G/SPS/W/361  
 
22 April 2024 
(24-3297) Page: 1/3 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
SIXTH REVIEW OF THE OPERATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE AGREEMENT  
ON THE APPLICATION OF SANITARY AND PHYTOSANITARY MEASURES  
PROPOSAL  FROM  AUSTRALIA  
The following proposal , received on  19 April 2024, is being circulated at the request of the delegation 
of Australia . 
 
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1  INTRODUCTION  
1.1.  Australia considers the Sixth Review is an important opportunity to be forward -looking on 
issues of contemporary sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) relev ance. The Sixth Review should not 
unduly focus on business -as-usual type activities or focus on issues that have already been well 
considered in previous reviews, or where issues sit outside the remit of the SPS Committee.  
1.2.  Australia supports the Sixth Revi ew having a future focus on areas of innovation, emerging 
technologies and increasing awareness and implementation of international standards that can 
support improved approaches to implementation of the SPS Agreement and enhance sustainable 
production and  promote trade facilitation outcomes. These are all areas broadly addressed in the 
M12 SPS Declaration work program and  the Chair's report and would therefore provide continuity to 
that body of work.  
2  PROPOSALS  
2.1  Digital Trade Solutions  
2.1.  The Sixth Review should have a strong focus on the application of digital technologies such as 
electronic certification, remote audits, remote inspection and verification activity, as well as the 
potential application of artificial intelligence. Through ou tcomes and reflections from thematic 
sessions and ongoing dialogue, the SPS Committee can ensure that the benefits and challenges of 
these technologies can be considered by all Members.  
2.2.  Digital enabled solutions (i.e. "ICT" – information and communications  technologies) are 
increasingly used within the regulatory frameworks that govern agri -food trade. This includes 
ICT-assisted remote (virtual) audits, technologies that can support remote inspection and 
verification activities, and the use of electronic ce rtification to facilitate paperless trade for 
compliance with food safety and SPS requirements. Artificial intelligence (AI) platforms also have 
the potential for assessing compliance and conformance and implementing real -time follow up and 
checking of goo ds and accompanying documentation.  
2.3.  These approaches can provide additional tools to facilitate trade through increasing the 
efficiency and cost -effectiveness in the delivery of regulatory functions with trading partners, and 
consideration of this by the SP S Committee will be important for expanding their acceptance and 
wider use.  G/SPS/W/361  
 
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  2.2  Science and Risk Based SPS Approaches for Sustainable Agriculture  
2.4.  Science and risk based SPS approaches will be increasingly critical to meeting global challenges 
around sustainabl e agricultural and food production, while also meeting food security and 
environmental challenges. A range of international standards have been developed which can assist 
with managing these challenges, and consideration of these and other new approaches b y the 
SPS Committee through thematic sessions and dialogue will be important in supporting their 
acceptance and implementation.  
2.5.  Phytosanitary systems approaches and phytosanitary irradiation can offer safe and effective 
alternatives to meet biosecurity req uirements for trade, while also unlocking market access 
opportunities by overcoming restrictions on single -point treatments (such the phasing out of methyl 
bromide) or managing future potential bans or restrictions on certain treatments. They can provide 
effective chemical -free import and export pathways to meet biosecurity requirements while also 
supporting alternative approaches to achieve sustainable agricultural production and trade outcomes 
in the future. Discussion by the SPS Committee of the effectiv eness, safety and sustainability of 
these approaches as well as the potential role of new technologies for new detection and diagnostic 
approaches will be important in increasing awareness of these options and encouraging the 
acceptance and adoption of rel ated standards.  
2.6.  Similarly, it is important to acknowledge there are different pest, disease and environmental 
pressures globally and that a variety of agricultural chemicals suitable to different regional 
environments and agricultural purposes will be esse ntial in supporting the future sustainability of 
agricultural production. Given the absence of Codex MRLs, or where MRLs differ between countries 
may create barriers to trade, it will be important to consider how best to address these challenges. 
Exporting  countries must have the option to have import MRLs considered and/or established based 
on science and risk that reflect their own unique production systems and circumstances and have 
been set using Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) appropriate for that cou ntry. This discussion will 
also be essential to support agricultural sustainability and to meeting future growing food security 
needs.  
2.3  International Standards  
2.7.  The MC12 SPS Declaration work program and Chairperson’s report acknowledged the 
importance of addressing impediments to the adoption of international standards to facilitate trade. 
Australia, like other Members, considers this an important area of focus for the Sixth Review. 
However, in recognition of the broad scope of such an initiative, Australia s uggests that a more 
targeted look at the adoption of a small group of contemporary trade facilitating standards would be 
an effective focus for the Sixth Review.  
2.8.  Australia suggests a focus on standards and guidelines relevant to contemporary and 
innovative  SPS approaches which support the uptake of technologies and science and risk based 
SPS approaches which support sustainable agricultural and food trade, particularly regarding barriers 
to uptake and challenges and constraints to their application. This co uld include a particular focus 
on needs of least developed countries (LDCs) in implementation of these standards and guidelines, 
given their potential SPS, cost and efficiency benefits, and that capacity building for developing and 
LDC Members will also be  an essential component to bring domestic regulatory frameworks in line 
with international guidance to realise these benefits.  
2.9.  Focus standards, in coordination with relevant International Standards -Setting Bodies, could 
include:  
• Guidance on Irradiation (I SPM 18 and various annexes under ISPM 28) ; 
• Systems Approaches (ISPM 14, ISPM 35, e.g. National Food Control Systems 
CXG 101-2023) ; 
• Guidance on Remote Audit (CXG 102 -2023) ; 
• IPPC and Codex guidance on electronic certification (recognised in ISPM 12 and 
CAC/G L 38-2001).  
2.10.   A thematic session could also consider where there may be gaps in the development of such 
approaches across international standards and guidance and where additional effort could be applied G/SPS/W/361  
 
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  by international standards bodies. For example, while an ISPM on audit in phytosanitary trade was 
adopted in 2022 (ISPM 47), there is no international guidance on how a remote audit could be 
conducted under this ISPM (despite an existing a Codex standard on this). Further, while the use of 
electronic certific ation is more ‘mature’ in relation to plant and food products, it is not the same for 
animal products, and the reasons for this and possible approaches may warrant further 
consideration.  
 
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