the Register of Subregional Sanitary Regulations is to contribute to safe and brisk handling of agricultural and livestock products traded at the subregional level and with third countries. Said Register seeker compliance with the following specific objectives:

a) To prevent the infestation of plagues and exotic diseases that might threaten agriculture and livestock in the subregion;

b) To prevent or diminish the dissemination of diseases and the proliferation of existing plagues in the Subregion;

c) To make available timely and generalized knowledge of the health requisites that must be met in the interchange of agricultural and livestock products;

d) To develop harmonized sanitary regulations; and

e) To prevent that sanitary regulations being utilized as blanket restrictions on intra-subregional trade.

Article 11: The Register of Subregional Regulations is made up of the following elements:

a) A Register of Subregional Sanitary Regulations to be applied in the trading of agricultural and livestock products;

b) A Basic Catalog on Pests and Diseases Foreign to the Subregion.

c) Phytosanitary and Zoosanitary Certificates and Phytosanitary and Zoosanitary Permits.

Section I

Register of Subregional Sanitary Regulations

Article 12: The Register of Subregional Sanitary Regulations shall contain the common norms adopted by Resolution of the Joint of the Cartagena Agreement, as an indispensable sanitary requirement or guarantee for trading agriculture and livestock products and their articles within the Subregion.

In order to invoke sanitary regulations passed by a Member Country, towards another Member Country, these shall be inscribed in the Subregional Register according to the procedures established in Article 30 of the present Decision. Member Countries shall remit information to The Joint according to ANNEX V-1.

The Registered Subregional Sanitary Regulation shall come into force once published in the Official Gazette of the Cartagena Agreement.

The Member Country that considers that one or various common regulations, whose reason for their creation has now disappeared, represent obstacles to trade of agricultural and livestock products, may request the Joint to study the case, accompanying the application with the supporting technical documentation.

The Joint may:

- Resolve the case directly;

- Convoke a meeting of the Andean Technical Committee on Agricultural and Livestock Health; or

- Submit to a direct consultation of the official representatives of COTASA;

Based on the above a Resolution will be issued which shall be respected by the interested parties.

Article 13: Only agricultural and livestock products originating in the Subregion and imported by any Member Country may be the object of application of the registered Sanitary Regulations, only.

It is therefore understood that the importation of agricultural and livestock articles or products coming from the Member Countries, that satisfy the requirements established in these norms, as well as the sanitary certificates issued in compliance with same, may not be ignored or be subject to the imposition of additional or different conditions of a sanitary nature, except those cases identify in Article 17 of this Decision.

Article 14: The country that wishes to apply sanitary regulations that are not registered, should previously request from the Joint their incorporation in the Register according to the procedure established in Article 30 of the present Decision.

Article 15: Wherever applicable the Registered Regulation should determine clearly the following aspects:

a) The product or group of products to which it refers;

b) The objective or immediate destination of said products, determining whether they are for consumption, elaboration, research and scientific purposes, reproduction or breeding, formation or expansion of germplasm and semen banks;

c) The specifications or restrictions of the place of origin or physical location of the agricultural or livestock production, from which the products referred to in the regulation are obtained;

d) Specification related to the gathering, packing, storing and transportation of the products from their place of production to the port of shipment or last exit station from the exporting country, toward the importing country;

e) Specification relating to the inspection: treatment, vaccinations, periods of observation and quarantine, among others, with a clear indication of the substances and compounds required:

- Products of prohibited application.

- Required times and doses.

- Terms or margins of tolerance prior to final shipment within which to apply treatment.

- Levels of residual toxicity, indicating those that are established in the Alimentary Codex FAO/OMS.

- Percentages of permissible intermingling in the case of bulk shipments, capable to contain impurities or strange substances.

- Requisites, if any, regarding the taking of samples for analysis, their volume, etc.

- All other data that concerns the objective recognition of the sanitary state of a shipment and the application of sanitary prevention or control treatments that reduce or eliminate the risks of contagion and dissemination of pests and diseases.

- In the case of biological products, there shall be specified the production strains if they deal with antigenics, live or inactive vaccines, and production methods and tests of innocuousness and sterility.

f) Certification of the sanitary entities of the exporting country authorized by the respective Plant Protection and Animal Health Organizations of the Member Countries, or by those bodies officially authorized by the Ministries of Agriculture, whose signatures and seals shall automatically be considered as valid and sufficient by agriculture and livestock Health authorities of other Member Countries. For such purposes the respective official authorities of the Member Countries should remit to Member Countries and to the Joint the lists of persons authorized to issue said certification with their respective signatures and seals.

g) In exceptional cases, explicit identifying of official documents of a sanitary nature that must support the shipment, required in addition to the Sanitary Certification issued by the entities referred to in the previous sub-paragraph. In these cases there should be indicated their validity, duration and the authority or administrative group of the receiving country to which said documents must be addressed in order that same proceeds to authorize the pertinent measures to despatch the shipment and to deliver same to its destination.

h) Requirements and specifications relating to the transport of the products in the cases of land, air, maritime, lake or river transport; types of holders indicated and permitted, corrals of cattle, general, required cooling systems with the required temperatures, among others. In the case of large or small livestock on transportation, whether the trips be of such duration that they require provision of water and forage for animals, the Regulation shall also indicate the sanitary requisites within which those must be complied with, as well as any other relative care regarding rest, hygiene and general preservation of good condition.

i) There shall be specified similarly the requirements for inspection, treatment, quarantine, observation, that must be complied with upon arrival of the shipment at the importing country and, in all cases in which it is possible, other measures and requirements that the interested parties must satisfy to conclude the despatch locally of the merchandise once the Registered Regulation has been attended to and faithfully applied.

j) There shall be determined the requirements and sanitary controls for the luggage of international passengers and mail parcels that arrive in the country by any means of transport.

Article 16: The Andean Technical Committee of Agricultural and Livestock Health shall draw up, unofficially or at the request of some Member Country, the Joint or the Agriculture and Livestock Council, the sanitary regulations at the Subregional Level they consider advisable. To this effect, they shall apply to the Joint that, in collaboration with the Member Countries or with specialized international agencies, a Preliminary Draft of the Regulation be drawn up, which shall be submitted to the consideration of Member Countries, in order to receive their observations.

The Joint shall adopt, through a Resolution, the Andean Sanitary Regulation, which shall be registered for its application at the subregional level according to the procedures established in Article 30.

Article 17: In cases where sudden outbreaks or infestations of any nature whatsoever occur within the Subregion or outside of it, in areas presently or potentially dangerous to contagion, there shall be demanded that when a Member Country that it has to establish limitations or prohibitions distinct from those indicated in the Registered Regulations, it may dictate temporary norms, specifying the term of validity, which must be in agreement with the technical criteria adopted by the Andean Technical Committee, which may take into account those established by Regional and International Agencies (RIA, OIE, FAO), related to quarantine principles and risk analysis.

The country that has taken such measures shall proceed immediately to notify the Joint, by fax or telex, which in turn shall do so immediately to the other Member Countries, in order to prevent any harm that might affect them.

The Joint, per se or at the request of any Member Country, and through a Resolution, following the established technical criteria, may suspend or modify the measure at any moment whatsoever, should investigations in the case demonstrate that same does not imply any risk to the Member Country that established it, or for the Subregion.

Article 18: If a Member Country consider that the application of sanitary measures by another member country makes it the object of unjustified restriction of its exportations, it may request the country that applies to reconsider these measures, attaching to the petition the necessary technical documentation.

If no agreement is reached between both countries, the country that feels aggrieved may have recourse to the Joint attaching to the petition of the supporting technical documentation.

The Joint within a period of not more than six working days may request or carry out a verification in situ through an inspection and when it deem necessary shall order a laboratory analysis, for which the country formulating the restriction must provide the necessary facilities and the aggrieved country must cover all the costs arising from this measure.

To interpret the results of the inspection and of the laboratory analyses, there shall be taken into account the harmonized legal provisions and regulations, if any. Should it be necessary, the Joint, in common accord with the countries involved, may agree to request technical assistance from international bodies or from specialized experts in agricultural and livestock health.

The Joint, based on the technical report, shall proceed to hand down its decision, through a Resolution, within a period not more than two working days from the end of the inspection or the issuance of the report.

Section II

Basic Catalog of Exotic Pests and Diseases

Article 19: The Basic Catalog of Exotic Pests and Diseases referred to in letter b) of Article II, shall contain the names of the pests and diseases which have not been proved to exist in the Subregion and which are characterized by causing considerable harm to agricultural and livestock production by their easy dissemination, costly control, difficult of being eradicated and represents a high risk for the Subregion.

The Catalog shall also specify the causal agents, vectors, if any, the animal group and vegetable species affected, the products and by-products of agricultural and livestock origin and generally the objects through which plagues and diseases can propagate. The Catalog shall contain too a list of the countries affected by these and shall be approve by a Joint Resolution (Addenda III-1 and III-2). The Andean Technical Committee shall specify the contents of the Basic Catalog of Plagues and Exotic Diseases in the Subregion and shall recommend it be periodically updated.

Article 20 : Based on the Basic Catalog of Exotic Pests and Diseases, it is prohibited to import are into the Subregion from affected third countries, of animals, plants and any type of product, byproduct or objects capable of propagating said pests and diseases.

The prohibition foreseen in the above sub-paragraph does not include animals, plants, products, byproducts and objects submitted to compliance with requisites and procedures indicated in the Catalog, that assures their innocuousness and whose efficacy is recognized by Member Countries.

Article 21 : When such is the case, the Andean Technical Committee on Agricultural and Livestock Health shall establish the requisites that must be complied with by a country that has been affected by an exotic pest or disease in order to be recognized by the subregion free from such a pest or disease and the Joint may approve the pertinent modification of the Catalog.

Article 22: When a country needs to import minor quantities of the products referred to in the previous article or to deliberately intern for study and research, samples of any type or individual biological ones that may host or transmit pests and diseases, their entry into the country shall be carried out under the supervision and exclusive responsibility of official sanitary services, adjusted to the maximum precautions and securities to avoid contagion or dissemination.

Article 23: Any Country Member or the Andean Group may request modification of the Basic Catalog of Exotic Pests and Diseases of the Subregion. To this end, the petitioning Member Country shall remit the background and other facts to sustain their petition.

The Joint shall inform the Member Countries of the petition and the background documents received and shall require their observations on same. The Member Countries shall present their observations within a period of 45 calendar days, starting from the date of request and background documents were sent by the Joint. Once the observations are received, the Joint shall issue the corresponding Resolution.

Section III

Subregional Sanitary Certificates and Permits

Article 24: Member Countries shall continue utilizing the model of the Phytosanitary Certificate of the International Phytosanitary Protection Convention in Rome, in both English and Spanish. Moreover, it shall utilize the model of the Andean Zoosanitary Certificate for Exportation, that appears in ANNEX III of the present Decision.

The certificates issued by Member Countries shall comply with the terms set out in letters f) and g) of Article 15 of the present Decision, in order to be invoked to any other Member Country.

Phytosanitary and Zoosanitary Permits, referred to in letter c) of Article II, shall be gradually replaced by other systems for informing importers of the obligatory phytosanitary and zoosanitary requisites.

The Joint, at the request of any Member Country whatsoever, shall adopt said requisites by a resolution, in accordance with the procedures and terms stipulated in Section I of this Chapter and Article 30 of the present Decision.

CHAPTER VII

JOINT ACTION PROGRAMS

Article 25: Member Countries shall undertake to carry out joint actions for executing sanitary programs and the application of the Register of Phytosanitary and Zoosanitary Norms they deem to be necessary. Such actions shall be concentrated fundamentally on the following aspects:

a) Mutual assistance for combatting and controlling pests that, affecting one country, present the threat of contagion to its immediate neighbors or to other members of the Subregion:

b) Complementing available human and material resources;

c) Generating and transferring technologies in order to combat and control diseases and pests that carry within them risks to two or more countries;

d) Training programs for professional personnel, field operators and sanitary inspectors, among others;

e) Foster sanitary practices in order to support compliance with production and supply programs, that could be derived from entering into accords and commercial agreements that are established within the general framework of the agricultural and livestock integration programs;

f) Foster to carry out integrated programs to handle pests and the establishment of multiplication centers for natural enemies of these, according to their advantages in maintaining the ecological balances within the Subregion;

g) Organize an Andean Network of Diagnostic Laboratories with national and subregional Reference Laboratories, on agricultural and livestock aspects; and

h) Other activities approved by the Joint at the suggestion of the Andean Technical Committee.

Article 26 : Based on the recommendations formulated by the Agriculture and Livestock Council, upon prior consultation with the Andean Technical Committee on Agriculture and Livestock Health, priority actions will be established, as well as financing for same and the requirements for cooperation on sanitary programs. Moreover, mechanisms shall be determined for the functioning of the coordinated effort made when faced with emergency situations.

Joint Action Programs to be executed in the future, shall be approved by Decision of the Cartagena Agreement Commission, as proposed by The Joint, in accordance with the opinion of the Ministers of Agriculture.

CHAPTER VII

ANDEAN TECHNICAL COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURAL AND LIVESTOCK HEALTH

Article 27: There shall be created the Andean Technical Committee on Agricultural and Livestock Health (hereinafter to be called simply COTASA), that shall be composed by the Chairmen of the National Committees of Animal Health and Plant Protection Member Countries referred to in Article 29 of the present Decision, or by the representatives designated by the latter. In any case these shall be professionals with decision-making power on matters connected to agricultural and livestock health services of the Member Country they represent.

Article 28: Upon prior convening of the Joint, the Committee shall meet in Ordinary Session once a year, and in Extraordinary Session whenever so requested by a Member Country, the Joint, the Agricultural and Livestock Council or the Commission.

COTASA may meet with the attendance of the Animal Health and Plant Protection Directors, depending on the subject to be dealt with. COTASA's functions are specified in ANNEX IV of the present Decision.

The Joint shall act as Technical Secretariat for the Andean Technical Committee on Agriculture and Livestock Health. This position shall be held by a high level expert specialized in agricultural and livestock health.

CHAPTER IX

NATIONAL COMMITTEES ON AGRICULTURAL AND LIVESTOCK HEALTH

Article 29: Each Member Country shall create the National Committees that shall be composed by the Directors of Animal Health and Plant Protection and by representatives of other agencies of the public and private sectors linked to agriculture and livestock health.

The Chair of the National Committee shall be filled by the Director of either Animal Health or of Plant Protection. The responsibilities of the Chairman shall be established by each Member Country in its internal Regulations.

CHAPTER X

PROCEDURES AND TERMS FOR THE GENERAL INDEX OF SANITARY REGULATIONS, SUBREGIONAL REGISTER AND BASIC CATALOG OF PESTS AND DISEASES

Article 30: The procedures and terms for information on new entries in the General Index of Sanitary Regulations, the Subregional Register and the Basic Catalog of Exotic Pests and Diseases, shall be as follows:

a) General Index

The Member Countries shall have delivered to The Joint the summaries of the official texts of the national sanitary regulations, their modifications and changes, not later than six days after publication in the Official newspaper of the Member Country and remitted in the manner indicated in Article 4 of the present Decision.

When administrative changes or reorganizations occur that assign the preparation and the updated maintenance of the information that should be supplied to the Joint, to services other than those mentioned, these shall be considered as new changes and shall be reported for the information of other Member Countries.

b) Subregional Register of Sanitary Regulations

Member Countries shall register all the sanitary regulations, modifications and changes thereto, that are used for the handling of intra-subregional trade and with other countries, of agricultural and livestock articles and products that, by their nature, require sanitary precautions.

Regardless of the terms set out in Section I of Chapter VI of the present Decision, the procedures and terms shall be as follows:

1. The Member Country shall request The Joint to register the sanitary regulation. To this end, it shall remit the corresponding request with the official text of the regulation before its approval, or in any case, in a term not greater than seven (7) working days after publication of same in the country's official gazette.

2. The Joint, once it has received the regulation, shall, within a period of seven (7) working days inform the other Member Countries of the text of same and shall request their observations.

3. The Member Countries, within a period of ten (10) working days, from the date The Joint sent the Regulation, shall remit its comments.

4. Should no observations be received from the Member Countries within the stipulated period, The Joint shall dispose of seven (7) working days to proceed to register the regulation, which shall pass to constitute a Subregional Sanitary Regulation.

5. The regulation having been seen by Member Countries, the country formulating same shall be requested to clarify the observations within a period not greater than seven (7) working days. When The Joint receives the information it shall proceed as indicated in paragraphs 2, 3 and 4. Should no agreement be reached, the case shall be analyzed by the Andean Technical Committee of Agricultural and Livestock Health.

The result reached by same shall be incorporated in the Register of Sanitary Regulations by Board Resolution.

c) Basic Catalog of Exotic Pests and Diseases

The procedure and periods shall be carried out according to the terms set out in Article 23 of the present Decision.

Article 31: The remittance of permanent information on sanitary legislation, institutional structure, physical infrastructure, basic catalog of pests and diseases and of outbreaks or infestations of pests whose incidence endangers a Member Country or the Subregion, shall be made through Member Countries Directors for Animal Health and Vegetable Health, on forms agreed upon by COTASA and approved by a Joint Resolution, regardless of the communications that must be made through the Liaison Agency.

CHAPTER XI

COORDINATION MECHANISMS

Article 32: The handling of all matters concerning the Andean Agricultural and Livestock Health System, which are established through the present Decision, with respect to coordination and communication mechanisms, shall be done according to the terms established in Articles 8, 23, 30 and 31, in order that the data on the General Index of Sanitary Regulations, Register of Subregional Regulations, the Basic Catalog of Exotic Pests and Diseases and economically important to the Andean Area, and sanitary programs may be disseminated immediately and thus permit the adoption of the pertinent measures.

It shall be The Joint's responsibility to follow up, control and advise on the tasks of informing, maintaining epidemiological surveillance, making analyses and formulating recommendations.

Article 33: The Joint shall present to the Agricultural and Livestock Council and to the Meeting of Ministers of Agriculture or to the Commission an annual technical report evaluating the progress of the present Decision and the joint action sanitary programs.

Article 34: Actions on agricultural and livestock health with third countries and with international bodies should be of a communitarian nature and shall be undertaken jointly among the Member Countries.

Agreements between countries on sanitary regulations that are not undertaken by all the Member Countries should be made known to the Joint of the Cartagena Agreement and to the Commission.

Article 35: Faced with the threat of the introduction of an exotic pest into the Subregion, any country may request through The Joint, the formulation of a joint program with the counterpart support of the countries, to request technical and economical support from the private sector or from international technical and financial cooperation agencies.

CHAPTER XII

FINAL PROVISIONS

Article 36: Be there approved as Basic Catalog of Exotic Pests and Diseases of Crops in the Subregion, the Identification Manual of exotic pests and diseases on crops in the Andean Subregion, document JUNAC 07-0128-003-1 and which replaces in the reference, the phytosanitary part which appears in the ANNEX to Decision 195.

Article 37 : The Commission, when approving The Joint's Annual Budget, shall consider a specific item aimed at financing the Plan of Operations of the Andean Agricultural and Livestock Health System.

Said funds shall be utilized to finance the expenses of operations of the Andean Agricultural and Livestock Health System, the functioning of the Andean Technical Committee of Agricultural and Livestock Health, the financing of its participation in international forums where joint positions are adopted and for the contracting of personnel charged with health matters, among other concepts.

Article 38: Have derogated Decisions 92, 122 and 127 and the ANNEX to Decision 195 in the part referring to phytosanitary matters in the Basic Catalog of Exotic Pests and Diseases in the Subregion, there remaining in force the Basic Catalog of Zoosanitary Exotic Pests and Diseases.

Given in the city of Santafe de Bogota, Colombia, on the twenty-second day of the month of October in the year Nineteen hundred and Ninety-two.

ANNEX I-1

INVENTORY OF PESTS AND DISEASES
OF ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE IN THE ANDEAN AREA

Key to interpretation of the incidence, location and struggle of causal bodies of vegetable pests and diseases in the Andean Subregion.

A. Grades of Incidence

(+) Exceptionally rare incidence
+ Light and sporadic incidence
++ Moderate incidence
+++ High incidence
+- Seasonal or cyclical occurrence, benign

B. Existence and/or location

- Not proven, apparently absent
? Suspected. Probably present
+/ Disease in regression, but still existent
... No information available
+� Limited to certain regions
+' Recently recognized and located
+.. Generalized endemic incidence

C. Exclusion and struggle

Pi Cause to prohibit importation of hosts
Px Cause to prohibit exportation of hosts
Qv Cause to establish plant quarantine
Do Obligatory denunciation within the country
Cg Obligatory control with Government support
Cp Particular obligatory control
Nc Not subject to obligatory control
Key to understanding the charts on the inventory of Plague and Diseases in Animals in each Member Country:

Incidence of Disease or Plague

0000 Never proved
- Not proved, evidently absent
(-) Not proved, probably absent
Year of last occurrence: under symbol
? Suspected without definite confirmation
(+) Exceptional incidence
+ Rare and sporadic incidence
++ Moderate (enzootic) incidence
+++ High or frequently high incidence
+/ Disease in regression, but still existent
+0 Limited to certain regions
+? Serological evidence and/or isolation of causal agents, without clinical sign
+.. Disease exists but its distribution and frequency is unknown
() Limited to certain regions
)( Extended throughout the country
! Recognized for the first time in the country
<= Disease that principally affects imported animals (quarantine)
... No information available

Fight against Disease or Plague

Systematic Tests under official fight programme
Cn Control of invertebrate vectors
Cr Control of reservoirs in wildlife fauna
P Prohibition of importations from infected countries
Q Quarantine, control of movements and other precautions on the border and within the country
Qf Quarantine and other border precautions
Qi Quarantine measures and control of movements in the interior of the country
S Sanitary sacrifice
T Treatment (therapeutic and prophylactic)
Tp Prophylactic treatment
Tt Therapeutic treatment
V Vaccination
# Obligatory denunciation (obligatory declaration of disease)
Pa Fight Program limited to certain regions of the country or to certain types of breeding
Pn Fight Program covering all the country
Sp Partial sanitary sacrifice
Tv Volunteer testing
Vp Vaccination prohibited
 

ANNEX I-2

INVENTORY OF PESTS AND DISEASES IN CROPS
(Article 8)

Country.......................................................
...................................................................
Signature and seal of Responsible functionary

CROP:

ANNEX I-3

INVENTORY OF PLAGUES AND DISEASES IN ANIMALS*
(Article 8)

Date.............

....................
Signature and Seal of competent functionary

A

Aa Aphtha Fever Aphtae epixaoticae Food and Mouth Disease

Virus O Virus A Virus C Virus S.A.T.1.A.T.1

Virus S.A.T.2 Virus S.A.T.3 Virus Asia 1

Ab Vesicular stomatitis

Stomatitis vesicularis specifica

(NOTE: EL SIGUIENTE SE APLICA A CUADROS A B C D E F G y H)

bov = bovine

cap = caprine (goat)

av = avian

sui = swine

ov = ovine

fau = fauna

eq = equine

lep = leporine (hare)

pel = ?

can = caninecanine

NOTES:
* There will also be included, aside from diseases on the OIE A and B lists, other diseases of importance in the Andean countries.

B

Ba Rinder Pest

Pestis bovina

Bb Malignant catarrhal fever

Coryza gangraenosa bovum

Bc Mucous Disease/Diarrhea viral bovine

Bd Bovine Rhino tracheitisheitis

Be Genital vesiculous rash

Exanthema coitale vesiculosum

Bf Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia

Pleuropneumnia contagiosa bovum

Bg Ovine pox

Variola ovina

Bh Nodular dermatosis

Dermatosis nodularis

Bi Avian pox and diphtheria

Variola avium

Bj Myxomatosis

Myxomatosis

Bk Other poxes

Bl Rabies

Lyssa

Bm Aujeszky disease

Infectious bulbaris paralysis

Paralysis bulbaris infectiosa

Bn Distemper

Febris catarrhalis et nervosa canum

BOLIVIA, COLOMBIA, ECUADOR, PERU VENEZUELA

C

Ca Pig cholera

Classic swine pest

Pestis suum classica

Cb African swine pest

Pestis suum classica

Cc Teschen Disease

Encephalomyelitis enzootica suum

Cd Swine erysipelas

Erysipelas suis

Ce Swine atrophic rhinitis

Rhinitis atrophica suum

Cf African Horse Sickness

Pestis equorum

Cg Dourine

Trypanmosoma equiperdum

Ch Glanders

Malleus

Ci Melloidosis ?

Pseudomonas pseudomallei (Whitmore)

Cj Epizootic lymphangitis

Histoplasma (Cryptococcus) ferciminosus

Ck Bacterial ulcerous lymphangitis

Lymphangloiitis bacterifica

Cl Equine mumps

Adenitis streptococcalis

Cm Equine Infectious anemia

Anaemia infectiosa equorum

Cn Equine Encephalomyelitis

Meningo-encephalomyelitis enzootica equorum

Co Influenza and para-influenza

Cp Other respiratory and intestinal virosis

BOLIVIA COLOMBIA ECUADOR PERU VENEZUELA

D

Da Blue tongue

Febris catarrhallss avium

Db Scrapie

Paraplexia enzootica avium

Dc Contagious ecthyma

Ecthyma contagiosum

Dd Footrot

Panaritium contagiosum

De Caprine contagious pleuropneumonia

Pleuropneumonia contagiosa capranum

Df Enzootic abortion of sheep

Bedsonia (Miyagawanella) ovis

Dg Inflamed ricketts conjunctivis

Rickettsia conjunctivae

Dh Contagious agalaxia ?

Mycoplasna agalactiae

Di Heartwater

Rickettsia ruminantium

Dj Q fever

Rickettsia burneti

Dk Rift Valley Fever

Hepatitis enzootica

Dl Lipteriosis

Listeria monocytogenes

Dm Leptospirosis

Leptospirosis

Dn Toxoplasmosis

Toxoplasma gandii

BOLIVIA COLOMBIA ECUADOR PERU VENEZUELA

E

Ea Newscastle disease

Pneumoencephalitis av., pseudopestis

Velogenic virus

Mesogenic virus

Lentogenic virus

Eb Avian pest (high pathogeni influenza)

Pestis avium

Ec Avian infectious bronchitis

Bronchitis infectiosa avium

Ed Infectious laryngo-trachitis

Laryngotracheitis infectiosa avium

Ee Avian coryza (head cold)

Rhinitis avium infectiosa

Ef Avian Mycoplasmosis

Mycoplasmosis respiratoria avium

Eg Avian encephalmyelitis

Encephalomyelitis enzootic pullorum

Eh Virotic hepatitis in ducks

Hepatitis virosa anatis

Ei Avian spirochetosis

Spirochaetosis avium

Ej Psittacosis (ornamental birds)

Psittacosis

Ek Ornithosis (barnyard fowl)

Ornithosis

El Marek's disease

Morbus marak

Em Coccidiosis

Coccidiosis

BOLIVIA COLOMBIA ECUADOR 1/ PERU 2/ VENEZUELA

NOTES:
1/ Gumboro disease or infectious disease of the Fabricio Sac (IBD) diagnosed in the country in 1979.2/ Newcastle's sickness: It is prohibited to import birds and fertilized eggs from countries where epizootic outbreaks of this disease by velogenic visceral tropic virus or velogenic neurotropic virus have been registered.

F

Fa Bacterial Carbuncle

Anthrax

Fb Symptomatic carbuncle

Clostridium chauvoel

Fc Enterotoxemia

Clostridium welchi (perfringens)

Fd Other clostridial infections

Fe Botulism

Clostridium botulinum

Ff Hemorrhagic septicemia

Pasteurella multocida

Fg Avian cholera

Pasteurella multocido

Fh Other Pasteureiosis

Fi Intestinal Salmonella

Salmonella sp.

Fj Salmonella abortus equi

Fk Salmonella abortus ovis

Fl Salmonella pullorum

Fm Vibrionic dysentery

Vibrio jejuni: Vibrio coli

Fn Vibrio fetus

Fo Trichomonas factus

BOLIVIA COLOMBIA ECUADOR PERU VENEZUELA

G

Ga Bovine tuberculosis

Mycobacterium bovis

Gb Avian tuberculosis

Mycobacterium avium

Gc Paratuberculosis

Enteritis paratuberculosa

Gd Actinomycosis

Actinomycosis

Ge Dermatophilus congolensis

Gf Ovine/caprine pseudo tuberculosis

Corynebacterium ovis

Gg Brucella abortus

Gh Brucella melitensis

Gi Brucella suis

Gj Brucella ovis

Gk Inflammation of the nipples

Mastitis enzootica

Gl Leucocis

Leucocis

BOLIVIA COLOMBIA ECUADOR PERU VENEZUELA

H

Ha Anaplasmosis

Anaplasmosis

Hb Babesiosis

Babesiosis

Hc Theileriasis

Theukerua spp.

Hd Trypanosomiasis (transmitted by insects)

Trypanosomiasis

He Leishmaniasis

Leishmania spp.

Hf Scabies

Hg Tumors

Hypoderma bovis

Hh Hermatic filariosis

Dirofilaria spp.

Hi Cysticercus cellulosae

Hj Cysticercus bovis

Hk Echinococcus Hydatidosis - Tapeworm

Echinococcosis-hydatidosis

Hl Hepatic distomatosis

Fasciola hepatica

Hm Trichinosis

Trichinella spiralls

BOLIVIA COLOMBIA ECUADOR PERU VENEZUELA

I

Ia Acariosis_ o

Acarapis woodi

Ib American loque (madness)

Bacillus larvae

Ic European loque

Putrificatio polybacteritica larvae

Id Nosemosis in bees

Nosema apis

J

Ja Infectious pancreatic necrosis in salmon

(I.P.N. Virus)

Jb Viral Hemorrhagic septicemia in rainbow trout

Egtved-Virus)

Jc Infectious hydropesia in cyprinoids

Aeromanas punctata

Jd Furuncles in salmon

Aeromonas salmonicida

BOLIVIA COLOMBIA ECUADOR PERU VENEZUELA
 

ANNEX II

PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE
(Article 9)

Country:.............................................

Zoosanitary

Phytosanitary
(Mark with a cross)

........................................................
Signature and Seal of Responsible Functionary

1/ Specify the digit that corresponds to the order number, beginning with number 1. ber 1.
2/ Indicate the name by which it is known and the institution that runs sit.
3/ Date on which it began operations.
4/ Specify operational capacity, e.g. in quarantine season for animals, the lodging capacity by species.
5/ Personnel: Indicate the number under each column.
Specialists: Indicate if, aside from graduating, there is post graduate work.
Professionals: Technicians of university training.
Technicians: Training in specialized schools or equivalent, of lower level than universities.
Others: Include administrative, without university degree and all works not contemplated in previous groups.

ANNEX III-1

BASIC CATALOG OF EXOTIC PESTS AND DISEASES
IN THE ANDEAN SUBREGION

1. Corresponding to the order number.

2. Common name of pest or disease.

3. Establishes the agent or agents that cause the same ones, specifying sub-types should there be any.

4. Identify the animal group or plant species affected, as well as the parts of same, products and/or byproducts of agricultural and livestock origin that could be affected or act as carriers. Include objects of any origin that might carry the pests or diseases when such is the case.

5. Specify the country, countries or groups of countries recognized as being affected.

6. Indicate the requisites to which animals can be subjected, products, byproducts and articles to guarantee innocuousness.

7. Establish the conditions that might be complied with in order to consider a previously affected country free of the corresponding pest or disease.
 

ANNEX III-2

BASIC CATALOG OF EXOTIC PESTS AND DISEASES IN THE SUBREGION

ANNEX III-3 EX III-3

ESCUTCHEON OR SEAL OF THE COUNTRY

COUNTRY........................................                  CERTIFICATE NUMBER.........................
MINISTRY OR INSTITUTION..............                   PLACE OF SHIPMENT..........................
..............................                                            DESTINATION.......................................
SERVICE........................................

ANDEAN ZOOSANITARY CERTIFICATE FOR EXPORTATIONS

APPLICANT............................................................................................................
ADDRESS...............................................................................................................
APPLICATION REGISTRATION NUMBER..................................................................

Observations................................................................................................................... ......
......................................................................................................................................

.........................................................                                                 Signature...................................
                   Place and Date

 Name............................................
Post of  Veterinary Doctor...............
Official...........................................

ANNEX III-4

ESCUTCHEON OR SEAL OF COUNTRY

COUNTRY......................................                               ORDER NUMBER.....................
MINISTRY OR INSTITUTION............                                DATE OF ISSUANCE.........
SERVICE..............................                                        VALIDITY.................

ANDEAN ZOOSANITARY PERMIT FOR IMPORTATIONS

APPLICANT................................................................................................................
ADDRESS ................................................................................................................
APPLICATION REGISTRATION NUMBER ...................................................................
OBJECT OF IMPORTATION .......................................................................................

SENDER:

NAME AND ADDRESS .....................................................................................................
FINAL DESTINATION ........................................................................................................
NAME AND ADDRESS .....................................................................................................
LEAVING: DATE PLACE ...................................................................................................
TRAVEL ROUTE ...............................................................................................................
ARRIVAL: DATE PLACE ....................................................................................................

The sanitary certificate shall accredit compliance with the specified requisites on the back of the present document.

..............................................                                                      Signature............................................
                  Place and Date

Name.................................................
Post of Veterinary Doctor.....................
Official................................................

ANNEX III-5

REPUBLIC OF....................................................................................
MINISTRY OF....................................................................................
ADDRESS OF PLANT PROTECTION SERVICE.....................................

Number:........................

PHYTOSANITARY PERMIT FOR IMPORTATIONS

NAME AND ADDRESS OF IMPORTER..............................................................................

In response to your application this Permit is granted to import plants, their parts, products and byproducts of vegetable origin, according to existing legislation and requisites established on the back hereof and others that are determined in special cases.

SENDER.........................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................
MEANS OF TRANSPORT.................................................................................
PORTS: OF EXIT................... OF ENTRY..........................................................
TO BE USED FOR............................................................................................
TYPE OF PACKING..........................................................................................
VALIDITY OF PERMIT.......................................................................................
OBSERVATIONS..............................................................................................
........................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................

.............OF...................................19....

SEAL                                                             BUREAU OF VEGETABLE HEALTH
 

REQUISITES FOR THE IMPORTATION OF PLANTS, PARTS THEREOF,
PRODUCTS AND BYPRODUCTS OF VEGETABLE ORIGIN

1. This should be accompanied by an official Phytosanitary Certificate from the country of origin.

2. To receive phytosanitary treatment before shipment, which shall be verified by the official phytosanitary certificate.

3. Seeds, plants, parts of plants, for cultivation and/or propagation shall come free of earth or sand.

4. It is absolutely prohibited to introduce used packing into the country.

5. To receive phytosanitary treatment at the port of origin.

6. Upon entry into the country, the product shall be inspected by the Inspector of Vegetable Quarantine, who, according to existing legislation, is empowered to submit it to fumigation or other treatment should he deem it necessary, return it to point of departure for the account of the interested parties or incincerate it when the Certificate does not offer the guarantee required.

7. The disposed Phytosanitary treatment shall be for the account of the interested part in the proper place to be indicated by the Inspector of Vegetable Quarantine.

8. The certificate must indicate that the shipment has come from a free zone:.................................

.......................................................

(Indicate the pest and/or diseases when such is the case)

9. Item shall come by a means of transport submitted to refrigeration at ___oC temperature.

10. This phytosanitary permit is not an approval for the importation licence, but just an indispensable requisite to guarantee the healthy state of the vegetable products that applicant wishes to import.

11. The importation shall to secure the specific specifications in this document. Any variation or amendment shall annul this permit.
 

ANNEX IV

REGULATIONS OF ANDEAN TECHNICAL COMMITTEE OF AGRICULTURAL AND LIVESTOCK HEALTH

Article 1: The Andean Technical Committee of Agricultural and Livestock Health, hereinafter to be called simply COTASA, shall be made up by the Chairmen of the National Committees of Agricultural and Livestock Health of Member Countries.

Said representatives shall be accredited before the Joint of the Cartagena Agreement according to the terms of letter i) of Article 15 of the Agreement and may attend the meetings of COTASA accompanied by the advisors they deem necessary, both from the public and private sector.

Article 2: The Chairmanship of COTASA shall be held by the Chief Representative of the Member Countries, in alphabetical order, starting with Bolivia. The Chairman shall exercise his/her functions at all meetings held during the period between their election and the following ordinary meeting.

In the case of absence of the official representative of the country to which the Chairman corresponds, same shall be carried out by the representative of the subsequent country.

Article 3: The national body to which the agricultural and livestock head is ascribed, shall be the link between the Country Member and The Joint.

Objectives and Functions of COTASA

Article 4: The principal objective of COTASA shall be the development and strengthening of the Andean Agricultural and Livestock Health System (SASA), through the coordination, cooperation, advisory counseling, interchange of information and experience and the concerting of Subregional Regulations on matters of Animal Health and Vegetable Health of common interest to Member Countries.

Article 5: Following are the functions of COTASA:

a. To advise the Agricultural and Livestock Health agencies of the Member Countries and the bodies of the Cartagena Agreement, on technical aspects related to the Andean Agricultural and Livestock Health System.

b. To serve as the consultation body and means of interchange of information and experience, on matters of Agricultural and Livestock Health of strategic importance to the Andean Subregion.

Article 6: Functions of the COTASA Chairman

- To open and preside over the sessions.

- To submit the agenda for consideration and approval.

- To propose the conformation of Working Groups for activities related to the Andean Agricultural and Livestock Health System.

- To coordinate the drawing up and implementation of the Annual Work Plan.

- To present a report on the activities carried out during the period of their Chairmanship.

- Others assigned by COTASA.

Article 7: Functions of the COTASA Technical Secretary in charge of The Joint.

- To convene, prepare and coordinate the COTASA meetings.

- To present to COTASA the subjects that should be matters for their consideration.

- To provide technical and administrative assistance on matters related to SASA.

- To coordinate the execution of the SASA Annual Operations Plan, supervise the compliance of same and submit annual reports to COTASA.

- To report to the Commission on matters requiring their intervention, according to COTASA recommendations.

- To present annually to the meeting of the Agricultural and Livestock Council, Ministers of Agriculture or the Commission, a technical-administrative evaluation report on the development, progress and situation of SASA.

- To draft and remit the Final Reports to the meeting of COTASA and make known to national bodies and Committees the reports and actions approved by same.

- To present to COTASA's consideration the matters and technical claims within its competence that originate during the carrying out of integration processes, and to keep following them up until same are resolved.

- To keep SASA updated and attend to requests for information made to it.

NATIONAL COMMITTEES OF AGRICULTURAL AND LIVESTOCK HEALTH

Article 8: Each Member Country, with the counseling of The Joint shall create National Committees of Animal Health and Plant Protection Services, whose functions shall be to support the Bureaus and Head Offices of Agricultural and Livestock Health Services in the organization and the carrying out of activities of the Andean Agricultural and Livestock Health System and of National Programs.

The National Committees shall be composed of representatives of the official and private sector.

Each Member Country shall decide on the frequency and the place of meetings of the respective National Committees, as well as the procedures for adoption of their resolutions.

Article 9: Functions of the National Committees:

a. To propose to COTASA matters that require its consideration.

b. To draw up the Operative Plan and the Annual Budget for the Andean Agricultural and Livestock Health System at the national level.

c. To supervise the application of and compliance with Subregional and National Sanitary Regulations.

d. To recommend measures for exclusion and control of pests and diseases in cases they deem advisable and supervise compliance with same.

e. To determine the scope and effects of the measures in cases of eradication or quarantine, local and zonal, and to present due recommendations to the competent authorities in the cases so requiring.

f. To design training campaigns, of dissemination and warning, for the prevention, the control or the eradication of a disease or pest.

g. To guide and propitiate the execution of research activities aimed at the innovation of methods and obtaining technologies for the prevention, control and eradication of diseases or pests.

h. To arrange the assignment of financial resources to cover the expenses of local campaigns in case of an emergency, and for the expenses arising from the following activities at the local and subregional level:

- Contributions for the functioning of COTASA.

- Carrying out seminars and training courses related to the technical application of sanitary measures.

- Reinforcing resources of technical personnel and skilled labor, that will be in charge of carrying out the system at the national level.

- Due acquisition of equipment and inputs necessary for carrying out domestic sanitary campaigns and cases of emergency.

i. To designate experts to make up the Working Groups.

j. To supervise compliance with the sending of information on SASA to the Technical Secretariat according to the periods established in the present Decision.

k. Other functions assigned by COTASA.

ANNEX V

Corresponding to Article 6

REGISTER OF PHYTOSANITARAY AND ZOOSANITARY
REGULATIONS OF THE ANDEAN GROUP

GENERAL INDEX OF SANITARY REGULATIONS

a) General Sanitary Regulation

Recognized as such are all legal provisions issued on general sanitary matters in agriculture and livestock.

b) Specific Sanitary Regulation

Recognized as such is the legal or official provision that refers to a concrete sanitary problem, when same is not actually related to the importation or exportation of products.

c) General Sanitary Regulation for Importations

Recognized as such is the legal or official provision referring in general to matters related to the importation of agricultural and/or livestock products.

d) Specific Sanitary Regulation for Importations

Recognized as such is the legal or official provision that refers to matters related to the importation of agricultural or livestock products and within these a certain specific matter.

e) General Sanitary Regulation for Exportation

Recognized as such is the legal or official provision that refers to general matters related to the exportation of agricultural and livestock products.

f) Specific Sanitary Regulation for Exportation

Recognized as such is the legal or official provision that refers to specific aspects of the exportation of agricultural and/or livestock products.

ANNEX V-1

REGISTER AND INDEX OF SANITARY REGULATIONS
(Article 8)

Folio:............................                                                                   Country:........................
(Enter number in digits and letters)

Zoosanitary
Phytosanitary 
(Mark with an X)

..........................................................
(Signature and Seal of the responsible officer)