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 es_code_ter_2005.PDF
 en_terrestrial_code.PDF
 fr_code_terrestre_2005.PDF

Terrestrial animal health code

The Terrestrial Animal Health Code (referred to as the Terrestrial Code) aims to assure the sanitary safety of international trade in animals and their products, by detailing of health measures to be used by veterinary authorities of importing and exporting countries to avoid the transfer of agents pathogenic for animals or bovine and small ruminant semen, general surveillance for animal health and surveillance systems for bovine spongiform encephalopathy, foot and mouth disease, classical swine fever and avian influenza have also been included. This edition includes four specific animal welfare guidelines (land and sea transport, killing for disease control purposes and slaughter for human consumption) and revised appendices on the use of antimicrobials. The value of the Terrestrial Code is twofold: that the measures published in it are the result of consensus among the veterinary authorities of OIE Member Countries, and that it constitutes a reference within the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Agreement) as an international standard for animal health and zoonoses. The OIE Terrestrial Code is a reference document for use by Veterinary Authorities, import/export services, epidemiologists and all those involved in international trade. Part 1 defines the terms or expressions used, procedures for international reporting of diseases, ethical rules for international trade and certification, the principles of import risk analysis, and organisation of import and export procedures. In Part 2 the measures recommended cover the 'priority' diseases for international trade (OIE List). The appendices provide a series of recommendations, particularly those devoted to the hygienic collection and handling of semen and embryos, sanitation of hatcheries and incubators, and transport of animals. They also include standards for the epidemiological surveillance of certain animal diseases. In addition, a series of model international veterinary certificates is presented, to assist in harmonisation. A users' guide is available. The Terrestrial Code is published annually in paper form in the three official OIE languages (English, French and Spanish), and in Russian. The contents are available on the OIE Web site.