SANITARY & PHYTOSANITARY MEASURES
Thematic Session on Trade Facilitative Approaches to Pesticide MRLs, Including Substances not Approved for Use in an Import Market
Hybrid 22/03/2022 - 10:00
The thematic session was held on 22 March 2022 as agreed by the SPS Committee in November 2021. A draft programme was circulated in document G/SPS/GEN/1989, based on a proposal submitted by Australia, Colombia, Paraguay, and the United States in document G/SPS/GEN/1947. The final programme is contained in document G/SPS/GEN/1989/Rev.1
The thematic session explored different approaches used by Members to address various issues associated with pesticide maximum residue limits (MRLs) and provided an opportunity for Members to share their experiences and best practices with regard to facilitating safe trade. The thematic session built off of recent work by the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in this area, provided Members an opportunity to learn from one another, and included key private sector perspectives.
The thematic session was held in Geneva, Switzerland, on Tuesday, 22 March 2022, beginning at 10:00 (CET), and continuing in the afternoon at 15:00 (CET). Delegates could attend the thematic session in person or virtually through the Interprefy platform. Interpretation was provided in English, French, and Spanish.
The thematic session was also webcasted live on the WTO website.
The report is contained in Annex B of document G/SPS/R/105.
Morning session (10:00 – 13:00 CET)
Afternoon session (15:00 – 18:00 CET)
Chairperson:
Mr Juteau Déadjufo Toussé
MORNING SESSION (10:00 — 13:00 CET)
1 - BACKGROUND
The SPS Agreement and recent relevant work in the SPS Committee.
Ms Camille Fléchet
Dispute Settlement Lawyer, WTO Secretariat
The SPS Agreement, the SPS Committee, and pesticide MRLs
Presentation
Context: the economic case for addressing MRLs and the impacts of risk-based and trade facilitative enforcement practices (Member and industry perspectives).
Ms Su McCluskey
Special Representative for Australian Agriculture, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment
An Australian perspective – Global solutions
Presentation
Dr Gabriele Ludwig
Director, Sustainability and Environmental Affairs, Almond Board of California
Integrated Pest Management, trade, and MRLs: example almonds
Presentation
Dr David Epstein
Vice President for Scientific Affairs, Northwest Horticultural Council
A perspective from the US Pacific Northwest
Presentation
Mr Geoffrey Onen
Assistant Commissioner, Directorate of Government Analytical Laboratory, Uganda
Uganda perspective on trade challenges and solutions to MRLs in food commodities
Presentation
(Unfortunately, due to connectivity issues, Mr Onen could not attend the thematic session.)
Followed by Q&A session.
2 - THE ROLE OF THE CODEX ALIMENTARIUS: JMPR AND CCPR
Perspective and guidance from the Codex Alimentarius, with a focus on the FAO/WHO Joint Meeting on Pesticide Residues (JMPR) and the Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues (CCPR).
Ms Gracia Brisco
Food Standards Officer, Codex Secretariat
Recent developments in CCPR on the establishment of MRLs for pesticides in food and feed
Presentation
Followed by Q&A session.
Member experiences harmonizing with Codex MRLs, including as a default (importing and exporting Members, and industry)
Ms Hermine Reich
Senior Scientific Officer, European Food Safety Authority
Pesticide Codex MRLs and EU risk assessment
Presentation
Mr Diogo Penha Soares
Health Regulation Expert, Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency
Brazil's experience harmonizing with Codex MRLs
Presentation
Dr Bill Jolly
Chief Assurance Strategy Officer, Ministry for Primary Industries, New Zealand
New Zealand's commitment to harmonization of international agrichemical assessment processes and recognition of MRLs
Presentation
Followed by Q&A session.
AFTERNOON SESSION (15:00 — 18:00 CET)
2 - THE ROLE OF THE CODEX ALIMENTARIUS: JMPR AND CCPR (continued)
Mr Gord Kurbis
Vice-President, Trade Policy – Crop Protection, Canada Grains Council
Exporters' perspectives on pesticide regulations
Presentation
Followed by Q&A session.
3 - THE ROLE OF IMPORT TOLERANCES
APEC Guideline on Setting Import Tolerances
Mr Steve J. Crossley
Director of International Affairs and Dietary Exposure Assessment, Food Standards Australia New Zealand (Canberra)
The development of guidance on import MRLs and international initiatives
Presentation
Ms Anna Gore
Senior Program Manager, United States Department of Agriculture, Foreign Agricultural Service
Leveraging the APEC Import MRL Guidelines for trade facilitation in ASEAN
Presentation
Followed by Q&A session.
Member experiences with import tolerances (importing and exporting Members)
Ms Jung Kyunghee
Scientific Officer, Residues and Contaminants Standard Division, Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, Republic of Korea
Import tolerance and positive list system in Korea
Presentation
Mr Eduardo Aylwin
Advisor, Chilean Food Safety and Quality Agency (ACHIPIA)
The role of import tolerances – the perspective of Chile, an exporting country
Presentation
Dr Chia-Ding Liao
Section Chief, Food Safety Division, Food and Drug Administration, Chinese Taipei
Experience sharing on current practice in establishing import tolerances for pesticide residues in food
Presentation
Followed by Q&A session.
4 - ADDRESSING MRL ENFORCEMENT MEASURES
Member and industry experiences with limits of detection, and channels of trade/transition periods.
Dr Charlotte Liang
Chemist, Office of Food Safety, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, United States Food and Drug Administration
Ms Dana Friedman
Chief, Risk Management and Implementation Branch I, Pesticide Re-evaluation Division, Office of Pesticide Programs, United States Environmental Protection Agency
US pesticide regulatory decisions and channels of trade considerations for implementation
Presentation
Dr Reinhold Kugel
Head of Product Safety, BarthHaas GmbH & Co. KG and Plant Protection Representative, German Hop Industry Association
MRL enforcement issues and experiences of the German hop industry
Presentation
Ms Carmen Tiu
Global MRL and Import Tolerances Leader, Regulatory Affairs and Product Stewardship, Corteva Agriscience
Registrant experience MRL enforcement: trade impact and food for thought
Presentation
Followed by Q&A session.
5 - CLOSING REMARKS
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