Case studies of notification authorities and enquiry points

Profile: National Notification Authority / National Enquiry Point

Ministry of Biosecurity
PO Box 345
98-100 Sugar Plum Road
Bald Mountain
FANTASIA

Ph: +67 3 548 9911
Fax: 67 3 548 6512
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.biosec.govt.fn/sps

Type: Combined notification authority and national enquiry point

Staff: 5 (work part-time on notification authority and national enquiry point duties)

Facilities:
Word processor
Database application
Photocopier
Telephone
Fax
Email/internet
Postal facilities

Fantasia is a developed country with modest financial resources. Upon joining the World Trade Organization on 1 January 1995 it designated its Ministry of Biosecurity (Biosecurity Fantasia) to fulfil the transparency provisions of the SPS agreement in terms of establishing a national notification authority and national enquiry point. Biosecurity Fantasia produces the majority of the country’s SPS measures as was considered a logical first choice for locating these bodies.

Biosecurity Fantasia’s International Trade Section has overall responsibility for operating the national notification authority and national enquiry point. The five members of the section all contribute to the work of both bodies. The roles of the officials are as follows:

• Manager: Develops policies and procedures, manages and trains staff, and also liases with other national and international agencies. The manager also attends and represents Fantasia at the SPS Committee meetings.
• Advisers (3): The International Trade Section has three advisers — International Adviser (Sanitary) in charge of food safety and specific responsibility for the work of the Codex Alimentarius Commission; International Adviser (Phytosanitary) with specific responsibility for plant health and the work of the IPPC Secretariat and the Interim Commission on Phytosanitary Measures; and International Adviser (Zoosanitary) who has specific responsibility for animal health the work of the OIE. The advisers monitor all SPS notifications in their area of responsibility and provide technical and trade policy expertise where necessary.
• Administrative Support: Day to day running of the national notification authority and national enquiry point.

Notifications from other WTO members are downloaded from the WTO’s document dissemination facility (DDF). They are then logged on an electronic database and copied to relevant government agencies and industry groups.