In view of dioxin-related safeguards and protective measures provided by EC restrictions on identified products from EU Member States, and information from the Philippine Agricultural Attaches, the coverage of the certification requirements defined in Administrative Order 24 s. 1999 for in-transit shipments of these products from France, the Netherlands, Germany and other EU Member States except Belgium is hereby expanded to cover imports produced after 04 June 1999.

For these products the following certification signed by the duly authorized veterinary officer will be accepted, if the other requirements are met:

I, the undersigned, declare that the product referred to in the certificate meets the requirements laid down in the EU Commission Decisions on Protective Measures with regard to contamination by dioxin, i.e.. 1999/363/EC, 1999/368/EC and 1999/389/EC, and is, therefore, fit for human consumption.

The processing of applications for importation of covered products dated after issuance of this administrative order is hereby resumed.

For EU Member States other than Belgium, an official declaration jointly issued by the Ministries of Health and Agriculture providing the following information will be considered for the lifting of certification requirements for all imports of the covered products:

1. Measures adopted in compliance with EC Decisions 1999/363/EC, 1999/368/EC and 1999/389/EC;
   
   
2. Brief description of the conduct of investigation to rule out receipt of products suspected to be contaminated by dioxins as defined in Article 3 of EC Decisions 1999/363/EC, 1999/368/EC and 1999/389/EC;
   
   
3. Measures taken to set up an EU rapid alert system, providing information on the confiscation of live animals and feed stuff from Belgium since 15 January 1999 and results of dioxin analysis carried out; and
   
   
4. Other measures taken to rule out dioxin contamination.

Consignments of products identified in AO 23 produced before 15 January 1999 are not covered by the additional certification requirements if production date is provided in the accompanying documentation.

Further, imports of animal feeds, including pet food, not containing meat, meat products, milk nor milk products, are subject only to the usual import requirements and are not covered by AO 23.

Adopted: 21 June 1999

(SGD.) EDGARDO J. ANGARA
Secretary