. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/GEN/496 
18 June 2004  
 
(04-2643) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   Spanish 
   
ACTIONS AIMED AT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE WTO AGREEMENT 
ON THE APPLICATION OF SANITARY AND PHYTOSANITARY 
MEASURES (SPS AGREEMENT) 
 
Information Submitted by the Inter-American Institute
 
for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA ) 
 
  The following communication, dated 16 June 2004,  is being circulated at the request of the 
Inter-American Institute for C ooperation on Agriculture (IICA). 
 
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 1. The observer organizations of the WTO Comm ittee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures 
(SPS Committee) are invited to submit reports on activiti es they have carried out to contribute to the 
understanding and implementation of the SPS Agreement.  At this mee ting, the IICA wishes to focus 
on two complementary activities that aim to improve implementation of the SPS Agreement. 
Support for the active participation of the co untries of the Americas in the SPS Committee 
 
2. In conjunction with the United States Depart ment of Agriculture (USDA) and with the 
collaboration of five other countries noted for their active participation in the SPS Committee 
(Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil and Chile), the IICA continues to implement the Initiative for the 
Americas on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures in  the context of the World Trade Organization. 
3. The Initiative, which has held six meetings since implementation started, focuses on the 
strengthening of institutions, the development of leadership and c oordination between public and 
private sector institutions.  The strategy adopted for its implementation is based on the exchange of 
experience and the strengthening of alliances for cooperation between countries (horizontal 
cooperation or country-t o-country cooperation). 
4. The Initiative grew out of the observation that countries can make majo r changes to achieve 
effective international participation and implem entation of the SPS Agreement not solely through 
heavy financial investment but by building capacities and strengthening institutions. 
5. Document G/SPS/GEN/427 was the first report submitted to the SPS Committee showing 
some of the results achieved.  For the present me eting a new document has been drawn up outlining 
five basic activities observed in developing countri es that have succeeded in positioning themselves 
and in playing an active part in the SPS Committ ee.  The Initiative encompasses 34 countries in the 
Americas, six of which play the role  of co-operators and facilitators. G/SPS/GEN/496 
Page 2  
 
Strengthening official agricultural health a nd food safety services by developing a common 
vision and joint action  
6. The other activity the IICA wishes to outline  is the development and application of an 
instrument to secure high standards in official ag ricultural health and food safety services taking into 
account countries' current requirements, one of th e most important being implementation of the SPS 
Agreement. 
7. The instrument will enable the public and pr ivate sectors to develop a common vision and 
will facilitate the establishment of a joint strategy to strengthen official services.  So far, Mexico – the 
first country to do so – has embarked on implem entation and the Central American countries will 
soon do likewise following an express request from the Ministers of Agriculture of the region. 
8. The OIE is lending it cooperation in the area of  animal health, and the instrument is now 
covered by the STDF as an instrument for country cooperation. 
9. The IICA chose these two activities to present to the Committee because thanks to their 
coverage and characteristics they assist countries in targeting and optimizin g scarce resources and 
help international organizations to channel their cooperation on the basis of an agreed agenda of 
priorities. 
Further information from: 
Erick.bolanos@iica.ac.cr
 
Kevin.walker@iica.ac.cr  
Marisa.cordero@iica.ac.cr  
 
  
Inter-American Institute for C ooperation on Agriculture (IICA) 
Agricultural Health and Food Safety 
http://infoagro.net/salud 
http://www.iica.int 
 
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