The Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, in terms of the Animal Diseases Act, on 17 April 2015 published, for comment, proposed revised import requirements for cattle, sheep and goats from Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and Swaziland (BLNS countries). The BLNS countries, along with South Africa, constitute the Southern African Customs Union (Sacu).
The proposed requirements on which comment is due at 17 May 2015, is available on the Internet or at the branches Agricultural Production; and Health & Food Safety Animal Health Import/Export Policy Unit, of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF).
The proposed requirements relate to the WTO Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Agreement), which has a two-fold objective. It aims to both recognise the sovereign right of members to provide the level of health protection they deem appropriate; and to ensure that SPS measures do not represent unnecessary, arbitrary, scientifically unjustifiable, or disguised restrictions on international trade. The Agreement encourages members to use international standards, guidelines and recommendations where they exist.
According to the notice, in August 2013 it was decided that the current requirements for the import of cattle, sheep and goats from BLNS countries needed to be reviewed. The aforementioned countries are considered to have a similar disease status; however the import requirements for certain of the countries remained very strict in comparison to others. In an effort to remain consistent with the SPS agreement, the import requirements for cattle, sheep and goats from BLNS countries were revised and harmonised.
The Directorate of Animal Health notified all relevant stakeholders and importers via a letter distributed on 3 February 2014 of the revised requirements. The letter also served as a notice of the implementation date of 1 May 2014.
Due to a successful objection lodged in terms of the Animal Diseases Act on the basis of non-adherence to the spirit of the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act, DAFF decided to suspend the implementation of the revised import conditions for livestock from the BLNS countries on 26 August 2014 with immediate effect until an adequate consultation process has been followed.
An invitation for comment has now been extended.
