The Sixth OIE/FAO-APHCA Regional Workshop on WTO’s SPS Agreement, using BSE as a model (Chiang Mai, Thailand, 30 July-2 August, 2007)
The Workshop was attended by 32 participants from 18 countries (Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, India, Indonesia, Iran, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam), 3 universities (Chiang Mai University, Free University of Berlin and University of Tokyo) and 2 international organisations (OIE and FAO-APHCA).
Prof. Karl-Hans Zessin, Free University of Berlin, served as the Workshop moderator. He introduced the purpose of the Workshop and explained the history of BSE including the transmissible agent, diagnostic methodologies, measures taken against BSE. He also added that BSE is still one of the major issues in the world due to its zoonotic nature of being transmissible from animals to humans.
Dr Tomoko Ishibashi, OIE Headquarters, introduced OIE’s roles, functions and mechanism. She explained the OIE Code especially the Code Chapters of BSE. She referred to recent amendment of Code Chapters related to categorisation of countries, namely negligible BSE risk countries, controlled BSE risk countries and undetermined BSE risk countries.
Dr Dagmar Heim, Switzerland, made a presentation on the OIE pathway for classification of BSE status based on Risk Analysis. She showed GBR, USA’s method developed by Harvard University and CAN as references of Risk Analysis methodology.
Prof. Yasuhiro Yoshikawa, University of Tokyo, made a presentation on the experience of BSE cases in Japan and its interaction with food safety. He explained a series of safety measures which the Japanese Government has taken since 2001, when the first BSE-infected cattle was found, including the removal of SRM, testing of all slaughtered cattle, and a total ban on the distribution of MBM. He added that, besides these countermeasures, the Japanese Government has established a new food safety system, i.e. the Food Safety Commission set up in the Cabinet Office which conducts risk assessment independently from the risk managers, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.
Case studies and exercises were conducted by Dr Heim. She explained the conditions and procedures for a country which wishes to be declared as Negligible BSE Risk or Controlled BSE Risk country by OIE.
The Workshop was successfully conducted with the participation of a variety of countries from Asia and the Pacific.