WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/GEN/227
8 February 2001
(01-0618)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:  English
DEVELOPING COUNTRY PARTICIPATION IN IPPC STANDARD-SETTING
Statistical Summary Submitted by the IPPC Secretariat for the Committee
Meeting to be held on 14-15 March 2001
Introduction1. At its 19
th Meeting in November 2000, certain Members of the SPS Committee expressed
their interest in understanding the level of participation by developing countries in standard-setting
activities of the international standard-setting organizations recognized in the SPS Agreement.Provided below is a statistical summary and other information prepared by the IPPC Secretariat to
describe the level of participation by developing countries in IPPC activities during 2000.
2. From the period 1 December 1999 to 31 December 2000, there were a total of sixteen (16)
meetings organized by the IPPC Secretariat.  Ten (10) of these were expert working groups directly
related to the formulation of international sta ndards for phytosanitary measures (ISPMs).  One
meeting was a regional consultation on draft standards.  The five (5) remaining meetings were
associated with business of the Interim Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (ICPM) in areas such
as strategic planning, technical assistance, information exchange, and dispute settlement.  All of these
are included in this summary.  The IPPC Secretariat can provide additional information or
clarification on request.
Policies and procedures3. FAO and the ICPM have policies and procedures regarding the provision of resources for the
participation of individuals in different types of meetings.  In particular, a distinction is made between
individuals participating as experts and those who represent their governments.
4. Participants in expert working groups are phytosanitary experts nominated by countries or
regional plant protection organizations and accepted by FAO for their individual expertise.  As a
general rule, the IPPC Secretariat attempts to ensure that experts are nominated and selected from
different geographic regions.  Funding for the travel and subsistence of participants in expert working
group meetings is provided by the IPPC Secretar iat through the regular programme budget of FAO
except when such meetings are funded by a donor.  The Secretariat requires that donor-funded
meetings follow the same procedures and policies as those applied to expert working group meetingsfunded by the Secretariat.
5. At its Second Session in 1999, the ICPM adopted a recommendation for developed countries
to voluntarily provide resources for the participation of their experts in meetings related to standard-
setting.  The savings resulting from these voluntary contributions has helped the Secretariat to expand
and accelerate standard-setting in the past year and increased the possibilities for funding additionalexperts from developing countries.G/SPS/GEN/227
Page 2
6. Participants in ICPM business meetings and consultations are nominated by governments.
They are not necessarily phytosanitary experts and are not confirmed by FAO.  The Secretariat
encourages broad geographic representation in such meetings, but the final composition is determined
by countries depending on the availability of qualified individuals and their level of interest in the
material under discussion.  Although funding for the travel and subsistence of participants for suchmeetings is normally the responsibility of the government, it has been the practice of the IPPC
Secretariat to ensure that funds are available for developing country participants before organizing
such meetings.  This funding may be provided from the regular programme budget of the Secretariat
or by one or more donors.
Statistical summary
IPPC Working groups in 2000 16 meetings
Total number of countries represented 47 countries
Total number of participants 157 participantsParticipants from developing countries 81 participants
Developing countries represented 31 countries
Percentage of developing country
representation in working groups 51.5% based on participants
Distribution of developing country participants by region
South America 21
Africa 16
Central America and the Caribbean 8
Asia and the Pacific 29
Eastern Europe 5
Near East 3
Consultation and approval procedures
7. Standard setting procedures of the IPPC we re established by FAO in 1993 and modified by
the ICPM at its Second Session in 1999.  These procedures require that draft standards be reviewed
and approved by an international committee of phytosanitary experts, originally known as the
Committee of Experts on Phytosanitary Measures (CEPM) and currently known as the Interim
Standards Committee (ISC).
8. The ISC is critical in the IPPC standard-setting process because it is responsible for the
advancement of standards at two stages in development.  The ISC reviews and approves draft
standards before they are distributed to countries for comments and they also review comments and
amend standards as necessary before draft standards are submitted to the ICPM for adoption.  Most of
the fourteen (14) ISC Members are nominated by  regional plant protection organizations.  A few
represent countries that are not members of regional plant protection organizations.  All experts on theISC are confirmed by FAO and their participation in the Committee is funded by the Secretariat
except where their governments voluntarily waive funding.  Eight (8) ISC Members are from
developing countries.
9. The standard-setting procedures of the IPPC include a consultation stage for all FAO
Members and contracting parties to the IPPC to review and comment on draft standards.  The
comment period, originally ninety (90) days, was extended by the ICPM in 1998 to one hundred
twenty (120) days.  In the past, the IPPC Secretar iat sent one or two documents for consultation each
year.  However, due to the recent expansion and acc eleration of standard-setting, six draft documentsG/SPS/GEN/227
Page 3
were sent to Members for consultation in 2000.  A total of 119 responses were received from
countries, including 62 responses from developing countries.
Adoption of standards
10. Standard setting procedures of the IPPC require that all standards be adopted by the ICPM.
The ICPM meets annually at the invitation of the Director-General of FAO and is composed of all
FAO Members and contracting parties to the IPPC.  Delegations to the ICPM are designated by the
Member governments and in many cases include the FAO permanent representation to FAO.
Participation by developing countries in the ICPM is not currently funded by the Secretariat but may
be funded by donors and in future through a trust fund.  Approximately 80 per cent of Members
represented in the first meetings of the ICPM (1998 and 1999) have been developing countries.
11. All standards submitted to the ICPM have been adopted by consensus.  Provision has been
made by the ICPM in its Rules of Procedure to adopt standards by a two-thirds majority vote if
necessary, however a vote cannot be requested for the adoption of a standard on the first occasion it is
submitted to the ICPM.  All official documents of the ICPM, including standards, are translated and
made available to Members in the five official languages of FAO: Arabic, Chinese, English, French
and Spanish.
Conclusion
12. Procedures and policies established first by FAO and more recently by the ICPM emphasize
transparency, participation and geographic representation in the IPPC’s standard-setting processes.
All countries are provided with numerous opportunities  to participate directly  in the formulation and
adoption of international standards for phytosanitary measures, at minimum through consultation and
adoption procedures.
13. Developing country representation in working groups, committees, and consultations
associated with standard-setting routinely averages half or more.  Funding is provided to ensure the
participation of developing country experts or representatives in all IPPC meetings except the ICPM.The ICPM nonetheless enjoys a high level of representation by developing countries.
__________