G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.12  
 
2 March  2022 
(22-1938) Page: 1/9 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures    
 
 
WTO SPS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ACTIVITIES IN 20 22: 
GENERAL INFORMATION, SELECTION PROCESS  
AND APPLICATION FORM  
NOTE BY THE SECRETARIAT1 
Revision  
1.  The Secretariat of the WTO plans to organize a number of specific technical assistance activities 
on the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS  Agreement) in 
2022. Please note that due to the ongoing COVID -19 pandemic, most activities currently planned 
for 202 2 are scheduled to be delivered throug h videoconference or virtual platforms . These activities 
include: the SPS e-Learning Course, national SPS seminars, a thematic SPS  workshop, regional 
SPS workshops2, other SPS workshops,  the SPS Transparency Champions Course  and the Course on 
Essentials f or SPS Committee Participation .3 
2.  These activities will primarily focus on the provisions of the SPS Agreement, implementation 
matters  and the latest discussions taking place in the SPS Committee.4 The overall objective of the 
SPS technical assistance activities is to enhance the knowledge and expertise of government officials 
from WTO developing country Members and Observers, so they c an better understand and 
implement the SPS Agreement, benefit from its provisions, and strengthen their capacity to engage 
in the work of the SPS  Committee . For additional information on technical assistance activities 
related to the SPS  Agreement, please consult the WTO website at http://www.wto.org/sps/ta . 
3.  This document provides detailed information about SPS -specific WTO technical assistance 
activit ies planned for 20 22, including information on dates, and where a pplicable, eligibility and 
selection criteria of participants, instructions for submission of applications, deadlines and 
pre-requisites when required.  
4.  This document is structured according to the different types of SPS -specific technical assistance 
activi ties provided by the WTO:  
• e-Learning Course on the SPS Agreement  
• National SPS Seminars  
• Thematic SPS Workshop  
• Regional SPS Workshops  
• Other SPS Workshops  
 
1 This document has been prepared under the Secretariat's own responsibility and is without prejudice to 
the positions of Members or to their rights and obligations under the WTO.  
2 Regional SPS workshops will be organized in 20 22 upon request from regional organizations . Please  refer 
to additional details in Section 4  of this document.  
3 In addition to these SPS -specific technical assistance activities, the WTO offers general training courses 
where the SPS Agreement  is taught, such as Introduction Courses for Least -Developed Countries, Regional Trade 
Policy Courses and Advanced Trade Policy Courses.  
4 The SPS Committee is scheduled to meet three times in 20 22: 23-25 March; 22-24 June; and 
9-11 Novem ber (also see document G/SPS/GEN/1910/Rev.1 ). Informal meetings of the SPS Committee and 
other SPS -related workshops /thematic sessions  might be scheduled during the weeks when the SPS Committee 
meetings take  place. These dates are subject to change.  G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.12  
 
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  • SPS Transparency Champions Course   
• Course on Essentials for SPS Committee Participation  
5.  The structure, content, target audience, pre -requisites, exercises and materials of these 
SPS-specific activities will follow the WTO Progressive Learning Strategy (PLS).5 Therefore, 
each activity is identified according to a scale ranging from "Level 1" (the  least advanced, 
introductory activities) to "Level 3" (the most advanced, in -depth training activities). 
This measurement will, inter alia, assist in making candidates aware of the expected level of the 
activity before they apply, and facilitate the Secre tariat's assessment of whether a candidate's profile 
and experience match the level of the activity when carrying out the selection process. This will 
ultimately help ensure that the participants in a particular activity are able to most effectively follow  
and contribute to the discussions, and that they have a harmonized level of understandin g of 
the SPS Agreement. Further  information on the WTO PLS and a table with the level of each of 
the SPS-specific technical assistance activities can be found in Annex  I. 
1  E-LEARNING COURSE ON THE SPS AGREEMENT  
Level of this activity : 1    3 
6.  The WTO offers an e-Learning Course on the SPS Agreement (SPS e-Learning Course)  throughout 
the year , via the WTO  e-Learning Platform (https://wtolearning.csod.com ). This course aims to 
enable government officials from around the world to learn, through an interactive tool, about the 
basic provisions and principles of the SPS Agreement, the work  of the SPS Committee and 
the SPS disputes brought to the WTO Dispute Settlement Mechanism. During the entire course, 
participants receive personal tutoring from an assigned staff member of the WTO Secretariat who is 
responsible for clarifying and responding to any SPS -related question.  
7.  In addition to the existing e -Learning Course on the SPS Agreement (available in French and 
Spanish), the WTO e -Learning Platform offers a set of four interactive courses on the SPS  Agreement  
in English6 entitled:  
a. SPS Course Series 1  - Overview of the SPS Agreement and Committee;  
b. SPS Course Series 2 - The SPS Agreement and Science;  
c. SPS Course Series 3 - Trade Facilitating Operational Provisions of the SPS Agreement;  
d. SPS Course Series 4 - Implementation, Administration and Enforcement.7 
8.  Successful completion of the SPS e-Learning Course s (in either of the WTO working languages)8 
is a pre -requisite  or recommendation  for participation in some  of the  SPS technical assistance 
activities  propo sed in 2022 . However, successful completion of the SPS e-Learning Course does not 
guarantee  selection for SPS -related training events. Government officials who have already 
successfully completed the SPS  e-Learning Course, in any of the available languages , are not 
required to undertake it again.  
9.  While the WTO e-Learning material  can be freely accessed on the WTO e-Learning Platform by 
the public once registered, eligible  participants can participate in a  monitored course, access the 
module  exams , obtain a WTO certificate  and take part in the interactive activities . 
 
5 The primary aim of the PLS is to promote higher levels of learning and to encourage the development 
of participants ' autonomy, with a view to building and sustaining the long -lasting human and institutional capa city 
of beneficiary countries to participate most effectively in the rules -based multilateral training system.  
6 As first announced in document G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.10/Add.2 . 
7 This new set of four  courses is currently only available in English ; French and Spanish versions are 
forthcoming.  In the meantime, the French and Spanish versions of the previous SPS e-Learning Course are still 
available for interested participants.  
8 In the case of the English version, this would require completion of the set of four Courses. Please 
note that the content of the set of Courses is equivalent to that of the existing French and Spanish versions.  G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.12  
 
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  10.  Government officials from developing WTO Members and Observers wishing to register for the 
SPS e-Learning Course must access the WTO e-Learning Platform  (https://wtolearning.csod.com ). 
In order to register for a course, two forms are to be filled -in and submitted:  
a. Online Registration Form:  available at https://wtolearning.csod.com . This registration  
form needs to be completed online;  
b. Nomination Form:  the candidate should be confirmed by the responsible government 
authorities. The nomination form is available  on the Platform  
(https://wtolearning.csod.com ) once a participant has registered in the section 
"My Nomination Form" under "My Courses". The completed nomination form must be 
uploaded to the Platform ( https://wtolearning.csod.com ) in the same section.  
11.  For further information and instructions about the registration process for the SPS e-Learning 
Course , the WTO e -Learning team  can be contacted at  elearning@wto.org . 
2  NATIONAL SPS SEMINARS  
Level of this activity : 1    3 
12.  WTO developing country Members and Obs ervers are entitled to request national seminars with 
a view to address specific training needs on the SPS Agreement and its implementation. In  this 
regard, the programmes for national seminars are elaborated by the beneficiary country in  
consultation with  the WTO Secretariat. It is possible to address both the SPS and TBT Agreements, 
or the SPS Agreement and the Agreement on Agriculture  or the Trade Facilitation Agreement , in a 
single national seminar.  
13.  National SPS seminars may have a lower (more introduct ory) or higher (in -depth, advance 
training) level, depending on the training needs identified by the requesting Member, and the level 
of knowledge and experience of the participants. It is also possible to organize two national activities 
back-to-back for different participants, for example, one at an introductory level and another at an 
advanced level. A national seminar can also be organi zed in the form of a targeted training on the 
use of SPS online tools, e.g. online submission of notifications, searchi ng for specific trade concerns 
and/or notifications, receiving notification alerts, etc.  
14.  The Secretariat will aim to tailor the structure and content of these seminars according to each 
specific request and through consultations with the beneficiary Member during the preparation phase 
of the seminar. In addition, the Secretariat encourages Mem bers to clearly outline the objectives of 
national seminars in the submitted training requests, in order to allow the Secretariat to respond 
more effectively to the training needs of Members.  
15.  To request a national seminar on the SPS Agreement, Members and Observers must complete 
and submit a Technical Assistance National Request through the Technical Assistance Management 
System, which is available through the weblink  https://tamis.wto.org/user/login .9 
16.  The Technical Assistance National Request must be submitted along with an official letter  of 
request  by the  contact point to the WTO (e.g. mission in Geneva) , addressed to the Director of the 
Institute for Training and Technical Cooperation (ITTC). The request and the official letter should be 
submitted online via the weblink  https://tamis.wto.org/user/login . 
17.  The Secretariat encourages Members and Observers to submit their request s for national 
SPS seminars as early as possible (preferably in the first half of the year) to ensure proper 
coordination and preparation for these activities.10 
 
9 The system is available in the three WTO working languages, English, French and Spanish. 
Login  usernames and passwords are the same as for the WTO website.  
10 While every effort will be made to accommodate the requests of Members and Observers, the 
Secretari at cannot guarantee that it will have the necessary resources to undertake  all national seminars 
requested during the year.  G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.12  
 
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  3  THEMATIC SPS WORKSHOP  
Level of this activity: 1    3 
18.  The Secretariat will organize a thematic SPS workshop on transparency , to be held in Geneva, 
Switzerland. The worksh op will take place on Monday, 20 June 2022,  immediately prior to the 
SPS informal and regular meetings to be held during the same week.  
19.  The workshop will focus on  the implementation of transparency provisions of the 
SPS Agreement . The purpose of the worksh op is to provide an update on recent developments 
related to transparency and present  the new ePing SPS&TBT  Platform integrating SPS and technical 
barriers to trade (TBT) online tools .  
20.  The workshop will be open to participation by all delegates from WTO Members and Observers 
attending the SPS Committee meeting in June 2022, as well as government officials through their 
respective delegations.  
4  REGIONAL SPS WORKSHOPS  
Level of this activity: 1    3 
4.1  Overview  
21.  The WTO Secretariat organizes regional w orkshops on the SPS Agreement with the purpose of 
making participants fully aware of the WTO SPS Agreement, its implementation, and the possible 
implications at the regional and national levels.  Funding is available through the Doha Development 
Agenda Glob al Trust Fund (DDAGTF) for these workshops.  
22.  Regional workshops also serve as an opportunity for government officials working on 
SPS matters in different developing countries to establish contact with their counterparts in other 
developing countries of the region, facilitating the exchange of information and the sharing of best 
practices related to the implementation of the SPS Agreement.  
23.  These regional workshops may include r epresentatives from Codex, IPPC and OIE as resource 
persons contributing their know ledge and experience in their areas of expertise. In addition, relevant 
international organizations, international and regional development institutions and organizations, 
as well as other technical assistance organizations and bilateral donors involved in  SPS matters, may 
be invited to inform participants of their latest activities.  
4.2  Regional SPS Workshops in 20 22 
24.  In order to deliver more effective and tailored regional workshops, the WTO Secretariat will be 
working collaboratively with regional organizatio ns to specifically address SPS-related  training needs 
identified within regions. Using this approach, the WTO Secretariat will schedule  regional 
SPS workshops in 2022 upon request from regional organizations.11 
25.  To request a regional workshop on the SPS Agreement, regional organizations (or a Member in 
conjunction with a regional organization ) must submit an official letter indicating the purpose and 
expected outcome of the workshop, their expected contribution , as well as  the proposed dates  and 
venue . This formal request should be addressed to the ITTC Director and sent by  e-mail to 
ittcregionaldesk@wto.org . 
26.  Regional SPS workshops that are requested during the year w ill be made available on the 
WTO website at http://www.wto.org/sps/ta . Programmes, pre -requisites and selection criteria will 
be defined for each requested activity.  
 
11 While every effort will be made to accommodate the requests of regional organizations , the Secretariat 
cannot guarantee that it wi ll have the necessary resources to undertake  all regional workshops  requested during 
the year.  G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.12  
 
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  5  OTHER SPS WORKSHOPS  
27.  The WTO Secretariat will par ticipate in other SPS technical assistance activities at the request 
of other organizations, where possible.  
6  SPS TRANSPARENCY CHAMPIONS COURSE  
Level of this activity: 1    3 
6.1  Overview  
28.  The SPS Transparency Champions Course will be held in English from October 2022 to 
March/May 2023 . 
29.  The course will be comprised of sessions  and activities12 related to the implementation of  the 
transparency provisions of the SPS Agreement. It will offer selected government officials an 
opportunity to gain  comprehensive  knowledge and practical skills to implement as well as benefit 
from the WTO's SPS transparency framework.  
30.  A number of external experts, including from relevant international standard -setting bodies , 
will be invited to partic ipate in the course . The SPS team will coordinate with the TBT team in the 
development of the  course . 
6.2  Selection Process  
31.  The Secretariat will select participants for the SPS Transparency Champions Course . The target 
audience for this course are government officials  from SPS National Notification Authorities  (NNAs)  
and/or SPS National Enquiry Points  (NEPs)  of English -speaking African countries, in particular  those : 
a. possessing a n understanding  of the provisions and structure of the WTO, and the principles 
and provisions of the SPS Agreement ; 
b. highly motivated  to scale up the transparency framework in their countries ; 
c. endorsed and supported by their respective Ministry; and  
d. fluent in oral and written English . 
32.  Candidates will be selected using criteria such as the fulfilment of pre -requisites , as well as the 
balance among the selected candidates.  In addition, candidates must be government officials  from 
SPS NNAs and/or NEPs at the time of applying and during the course . 
33.  Government officials from eligible WTO Members and Observers wishing to apply for the 
SPS Transparency Champions Course are invited to consult the instructions provided in Annex II , 
and complete and submit the online application form available at: 
https://worldtradeorganization.wufoo.com/forms/2022 -wto-sps-technical -assist ance-application -
form. 
34.  The Secretariat will inform Members' and Observers' contact points to the WTO ( e.g. mission s 
in Geneva) of the proposed selection  of candidates from their government before the final selection.  
 
12 Virtual sessions (and in -person sessions, if possible) . G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.12  
 
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  7  COURSE ON ESSENTIALS FOR SPS COMMITTEE PARTICIPATION  
Level of this activity: 1    3 
7.1  Overview  
35.  The Course on Essentials for SPS Committee Participation  will be held in French  during 
November 2022.  
36.  The course will be c omprised of a series of virtual sessions dedicated to increasing participants' 
understanding of the SPS Agreement with a view to enhancing  their capacity to participate in the 
work of the  SPS Committee.  
7.2  Selection Process  
37.  The Secretariat will select participants for the Course on Essentials for SPS Committee 
Participation . The target audience for this course are government officials, in particular those:  
a. holding direct responsibilities in SPS areas, e.g. specialists on food  safety, animal health, 
plant protection or officials from a relevant Ministry in charge of coordinating SPS  matters 
and international trade;  
b. possessing a good understanding of the provisions and structure of the WTO, and the 
principles and provisions of t he SPS Agreement; and  
c. fluent in oral and written French.  
38.  All candidates are strongly encouraged to  complete the WTO SPS e -Learning Course by the time 
of their application. Priority may be given to those candidates who have successfully completed the 
SPS e -Learning Course. See Section 1  regarding enrolment in the e -Learning Course.  In addition, 
candidates must be government officials at the time of applying for the course and during the course.  
39.  Candidates will be sele cted using criteria such as the fulfilment of pre -requisites, prior selection 
of other candidates from the Member /Observer , as well as balance among the selected candidates.  
40.  Government officials from eligible WTO Members and Observers wishing to apply for the Course 
on Essentials for SPS Committee Participation  are invited to consult the instructions provided in 
Annex I II, and complete and submit the online application form available at : 
https://worldtradeorganization.wufoo.com/forms/2022 -wto-sps-technical -assistance -application -
form. 
41.  The Secretariat will inform Members' and Observers' contact points to the WTO (e.g. mission in 
Geneva) of the proposed selection of candidates from their government before the final selection.G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.12  
 
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  ANNEX I  
PROGRESSIVE LEARNING STRATEGY1 
SPS-SPECIFIC TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE (TA) ACTIVITIES  
1.  In order to respond to the need for greater coherence and complementarity in WTO capacity -
building, ITTC has developed a progressive strategy to promote higher levels of learning and 
encourage the development o f participants ' autonomy . This is with a view to build and sustain the 
long-lasting human and institutional capacity of beneficiary countries  to participate mo re effectively 
in the rules -based multilateral tra ding system.  
2.  In this regard, two broad categori es of participants in WTO capacity -building have been 
identified:  
a. "Generalists"  are government officials who will need a broad knowledge of the WTO to 
conduct their work, such as capital -based officials dealing with WTO issues or delegates 
posted to Geneva missions with general responsibility for WTO affairs;  
b. "Specialists"  are govern ment officials who will require in -depth knowledge in a specific 
area, such as officials working on a specific issue in a particular Ministry in their capital 
(for example, those who are dealing with SPS issues).  
3.  Following this strategy, each SPS -specific technical assistance activity has been categorized 
based on a scale of three training levels, ranging from "Level 1" (the least advanced, introductory 
activities) to "Level 3" (the most advanced, in -depth training activities).  
Progressive Learning Strategy  
Level  SPS-specific TA Activity  
1 and 2  e-Learning Course on the SPS Agreement2 
2 National SPS Seminars3 
2 Course on Essentials for SPS Committee 
Participation  
2 and 3  Thematic SPS Workshop  
2 and 3  Regional SPS Workshops4 
2 and 3  SPS Transparency Champions Course  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1 Additional information on the WTO's progressive learning strategy (PLS) is available in JOB/TC/7.  
2 While an introduction to the SPS Agreement is included in the Level 1 e-Learning  Course "Introduction 
to the WTO", the e-Learning Course on the SPS Agreement  is the most introductory -level training available 
specifically on the SPS Agreement.  
3 National SPS seminars may have a lower (more introductory) or higher (in -depth, advance training) 
level, depending on the training needs identified by the requesting Me mber, and the level of knowledge and 
experience of the participants. The Secretariat will aim to tailor the structure and content of these seminars 
according to each specific request and through consultations with the beneficiary Member during the pre parat ion 
phase of the seminar.  
4 The training provided in regional SPS workshops will, in general, be more advanced than the training 
given in national SPS seminars, as it will also focus on regional challeng es and coordination matters. 
In determining the level  of each regional workshop, the Secretariat will take into account the level of 
implementation of the SPS Agreement by the participating countries (for instance, through participation in the 
SPS Committee, number of notifications, etc.), as well as the ove rall level amongst the selected candidates.  G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.12  
 
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  ANNEX II 
SPS TRANSPARENCY CHAMPIONS COURSE  
Title of the 
activity  SPS Transparency Champions Course  (in English ) 
Dates  October 2022 to March/May 2023  
Venue  Virtual sessions (and in -person sessions, if possible)  
Eligible WTO 
Members and 
Observers  Botswana, Egypt, Eswatini, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, 
Lesotho, Liberia,  Libya,  Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, 
Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, 
Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe   
Pre-requisites  Candidates are required to be government officials from SPS NNAs and/or 
NEPs at the time of applying and during the course ; posses s an 
understanding of the provisions and structure of the WTO, and the 
principles and provisions of the SPS Agreement;  be highly motivated to 
scale up the transparency framework in their countries;  and be endorsed 
and supported by their respective Ministry . 
Fluent in oral and written English . 
Application  Candidates must fill -in and submit the online application form which is 
available at:  
 
https://worldtradeorganization.wufoo.com/forms/2022 -wto-sps-technical -
assistance -application -form 
 
Candidates are invited to  complete and submit the online application form 
by 20 May 2022 . 
 
Incomplete forms or forms sent after the deadline will not be considered.  
Results of the 
selection  Only selected  candidates will be informed about the results of the 
selection by July 2022. 
Logistical information will be provided in due course to the selected 
candidates . 
 
  G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.12  
 
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  ANNEX III 
2022 COURSE ON ESSENTIALS FOR SPS COMMITTEE PARTICIPATION  
Title of the activity  2022  Course on Essentials for SPS Committee Participation  (in French)  
Dates  November 2022  
Venue  Geneva, Switzerland  
Eligible WTO 
Members and 
Observers  WTO least -developed and developing country Members and Observers  
Pre-requisites  Successful completion of the WTO e -Learning Course on the 
SPS Agreement.  
Candidates are  strongly encouraged to complete the WTO SPS e -Learning Course 
by the time of their application, in any of the WTO working languages.1 Priority 
may be gi ven to those candidates who have successfully completed the SPS e -
Learning Course.  
The e -Learning Course is available at: https://wtolearning.csod.com . 
Fluent in oral and written French.  
Application  Candidates must fill -in and submit the online application form which is available at:  
 
https://worldtradeorganization.wufoo.com/forms/2022 -wto-sps-technical -
assistance -application -form 
 
Candidates are invited to complete and submit the online application form by 
20 May 2022 . 
 
Incomplete forms or forms sent after the deadline will not be cons idered.  
Results of the 
selection  Only selected candidates will be informed about the results of the selection by 
August 2022.  
Logistical information will be provided in due course to the selected candidates.  
 
 
__________  
 
1 In the case of the English version, this would require completion of the set of four Courses. Please 
note that the content of the set of Courses is equivalent to that of the existing French and Spanish versions . 
Government officials who have already successfully completed the SPS e -Learning Course, in any of the 
available languages, are not required to undertake it again.