. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/BGR/13
8 September 2003
(03-4669)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:  English
NOTIFICATION
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   BULGARIA
If applicable, name of local government involved:
2. Agency responsible:  Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national schedules
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where
applicable):  Fresh  poultry meat for human consumption;  tariff item number - 020711,
020713, 020724, 020726, 020732, 020735
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable:
All countries
5. Title, language and number of pages of the notified document:   Ordinance No.15 of
25 April 2002 on the Veterinary Requirements to Poultry Intended for Slaughter and to the
Production and Placing on the Market of Fresh Poultry Meat (promulgated in State Gazette
No. 49 of 17 May 2002;  30 pages, available in Bulgarian and English).
6. Description of content:  The Ordinance lays down:
• General and specific requirements for the approval of poultry slaughterhouses,
cutting plants, cold stores and re-wrapping centres.
• Veterinary and sanitary requirements and the hygiene requirements to poultry
intended for slaughter.
• Veterinary and sanitary requirements and the hygiene requirements to the
production and placing on the market of fresh poultry meat.
7. Objective and rationale:  [  X ] food safety, [   ] animal health, [   ] plant protection,
[   ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease,  [   ] protect territory from other
damage from pests
8. International standard, gu ideline or recommendation:
[ X ] Codex Alimentarius Commission, [   ] Office International des Epizooties,
[   ] International Plant Prot ection Convention, [   ] None
If an international standard , guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate
reference and briefly identify deviations:
9. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  Council Directive
71/118/EEC of 15 February 1971 on Health Problems Affecting the Production and Placing
on the Market of Fresh Poultry Meat
10. Proposed date of adoption:   17 May 2002G/SPS/N/BGR/13
Page 2
11. Proposed date of entry into force:   This Ordinance has entered into force within 10 days
of its publication in State Gazette with the exception of the following:
1. Provisions of paragraph 1(13) of Article 3 and paragraph 1(11) of Article 10 shall
enter into force on 1 January 2005.
2. Provisions of paragraphs 1.1(b) and 1.1(d) of Article 3, in particular relating to wall to
floor junctions, the provisions of paragraph 1.1(d) of Article 10 shall enter into forceon 1 January 2004.
3. Provisions of paragraph 2 of Article 9 shall enter into force on 1 January 2004.
4. Provisions of paragraph 2 of Article 19 shall enter into force on 1 January 2004.
5. Provisions of Article 55 have entered into force on 1 January 2003.
12. Final date for comments:
1. for the provisions which shall enter into force on 1 January 2005 – final date 30.09.04
2. for the provisions which shall enter into force on 1 January 2004 – final date 30.09.03
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [   ] National notification
authority, [ X ] National enquiry point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if
available) of other body:
National Veterinary Service
15A Pencho Slaveikov Blvd.
1606 Sofia, Bulgariatel.: +359 2 952 1345
fax: +359 2 954 9593
E-mail:  Galia.Kostadinova@nvms.government.bg
13. Texts available from:  [   ] National notification authority,  [ X ] National enquiry point,
or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:
National Veterinary Service
15A Pencho Slaveikov Blvd.1606 Sofia, Bulgaria
tel.: +359 2 952 1345
fax: +359 2 954 9593
E-mail:  Galia.Kostadinova@nvms.government.bg