Issues covered by the WTO’s committees and agreements

SANITARY & PHYTOSANITARY MEASURES: WORKSHOP — 31 MARCH 2006

Workshop on the Implementation of the SPS Agreement

On 31 March 2006 the Secretariat organized a workshop on the implementation of the SPS Agreement. The purpose of the workshop was to assist WTO Members identify practical ways in which they could more effectively make use of their rights under the SPS Agreement and fulfill their obligations. The workshop focussed in particular on how to manage notifications to ensure that producers and exporters are informed of the SPS requirements of their trading partners; how to coordinate SPS-related activities at the national level, including the effective involvement of stakeholders; and how to identify effectively identify and request technical assistance.

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Break-out sessions were organized to discuss problems and strategies of coordination at national level, and the reports of the rapporteurs on these discussions are attached. Participants were invited to provide information regarding the implementation of the SPS Agreement within their countries and their experiences on the issues identified in the agenda. The responses received from Members are the following.

  

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Summary report 

> Summary report of the workshop will be made available shortly
  

The meeting’s programme  back to top
  

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The presentations

PowerPoint format, in original language.

Reports of the rapporteurs

Click here to download the full PowerPoint presentation files in Zip format.

  

  

  

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Workshop on the Implementation of the SPS Agreement 

Programme

Friday, 31 March 2006

Opening statement — Mr. Gregg Young, Chair of SPS Committee

  • Objectives of the Workshop
      

Overview — Rights and Obligations — Ms Gretchen H. Stanton, Secretary, SPS Committee

  • Using existing tools to improve implementation of the SPS Agreement at the national level — (Practical Approaches)
      

Transparency

  • Effective strategies for handling SPS notifications at the national level

Good Regulatory Practice and the Notification Obligations – national experience and lessons learned in Mexico

Strategies for Handling Notifications at National Level — the experience of China

Difficulties faced by developing country Members and possible strategies to overcome these constraints – preliminary results from one STDF project
 
  

Open discussion
  

Break-out Sessions on Co-ordination (group discussions in English, French and Spanish, no interpretation available)

  • Identifying and interacting with domestic stakeholders
      

  • Useful strategies for coordination, including with Geneva-based missions and the International Standard-Setting Organizations (Codex, OIE and IPPC)
      

Technical assistance and capacity building

  • Identifying technical assistance needs
      

  • Making effective technical assistance requests
      

  • Best practices for SPS technical assistance

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    Using Capacity Evaluation tools as a mechanism to identify needs and prioritize requests for assistance — the experience of Panama
     
    Technical Assistance Related to food safety — Tanzania's experience in the fisheries sector
     
    Matching the supply of technical assistance with recipient needs and ensuring best practices — a donor's experience
     
      

    Open discussion
     

    Plenary Discussion on Coordination / Report from Break-out Sessions
      

    Concluding Remarks