WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/GEN/295/Add.17
19 June 2002
(02-3406)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:  French
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS
Submission by Morocco
Addendum
Information
• Support for Morocco's participation in the st andard-setting activities of the competent
international organizations, as recognized in the SPS Agreement (the Codex
Alimentarius Commission and the International Office of Epizootics);
• study of the resources that could be earmarked for the participation of government
representatives at different types of meetings and regional consultations;
• assistance in establishing the national network for the surveillance of animal diseases
(geographic information system and softwa re for processing information relating to
animal health);
• participation in conferences and workshops with a view to broadening the scope of
specific aspects of the SPS Agreement: transparency, equivalence, risk analysis, etc;
• organization at national level of workshops and awareness-raising and information
days on SPS measures.
Training
• Within the framework of the technical assistance granted to developing countries by
certain developed countries such as the United States and Canada (G/SPS/GEN/181),
some cooperation programmes with the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service(APHIS) and the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) are to be expected with
regard to the inspection of meat and animal products:
- Food safety; processing techniques; quality control; dispatch of Moroccan
experts with a view to improving the production quality of processedproducts and to make recommendations on hazard analysis and critical
control point projects (HACCP);
- Partnership with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to establish a
Memorandum of Understanding to facilitate the export of Moroccan fishery
produce to the United States, and the hosting and training of Moroccan
representatives with regard to re gulatory enforcement or inspection
procedures;G/SPS/GEN/295/Add.17
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• Training of Moroccan professional staff in the field of biotechnology;
• training of laboratory technicians on how to diagnose fish diseases and analysis
techniques used for GM products;
• risk assessment: workshop on the risk analysis procedures that are in compliance with
international standards;
• training of laboratory technicians on recent techniques used in the swift diagnosis of
certain emergent diseases (BSE, Bluetongue, etc.);
• providing those involved in animal heal th with training on epidemiology and on how
to analyse the risk of disease introduction associated with imports and exports;
• training on internal and external communication methods adapted to crisis situations
in the field of animal health;
• support for the implementation of the plan to gain accreditation for the national
veterinary services to international quality standard ISO 17020;
• technical and regulatory assistance of those involved in animal health with regard to
international cooperation in the trade in live animals;
• acquisition of new techniques for diagnosing and tracing quarantine parasites in seed
potatoes, vine plants, strawberry plants and rosaceous plants;
• methods and procedures used in the phytosanitary monitoring of harmful parasites;
• phytosanitary control (sampling, inspection) of wood, containers and fruit;
• acquisition of techniques used in the in vitro  culture of citrus fruits, sugar cane and
potatoes;
• acquisition of inspection standards, methods and procedures used for GMOs;
• production and import control procedures;
• techniques used in import quarantine arrangements.
Infrastructure (hard and/or soft)
• Assistance with supplying certain veterinary laboratories with equipment for the
diagnosis of fish diseases and detection of GM products;
• assistance with supplying certain veterinary units and laboratories with the computer
equipment needed to create a GIS (Geographic Information System) map and the
audio-visual equipment and software needed to process epidemiological data;
• assistance with supplying certain veterinary laboratories with equipment for the swift
diagnosis of certain animal diseases;G/SPS/GEN/295/Add.17
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• supplying the plant quarantine unit in Bouznika with basic laboratory equipment for
PCR and in vitro  culture techniques;
• updating the technical instruments used for quality control and information
management.
Other
• Support for the introduction of quality management programmes at production unit
level;
• strengthening the participation of Moroccan delegations at Codex Alimentarius
committee meetings.
Rights, obligations and practical operation of the SPS Agreement
• Implementation of the SPS Agreement: application of the rights and obligations under
the Agreement relating to ways of improving the technical conditions related to
market access for exports.
Food safety
• Updating food safety legislation, with a view to strengthening the national food
safety, quality control and food hygiene systems;
• assistance with the creation and establishment of the Moroccan Food Safety Agency
(AMSSA).
Animal health
• Updating legislation on the protection of animal health so that it complies with the
relevant international regulations (recognition of the principle of equivalence);
• updating data on the epidemiological surveillance networks relating to animal disease
that exist at international level.
Plant protection
• Introduction of phytosanitary surveillance procedures based on international
standards;
• Support for the introduction of risk-analysis procedures and mechanisms.
Contact details
Planning and Economic Affairs Directorate
• Agricultural Marketing Division
Hassan NABIL Tel:  00212 37 69 84 16/nabil@dpae.madrpm.gov.ma
Awatif AIT EL HAJ Tel:  00212 37 69 84 16/awatif@dpae.madrpm.gov.maG/SPS/GEN/295/Add.17
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Animal Husbandry Directorate
• Food Hygiene Veterinary Division
Dr. Hamid LACHHAB Tel:  00212 37 76 84 17
Dr. Aicha BETTAR Tel:  00212 37 76 84 17
• Animal Health Division
Dr. Ahmed TABARANI Tel:  00212 37 76 56 12
Dr. Mina ETTAIR Tel:  00212 37 76 07 11
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