Colombia establishes health measures to prevent ASF

Through Resolution No. 060469 dated January 17, 2020, the Colombian Agricultural Institute, ICA, established sanitary measures to prevent the entry and spread of African swine fever (ASF) in Colombia by carrying out preventive controls at ports, air terminals, and border crossings.

These provisions were established by the Institute to prevent people as travelers, passengers or crew members, from entering Colombia with pork products for human consumption, thus preventing the risk of entry and spread of ASF.

Precautionary measures to maintain its health status as an ASF-free country include:

• Meat products and pork products for human consumption brought into Colombia in the luggage of travelers coming directly or via stopovers from countries that have reported ASF, or by international courier, must be retained and seized by the ICA at ports, airports or border crossings.
• International passengers entering Colombia on direct flights or flights with stopovers, as well as on ships from Asia, Africa and Europe, will be subject to verification and strict control of their luggage.
• International airport operators, as well as port companies in the country, must ensure that food and other items considered waste or garbage resulting from international travel are collected and disposed of in a manner that guarantees their destruction.

Failure to comply with any of the provisions laid down by the ICA shall be punished in accordance with the provisions of Articles 156 and 157 of Act 1955 of 2019, or any provision replacing it, without prejudice to any civil or criminal proceedings that may be instituted.