. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/GEN/473 
10 March 2004  
 
(04-1051) 
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 10 March 20 04, is circulated at the request of the 
Inter-American Institute fo r Cooperation on Agriculture. 
 
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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 Agreemen t.  Below are some of the initiatives that the 
IICA has undertaken, or will undertake in the near  future, in pursuit of this objective. 
Support for the active participation of the co untries of the Americas in the SPS Committee 
 
2. In conjunction with the United States Departme nt of Agriculture and in cooperation with 
other countries, the IICA continues to implem ent measures aimed at reinforcing the active 
participation of Latin American and Caribbean Countries in the SPS Committee.  Among the main 
results of this activity is the continued strengtheni ng in those countries of the institutional base for the 
administration and implementation of the SPS Agreement.   The creation or strengthening of formal or 
informal national coordination committees is contribu ting to the sustainability of active participation 
by the countries in the SPS Committee (further info rmation can be obtained from Eric Bolaños at 
erick.bolanos@iica.ac.cr
, or Marianne McElroy at marianne.mcelroy@fas.usda.gov ). 
Actions directed at the Caribbean region 
3. Through the Strengthening Agricultura l Quarantine Services (SAQS) project: 
(i) In Belize, a regional workshop known as Risk  Analysis for Animal  Health has been 
organized.  This activity has involved the production of synchronized procedural manuals and the training of quarantine staff in risk analysis.  Participants provided 
feedback on the manual prepared by the inte rnational consultant and provided input 
for the preparation of a final version.  
(ii) In Trinidad and Tobago, a regional workshop was organized on the subject of plant 
quarantine.  Training was provided in th e application of harmonized quarantine 
procedures and pest and disease surveillance systems, as well as certification and 
inspection procedures.  The work was conducted using a training CD-ROM on the 
subject.  A further workshop was organized on accreditation of private and professional animal health laboratories in Trinidad and Tobago. G/SPS/GEN/473 
Page 2  
 
(iii) A regional workshop was held in Guyana on inspection and certification of live 
animals and animal products a nd bi-products.  As in the case of other workshops, the 
work was carried out on the basis of a CD-ROM specially produced by the 
consultant. 
(iv) A regional workshop was held in St. Vin cent and the Grenadines on the accreditation 
of private professionals in the field of pl ant health.  This activity focused on the 
regulation of programmes that were bei ng developed so as to enable private 
professionals to perform certain functions under the supervision of the Government.  
More information can be obtained from Everton Ambrose at iica@candw.lc
. 
Training in HACCP 
 4. The IICA has maintained its training programme  in the HAACP through video conferencing, 
face-to-face courses and the use of CD-ROMs.  The strategy has been directed towards training 
instructors in order to enhance the course's outre ach while at the same time maintaining special 
programmes for the private sector.  The benefi ciary countries have included Costa Rica, the 
Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Panama, Nicaragua, Peru and Mexico.  Further information can be 
obtained from Karina Ramírez at karina.ramirez@iica.ac.cr
. 
Other Activities 
 
5. Support for the international meeting on the cotton boll weevil ( Anthonomus grandis  
Boheman) in the framework of the Southern C one Phytosanitary Committee (COSAVE) for certain 
countries of the southern American region.  Furt her information can be obtained from Graciela 
Gómez at ggomez@iica.org.py . 
6. Training Seminars for technical coordinators of vaccination programmes in the context of the 
campaign to eradicate foot-and-mouth disease in Paraguay, organized by the National Animal Health Service (SENACSA) with the technical support of the IICA.  Further information can be obtained 
from Graciela Gómez at ggomez@iica.org.py
. 
7. Together with the Pan American Health Orga nization, the IICA has supported a hemispheric 
workshop on challenges, prospects and developmen t of capacities in the countries of the Americas 
with respect to Bovine Spongiform Encephalopath y as an emerging disease.  Further information can 
be obtained from Patricia Pentney at ppentney@iicacan.org . 
Information  
 
8. Press releases, publications and weekly bulletins with information on animal and plant health 
and food safety are disseminated via the And ean Agricultural Health Information Network 
(http://www.iicasaninet.net/ ) and the AgriHealth Network (Red Agrosalud XXI, 
www.infoagro.net/salud ). The websites of these two networks currently receive more than 3,000 hits 
per day and have some 4,000 registered users from 48 countries.  (For further information, contact 
erick.bolanos@iica.ac.cr , dennis.bolanos@iica.ac.cr  or Juan Francisco Bolaños at 
jfbolanos@iicasaninet.net ). 
Inter-American Institute for C ooperation on Agriculture (IICA) 
Agricultural Health and Food Safety 
http://infoagro.net/salud  
 
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