A multilaterally agreed principle for reducing the impact of sanitary and phytosanitary measures on international trade is harmonization, which takes into account standards, guidelines and recommendations from the Codex Alimentarius, the International Plant Protection Convention and the World Organization for Animal Health. Some progress has been made in MERCOSUR through the work of the Commissions that make up Subgroup No. 8 "Agricultural Policy".
With reference to this topic, the Argentine health authority, the National Service of Health and Agri-Food Quality (SENASA), recently announced the scopes of the virtual meeting of the MERCOSUR Animal Health Commission that took place from May 3 to 7, 2021, with the participation of representatives of the States Parties of the bloc.
At the meeting, information was exchanged on the status of health situation of African swine fever in the world, one of the most devastating diseases affecting pigs. Countries have updated the prevention measures they are applying, as well as the possibility and conditions of restoring trade from places where the disease occurred, for example, Germany.
The review and update of the State Party's zoosanitary requirements for the importation of domestic pigs for breeding (Repeal of GMC Resolutions No. 56/14 and 38/18). Once the approval stage in the bloc and internalization in the Argentine legal framework has been completed, the new requirements for the importation of domestic pigs for breeding will be applied in the country.
In addition, the current health requirements for the importation of frozen bovine semen and additional health requirements were monitored for the Schmallemberg's disease, first detected in cattle in late 2011 in Germany.
On the other hand, scientific information is being evaluated to consider the possibility of carrying out the PCR test on exported semen as an alternative to the blood serum tests required today.
As for the avian genetics, the zoosanitary requirements of MERCOSUR countries for the importation of hatching eggs for poultry and day-old poultry, approved by Resolution No. 31/18, were reviewed.
Progress was made in updating and harmonizing the quarantine criteria of application for the pre-export and post-entry control procedures for live animals, established in Resolution No. 21/97 “Conditions that must be met by units authorized for animal quarantine in the country of origin or destination and provisions for their operation”.
The next meeting will be held in July under the pro tempore presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil, in a MERCOSUR that needs effective joint efforts three decades after the signing of the Treaty of Asunción.
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