Letter to Manufacturers of Biological Products
Recommendations Regarding Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE)

    §94.18 Restrictions on Importation of Meat and Edible Products From Ruminants Due To Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy

  1.  
    1. Bovine spongiform encephalopathy exists in the following regions: Belgium, France, the Republic of Ireland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Oman, The Netherlands, Portugal, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

    2. The following regions, because of import requirements less restrictive than those that would be acceptable for import into the United States and/or because of inadequate surveillance, present an undue risk of introducing bovine spongiform encephalopathy into the United States: Albania, Austria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Romania, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden.

    3. A region may request at any time that the Administrator consider its removal from a list set forth in paragraphs (a)(1) or (a)(2) of this section by following the procedures set forth in §§92.2(b) (1) through (4), 92.2(b) (5) through (11), and 92.2(c) of this chapter.

  2. Except as provided in paragraph (d) of this section, the importation of fresh, frozen, and chilled meat, meat products, and edible products other than meat (excluding gelatin, milk and milk products), from ruminants that have been in any of the countries listed in paragraph (a) of this section is prohibited.

  3. Gelatin. The importation of gelatin derived from ruminants that have been in any region listed in paragraph (a) of this section is prohibited unless the following conditions have been met:

    1. The gelatin must be imported for use in human food, human pharmaceutical products, photography, or some other use that will not result in the gelatin coming in contact with reminants in the United States.

    2. The person importing the gelatin must obtain a United States Veterinary Permit for Importation and Transportation of Controlled Materials and Organisms and Vectors by filing a permit application on VS form 16-3.17

    3. The permit application must state the intended use of the gelatin and the name and address of the consignee in the United States.

  4. Transit shipment of articles. Fresh (chilled or frozen) meat, and edible products other than meat, that are prohibited importation into the United States in accordance with this section may transit the United States for immediate export if the following conditions are met:

    1. The person moving the articles must obtain a United States Veterinary Permit for Importation and Transportation of Controlled Materials and Organisms and Vectors by filing a permit application on VS form 16-3.18

    2. The articles must be sealed in leakproof containers bearing serial numbers during transit. Each container must remain sealed during the entire time that it is in the United States.

    3. The person moving the articles shall notify, in writing, the Plant Protection and Quarantine Officer at both the place in the United States where the articles will arrive and the port of export prior to such transit. The notification must include the:

      1. United States Veterinary Permit for Importation and Transportation of Controlled Materials and Organisms and Vectors permit number;
      2. Times and dates of arrival in the United States;
      3. Times and dates of exportation from the United States;
      4. Mode of transportation; and
      5. Serial numbers of the sealed containers.

    4. The articles must transit the United States in Customs bond.

(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 0579-0015)

[56 FR 63868, Dec. 6, 1991, as amended at 58 FR 65104, Dec. 13, 1993; 59 FR 24638, May 12, 1994; 59 FR 67616, Dec. 30, 1994; 62 FR 18264, Apr. 15, 1997; 62 FR 46181, Sept. 2, 1997; 62 FR 56023, Oct. 28, 1997; 62 FR 61434, Nov. 18, 1997; 62 FR 66000, Dec. 17, 1997; 63 FR 408, Jan. 6, 1998; 63 FR 4347, Jan. 28, 1998; 63 FR 71210, Dec. 24, 1998; 64 FR 38550, July 19, 1999]

17 & 18  VS form 16-3 may be obtained from the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Veterinary Services, National Center for Import-Export, 4700 River Road Unit 38, Riverdale, Maryland 20737-1231.

 
Updated: May 13, 2002