Protocol between the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the People's Republic of China and the Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain of the Kingdom of Belgium on quarantine and health requirements for bovine genetic material exported from the Kingdom of Belgium to the People's Republic of China The General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) of the People's Republic of China and the Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (FASFC) of the Kingdom of Belgium (herein after referred to as "both parties") through friendly negotiations, have agreed to the following quarantine and health requirements for bovine genetic material (frozen bovine semen) to be exported from the Kingdom of Belgium to the People's Republic of China: Article 1 Depending on their respective legislation and procedures, AQSIQ and FASFC will be responsible for the implementation of this protocol. Article 2 1. The FASFC shall be responsible for the quarantine and inspection procedure for donor bulls, teaser animals and frozen bovine semen. After confirmation that the Chinese importer has received the import permit for frozen bovine semen issued by AQSIQ (of which AQSIQ shall provide a sample model to FASFC), FASFC may start to implement the quarantine and inspection procedure for donor bulls, teaser animals and frozen bovine semen in accordance with the present protocol. 2. Each import permit can only allow for importation of one consignment of frozen bovine semen. Article 3 1. Each consignment of frozen bovine semen shall be accompanied with a health certificate issued by the FASFC. 2. The FASFC shall provide a sample of health certificate to AQSIQ for endorsement before it becomes valid. 3. The health certificate consists of one original and two copies. The content shall comply with
the requirements of Articles 6 and 8 to 14. 4. The health certificate shall be typed in Chinese and English. Handwritten or altered versions are invalid. 5. The health certificate shall be validated with the signature and official stamp of the official veterinarian of the FASFC. 6. The health certificate shall accompany the frozen bovine semen shipped to the People s Republic of China. 7. Should the frozen bovine semen arrive at the Chinese point of entry with an invalid health certificate or without a health certificate, the semen shall be returned or destroyed by AQSIQ. Article 4 1. The FASFC shall provide AQSIQ with a list of semen collection centres producing the frozen bovine semen for export, which complies with this protocol. 2. The AQSIQ may send official veterinarian(s) to carry out on-site inspections for registration of semen collection centres. 3. The exported frozen bovine semen can only be from registered semen collection centres. Article 5 Semen collection centres exporting frozen bovine semen should: a) be approved by the FASFC under Belgian and European legislation and comply with this protocol; b) be supervised by the FASFC in accordance with Belgian and European legislation; c) be located in areas included in a national surveillance program conducted in accordance with OIE guidelines for prevention, control and eradication of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) and Bluetongue; d) meet the requirements for production and processing of semen under Belgian and European legislation; e) take measures in place to protect the animals from vector attack. Article 6 The health certificate shall ensure the following information: a) the names and addresses of consignor, consignee and registered semen collection centre(s), the identification of the donor bull(s); b) the number of straws; c) the methods of dilution and final concentration/density of active spermatozoa; d) the name of the diluting liquid, the antibiotics added and the relative proportion of each antibiotic; the requirements on antibiotics added are in the ANNEX 2 of this protocol. e) the identification marks of the straws which will include the collection date, donor code and AQSIQ registration code for AI centre(s) ; f) the identification of the seal on the shipping containers.
Article 7 Each consignment of frozen bovine semen shall be packed in separate shipping containers with fresh liquid nitrogen. The shipping containers shall: a) have been cleaned and disinfected before use; b) have been sealed under the supervision of the official veterinarian of the FASFC. Article 8 The donor bulls shall a) never have been used for natural mating; b) be born in the Kingdom of Belgium or legally imported into the Kingdom of Belgium in accordance with procedures to preclude the entry of Bluetongue, and before the semen collection, have been continuously resident in the registered semen collection centre for at least twelve (12) months; c) have unique and permanent identification tags, so they are traceable. d) be born after the date of implementation of the feed ban and have never been fed with feedstuff with mammalian tissue proteins. If imported, originate from countries with a controlled BSE risk status or with a negligible BSE risk status. e) be clinically healthy within 24 hours before semen collection. f) during the semen collection period, the donor bulls and teasers shall not be in contact with other animals of lower health status. g) not be vaccinated against Foot and Mouth Disease. Article 9 1. The FASFC must confirm the absence in the Kingdom of Belgium of Foot and mouth disease, Rinderpest, Lumpy skin disease, Rift Valley fever, Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia, Peste des Petits Ruminants, Vesicular stomatitis and Epizootic haemorrhagic disease of deer. 2. If one of the diseases mentioned in paragraph 1 of this article, occurs in the Kingdom of Belgium, the FASFC shall inform without delay the AQSIQ and keep them informed about measures taken at the level of the country and/or region(s) affected, of the trade restrictions between free and non free regions and about the evolution of the disease. 3. If one of the diseases mentioned in paragraph 1 of this article, occurs in the Kingdom of Belgium, the FASFC shall stop the issuance of export certificates for frozen bovine semen from the Kingdom of Belgium. Article 10 1. The FASFC shall confirm that the semen collection centre(s) has been free of Bluetongue, Bovine tuberculosis, Bovine brucellosis and Enzootic bovine leucosis for at least three (3) years.
2. The FASFC shall confirm that in the semen collection centre there have been no cases of Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis (IBR), Campylobacteriosis, Trichomoniasis, Anaplasmosis, Mucosal disease (BVD/MD), Paratuberculosis, malignant catarrhal fever, Q fever and Leptospirosis for at least two (2) years. 3. In case of occurrence of one of the diseases, mentioned in paragraph 1 and paragraph 2, in a semen collection centre(s) registered for export to the People's Republic of China, the FASFC shall inform the AQSIQ and stop issuance of export certificates for frozen bovine semen from the(se) centre(s). 4. The FASFC shall confirm that the semen collection centre is located in a region free of native Rabies. Article 11 1. Donor bulls and teasers, in a semen collection centre, shall be tested according to the requirements mentioned in the Annex 1 of this Protocol in Belgium officially approved laboratories. 2. In case of positive results to a disease, mentioned in the Annex 1 of this Protocol, are found, the corresponding animals shall be removed and all the semen of those animals cannot be exported to the People s Republic of China. In case of Bluetongue positive results are found, the FASFC shall inform the AQSIQ and stop issuance of export certificate for frozen bovine semen from the(se) centre(s). Article 12 1. All resident animals of the semen collection centre, including donor bulls and teasers, are regularly tested in accordance with Belgian and European legislation in force. 2. FASFC shall guarantee that the donor bulls are free from signs of following genetic diseases: Fishy Off-flavour in milk, 1/29 Robertsonian Translocation, Bovine Leukocyte Adhesion Deficiency, Complex Vertebral Malformation, Long Gestation, Hamartoma, Artrogryposis, DMC I, DMC II, CTS and Dwarfism. Article 13 1. During the period of semen collection and for a four (4) weeks period following the last collection of semen exported to the People's Republic of China, the Kingdom of Belgium has remained free of the diseases stated in paragraph 1 of Article 9 of this Protocol and the semen collection centre(s) remained free of the diseases stated in Article 10 of this Protocol. 2. The semen from a dead donor(s) due to animal diseases or the semen from a BSE-positive dead donor(s) shall not be exported.
Article 14 From the time of semen collection through until the shipment of the frozen bovine semen, the donor bulls shall have been free from any evidence of contagious or infectious diseases. Semen for export to the People s Republic of China must be stored in approved conditions for a period of six (6) weeks prior to dispatch. Article 15 Upon agreement of both Parties, this Protocol can be amended. The Annexes of this protocol shall be taken as an inseparable part of this protocol. Amendments of the Annexes shall be made at any time by mutual consent of both Parties based on negotiation between experts and come into force with the written confirmation by officials authorized by AQSIQ and FASFC. Article 16 Either Party may revoke the Protocol on giving to the other Party six (6) months notice of its intention to do so. Article 17 This Protocol shall come into force on the date of signing. The Protocol of 2012 on quarantine and health requirements for bovine genetic material between the General Administration of Quality Supervision,Inspection and Quarantine of the People's Republic of China and the Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain of the Kingdom of Belgium is repealed at the same time. This Protocol is signed in Brussels on June 2, 2017 Done in duplicate in Chinese and English, both languages being equally authentic. The English version is for reference if difference of opinion takes place. On behalf of General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the People's Republic of China On behalf of the Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain of the Kingdom of Belgium
ANNEX 1 Test requirements Disease Test requirements Bovine tuberculosis this consignment: Intradermal tuberculin test with negative result Bovine brucellosis this consignment: Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) or buffered Brucella antigen test (BBAT, less than 30IU per ml) with negative results Enzootic bovine leucosis this consignment: Lymph nodes are not swollen by clinical examination and Agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID) or ELISA test with negative results Infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) this consignment: Serum neutralisation (SN) test or ELISA test with negative results Bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) this consignment:a) Indirect fluorescent test (IFT) / or Immunoperoxidase (IPX) test on viral culture of serum, at least two (2) passages and at least six (6) days per passage with negative results and b) Antigen-ELISA or PCR on blood with negative results Paratuberculosis this consignment: Complement fixation test (CFT) or ELISA with negative results Campylobacter fetus this consignment: Culture for isolation and agent identification on sheath washings with negative results Trichomoniasis this consignment: Culture for isolation or IFT on sheath washings with negative results Leptospirosis this consignment: Microscopic agglutination test (MAT) for serotypes L.pomona, L.sejroe, L.hardjo, L.autumnalis, L.canicola, L.grippotyphosa, L.ballum and L.icterohemorrhagiae with negative results Bluetongue A serological test (AGID or ELISA) within 30 days prior to the first collection of semen in this consignment with negative results, at least every 60 days through the
Q-Fever Schmallenberg virus (SBV) (semen collected after June 1 st 2011) collection period and between 21 and 60 days after the final collection for each consignment or an agent identification test on blood samples collected at commencement and conclusion of the collection and at least every 7 days (virus isolation test) or at least every 28 days (PCR) during semen collection for each consignment, with negative results. this consignment: CFT (Complement Fixation Test) or ELISA, with negative results. Serological tests (VNT or ELISA): the first test performed within 30 days prior to the first collection of semen in this consignment, at least every 60 days through the collection period and between 28 and 60 days after the final collection for this consignment. All the tests should be negative. ANNEX 2 Antibiotics as listed below must be added to produce these concentrations in the semen extender, not less than: Streptomycin (500µg/ml), Penicillin (500IU/ml), Lincomycin (150µg/ml), Spectinomycin (300µg/ml); Or Lincomycin (150µg/ml), Spectinomycin (300µg/ml), Gentamicin (250µg/ml), Tylosin (50µg/ml).