20 December 2012

2 minute read

South America

According to Ernie Marques of MAPA, the messages were well recieved by the diplomatic representatives present at the meeting. He said the participants praised the transparency and certainty with which Brazil has tackled the case. Present were officials from Russia, Japan, China, South Korea, United States, Spain, Switzerland, Australia, Austria, Jordan, Belgium, Argentina, Paraguay, Chile, Singapore, Taiwan, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand and Mauritius.

Director of Animal Health (DSA) at MAPA, Guilherme Marques, also reported on the situation. He noted that the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) maintains Brazil with a 'negligible' risk rating for BSE and highlighted the service of Brazilian agricultural ministry is prepared to meet the challenges presented by the issue, acting in accordance with international protocols. Last week, OIE Director General, Bernard Vallat, reiterated the quality of health service in Brazil at a news conference.

The meeting was organised by the Brazilian representation at the WTO, with the aim of intensifying actions to clarify the country's trading partners about the case of non-classical BSE. Also delivered was clarification of the Brazilian government representatives executive secretariat of Agreements on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) to the WTO, which is responsible for oversight of international agreements on the subject.

Ernie Marques and Guilherme Marques have visited the OIE in Paris to attend a hearing that talks about Brazil's participation in the Global Fund for International Cooperation. On the occasion, the Director General of the OIE was expected to reaffirm that Brazil has a robust health monitoring system and that Brazilian products are safe for consumption. The authorities also had a meeting with the head of the Veterinary Service of France.

Other actions

The Brazilian Government has intensified initiatives to clarify the country's trading partners about the classic case not of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE). Meetings with representatives of different countries have been promoted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (MAPA) in this regard.

Meetings have been scheduled to take place in Beijing and Hong Kong on the same theme by a member of the DSA of MAPA to explain the situation to the two markets. Another mission with the same focus, scheduled for this week, was expected to visit Iran and Saudi Arabia.

Previously, Guilherme Marques met with delegates from Japan and France at the OIE office in Paris. In the same period, the International Relations Secretary of the ministry, Celio Porto, was in Russia, where he met with the head of the veterinary service of the European country, Sergey Dankvert, providing information and answering questions. A report has been sent to the Russians with a summary of all BSE tests already carried out in Brazil.

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