WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/GEN/523 
21 October 2004 
 (04-4483) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures  
  
 
 
ADOPTION OF THE STANDARDS AND TRADE DEVELOPMENT FACILITY  
BUSINESS PLAN, CALL FOR PROPOSALS AND 2005 WORKPLAN 
  
Note by the Secretariat
1 
 
 
Background 
1. The Standards and Trade Development F acility (STDF) grew out of a joint 
communiqué issued by the Heads of the Food  and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World 
Organization for Animal Health (OIE), Worl d Bank, World Health Organization (WHO) and 
the World Trade Organization (WTO) at the Doha  Ministerial Conference in November 2001.  
In the communiqué, the five organizations ag reed to jointly explore new technical and 
financial mechanisms for coordination and r esource mobilization and to build alliances 
between standard setting bodies and the implemen ting and financing agencies so as to ensure 
the most effective use of technical and financial resources.   
2. The STDF was formally established in mi d-2002 as a partnership and a Trust Fund 
with three years of start-up financing from the World Bank and WTO.  It brings together five 
partner organizations each with specific experti se in the domain of SPS standards and trade:  
FAO, OIE, World Bank, WHO, WTO.   
3. The STDF is both a financing and a co-ordin ating mechanism.  Grant financing is 
available for private and public organizations in developing countries seeking to comply with international SPS standards and hence gain or maintain market access.  Applications are 
particularly encouraged from stakeholders in Least Developed Countries (LDCs).   
Adoption of STDF Business Plan  
4. On 10 September 2004, the five partner agencies formally adopted a business plan for 
the STDF.  The plan explains in detail th e organization and operation of the Facility, 
including information on project eligibility criteria, project funding possibilities and the 
project review process.  It presents scenarios for the operation of the Facility against which 
the Facility may be later evaluated.  The Business Plan is attached to this note. 
5. Governance arrangements for the Facility have  been established in the Business Plan.  
A Policy Committee provides policy and strategy oversight for the STDF, while the Working 
Group is responsible for the operational functioning  of the Facility including review of grant 
and project applications, approval of projects etc.  The involvement of stakeholders, both 
donors and potential beneficiaries, is key to the successful functioning of the Facility.  To this 
                                                     
 
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 or obligations under the WTO. G/SPS/GEN/523 
Page 2  
 
 end, the STDF Secretariat, housed within WTO,  will be consulting with stakeholders to 
ascertain the best way to structure their pa rticipation in the STDF's governance bodies.  
6. The STDF was established with seed funding of  US$300,000 per year for a three year 
period from the World Bank's Development Grant Facility (DGF).  The WTO also 
contributed CHF100,000 from the Doha Develo pment Global Trust Fund in 2003 and 2004.  
The World Bank's DGF funding cannot exceed three years and ends on 30 June 2005.  After 
that date, the Facility must attract financial commitments from other sources to continue.  As such, the Business Plan was formally presented to interested donors on 10 September 2004 at a meeting hosted by the Director-General of the OIE, Dr Bernard Vallat, at the OIE's offices 
in Paris.  At the meeting, two European donor agencies made pledges to contribute funding to 
the STDF.  It is hoped that further pledges will follow.   
Call for Proposals 
7. The STDF provides funds for two types of grants:  project preparation grants and 
project grants.   
8. Project preparation grants aim to turn good ideas into projects.  Preparation grants for 
up to US$20,000 are available for project deve lopment.  The STDF may also award these 
grants to revise interesting project proposals from eligible beneficiaries.  The project 
preparation grant aims to act as a bridge between the identification of technical assistance needs and the development of coherent project  proposals which may be financed by the STDF 
or by other donors.   
9. The STDF will also fund projects.  The size of grants will typically range from 
between US$300,000 and US $600,000.  Applicants must assume some of the financial cost of 
projects, although not of project preparation grants.  Applicants from Least-Developed Countries must meet at least 10 per cent of the cost of the project from their own resources, with other developing countries required to fund at least 25% of project cost.   
10. Each project will be examined in the light of eligibility criteria explained in detail in 
Section III of the Business Plan.  Project proposals must be sent directly, and preferably in 
electronic copy, to the STDF Secretariat at the WTO (e-mail:  STDFSecretariat@wto.org).  Proposals must be submitted in the prescribed fo rmats and templates.  Application forms are 
available on the STDF website (www.standardsfac ility.org) and are included in the Business 
Plan.   
11. Grants are awarded on a semi-annual basis and applications must be received at least 
45 working days before each project review meetin g.  If an application is received after this 
date, it will be considered in the next project cycle.  The STDF project submission  closing 
dates for consideration in 2005 are: 
• 8 December 2004  (45 days before the February 2005 Working Group meeting);  and 
 
• 1 July 2005  (45 days before the Septembe r 2005 Working Group meeting).  G/SPS/GEN/523 
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 2005 WORK PLAN 
 
12. Activities to be funded as part of the STDF work plan for 2005 can be separated into 
new activities approved by the Working Group at  their meeting of 10 September 2004 and on-
going activities approved in 2003 and 2004.   
A. NEW ACTIVITIES  
STDF 37:  Assistance to Developing Countries in the Implementation of ISPM 15 
(Guidelines for regulating wood packaging material in international trade) 
13. The project will be implemented by the IPPC Secretariat in conjunction with a 
number of collaborating agencies or government s including the Canadian Food Inspection 
Agency, Canadian Forest Servi ce, United States Department of Agriculture and government 
experts from Chile, Jamaica, Malaysia, South Africa, Sweden and the United Kingdom.  The 
objective of the project is to facilitate u nderstanding of ISPM No. 15 among developing and 
least-developed countries so as to ensure im plementation of the standard and minimize 
disruption to trade.  The project will focus on three key activities: 
• A workshop to provide information and guidance for National Plant Protection 
Organizations (NPPOs) on implementation of ISPM No. 15, analyze difficulties in implementation and build consensus on how to resolve implementation issues in a consistent manner worldwide.  The workshop is tentatively scheduled to take place in 
Vancouver, Canada on 28 Fe bruary - 4 March 2005;  
• The development of training materials to provide guidance to NPPOs on the 
implementation of ISPM No. 15;  and 
• The development of implementation plans for the national implementation of ISPM 
No. 15 in conjunction with relevant stakeholders, notably the private sector.  
14. The project will enhance the capacity of countries and national plant protection 
officials to set up adequate infrastructure and systems to implement ISPM No. 15.  Global 
implementation in a consistent manner will prot ect natural resources, decrease the movement 
of pests harmful to plants and increase countries'  market access and their ability to engage in 
trade. 
STDF 13: Development of a Strategy and Action Plan for Selected African Regions to 
Enhance Public and Private Sector Capac ity in Meeting Sanitary Standards for 
International Trade of Livestock and Livestock Products  
15. The OIE, in collaboration with the FAO, the World Bank and the OIE's African 
Regional Representation, will undertake a project to develop regional st rategies to enhance 
African Veterinary Services' and other stak eholders' capabilities to export livestock and 
livestock products.  The project contains the following steps: 
• A field review of current capacity in setti ng and implementing modernized veterinary 
services, compliant with sanitary standards for international trade according to the 
SPS Agreement, in selected African Regi onal Economic Commissions (RECs), with 
particular emphasis on public-private collaboration; G/SPS/GEN/523 
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 • A desk review to summarize new initiatives on the strengthening of veterinary 
services, including public-private partners hip in the enforcement of sanitary 
standards; 
• Preparation of draft regional strategies fo r strengthening public and private capacity 
to enhance export trade of livestock produc ts, and protect health of domestic livestock 
resources and public health; 
• Policy level workshops in each of two regions, to discuss these strategies; 
• Preparation of country specific pilot projects including improvements and 
modernization of veterinary services and pub lic-private partnerships in each of the 
two selected zones;  and 
• Preparation of a toolkit for scaling up SPS animal health standards implementation, 
including training modules etc. 
One of the pilot countries chosen will be an A frican country having identified animal health 
issues as a priority action area w ithin the Integrated Framework process.  Implementation of 
the project will begin in 2005. 
STDF 38: Agricultural Health and Food Safety  Laboratory Needs Assessment for 
CARICOM Countries  
 
16. A project preparation grant has been approved for the CARICOM Secretariat to 
prepare a project to assess the agricultural health and food safety laboratory needs of countries 
in the region.  The grant will be used to assi st the CARICOM Secretariat in the design of a 
project to strengthen existing regional laborat ory capacity and to avoid duplication of 
resources at national level.    
STDF 26: Cameroon Standards Training  
 17. A project preparation grant has been appr oved by the STDF Working Group to assist 
the government of Cameroon in the preparati on of a project on the basis of technical 
assistance needs identified in document G/SPS/GEN/401.   
B. O
N-GOING ACTIVITIES  
STDF 14:  OIE veterinary capacity evaluation project 
18. The project aims to develop a specific di agnostic tool capable of evaluating the 
capacity of national veterinary services to meet international zoosanitary obligations in an 
efficient and sustainable manner.  The instrume nt will measure capacities of various countries 
through an inventory of the functions and res ources available to comply with zoosanitary 
obligations according to the OIE standards.  Pr ogress has been made in the implementation of 
this project.  The OIE has developed the tool in  both English and Spanish language versions 
and applied it to pilot countries in the Americ as.  The OIE will now apply the evaluation tool 
to pilot countries in Africa and then make an y necessary amendments to the tool.  One of the 
pilot African countries chosen will be a country th at has identified animal health as a priority 
action area within the Integrated Framework process.  A number of organizations have already expressed interest in applying the tool elsewhere in the world.  G/SPS/GEN/523 
 Page 5 
 
 
 STDF 20:  Country-based plans for SPS-related development 
19. The goal of the project is to facilitate sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) capacity 
building in both the private and public sect ors.  The goal will be achieved by making 
available a planning methodology responsive to  economic objectives and which encourages a 
cooperative relationship between donors and priv ate and public sector stakeholders in 
recipient countries.  The project will demonstrat e in selected countries an  integrated approach 
to planning and executing SPS capacity-building,  with special emphasis on enhancement of 
export market access for agricultural, food, fish ery, horticulture and forest products of 
developing economies.  The project was tendered on a restrictive basis and on the basis of bids received a consultancy company has been appointed to undertake the project.  
Implementation should begin in November  2004 and last 18 months in total.  
STDF 19:  Model arrangements for SPS stakeho lder involvement at the national level 
20. The project aims to improve SPS-related information flow, as well as information 
sharing between the public and private sectors, with positive spin-offs for market access.  The 
wider objective of this project is to improve th e capacity of stakeholders in the public and 
private sectors of developing countries to work in  an international trading system that applies 
demanding standards in the area of food safet y and animal and plant health.  This 
improvement in institutional capacity should translate into an improvement in export 
performance.  The project was tendered on a restri ctive basis and on the basis of bids received 
a consultancy company has been chosen, but has not yet been appointed to undertake the 
project.  Project implementation should begin early in 2005.  
STDF 9:  Model Programme for Developing Food Standards within a Risk Analysis 
Framework  
21. This project aims to increase the capacity of low income countries to use risk analysis 
techniques to develop their own food standards;  to participate in the Codex standard-setting 
process;  and to understand and comply with , in the development of these standards, 
international obligations under the relevant WTO agreements.  This project will provide a 
model for implementation of this programme in other regions of the world.  The project is 
partly funded by the STDF and partly funded from FAO sources.  Implementation is expected 
to begin in late 2004 or early 2005.   
STDF 10:  International Portal on Food Safety, Animal and Plant Health project 
22. This project builds on existing work by the FAO on the International Portal on Food 
Safety, Animal and Plant Health.  The por tal is a powerful source of information on 
international standards and of national legisla tion and regulations on food safety, animal and 
plant health.  The aim of this project is to ex tend the country coverage of the Portal on a pilot 
basis to one least-developed country and one middle income developing country.  The project will be partly funded by the STDF and partly  funded from FAO sources.  Implementation is 
expected to begin in late 2004 or early 2005.   
STDF 15:  Expanding SPS Capacities at National and Regional Levels 
23. The project has been revised so as to develop a training programme for delegates to 
the OIE and to deliver this training through the regional offices of the OIE.  The training programme will be held back-to-back with WTO regional workshops planned for 2005 and 
2006 to ensure that greater coordination is prom oted at regional level between STDF partners 
both in regular activities and in the delivery of technical assistance.  Implementation of the 
project will begin in late 2004.  G/SPS/GEN/523 
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 STDF 5:  STDF Database 
24. In the final quarter of 2003, a database on SPS technical assistance was established.  
The database can be consulted at http://stdfdb. wto.org.  The objective of the database is to 
provide an overview of planned and delivered SPS-related technical assistance;  to assist coordination between the partner institutions of the STDF;  to enable information sharing 
between institutions thereby creating opportunities to identify gaps and exploit synergies;  and 
to minimize and/or avoid duplication in the provision of technical assistance.  A data 
collection exercise took place in July 2004 and in formation harvested is being entered on the 
database.   
STDF website 
25. A website for the STDF has been established at www.standardsfacility.org
.  In 
addition to information on the STDF and how to apply, each of the partner organizations has 
made available their training materials on SPS -related standards.  The website is being 
updated and further materials will be added in 2005 as part of the co-ordination function of 
the STDF.  The website is being progressively  made available in French and Spanish 
language versions.  G/SPS/GEN/523 
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 ATTACHMENT  
 
 
 
  
BUSINESS PLAN 
  
 
   
 
  
 
STANDARDS AND TRADE DE VELOPMENT FACILITY 
(STDF) 
 
  
 
  
A joint initiative of the Food and Agriculture Organization, the World 
Organization for Animal Health, th e World Bank, the World Health 
Organization and the World Trade Organization 
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
   
  
 G/SPS/GEN/523 
Page 8  
 
  
 
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
 
 
 Aim of the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF) 
 
1. The strategic aim of the STDF is to assist developing countries enhance their 
expertise and capacity to analyze and to impl ement international sanitary and phytosanitary 
(SPS) standards, improving their human, animal an d plant health situation, and thus ability to 
gain and maintain market access.  In addition to facilitating international trade, SPS capacity 
building, notably in the area of food safety, can result in improve d health conditions for local 
markets and so favour economic and social development.  
What is the STDF? 
2. The STDF grew out of a joint communiqué issued by the Heads of the Food and 
Agriculture Organization (FAO), World Organiza tion for Animal Health (OIE), World Bank, 
World Health Organization (WHO) and the Wo rld Trade Organization (WTO) at the Doha 
Ministerial Conference in November 2001.  In the communiqué, the five organizations agreed to jointly explore new technical and financia l mechanisms for coordination and resource 
mobilization and to build alliances between st andard setting bodies and the implementing and 
financing agencies so as to ensure  the most effective use of technical and financial resources.   
3. The STDF was formally established in mi d-2002 as a partnership and a Trust Fund 
with three years of start-up financing from the World Bank and WTO.  It brings together five 
partner organizations each with specific experti se in the domain of SPS standards and trade:  
FAO, OIE, World Bank, WHO, WTO.   
4. The STDF is both a financing and a co-ordin ating mechanism.  Grant financing is 
available for private and public organizations in developing countries seeking to comply with 
international SPS standards and hence gain or maintain market access.  Applications are 
particularly encouraged from stakeholders in Least D-developed Countries (LDCs).   
5. Partner organizations may also apply for grant financing for projects which meet a 
need expressed by a developing country or group of developing countries, which are collaborative (i.e. benefit from the involveme nt of two or more of the STDF partner 
organizations);  and/or that address gaps in  the quality and accessibility of SPS information 
and/or training materials and/or which have an innovative approach.  It is envisaged that as 
the Facility grows, projects by partner orga nizations will decline in number in the overall 
fund.   
6. As a co-ordinating mechanism, the STDF act s as a forum for information sharing on 
the regular activities of the five partners, notably on technical assistance.  Sharing of 
calendars, training materials and data on technical assistance are core co-ordination functions.  It is envisaged that as the STDF grows this co-ordination function will expand to include 
donors so as to provide a forum for sharing best practice in the provision of SPS-related technical assistance.  
7. The STDF complements other initiatives by partner organizations and donors aimed 
at increasing the participation of developing count ries in standard setting.  As the focus of the 
STDF is on developing the expertise and capacity  to analyse and implement standards, as 
opposed to participation in the standard-se tting process, it neither duplicates nor replaces 
these initiatives.  Furthermore, partner agen cies shall ensure that STDF projects do not  G/SPS/GEN/523 
 Page 9 
 
 
 duplicate existing regular programme work or  technical assistance activities, and ensure 
synergy between the activities of the STDF and on-going initiatives, such as the Integrated 
Framework (IF) and the Joint Integrated Technical Assistance Program (JITAP). 
Demand for the STDF 
 8. Developing country demand for SPS-related assistance has risen considerably in 
recent years.  Demand for ever high levels of consumer protection coupled with technological 
progress (for example in new testing equipment that  can detect ever lower concentrations of 
contaminants and pathogens) is leading to re inforcement of agricultural and food inspection 
systems in developed country markets.  This results in higher costs of entry for countries 
seeking to diversify away from their traditiona l raw commodity export base into higher value 
products such as fisheries products, meat, and horti cultural products.  It is also raising the 
commercial risk of rejections for all market players.  Furthermore, much of the dynamic of this process is being generated by large commerc ial buyers in developed markets where food 
safety, plant and animal protection have become a point of supermarket or brand 
differentiation.  The range and breadth of commercial SPS requirements and the related 
demand for public regulation is having ever gr eater impact on market relations and on the 
competitiveness of suppliers – both in developed and developing countries.  Finally, south-
south trade in SPS-sensitive products is growi ng at a rapid rate, creating new commercial 
opportunities but also challenges in managing SPS requirements.   
9. Developing country demand for SPS technical assistance in this highly technical area 
exceeds existing supply.  Replies to questionnaires submitted to the WTO by 35 developing 
and least-developed countries show a broad range of technical assistance needs in the SPS area.  Within the Integrated Framework, "priorit y actions" in the SPS standards area have also 
been identified by a number of least-dev eloped countries.  Information from partner 
organizations show similar technical assistance requests across a broad spectrum of 
developing countries.  Furthermore, such demand appears to be on a steady upward curve.  
Value added by the STDF 
10. The STDF is designed to complement the current and expected future assistance 
efforts by bilateral agencies, to draw upon and apply important implementation lessons from 
recent assistance efforts in this field, and to achieve additional improve ments in the quality of 
assistance work through deeper collaboration among major multilateral agencies working in 
this field.  
11. The overwhelming majority of technical assistance in the SPS area is provided on a 
bilateral basis.  Often this bilateral technical  assistance is either reactive in nature (e.g. 
responding to an animal health emergency) or  driven by regulatory change in importing 
countries (e.g. assistance to comply with new impor t requirements).  In this context, the STDF 
is distinctive in that it is a facility which seek s to address longer term issues of capacity and 
compliance, rather than concentrating exclus ively on short term policy-driven or "fire-
fighting" projects.  In this respect, the STDF aims  to act as a reference point for good practice.   
12. Bilateral donors also report difficulties in bringi ng the appropriate expertise to bear in 
this highly technical area, both in the preparation and execution of projects.  In this respect, the STDF has clear value added.  The STDF brings  together the standard setting organizations 
designated by the SPS Agreement as reference bodi es in the area of food safety (Codex), plant 
health (IPPC) and animal health  and zoonoses  (OIE) either in their own right or through the 
involvement of their parent organizations.  In addition, the STDF benefits from the "trade-
rules perspective" of the WTO and the broad development experience of the World Bank.  
Hence by the very nature of its make-up, the STDF has technical and policy expertise to offer G/SPS/GEN/523 
Page 10  
 
 in project design, evaluation and implementation.   As such, the STDF stands to benefit from 
the experience and skills that each partner brings to the facility.  
Mechanisms  
13. The STDF annual work programme will consist of a mixture of project preparation 
grants and project grants.  Project preparation grants up to a maximum of US$20,000 are 
available for proposal development.  Project pr eparation grants are a key mechanism in the 
development of suitable project proposals and aim to bridge the gap between the 
identification of needs (in such initiatives as th e Integrated Framework and JITAP) and their 
articulation.    
14. The Facility will fund projects submitted by eligible beneficiary organizations with 
no upper limit other than the financial resources of the Facility itself.  Grant financing up to 
90 per cent of project cost is available for priv ate and public organizations in LDCs and Other 
Low Income Countries.  Applicants in countries that are neither LDCs nor Other Low Income 
Countries shall provide at least 25 per cent of the project value from their own resources either in the form of financing or staff ti me.  To keep transactions costs related to 
management of the Facility to a minimum, projects funded will preferably be between 
US$300,000 and US$600,000 in size.  Projects shall not normally be longer than 24 months in duration.  The STDF has established a target of allocating at least 40 per cent of STDF project funds to LDCs. 
15. Independent ex post evaluation of project s financed by the Facility shall be 
undertaken.  The STDF itself shall be evaluated by an external auditor every three years 
beginning in November 2007.  Both the ex post evaluation of projects and external evaluation 
of the Facility shall be financed as di rect project costs from the Facility.  
16. Charges for administrative overheads shall not  exceed 13 per cent of direct costs.  
The Secretariat of the STDF will be funded from th e levy of administrative overheads.  In the 
fund start-up phase, some Secretariat functions  may have to be financed as separate budget 
items from the STDF.  Once the STDF reaches a critical mass in terms of operational funds, 
these budgetary items shall be subsumed with th e administrative overhead charge.  The WTO, 
as administrator of the Fund, may decide to contr act out certain of the Secretariat functions to 
an independent project entity – in particular where it lacks the necessary expertise or human resources.   
Future of the STDF 
 
17. Seed funding from the World Bank's Developm ent Grant Facility (DGF) ends in June 
2005.  After that date, the Facility must attr act financial commitments from other sources to 
continue.  For the Facility to prosper, it must be placed on a more stable and sustainable long-
term financial footing.  For this purpose, th e partners are pursuing the creation of a multi-
donor trust fund.  Scenarios are presented for operation of the Facility with initial start-up 
financing of US$3 million, of US$5 million and US$7 million annually.   G/SPS/GEN/523 
 Page 11 
 
 
 TABLE OF CONTENTS 
 
I. OVERALL OBJECTIV E AND CONTEXT........................................................................ 12  
Background to the STDF initiative ...................................................................................................... 12  
What problem does the STDF seek to address? .................................................................................. 12  
What SPS technical assistance is currently provided? ........................................................................ 14  
What value will the STDF add in the search for answers to this problem? ....................................... 16  
II. ORGANIZATION OF THE FACILITY ............................................................................. 17  
Structure of the Facility ....................................................................................................................... 17  
Policy Committee ............................................................................................................................... ... 18 
Working Group ............................................................................................................................... ...... 18  
Secretariat of the Facility ..................................................................................................................... 19  
Relations with donors ........................................................................................................................... 20  
Relations with other stakeholders ........................................................................................................ 21  
III. OPERATION OF THE FACILITY ..................................................................................... 22  
Call for proposals ............................................................................................................................... .. 22 
Annual work programme ..................................................................................................................... 23  
Project preparation grants .................................................................................................................... 23  
Project grants ............................................................................................................................... ......... 23  
Eligible organizations ........................................................................................................................... 24  
Eligible projects ............................................................................................................................... ..... 25  
Examples of eligible activities .............................................................................................................. 26  
Project approval process ....................................................................................................................... 28  
Tasks of the STDF Secretariat in grant allocation ............................................................................. 31  
Monitoring and evaluation of projects ................................................................................................ 32  
Monitoring and evaluation of the Facility ........................................................................................... 32  
IV. FACILITY OPERATION SCENARIOS ............................................................................. 33  
Low case scenario ............................................................................................................................... .. 34 
Medium case scenario .......................................................................................................................... 34  
High case scenario ............................................................................................................................... .3 5 
Facility evaluation criteria ................................................................................................................... 35  
ANNEX I:  FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITIES.............................................................................. 36  
ANNEX II:  FACILITY A PPLICATION FORMS.......................................................................... 41  
ANNEX III:  OPERATION OF THE STANDARDS AND TRADE DEVELOPMENT 
FACILITY AND WORKPLAN FOR 2004....................................................................................... 43 G/SPS/GEN/523 
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 STANDARDS AND TRADE DEVELOPMENT FACILITY (STDF) – 
BUSINESS PLAN 
  
 
I. OVERALL OBJECTIVE AND CONTEXT 
1. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World Animal Health Organization 
(OIE), World Bank, World Health Organi zation (WHO) and World Trade Organization 
(WTO) are committed to work together to assist developing countries enhance their expertise 
and capacity to contribute to the developmen t and implementation of international sanitary 
and phytosanitary (SPS) standards, improving thei r human, animal and plant health situation, 
and thus their ability to gain and maintain market access.  In a ddition to facilitating 
international trade, SPS capacity building, notably  in the area of food safety, can result in 
improved health conditions for local markets and so favour economic and social development.  
For this purpose, the Standards and Trade Deve lopment Facility (STDF) has been established.  
This business plan underlines the needs of deve loping countries to build capacity in the areas 
of food safety, plant and animal health sta ndards, and presents what and how the STDF can 
contribute to meeting these needs.  It also describes the organization and governance of the 
STDF, its mobilization of resources,  and allocation of grants.   
Background to the STDF initiative 
2. At the WTO Ministerial Meeting in Doha in November 2001, the Executive Heads of 
the FAO, OIE, World Bank, WHO, and WTO issued a joint communiqué committing the 
institutions to explore new technical and financ ial mechanisms for coordination and resource 
mobilization to assist developing countries in the establishment and implementation of appropriate SPS measures.  Building on this commi tment, work already underway in the five 
institutions, and developing country demand fo r enhanced capacity building programs in the 
areas of food safety, plant and animal hea lth, the STDF was established to facilitate 
collaboration in enhancing the expertise and cap acity of developing countries to implement 
SPS standards. 
3. To establish the STDF, start-up funding of US$300,000 per annum for a maximum 
three years ending in June 2005 was approved by the Board of Directors of the World Bank on 27 June 2002.  The WTO accepted to serve  as the executing institution on 27 August 2002 
and committed financial res ources (CHF100,000) to the STDF from the Doha Development 
Agenda Global Trust Fund for the first tw o years of the Facility's operations.   
What problem does the STDF seek to address? 
4. Developing countries need assistance to develop the expertise and capacity to 
implement sanitary and phytosanitary standards, particularly for agricultural products destined 
for international markets.  Trade liberalization has reduced tariff barriers, but it has exposed 
another layer of trade measures, in the form of  standards, which can prove just as difficult to 
surmount for developing country exporters.  Fo r example, initiatives such as the US African 
Growth and Opportunity Act and the EU's Everything But Arms have provided duty free 
access to producers in many least devel oped countries.  Duty free access does not 
automatically equate with market access, how ever, as producers still need to comply with 
mandatory official sanitary and phytosanita ry controls and commercial conditions.  
Furthermore, both official and commercial re quirements are evolving rapidly as a result of 
competitive forces, changes in consumer attitudes,  the role of supermarkets, commercial risks 
related to food scares, stringent public and private standards, traceability/product tracing and 
certification requirements that extend right along the production chain.  Public and private  G/SPS/GEN/523 
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Examples of developing country weaknesses in 
management of SPS standards  
 
Out-dated and incomplete SPS legislation with poor enforcement capacity. 
 
Absence of a “competent aut hority” recognized by the 
importing country to implement and certify basic SPS 
requirements. 
 Under-funded regulatory  agencies lacking skilled 
staff, appropriate infrastructure and adequate 
inspection, monitoring and certification capabilities.   Insufficient public-private dialogue and cooperation in 
standards development, implementation, domestic 
enforcement and export market strategy.   
Lack of technical capacity and available resources to 
engage in standards development and to assess the technical justification and ec onomic implications of 
new standards and their application domestically or 
by export partners.  
Absence of national strategy on food safety, animal 
and plant health combined with ad hoc mechanisms for resource allocation. 
 
Lack of information on export market SPS requirements in both the public and private sector.  
 
Inability to monitor, manage and report data on plant 
pests and animal diseases.  Weak institutional 
capacity to respond to requests for information on 
disease and pest prevalence. 
 
Inability to control plant and animal pests and 
diseases through initiatives such as surveillance, eradication or zoning.  Problems in securing international recognition of  disease free areas of 
production.   
 Problems in sharing responsibilities between the 
public and private sector 
 Insufficient awareness of international food standards 
and poor institutional capacity to implement and 
enforce these standards, e.g Codex general standard on food hygiene and related hazard analysis and 
critical control points (HACCP) and to apply good 
agricultural practice (GAP), good manufacturing practices (GMP), etc. 
 
Weak private sector technological capability, shortage of trained staff, outdated processing, quality and 
safety systems, poor management of coordinated 
supply-chains (especia lly those involving 
smallholders).  
 
Lack of institutional capacity to engage in market 
access negotiations, provide data for importing 
country risk assessments and to exercise rights and 
obligations under the SPS Agreement.capacity in developing countries needs to be st rengthened to protect human health, animal 
health and the phytosanitary situation a nd to gain and maintain market access.  
5. The entry into force of the WTO Agreement on the 
Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Agreement) in 1995 has brought to light the need for 
assistance to developing countries.  The Agreement itself has 
also created new challenges and opportunities for developing countries.  One particular task is to harmonize sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures on as wide a basis as possible with the standards, guidelines and recommendations 
developed by the Codex Alimen tarius Commission (Codex), 
the World Animal Health Organization (OIE) and the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC).  Given the institutional and resource constrai nts of developing countries, 
this is a tough challenge. 
6. However, this process of harmonization of domestic 
rules with international standards also provides opportunities.    
The rules-based framework of the SPS Agreement, allied to the standards, guidelines and recommendations of the Codex, OIE and IPPC, creates new means for developing countries to pursue market access opportunities and poverty reduction 
goals while improving human hea lth, animal health and the 
phytosanitary situation.  
7. Participation in international trade and the application 
of robust, justifiable SPS controls are not mutually exclusive aims, but rather reinforce each other.  International commerce 
involves potential risks to public health from the entry of 
unsafe food, risks to animal hea lth from the entry of pests or 
diseases and unsafe feedstuffs, and to plant life and the environment from the entry of alien invasive species, other pests and diseases.  Strong SPS controls not only protect against the possible negative human, economic and biological 
consequences of disease or pest outbreaks, but also engender 
confidence among trading partners creating positive spin-offs for trade, health and poverty reduction.  
8. Many developing countries are heavily dependent on 
food, agricultural, forestry and fish products for export 
revenue.  Developing countries are also significant importers 
of food and agricultural produc ts.  As such, science-based 
SPS controls are an imperative and essential element in both maintaining and expanding market access as well as protecting against the negative human, animal or environmental consequences of  sanitary or phytosanitary 
problems.  Developing countries with weak institutional and 
resource constraints in both the public and private sector can thus not only be marginalized in trade terms, but also leave themselves exposed to sanitary and phytosanitary hazards. 
9. By harmonizing SPS legislation with the in ternational standards, guidelines and 
recommendations of Codex, the OIE and IPPC a ll countries, but in particular developing G/SPS/GEN/523 
Page 14  
 
 countries, stand to benefit from levels of SPS protection based on science and from 
participation in international trade.   
10. Adopting standards is not without cost for either developed or developing countries.  
The decision to implement a new standard h as resource allocation, trade and competitiveness 
implications at government and enterprise levels .  These implications are starker in resource 
constrained environments, for example ministries  of agriculture or health in low income 
countries or small and medium sized enterprises.  Developing countries need to be selective in 
allocating their resources in the SPS area and crea tive in the linkages they foster between the 
public and private sector to ensure cost-effec tive, efficient SPS services.  One element to 
consider in this context is cross-border co-ope ration and the optimal utilization of resources at 
regional level.  For example, many disease or pest free areas of production can only be 
maintained through regional coordination.  As  such, a key component of the STDF work to 
date and in future is the establishment and application of country and sectoral SPS planning 
tools to assist in resource allocation questions.  
11. Developing country demand for SPS-related assistance has risen considerably in 
recent years.  Demand for ever high levels of consumer protection coupled with technological 
progress (for example in new testing equipment that  can detect ever lower concentrations of 
contaminants and pathogens) is leading to re inforcement of agricultural and food inspection 
systems in developed country markets.  This re -enforcement of inspection and testing systems 
is raising the costs of entry for countries seeking to diversify away from their traditional raw commodity export base into higher value pr oducts such as processed fish, meat, and 
horticultural products and raising the risk of rej ections for all market players.  Furthermore, 
much of the dynamic of this process is being generated by large commercial buyers in developed markets where food safety, plant and animal protection have become a point of 
supermarket or brand di fferentiation.  The range and bread th of commercial SPS requirements 
and the concomitant demand for public regulati on is having ever greater impact on market 
relations and on the competitiveness of supp liers – both in developed and developing 
countries.  Finally, south-south trade in SPS-sen sitive products is growing at a rapid rate, 
increasing new commercial opportunities, but also  challenges in managing SPS requirements.   
What SPS technical assistance is currently provided? 
12. In recent years annual expenditure by  donor agencies on trade-related SPS 
programmes have been some US$65 to 70 million.
2  This level of resource commitment to 
SPS capacity building appears to be modest in comparison with the total value of food and 
agricultural products moving in international trade.  It is also low in light of the rising level of 
developing country trade which is  encountering import restrictions/detentions and the fact that 
the management of SPS matters is now emerging as a very essential part of trade competitiveness.
3 
13. Most current capacity-building expend iture is undertaken by bilateral 
donors/governments.  Often this assistance is provided as a response to specific trade 
problems which have manifested themselves in relation to certain product groups.  Assistance 
in the SPS area also has a payback for the donor c ountry in that the risk of exposure to food 
borne hazards, plant or animal diseases is reduced  by intervention in the exporting country.  
In contrast, less support has been provided to f acilitate south-south trade, in regional SPS 
capacity-building or to tackle longer term "struc tural or infrastructural issues".  In the absence 
of a particular trade problem and/or explicit consumer concerns about a particular product 
                                                      
2 Based on STDF database data for the period 2001-2003 http://stdfdb.wto.org. 
3 Estimated by the World Bank at US$1.5 billion for middle-income countries and US$275 
million for low-income countries for 2001.  G/SPS/GEN/523 
 Page 15 
 
 
 group or a particular risk, bilateral agencies may face problems in committing resources in 
such a highly technical area, not least because  of the difficulties many donors report in 
recruiting personnel with the necessary skills.  
14. Assistance from multilateral institutions is limited in both scope and resources.  Of 
the partner agencies, OIE, WTO and WHO assistance in the SPS area is generally limited to 
the provision of training workshops to governmental officials in developing countries on 
topics within their respective mandates.  Both  the World Bank and FAO provide project and 
programme assistance to developing countries, but the majority of assistance provided tends to be broader in scope than just SPS, focusing on issues such as agricultural sector strategies, 
food security, rural employment and environmental protection.   
15. Research by the World Bank highlights several lessons from donor experience: 
• SPS-related challenges are tending to ex acerbate the competitive weakness of 
small/low income countries in global market s for SPS-sensitive products.  LDCs face 
especially difficult challenges in SPS complianc e due to weak infrastructure, limited 
administrative/scientific capacities, the absence/limitations of a dynamic domestic 
market, and difficulties in marshalling econom ies of scale and scope.  Such countries 
are typically overlooked by large international private buyers, due to, for example, the 
investment required to upgrade system s or because of on-going SPS-related 
problems.  Limited budgetary resources prevent all but the most urgent public expenditures in relation to SPS management  systems.  Institutional weaknesses in 
public administration also hamper the identification and articulation of technical assistance needs.  Nevertheless, experien ce demonstrates that well prioritized and 
implemented SPS capacity-building programs can  bring solid results and high returns. 
 
• While some capacity-building measures requi re significant capital investments, many 
do not and very substantial gains can be obtained from financially modest 
investments in the 'soft infrastructure' of SPS management, including farmer and firm awareness, design/training in improved management systems, improved 
information/surveillance systems, etc.  The application of good agricultural and 
manufacturing practices, of HACCP procedures, and of basic risk management policies in public administration lie at the core of many SPS compliance strategies and supporting their adoption can be a high return investment by donor agencies.  
 
• Many technical assistance projects in the SPS field have directed their attention at 
either public sector agencies or private entities.   Yet, many of the more effective and 
sustainable interventions have involved assistance for both public and private sector functions and careful attention to linkag es between public and private efforts.  
Collaboration between the public and private sector tends to strengthen the processes 
of prioritising and sustaining resource a llocations, improves accountability and more 
generally yields the results require d by overseas trading partners.   
 
• A variety of past programs illustrate the me rits of fostering collaborative approaches 
and personal networking on a regional or multi- country level.  This can speed up and 
deepen strategic learning and enable the realization of economies of scale and scope 
both in the performance of certain SPS management functions and in the 
administration of capacity-building projects.  
 
• The vast majority of SPS capacity-building projects have not included ex ante cost-
benefit analysis of interventions and little ex post impact assessment or cost G/SPS/GEN/523 
Page 16  
 
 effectiveness analysis.  Part of the explana tion for this lack of assessment may lie in 
the "fire-fighting" or " policy-driven" nature of some of the assistance.  
 
What value will the STDF add in the search for answers to this problem? 
16. The STDF is designed to complement the current and expected future assistance 
efforts by bilateral agencies, to draw upon and apply important implementation lessons from 
recent assistance efforts in this field, and to achieve additional improve ments in the quality of 
assistance work through deeper collaboration among major multilateral agencies working in 
this field.  
17. The partners in the STDF are singularly qua lified to assist developing countries in 
dealing with relevant international sta ndards, guidelines and recommendations for food 
safety, plant and animal health.  The STDF bri ngs together the standard setting organizations 
designated by the SPS Agreement as reference bodi es in the area of food safety (Codex), plant 
health (IPPC) and animal health  and zoonoses  (OIE) either in their own right or through the 
involvement of their parent organizations (WHO and FAO).  The World Bank provides both 
analytical and financial backing to the STDF.  Involvement of the WTO brings a "trade rules 
perspective" to the STDF.  As such, the STDF stands to benefit from the experience and skills 
that each partner brings to the facility.  
18. Furthermore, through the involvement of the SPS Committee, which brings together 
Geneva-based delegates and na tional experts from the 147 Member countries of the WTO, the 
STDF has a natural constituency from which to draw support (analytical and financial) and 
project proposals (over 80 per cent of the WTO Members are developing countries).   
19. The STDF does not replace, nor does it compete with either the standard setting work 
of OIE, IPPC and Codex or the regular technical cooperation activities of FAO, OIE, World Bank, WHO and WTO.  Instead, the STDF rein forces and complements these activities by 
bringing the collective expertise of the five organizations together in one facility with a 
singular objective:  to assist developing countries to acquire the capacity to contribute to the 
development of, and to meet, international sanita ry and phytosanitary standards.  The STDF is 
distinct from other initiatives aimed at foster ing increased participation by developing 
countries in the standard setting process such as the Codex Trust Fund and the IPPC Trust 
Fund.
4  The STDF will not cover the costs of par ticipation in standard setting activities, but 
the expertise and capacity gained under th e STDF will enhance the ability of developing 
country participants to effectively contribute to the process.  
20. Given its specific focus, the STDF also complements other technical assistance trust 
funds managed by the WTO which aim to mainst ream trade into development policy, notably 
the Integrated Framework and JITAP.  The Integrated Framework for Trade-Related 
Technical Assistance to least-developed countries (IF) is a multi-agency, multi-donor 
program that assists least developed countries (L DCs) to expand their participation in the 
global economy whereby enhancing their economi c growth and poverty reduction strategies.  
The IF program was first mandated by the WTO Singapore Ministerial Conference in December 1996.
5  As of February 2004, Diagnostic Trade Integration Studies (DTIS) had 
been completed in 13 LDCs.  These studies include policy and technical assistance matrices 
which list measures necessary to mainstream trad e into national development plans.  Within 
                                                      
4 See http://www.who.int/foodsafety/codex/trustfund/en/ for further information on the Codex 
Trust Fund and /www.ippc.int for further information on the IPPC Trust Fund.  
5 The participating agencies are IMF, ITC, UNCTAD , UNDP , World Bank  and the WTO .  See 
http://www.integratedframework.org/ for further information on the Integrated Framework.   G/SPS/GEN/523 
 Page 17 
 
 
 the SPS area, these matrices have identified a number of policy and technical assistance 
actions which should be taken.   
21. To ensure that STDF adds value to the Integrated Framework, specific SPS policy 
and technical assistance actions identified in th e DTIS matrices will receive priority in STDF 
project preparation grant proposals and projects.  The STDF Secretary will liaise closely with 
colleagues in the Integrated Framework Secretaria t so as to assist in the identification of SPS 
needs and the development of projects to address these needs.  For specific SPS actions 
identified in the action matrices of IF countries,  the partner agency with technical competence 
in area concerned (food safety, animal or plant health) will be invited to assist in the preparation of an application for a project preparation grant.  In this way, the STDF will help 
bridge the gap between the identification of SPS needs and their realisation.   
22. The Joint Integrated Technical Assistance Program (JITAP) is a partnership between 
the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the WTO and the International Trade Centre (ITC) which ai ms to enhance development opportunities for 
sixteen African country partners, through more  effective participation in the multilateral 
trading system.  JITAP activities are focused on the most pressing needs of the 16 countries 
and aim to:  (i) build national capacity to unde rstand the evolving multilateral trading system 
and its implications for external trade;  (ii) ad apt the national trading system to the obligations 
and disciplines of the new multilateral trading system;  and (iii) seek maximum advantage 
from the new multi-lateral trading system by e nhancing the readiness of exporters.  JITAP, 
Window II of the Integrated Framework and the international financial institutions represent a 
potential source of funding for projects either too large for the STDF to pick up or with SPS 
as just one element of a broader approach.  As STDF administrator, the WTO will ensure 
complementarity between JITAP and the Integrated Framework with that of the STDF so as to avoid duplication in project implementati on and so as to maximise co-ordination between 
these activities.   
23. In conclusion, the STDF intends to add value in the following ways: 
• STDF shall act as a reference point for good practice by implementing demonstration 
projects with innovative approaches; 
• STDF shall address longer term issues of capacity and compliance, rather than 
involve itself in short term policy-driven "fire-fighting" projects;  and 
• By nature of its make-up, which incl udes the standard setting organizations 
recognised by the SPS Agreement, the STDF has technical expertise and experience 
to offer in this highly technical area.   
 
II. ORGANIZATION OF THE FACILITY 
Structure of the Facility 
24. The international organizations which join tly established the Facility are its members 
(FAO, OIE, the World Bank, WHO and WTO).  Membership of the STDF may be expanded 
to other partner organizations on the basis of an unanimous decision by the Policy Committee.  
25. The trust fund will follow the governance a rrangements of the host agency, WTO, 
and possible further arrangements agreed w ith donors.  Fiduciary responsibilities and 
arrangements are presented in Annex I. G/SPS/GEN/523 
Page 18  
 
 26. The Facility has the following three main bodies: 
(i) The Policy Committee , consisting of high le vel representatives of 
the FAO, OIE, the World Bank, WHO and WTO and relevant stakeholders decides on policy and strategy, and is responsible for 
oversight of activities of the Working Group. 
(ii) The Working Group , consisting of representatives of the partner 
organizations, the standard se tting bodies, is responsible for 
preparing and approving the annual work programme, the approval of grants, approval of the annual report of the Secretariat, the oversight of the Secretariat, and appointmen t of committees for special tasks. 
(iii) The Secretariat  of the Facility is located at WTO and is bound by 
the legal and fiduciary rules of WT O and trust funds that support the 
Facility’s activities.  
Policy Committee 
27. The Policy Committee shall:  
(i) Set policy guidelines and provide policy oversight; 
(ii) Provide guidance on programmes and the Facility's work agenda;  
and 
(iii) Evaluate reports on progress of the Facility. 
28. All decisions of the Policy Committee shall be made by consensus.  Meetings of the 
Policy Committee will be called at the request of one or more of the partner agencies and/or 
through a decision of the Working Group.  Its meetings are hosted on a rotational basis and 
chaired by the agency which hosts the meeting.   The Policy Committee sh all seek to develop 
a broader financial basis for the Facility, thro ugh outreach to other donors.  Arrangements for 
the participation of stakeholders in the gove rnance of the STDF will be developed by the 
Policy Committee. 
Working Group 
29. A technical-level Working Group of represen tatives of the partner institutions, with 
participation by Codex and IPPC, will report to  the Policy Committee.  The responsibilities of 
the Working Group will include: 
(i) Preparation of the annual work plans;  
(ii) Guiding the development of data base s, training materials, tool kits, 
etc.;  
(iii) Establishing the criteria for the selection of countries and projects; 
(iv) Review and approval of project proposals;  
(v) Support fund raising activities;  and  
(vi) Preparation of reports on progress to the Policy Committee.    G/SPS/GEN/523 
 Page 19 
 
 
 30. The STDF Working Group has final responsibility for allocating grants.  It will be 
assisted in this task by the STDF Secretariat.   
31. All decisions of the Working Group shall be made by consensus.  The Working 
Group shall normally meet twice a year, with the location of the meetings to be determined on 
the basis of convenience for the participants. 
32. The Working Group shall select a chairman from among its members.  The 
chairmanship shall reside in the agency and be rotated on an annual basis among the partners.  
The Working Group shall also appoint a vice-chai rman who, on the expiry of the chairman's 
term, shall become chairman.   
33. The role of the chairman, or in his or her absence, the vice-chairman  is to work with 
the STDF Secretary in advancing the implementa tion of the work programme.  In particular, 
he or she will assist in:  preparing meeting agendas and responding to official STDF correspondence;  preparing the draft work programme of the STDF;  representing the Working Group in meetings with donors and ot her interested parties;  and approves the 
reports of STDF related meetings.  The Worki ng Group may appoint advisory committees for 
special purposes. 
Secretariat of the Facility 
34. Under the overall responsibility of the Polic y Committee, the direct responsibility of 
the Working Group and the administrative responsibility of the WTO, the STDF Secretariat will: 
(i) Assemble and disseminate information and material from all partners 
involved in the Facility in or der to improve inter-agency 
coordination, including establishment of an ongoing information technology mechanism; 
(ii) Assist the partners in identifying possible projects in the area of food 
safety, plant and animal health for funding, according to the criteria 
established by the Working Group;  
(iii) Carry out preliminary review of project proposals submitted for 
funding and consult with the Working Group chairman on further steps; 
(iv) Assist the members of the Working Group in identifying additional 
sources of funding of the Facility; 
(v) Provide administrative assistance to the Policy Committee and the 
Working Group in preparation of  these meetings, and perform the 
function of Secretary at these meetings; 
(vi) Assume responsibility for the accoun ting and financial tasks needed 
to administer STDF funding;  and 
(vii) Prepare annual reports on the achievements and finances of the 
Facility and perform other duties as required by the Working Group. 
35. The Secretariat of the Facility is located at WTO.  WTO appoints the Secretary from 
its staff to head the Secretariat, and appoints or contracts other staff for the Secretariat as G/SPS/GEN/523 
Page 20  
 
 necessary, funded by the budget of the Facility.  The Secretariat is bound by the legal and 
fiduciary rules of WTO and trust funds that support the Facility's activities.  
36. The Secretariat of the STDF shall be funded from the levy of administrative 
overheads by the administrator of the STDF (the  WTO).  The overhead charge will not exceed 
13 per cent of direct project costs.  (Ex post evaluation of projects and independent evaluation 
of the Facility will be treated as direct project co sts in the Facility itself).  On the part of the 
Administrator, the service charge shall cover the costs of management of the STDF, inter alia, 
provision of Secretariat services, servicing of meetings, reporting and audit functions.  
37. The STDF Secretariat is currently operated  by one full-time staff member appointed 
from the WTO Secretariat.  Other resources are utilised from within the Budget and Control 
Section, Agriculture and Commodities Division,  Institute for Technical Co-operation and 
Training, Informatics and Language Services and Documentation of the WTO Secretariat.  In accordance with the WTO's commit ment to act as Secretariat for the Facility, these resources 
have been provided without cost to the STDF to  date.  However, as the STDF moves from its 
present start-up phase and becomes fully operati onal so additional resources and expertise 
will need to be found to support the functions of Secretariat and Administrator of the Facility.  
38. Since the Facility is in a start-up phase, th e levy of administrative overheads will not 
cover the costs incurred in running the Secretar iat.  Therefore, certain of the functions 
mentioned above will have to be financed as budgetary items from the STDF itself, including, 
for example, additional staff to manage the STD F.  As the Facility grows, so overhead costs 
shall be progressively subsumed in the overhead  charge of 13 per cent, before being fully 
subsumed, with the exception of ex post project  evaluation and independent evaluation of the 
Facility, once the Facility reaches "critical mass".   
39. The WTO, as administrator of the Fund, may contract out certain of the Secretariat 
functions to an independent project entity.  Co ntracting out may be necessary to ensure that 
adequate expertise is brought to b ear for certain Facility functions. 
Relations with donors  
40. The STDF Secretary will report to the re gular meetings of the WTO Committee on 
Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (the  SPS Committee) on STDF activities during the 
Committee's regular meetings each year.  The SPS Committee brings together Geneva based 
delegates, representatives of partner agencies and national experts from WTO Members.  It 
normally meets three times per year. 
41. The governance of the STDF shall include representatives of donors contributing 
funds to the STDF.  In addition, it is envisaged  that further consultations with interested 
donors could be held, as necessary, on the marg ins of the SPS Committee.  Other informal 
consultations with donors will be  conducted wherever possible, such as in framework of the 
OECD Development Assistance Committee, the Poverty Net Agriculture Group or partner 
agency's donor networks.   
42. As a co-ordinating mechanism, the STD F acts as a forum for the sharing of 
information on the regular activities of the five partners, notably on technical assistance.  It is envisaged that as the STDF grows, this co-ord ination function will expand to include donors 
so as to provide a forum for sharing best pr actice in the provision of SPS-related technical 
assistance.   G/SPS/GEN/523 
 Page 21 
 
 
 Relations with other stakeholders 
43. The Facility may also periodically organize meetings and workshops of an 
informative and consultative nature with re presentatives of the private sector, NGOs working 
in the field of capacity building and consumer organizations. G/SPS/GEN/523 
Page 22  
 
 III. OPERATION OF THE FACILITY 
Call for proposals 
44. Proposals from eligible organizations fo r STDF funding will be solicited through 
notifications on the STDF website (www.standard sfacility.org).  Partner agencies may also 
circulate announcements through their own websites.  The WTO will provide regular 
announcements of calls for proposals throu gh communications to the SPS Committee.  
Partner agencies can also propose their own pr oject proposals directly to the STDF Working 
Group.   
45. Requests for funding must be made in the format agreed by the Working Group for 
project preparation grants and project grants (see Annex II).  Funding requests must include a 
detailed budget. 
46. The STDF Secretariat will be responsible for keeping records of proposals received.  
In addition, it will be responsible for ensuring applications for grants and other records are 
maintained.  The FAO, OIE, World Bank, WHO and WTO, will also provide regular notifications of STDF grant applications through their on-going communications with 
developing country clients. 
47. The call for proposals on the STDF website shall list information about how to apply 
for a project grant.  It defines: 
• procedures to be followed; 
• eligibility of applicants; 
• eligibility of applications; 
• how preparation grants can be obtained; 
• eligibility of expenses to be funded from grants; 
• obligations of grantees; 
• when and how submissions can be made; 
• what formats and templates have to be used for application; 
• when and how decisions will be taken; 
• how approved projects will be implemented,  and how disbursements will take place; 
• what reporting and accounting pro cedures have to be followed; 
• intellectual property rights;  and 
• disclosure. 
 
48. Projects must be submitted in electronic or paper copy to the STDF Secretary in 
advance of each STDF Working Group meeting.   Proposals will only be accepted in one of 
the three working languages of the STDF (Englis h, French and Spanish).  Proposals may be 
tabled at any point in the calendar year.  Howe ver, only those proposals tabled no later than 
45 working days before a Working Group meeti ng will be considered at that STDF Working 
Group meeting.  Projects submitted after that date shall be considered at the next meeting of 
the STDF Working Group.  Costs of translati on from French and Spanish into English (the 
working language of the STDF Working Group) will be borne by the WTO Secretariat.  
Proposals will be circulated to the STDF Work ing Group in their original language version 
and when available, in English translation.   G/SPS/GEN/523 
 Page 23 
 
 
 Annual work programme 
49. An annual work programme will be approved by the STDF Working Group at its last 
meeting in the preceding year.  The annual wo rk programme will be established on the basis 
of approval given by the STDF Working Group to: 
• project preparation grants submitted by eligible beneficiary organizations and 
partners;  and 
• project proposals submitted by eligible  beneficiary organizations and partner 
organizations.  
50. Taken together, these activities will form the annual programme of the STDF.  The 
STDF Secretariat shall have responsibility for managing the annual work programme.  
Project Preparation Grants 
51. Preparation grants up to a maximum of US$20,000 are available for proposal 
development.  Such grants may also be awarded to assist eligible beneficiaries revise project 
proposals which the Working Group deems of interest but in need of revision before final approval can be granted. 
52. Project preparation grants are a key mechanism in the STDF and address a 
fundamental constraint on the part of devel oping countries:  notably, the technical and 
institutional capacity to develop project proposal s.  For example, in both the country reviews 
conducted under the JITAP process and the acti on matrices of the Integrated Framework, 
priority projects in the SPS area have been identified.  The project preparation grant aims to bridge the gap between the identification of needs and their articulation.    
53. While the expectation is that project preparation grants would be given for projects 
which would subsequently be re -submitted to the STDF for funding, this is not an absolute 
requirement.  The main criterion in awarding preparation grants is the likelihood that the 
project developed may receive funding.   
Project grants 
54. The Facility will fund projects submitted by eligible beneficiary organizations.  Grant 
financing up to 90 per cent of project cost is av ailable for private and public organizations in 
LDCs and Other Low Income Countries.
 6  Applicants in countries that are neither LDCs nor 
Other Low Income Countries shall provide at least 25 per cent of the project value from their own resources either in the form of financing or staff time.  Regional projects including LDCs 
                                                     
 
6 The STDF recognizes as least-developed countries (LDCs) those countries which have been 
designated as such by the United  Nations.  There are currently 49 least-developed countries on the UN 
list:  Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cape Verde, 
Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial 
Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea Bi ssau, Haiti, Kiribati, Laos, Lesotho, Liberia, 
Madagascar, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Niger, Rwanda, 
Samoa, Sao Tome & Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, 
Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Yemen, Zambia.  The STDF recognizes as Other Low Income Countries those countries which have been designated as such by the United Nations.  They include 
Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cameroon, China, Ghana, Hondu ras, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Korea Dem. Rep, 
Kyrgyz Republic, Moldova, Mongolia, Nicaragua, Nige ria, Pakistan, Tajikist an, Turkmenistan, Viet 
Nam, and  Zimbabwe. G/SPS/GEN/523 
Page 24  
 
 and Other Low Income Countries can benefit from the higher rate of funding (up to 90 per 
cent).  Applications are particularly en couraged from organizations in LDCs.   
55. Grant financing is also available for proj ects submitted by partner organizations for 
project initiatives which are collaborative (i.e. be nefit from the involvement of two or more of 
the STDF partner organizations or one or more  partner organization a nd one or more other 
multilateral or regional organization with expe rience in SPS capacity building), that address 
gaps in the quality and accessibility of SPS info rmation and/or training materials and/or 
which have an  innovative approach.  As the facility grows, such "start-up" projects from 
partner organizations will decline as a proportion of the overall fund.   
Eligible organizations 
56. The following organizations are eligible to apply for STDF funding:    
(i) Public sector entities with responsibility for SPS measures or policy 
either in their own right or in co-operation with the private sector (including regional or international bodies).  Applications from the public sector must encourage concrete elements of public-private co-
operation and consultation.  Public  and private agencies may enter 
into a contractual relation to conduct a particular project or activity jointly, e.g. public-private partne rship, or public-private cooperation 
(PPC).  Such co-operation assumes by definition that there can be no exclusivity.  All interested private sector parties must have an equal chance to participate.  The public sector should use a transparent 
competitive procedure to select a partner or give reasons why this is 
not necessary (e.g. co-operation with a representative industry organization, or pilot project from which others can benefit).  Once a decision is made, allocation of pub lic funds should be transparent and 
granting of contracts should be limited to cases where accountability 
standards are audited and met through monitoring and evaluation 
procedures. 
(ii) Private sector entities and/or partnerships.  Eligible private sector 
entities are:  
• legally registered farmers and/or professional service provider 
organizations;  
• legally registered trade and industry associations.   
Eligible partnerships are:  
• one or more farmers and/or professional service provider 
organizations with one or more private enterprises and/or trade and industry organizations  and/or one or more public 
sector entities and/or one or more non-profit organizations;  
• one or more trade and industry associations with public sector 
entities and/or non-profit organizations.   
Applicants must not have been involved in unlawful activities.  
Applicants must have the endorsement of the competent 
governmental authority. 
(iii) STDF partner organizations (FAO, OIE, the World Bank, WHO and 
WTO).    G/SPS/GEN/523 
 Page 25 
 
 
 (iv) Not for profit non-governmental orga nizations with expertise in the 
SPS area operating in developing  countries with a partner 
organization in a developing country .  Applicants must have the 
endorsement of the competent governmental authority (or competent governmental authorities when a project is regional in nature). 
57. Applicants must show, to the satisfaction of the Facility, that they are capable of 
executing the requested project, or include an executing agency which is acceptable to the 
Facility.  For this purpose, applicants will be  required to produce a record of achievements 
and a record of financial probity.  
Eligible projects 
58. To be eligible, projects or project preparation grants must address one of the 
following three themes:  
• Theme 1:  SPS capacity evaluation and planning tools, including the need for 
and implications of international standards and their application.  
 
• Theme 2:  Capacity building for public and private organizations, notably with 
respect to market access. 
 
• Theme 3:  Information sharing on standa rds and technical assistance activities. 
 
59. The theme headings are broad and not mutually exclusive.  For example, a project 
assisting a country to adopt an international st andard may have elements for capacity building 
for public and private organizations.   
60. No minimum or maximum limits apply on th e size of the projects funded, other than 
the financial resources of the Facility itself.  However, to keep transactions costs related to 
management of the Facility to a minimu m, projects under Theme 1 and Theme 3 will 
preferably be between US$150,000 and US$400,00 in size.  Theme 2 projects would preferably be between US$300,000 and US$600,000 in size. 
61. The main objective of the project must be to  (i) enhance capacity to meet official or 
commercial requirements in the sanitary and phytos anitary field and/or to (ii) better protect 
human and animal health and plants against disease and pest hazards related to cross border 
trade. In particular, the propo sal should convincingly show that: 
• the main effort of the project is to meet  one of these objectives, although the project 
may also address related bottlenecks of mark et access, human and animal health and 
plant protection;  
 
• the project addresses necessary and sufficient conditions;  
 
• where possible, project benefits need to be quantified and specified for the final 
beneficiaries, such as smallholders, ot her producers, groups having or seeking 
employment, and consumers; 
 
• the project is a cost-effective contribution to solving obstacles; costs and benefits 
should be justified against possible alternatives. 
 62. Proposals must be submitted in the prescribed formats and templates. G/SPS/GEN/523 
Page 26  
 
 63. Projects should not normally be longer than two years in duration. 
64. The proposal must show how the results of the project will be made available for 
possible wider use. 
65. The proposal must include a detailed list of activities, cost and cost components and 
proposed funding.  Projects should have cl ear, measurable outcomes against which an 
evaluation of their success can be made.  
66. Where relevant, the proposal must describe  linkage to or coor dination with related 
programmes of donors and international agencies in the country, notably the Integrated Framework, Joint Integrated Technical Assi stance Programme and related FAO, WHO and 
OIE programmes.  
67. Where relevant, public and private capac ities should be enhanced simultaneously. 
68. The proposal must describe the organizationa l and decision structure for the project. 
69. If a project involves the private sector in a country, the proposal should have the 
endorsement of the Government of the beneficiary country  
70. Only activities that would not otherwise be undertaken as part of that STDF partner's 
normal operations will be financed.  The STDF should not substitute fo r the regular budgetary 
resources of the partners.  Projects submitte d by STDF partners must demonstrate the 
following characteristics: 
• corresponding demand for the project from a developing country or group of 
developing countries; 
 
• collaborative project ideas i.e. benefit from the involvement of two or more of the 
STDF partner organizations;  
 
• and/or an innovative approach; 
 
• and/or address gaps in the quality and accessibility of SPS information;  and 
 
• and/or address gaps in available training materials. 
 
Examples of eligible activities  
71. The table below provides examples of projects that might be financed under each one 
of the three STDF themes.   G/SPS/GEN/523 
 Page 27 
 
 
 Heading Examples of eligible activities 
Theme 1: 
 
SPS capacity 
evaluation and 
planning tools, 
including the 
need for and 
implications of international 
standards and 
their application. • Development of capacity evaluation and planning tools – sector or country 
specific. 
 
• Support for participatory country or s ector specific survey s, including the 
preparation of action plans. 
 
• Support in understanding and use of risk analysis methodologies. 
 
• Assessment of impact of proposed commercial standards and new standards 
implemented by trading partners. 
 
• Training for national offici als to analyse the implications of SPS standards in 
development. 
 
Theme 2:  
 
Capacity 
building for 
public and 
private organizations, 
notably with 
respect to market access • Strengthening of public-private dialogue and partnerships in the food safety, 
animal health and plant health area. 
 
• Training and assistance in adapting domestic legislation to international 
standards and commercial market requirements. 
 
• Training in contracting for private and public sector organizations engaged in 
the implementation of SPS standards. 
 
• Establishment and maintenance of disease and pest surveillance databases 
and reporting systems. 
 
• Support to improve institutional capaci ty to engage in market access 
negotiations related to food safety, animal health and plant health. 
 
• Applied research for developing good agricultural practice, good laboratory 
practice and good manufacturing practice. 
 
• Advisory services and training of staff in  the fields of food safety, animal or 
plant health. 
 
• Strengthening farmers organizations and/or professional service provider 
organizations, and trade and industry organizations in contributing to better 
management of SPS standards. 
 
• Analytical support to id entify potential markets and their SPS requirements, 
including collecting data for risk analysis. 
 
• Support in achieving international recognition of disease freedom – 
technical, legal and institutional aspects. 
 
• Applied research for analyzing, assessing and solving SPS obstacles to 
gaining and maintaining market access. 
 
• Feasibility studies for important investments, such as establishment of pest 
and disease free zones, or sa nitation and quarantine systems. 
 G/SPS/GEN/523 
Page 28  
 
  
Heading Examples of eligible activities 
Theme 3: 
 
Information 
sharing on 
standards and technical 
assistance 
activities  • Collection of SPS training materials. 
 
• Maintenance of database on SPS-related technical assistance activities. 
 
• Analysing information on  official and commercial SPS requirements. 
 
Projects whose main objective is to address envi ronmental or labour standards will not be 
funded by the STDF.  In addition, STDF will not provide funding for buildings, vehicles or 
major equipment items, with the qualified excep tion of information technology and laboratory 
equipment.  
 
Project Approval Process  
72. The project review process shall contain five  steps.  These steps are elaborated in the 
figure overleaf.  
73. Projects shall be subject to review at three stages:  
• On receipt by the STDF Secretary (step 2); 
 
• By an STDF partner with expertise in the project subject and/or by an independent 
expert/consultant (step 3);  and 
 
• By the STDF Working Group (step 4). 
 74. All projects shall pass through the steps elabor ated above.  Review at step 3 may be 
accompanied by a site visit to an eligible bene ficiary organization if deemed necessary.   
75. All reviews at step 3 shall be conducted prior to each Working Group meeting.  To 
enable this process to function properly, a ll proposals must be submitted to the STDF 
Secretariat at least 45 working days before each STDF Working Group meeting.   
76. The reviewers at step 3 shall base their evaluation of project proposals on at least the 
following considerations: 
(i) verification of the eligibility of the applicant; 
(ii) verification of the technical and professional capacity of the applicant 
to undertake the actions describ ed in the project proposal; 
(iii) a technical evaluation of the pr oposal to judge its feasibility, 
practicability and sustainability, assessment of the likelihood that the project will achieve its expected outcome and impact; 
(iv) an assessment of the development dimension of the project, in 
particular any measurable impacts on market access, the SPS 
situation, and poverty reduction;  G/SPS/GEN/523 
 Page 29 
 
 
 (v) linkages to bilateral or multilate ral donor programmes (for example 
the Integrated Framework, JITAP etc.) 
(vi) verification against needs identified through partner agency national 
programmes; 
(vii) financial analysis of the project budget;  and 
(viii) verification of supporting docum entation on the financial and 
economic standing of applicants. 
 
77. For applications from STDF partner organi zations, the STDF Secretariat may appoint 
independent external consultants/ experts to evaluate whether or not the project (i) corresponds 
to a request from a developing country or group of developing countries;  (ii) is collaborative 
in nature (i.e. benefits from the involveme nt of two or more of the STDF partner 
organizations);  (iii) and/or addresses a gap in the quality and accessibility of SPS 
information;  or (iv) and/or addresses gaps in available training materials;  (v) and/or has an 
innovative approach to capacity building.   
78. More detailed review procedures shall be elaborated by the STDF Working Group as 
the Facility evolves over time on the basis of e xperience and input from partners and donors.  
One particular aspect to which attention will be given is ensuring that projects meet not just 
the technical specifications required, but also  include a development dimension, e.g. a 
measurable impact on market access, the sanita ry and phytosanitary situation and poverty 
reduction.  
79. The Working Group shall only consider for funding those projects supported in 
principle by the reviewer.  All comments made at step 3 must be answered to the satisfaction of the STDF Working Group by the organization proposing the project prior to a final decision to allocate funds.   G/SPS/GEN/523 
Page 30  
 
 PROJECT REVIEW PROCESS  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 Partner Agency STEP 1 : Submission 
to STDF Secretary Eligible 
beneficiary 
organization
Comments 
STEP 2 : Review by 
STDF Secretary Comments 
Rejection – after 
consultation 
between Secretary 
and STDF Chair 
STEP 3 : Review by  
STDF partner or 
independent consultantIf necessary, site 
visit on approval 
of STDF Chai r
STEP 4:  Review by 
STDF 
Working Group 
STEP 5 : 
Approval STEP 5 : Approval 
provisional on 
amendmentsSTEP 5:  
Rejection 
  G/SPS/GEN/523 
 Page 31 
 
 
 80. The STDF Working Group may only approve projects within the limit of the financial 
resources of the Facility for that year's opera tions (including funds carri ed over from previous 
years).   
81. The STDF Working Group shall review projects in the following order: 
(i) Projects resubmitted from previous STDF Working Group meetings; 
(ii) Requests for project preparation grants; 
(iii) Projects from or benefiting eligible organizations in LDCs;  
(iv) Projects from partner organizations;  and 
(v) Projects from or benefiting eligib le organizations in non-LDC 
countries. 
82. Projects within each category shall be examined  according to the date of their receipt 
by the STDF Secretary, with those received th e farthest in advance of each meeting being 
examined first.  
83. This review procedure will ensure that projects from LDCs are given preference by 
the STDF (as well as a lower project cost sharing formula).   
84. After review, the Working Group will forma lly decide on those projects which shall 
be funded by the STDF in any one calendar year.  In the event the financial resources of the 
Facility are insufficient to fund all the proj ects positively reviewed, the Working Group shall 
decide on those projects to be funded on the basis of quality, replicability and probable 
impact.  The Working Group shall aim to devote at least 40 per cent of Facility project resources to beneficiaries in LDCs.  This target  figure will be evaluated in the review of the 
Facility.  In publicising the STDF, special effort shall be made to stimulate project 
applications from LDCs. 
Tasks of the STDF Secretariat in grant allocation 
85. The STDF Secretariat shall have the following tasks: 
• Advise and inform possible applicants about all requirements for submission and 
criteria used for evaluation of projects; 
• Acknowledge receipt of applications; 
• Verify if all project proposals meet the technical requirements.  Minor deficiencies 
may be addressed by the STDF Secretary in consultation with the applicants.  In the 
case of major deficiencies, proposals will be returned to the applicants for further 
work; 
• Organize the review of all projects propo sals, including proposals submitted by STDF 
partner agencies; 
• Prepare advice for decision making by the Working Group; 
• Follow-up on decisions of the Working Group for adjustments of projects; 
• Draw up contracts with successful applicants; G/SPS/GEN/523 
Page 32  
 
 • Organize the publication of tenders on the STDF website and the websites of partner 
agencies responsible for the project tender; and 
• Ensure publication of all information on the STDF website about projects approved 
and findings from the execution of these projects. 
 
Monitoring and Evaluation of Projects 
86. The systematic monitoring and evaluation of projects undertaken by the Facility is 
one way in which information can be dissemi nated about the relative effectiveness of 
different approaches to SPS capacity building.  Monitoring and evaluation of projects shall be 
undertaken as follows: 
• The executing agency or eligible beneficiar y organization shall ensure quality control, 
consistency of objectives, and other cr iteria as outlined in the STDF guidelines. 
• The STDF Secretary shall arrange for ex post evaluation of all projects under Theme 
2 financed by the STDF.  Evaluation shall be  by independent consultants and financed 
by the Facility.  The basis for evaluation of the project shall be the activities and 
outputs described in the project document – in particular, a measurable impact on market access, improved SPS situ ation and poverty reduction. 
• The STDF Secretary shall arrange for ex post evaluation of projects over US$200,000 
in size financed by under Themes 1 and 3.   Evaluation shall be by independent 
consultants.  The basis for evaluation of th e project shall be the activities and outputs 
described in the project document. 
87. For projects implemented by eligible benefi ciary organizations, the contract between 
the Administrator and that organization shall include reporting obligations such as an inception report, project progress report, draft fina l report and final report.  For projects with 
an executing partner agency, the representative of that partner shall report at each STDF 
Working Group on implementation of the project.   
88. Successful applicants have the obligation to  make all information available to the 
Executing Agency and/or the Facility on techniques, methods, procedures, and information for better managing SPS market requirements devel oped with the help of the grant.  Company 
specific commercial information will be exempt from this requirement. 
Monitoring and Evaluation of the Facility 
89. The operation of the STDF will be evalua ted by the STDF Working Group on an 
annual basis.  The STDF Secretary will prepare a report for evaluation at the first meeting of the Working Group in each new financial year.
7  The report will be based on (a) 
implementation of the tasks foreseen in the annua l plan for the operation of the STDF and (b) 
the evaluation reports submitted by Executing Agencies on individual projects. 
90. The STDF shall be evaluated by an external  auditor every three years.  The operation 
of the Facility shall be audited against the scenar ios outlined in section V.  After circulation to 
the Working Group, the evaluation shall be made  available in a public document circulated 
                                                      
7 In accordance with WTO rules, the STDF  financial year is the calendar year.   G/SPS/GEN/523 
 Page 33 
 
 
 through the SPS Committee.  The first evaluation of the STDF by an external auditor shall be 
no later than November 2007.8  
IV. FACILITY OPERATION SCENARIOS 
91. The STDF is currently in a "start-up phase".  Seed funding of US$300,000 per year 
has been provided by the World Bank from its Development Grant Facility (DGF).  The WTO 
has also contributed CHF100,000 from the Doha  Development Global Trust Fund in 2003 and 
2004.  However, the World Bank's DGF funding cannot exceed three years and ends on 30 June 2005.  After that date, the Facility must attract financial commitments from other 
sources to continue.  For the Facility to prospe r, it must be placed on a more stable and 
sustainable long-term financial footing.   
92. This section outlines various scenarios for the operation of the Facility.  The scenarios 
offer a benchmark against which the operation of  the STDF may be evaluated by an external 
auditor and by the Working Group.   
93. The scenarios examined below correspond to  donor contributions to the Facility 
totalling on average US$3 million, US$5 million and US$7 million per year.  The three 
scenarios have been termed low, medium a nd high case scenarios for ease of reference. 
94. In each scenario, the principal financial item would be the disbursement of project 
grants.  The majority of expenditure (betw een 52-55 per cent of total fund resources) would 
be targeted at Theme 2 (capacity building for public and private organizations, notably with 
respect to market a ccess).  Approximately 20 per cent of total fund resources would be 
allocated to Theme 1 (SPS capacity evaluation and planning tools, including the need for and 
implications of international standards and th eir application).  Expenditure under Theme 3 
(information sharing on standards and technical assistance activities) would grow in financial 
terms, but decline in importance in relative terms as the facility grows (from 10 per cent in the low case scenario to 7 per cent in the high case scenar io).  Each scenario is set out in the table 
below. 
Table:  Indicative Allocation of Fac ility Resources Under Different Scenarios 
 Low case Medium case High case 
Project preparation grants  
 US$100,000 US$160,000 US$240,000 
Project grants 2,473,867 4,129,779 5,752,190 
Theme 1 : SPS capacity 
evaluation and planning tools, 
including the need for and implications of international standards and their application 600,000 1,000,000 1,500,000 
Theme 2 :  capacity building for 
public and private organizations, notably on market access 1,573,867 2,729,779 3,752,190 
Theme 3 :  information sharing 
on standards and technical 
assistance activities 300,000 400,000 500,000 
Ex post project evaluation 81,000 135,000 202,500 
                                                      
8 An evaluation of the STDF shall be conducted by the WTO in accordance with the terms 
agreed with the World Bank for the transfer of DGF funding.  This review must be conducted no later than 30 April 2006.  G/SPS/GEN/523 
Page 34  
 
 Sub-total  2,573,867 4,289,779 5,992,190 
Administrative overhead (13%) 345,133 575,221 805,310 
Total 3,000,000 5,000,000 7,000,000 
 
95. Although small in financial terms in th e total allocation of fund resources 
(approximately 3.5 per cent), project preparation grants are expected to play an important 
role, particularly in ensuring that LDCs de rive maximum benefit from the Facility.  For 
example, various needs in the SPS field ha ve been identified through the Integrated 
Framework and JITAP needs assessment exercises.  It is envisaged that  such needs identified 
by countries could be developed into projects.  The allocation of resources to project preparation grants is constrained only by the transaction costs of disbursing small sums of 
money (the funding limit is US$20,000).   
96. As outlined in paragraph 61, projects funde d under each of the three themes will 
normally be in the range of US$150-400,0 00 under Themes 1 and 3 and US$300-600,000 
under Theme 2.  For the three scenarios below, th e average size of project is assumed to be 
approximately US$300,000 for Theme 1 and a pproximately US$500,000 under Theme 2.  
Under Theme 3 the average size is assumed to  be between US$200,000 and US$300,000.  It 
is assumed that all the projects financed would be subject to ex post evaluation.  A charge of 
US$15,000 per project is assumed for each ex post evaluation. 
Low case scenario 
97. In the low case scenario, a total of approxi mately US$2.57 million would be devoted 
to project expenditure.  Project preparati on grants totalling US$100,000, or 5 project 
preparation grants, would be disbursed.  US$2.47 million would be allocated to projects.  In 
terms of project implementation this could mean: 
• Under Theme 1, expenditure would tota l US$600,000 or the implementation of 2 
projects.   
• Under Theme 2, US$1.57 milli on would be devoted to a total of 3 projects.   
• Under Theme 3, US$300,000 would be allocated to one project.   
98. Overall, a total of 5 project preparation gr ants and 6 projects woul d be implemented.  
Assuming the Facility meets its target to allocat e at least 40 per cent of project resources to 
LDCs, a total of approximately US$988,000 or 2 or 3 out of the total of 6 projects would be 
allocated to LDCs.  
Medium case scenario 
99. In the medium case scenario, a total of  approximately US$4.29 million would be 
devoted to project expenditure.  Project prepar ation grants totalling US$160,000, or 8 project 
preparation grants, would be disbursed.  In a ddition, US$4.13 million would be allocated to 
project expenditure.  In terms of pr oject implementation this could mean: 
• Under Theme 1, expenditure would to tal US$1 million or 3 projects.   
• Under Theme 2, US$2.73 milli on would be devoted to a total of 5 projects.   
• Under Theme 3, US$400,000 would be allocated to 2 projects.    G/SPS/GEN/523 
 Page 35 
 
 
 100. Overall, a total of approximately 8 project  preparation grants and 10 projects would 
be implemented.  Assuming the Facility meets its target to allocate at least 40 per cent of project resources to LDCs, a total of approxi mately US$1.72 million or approximately 4 out 
of a total of 10 projects would be allocated to LDCs.  
High case scenario 
101. In the high case scenario, a total of approxi mately US$5.99 million would be devoted 
to project expenditure.  Project preparati on grants totalling US$240,000, or 12 project 
preparation grants, would be disbursed.  In a ddition, US$5.75 million would be allocated to 
project expenditure.  In terms of pr oject implementation this could mean: 
• Under Theme 1, expenditure would to tal US$1.5 million or 5 projects.   
• Under Theme 2, US$3.75 milli on would be devoted to a total of 8 projects.   
• Under Theme 3, US$500,000 would be allocated to 2 projects.   
102. Overall, a total of approximately 12 project  preparation grants and 15 projects would 
be implemented.  Assuming the Facility meets its target to allocate 40 per cent of project 
resources to LDCs, a total of approximately US $2.40 million or 6 out of a total of 15 projects 
would be allocated to LDCs.  
Facility Evaluation Criteria 
103. The three scenarios outlined above provide a basis on which to conduct an external 
evaluation of the operation of the Facility.  Criteria for evaluation of the Facility will be 
agreed by the Working Group in consultation w ith donors, but it is expected to include: 
• Utilization of Facility resources for project delivery; 
• Impact of projects implemented in terms of market access, improved SPS situation 
and poverty reduction; 
• Allocation of Facility projects resources to LDC beneficiaries (achievement of the at 
least 40 per cent target);  and 
• Effective operation of the Facility by the STDF Secretariat.  
 G/SPS/GEN/523 
Page 36  
 
 ANNEX I:  FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITIES 
 
1. The WTO hereby formally establishes a Trust Fund (hereinafter referred to as "the 
Fund") under the financial regulations and rules of the WTO for the receipt and administration 
of funds and for mobilising resources needed  to enhance the programme activities of the 
Standard and Trade Development Facility in th e area of SPS (hereinafter referred to as "the 
STDF").   
2. The WTO will serve as the executing institu tion to administer the STDF and as the 
Administrator of the Fund.  The Fund shall provide a central point for the deposit of contributions to the STDF.  Financial resour ces pledged to the Fund will be managed by the 
WTO as the Administrator of the Fund.  All WT O standard rules, regulations and procedures 
will be applied to management reporting and fi nancial management a nd accounting related to 
the Fund. 
3. The STDF Working Group will designate one or several executing agencies 
(hereinafter referred to as "Executing Agen cy") for the implementation of each activity 
financed under the Fund or alternately, proj ects will be executed solely by the eligible 
applicant or applicants.   
Contributions to the Fund 
4. Contributions to the Fund may be accepted by WTO from Governments of Member 
States of the United Nations, from Specialised  Agencies or from intergovernmental or non-
governmental organisations.
9 
5. The Administrator may accept contributions in cash to the Fund in fully convertible 
currency or in any other currency which the Admi nistrator determines can be readily utilised.  
Such contributions shall be deposited into bank accounts designated by WTO. 
6. The value of a contribution-payment, if ma de in other than Swiss Francs, shall be 
determined by applying the United Nations operatio nal rate of exchange in effect on the date 
of payment. 
7. All financial accounts and statements sh all be expressed in Swiss Francs. 
Utilisation of the Fund 
8. Applications may be made for project grants or for project preparation grants.  Project 
preparation grants may be made up to a maximu m of US$20,000.  Details of such projects or 
project preparation grants, including the respectiv e budgets, shall be as set out in the relevant 
application documents.  Applicants from deve loping countries will be provided with grant 
financing up to a threshold limit of 75 per cent of project value.  Applicants from LDCs or 
Other Low Income Countries will be provided 90 per cent grant financing.   
9. In accordance with decisions and direc tives of the WTO General Council, overhead 
costs will not exceed 13 per cent of direct costs.  On the part of the Administrator, the service 
charge shall cover the costs of management of the STDF, provision of Secretariat services, 
project monitoring, servicing of meetings, repor ting and audit functions.  The overhead costs 
of the Executing Agency shall cover all costs re lated to the implementation of the project by 
that Agency.    
                                                      
9  According to the WTO Guidelines on the Acceptance of Contributions, Gifts or Donations from Non-government Donors (document 
WT/L/386).  G/SPS/GEN/523 
 Page 37 
 
 
 10. Overhead costs for administration of the Fund and project execution will not cover 
either ex post evaluation of projects or indepe ndent evaluation of the operation of the STDF.  
Separate provision shall be made from the Fund for these items.    
11. All costs of participation in Policy Comm ittee and Working Group meetings shall be 
borne by the partner agencies.  The costs of pa rticipation of the Secretary of the STDF shall 
be borne by the STDF Trust Fund.  
12. Any interest income derived from contributions to the Fund shall be credited to the 
Fund in accordance with the applicable WTO regulations, rules and practices. 
Administration of the Fund 
13. The Fund shall be administered by the WT O in accordance with the applicable WTO 
rules and regulations.   
14. Project management and expenditures shall be  governed by the regulations, rules and 
practices of the WTO and, where applicable, the regulations, rules and directives of the 
Executing Agency. 
Implementation and Budgeting of Funds 
i. Project implemented by a STDF partner 
15. The Executing Agency shall have sole r esponsibility for the projects it implements 
once they have been approved by the STDF Working Group.   
16. On the basis of the budget approved by the STDF Working Group for the project, the 
Administrator shall transfer from the Fund to the Executing Agency the agreed amount, 
including overheads or administrative costs.  In case of projects having a lifespan of more 
than one year, the transfer will be broken down by year, according to the funding 
requirements in each year.  The first such transf er shall occur after the approval of the project 
by the STDF Working Group, and the subsequent transfer at the beginning of the following year thereafter. 
17. The Executing Agency shall make available to  the Administrator all relevant factual 
and financial information, including a yearly statement of account, concerning the approved 
projects implemented under its responsibility.  The accounting period of reference will be the 
calendar year. 
18. All declared expenses in the yearly statement of accounts will be supported in the 
bookkeeping records of the Ex ecuting Agency by original documents (invoices, vouchers, 
contracts, order forms, tickets, etc.). 
19. Interests earned on the funds provided by the Fund shall be identified as such and 
shown in the financial reports  and statements of account. 
20. The accounts presented by the Executing Agen cy to the Administrator shall follow 
the format and contain at least the same le vel of details as in the budget approved for a 
particular project.  The Executing Agency shall stand ready to answer the questions of the 
Administrator on these accounts, and to provide a copy of supporting documents as needed. 
21. In consultation with the Executing Agency, the Administrator may decide to give a 
specific mandate to the external auditor of the Executing Agency for the control of the G/SPS/GEN/523 
Page 38  
 
 expenses incurred under a particular project.  In such a case, the Fund shall bear the cost of 
the audit. 
22. The aggregate of the amounts budgeted for the projects together with any estimated 
payments in respect of support services shall not  exceed the total resources available to the 
Fund. 
23. If unforeseen increases in commitments or expenditures occur (whether due to 
inflationary factors, fluctuation in exchange rates or unforeseen contingencies), after consultation with the Executing Agency, the as sistance to be provided under the Fund may be 
reduced, suspended or terminated by the Administrator. 
24. Upon expiration or termination of a project, the Executing Agency shall reimburse to 
the Fund any unused balance within thr ee months, unless otherwise agreed with the 
Administrator. 
ii. Project implemented by an eligible beneficiary 
25. Where projects are implemented by an eligible  beneficiary, a contract shall be agreed 
between the Administrator and the eligible bene ficiary.  The contract, based on the approved 
project proposal, shall define the implementa tion activities and budget disbursement of both 
parties.  It is envisaged that budget disburseme nt shall be on the following terms:  40 per cent 
on signature of the contract, 40 per cent of pr oduction of the draft final report and 20 per cent 
on production of the final report.  
26. The Eligible Organization shall make ava ilable to the Administrator all relevant 
factual and financial information upon re quest, including all accounts concerning the 
approved projects implemented un der its responsibility and its yearly statement of account. 
27. All declared expenses in the project accounts will be supported in the bookkeeping 
records of the Executing Agency by original documents (invoices, vouchers, contracts, order 
forms, tickets, etc.). 
28. The accounts presented by the eligible beneficiary to the Administrator shall follow 
the format and contain at least the same le vel of details as in the budget approved for a 
particular project.  The eligible beneficiary sh all stand ready to answer the questions of the 
Administrator on these accounts, and to provide a copy of supporting documents as needed. 
29. The Administrator may decide to give a spec ific mandate to an external auditor for 
the control of project expenses incurred.  In su ch a case, the Fund shall bear the cost of the 
audit. 
30. The aggregate of the amounts budgeted for the project together with any estimated 
payments in respect of support services shall not  exceed the total resources available to the 
Fund. 
31. If unforeseen increases in commitments or expenditures are expected or realised 
(whether due to inflationary factors, fl uctuation in exchange rates or unforeseen 
contingencies) the assistance to be provided under the Fund may be reduced, suspended or 
terminated by the administrator. 
32. Upon expiration or termination of a project, the eligible beneficiary shall reimburse to 
the Fund any unused balance within thr ee months, unless otherwise agreed with the 
Administrator.  G/SPS/GEN/523 
 Page 39 
 
 
 Ownership of Equipment, Supplies and other Property 
33. Ownership of equipment, supplies and ot her property financed from the Fund shall 
vest in the Executing Agency.  Matters relating to the transfer of ownership by the Executing 
Agency shall be determined in accordance w ith its applicable policies and procedures. 
Audit 
34. The Fund shall be subject exclusively to th e internal and external-auditing procedures 
provided for in the financial regulations, rules and practices of WTO. 
Reporting 
35. The Administrator shall report to the STDF Policy Committee through the Working 
Group on the financial operation of the Fund. 
36. The Administrator shall provide to th e STDF Policy Committee through the Working 
Group an annual report prepared in accordance with WTO accounting and reporting procedures.  The annual report shall provide in formation on income and expenditure incurred 
during the previous year. 
Other Matters 
37. Notwithstanding the completion of the projects financed from the Fund, any 
unutilised balances shall continue to be held  in the Fund account until all commitments and 
liabilities incurred in implementation of the proj ects have been satisfied and project activities 
have been brought to an orderly conclusion. 
38. The Fund shall terminate upon completion of all projects identified pursuant to this 
Agreement and after satisfaction of all commitm ents and liabilities arising there from.  Any 
balance then remaining shall be disposed of by the WTO in consultation with the donor(s). 
39. Upon approval of a project by the STDF Working Group, when necessary the STDF 
Secretariat will prepare a grant agreement to be  signed by the grantees.  The grant agreement 
will specify the obligations of the grantee, which will normally include: 
• Requirements for project administration; 
• Periodic reporting of progress; 
• Financial reporting; 
• Auditing and evaluation; 
• To make request for disbursements following prescribed formats and 
procedures; 
• Obligations to provide information on request and to provide full access to 
financial administration;  and 
• Obligation of repayment of all funds unused or used for activities and costs 
not included in the grants agreement. 
 
 
Intellectual property rights 
 G/SPS/GEN/523 
Page 40  
 
 40. All techniques, methods, procedures, a nd information for better managing SPS 
market requirements developed with the help of the grant shall be in the public domain.  The 
grantee shall not seek intellectual property rights on any of these, and any property rights on 
these that may emerge as a result of the project will be owned by the Facility and/or the STDF 
partner agencies.   
  G/SPS/GEN/523 
 Page 41 
 
 
 ANNEX II:  FACILITY APPLICATION FORMS 
 
GRANT APPLICATION FORM 
 
1.  Project title 
  
2.  Requesting government/agency or 
private body 
  
3.  Collaborating government(s)/agency 
  
4.  Project objectives 
Attach  description of project background and rationale. 
  
5.  Project activities 
Itemise main elements here and attach  a detailed work 
plan, dissemination plan and evaluation plan. 
  
6.  Private/public sector co-operation 
Detail the arrangements for public/private sector co-
operation, if any, in the project. 
  
7.  Partner institutions involved 
If appropriate, identify STDF  partner institutions who 
will be involved and describe the nature of that 
involvement. 
  
8.  Project outputs 
Specify outputs clearly and in detail and show 
relationship to key STDF objectives including capacity 
enhancement, improved market access and trade 
opportunities, poverty reduction,  linkages to country or 
regional program development priorities, public-private 
co-operation, innovativeness, demonstration effects, 
etc. 
  
9.  Project Impact 
Specify the expected impact the project will have on 
market access, the SPS situation and poverty reduction .  
Identify how the project will fit with existing bilateral 
or multilateral donor projects and programmes, 
examine the sustainability of  the proposed action and, 
where possible, suggest where the project may be 
replicated 
  
10. Project inputs 
Specify total project cost. Attach  detailed breakdown 
of proposed uses of funds. 
  
11. Non-STDF contributions 
If appropriate specify a ny financial contributions 
expected from sources other than STDF. 
  
12. Timetable 
Show proposed commencemen t and conclusion dates 
(maximum project duration two years) 
  G/SPS/GEN/523 
Page 42  
 
  
PREPARATION GRANT APPLICATION FORM 
 
  
1.  Prospective project title 
   
2.  Requesting government/agency or 
private body 
  
3.  Collaborating government(s)/agency 
  
4.  Project objectives 
Describe the objectives of the proposed project in 
general terms.  Attach  description of project 
background and rationale. 
  
5.  Preparation activities 
Describe the means by which the project proposal is to 
be prepared e.g. in-house activity, consultant study, etc. 
  
6. Private/public sector co-operation 
Detail the role, if any, that will be played by the private 
sector in the preparation of the project 
  
7.  Partner institutions involved 
If appropriate, identify STDF partner institutions who 
will be involved and describe the nature of that involvement. 
  
8.  Preparation project inputs 
Specify total cost of preparing project proposal 
(maximum US$20,000). Attach  breakdown of 
proposed uses of preparation grant funds. 
  
9.  Non-STDF contributions 
If appropriate specify any financial contributions 
expected from sources other than STDF. 
  
10. Timetable 
Show proposed commencemen t and conclusion dates 
(maximum duration of preparation phase six months?) 
  
 G/SPS/GEN 
 Page 43 
 
 
 ANNEX III:  OPERATION OF THE STANDARDS AND TRADE DEVELOPMENT 
FACILITY AND WORKPLAN FOR 2004 
 WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/GEN/486 
20 April 2004 
 (02-0000) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures  
   
 
OPERATION  ON THE STANDARDS AND TRADE DEVELOPMENT FACILITY (STDF) 
AND WORK PLAN FOR 2004 
Note by the Secretariat
10 
 
1. The Standards and Trade Development Facility (S TDF) is a joint initiative of the FAO, OIE, 
World Bank, WHO and WTO.  The STDF grew out of  the Doha WTO Ministerial meeting held in 
Qatar in November 2001 at which the heads of the five organizations committed themselves to work 
together to strengthen the capacity of developing co untries in meeting SPS standards.  From this joint 
commitment, the STDF was launched in September 2002. 
2. The strategic aim of the STDF is to assist developing countries enhance their capacity to meet 
international sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) standa rds, improving their human health, animal health 
and phytosanitary situation, and t hus gaining and maintain market access.  In addition to facilitating 
international trade, SPS capacity building, notably in the area of food safety, can result in improved health conditions for local markets and so favour economic and social development.  
3. The STDF is both a financing and a co-ordinati ng mechanism.  Grant financing is available 
for private and public organizations in developing countries seeking to comply with international SPS 
standards and hence gain or maintain market access.   Applications are particularly encouraged from 
stakeholders in least-developed countries.  The STDF annual work programme will consist of a 
mixture of project preparation grants and projects. 
4. At the present time, the STDF is in a "start-up phase".  Seed funding of US$300,000 per year 
has been provided by the World Bank from its Development Grant Facility (DGF).  The WTO has 
also contributed CHF100,000 from the Doha Devel opment Global Trust Fund in 2003 and 2004.  
However, the World Bank's DGF funding cannot exceed  three years and ends on 30 June 2005.  After 
that date, the Facility must attract financial co mmitments from other sources to continue.  For the 
Facility to prosper, it must be placed on a more stab le and sustainable long-term financial footing.   
5. To attract funding for the Facility and to stre ngthen the operation of the STDF, the partners 
have drafted a Business Plan.  The Business Plan expl ains in detail the organization of the Facility, its 
mechanisms and related eligibility criteria.  Once ap proved by partner agencies, this document will be 
circulated to donor agencies.  
                                                     
 
10 This document has been prepared  under the Secretariat's own respon sibility and is without prejudice 
to the positions of Members or to their rights or obligations under the WTO. G/SPS/GEN/523 
Page 44  
 
 6. To date, few proposals have been received fro m outside the partner institutions of the 
STDF.11  Therefore, projects undertaken have been those tabled by the pa rtner agencies.  This 
situation is not expected to continue.  It is envisag ed that as the Facility grows, projects tabled by the 
partners will decline in number and fi nancial importance in the overall fund. 
7. Once the Business Plan is approved the partners can be more pro-active in bringing the 
Facility to the attention of po tential applicants through:  
• the STDF Website www.standardsfacility.org (now  available in English, French and Spanish 
language versions); 
• information provided to Geneva-based missi ons and national experts through the SPS 
Committee;  and 
• input in regular technical assistance activities of  the partners (e.g. such as WTO regional 
workshops and national seminars and equivale nt activities of other partner agencies). 
 
8. As of April 2004, financing of approximatel y US$380,000 was available for projects between 
1 July 2004 and 30 June 2005.  Gr owth in the number and nature of activities undertaken depends on 
the level of financing provided by donors.   
9. Two key areas stand out as priority areas for future activities.  
Building on needs identified in the Integrated Framework and JITAP processes 
10. Various needs in the SPS field have been iden tified through the Integrated Framework and 
JITAP needs assessment exercises.  It is envisaged  that needs identified by countries could be 
developed into projects.  For example, in the Inte grated Framework action matrices of several African 
countries a number of activities have been identified in  the animal health sector such as recognition of 
disease freedom, improvement of information on the livestock sector both for disease control and 
commercial operators and penetration of export mark ets in neighbouring countries.  It is envisaged 
that such needs could be address ed either through the development of projects using the project 
preparation grant or through project proposals from partner organizations.   
Utilising SPS capacity evaluation and planning 
11. Capacity evaluation tools have been developed in the plant health area by IPPC and in the 
food safety area by Codex and are in development, through STDF funding, for the animal health 
sector by OIE.  In addition, an overarching methodolog y designed to look at the cost-benefit  analysis 
of different interventions is bei ng developed by a project to be funded as part of the 2004 work plan.  
It is envisaged that these tools could be applied to countries in need of such evaluation methodologies 
(identified by responses to the WTO technical as sistance questionnaire).  Application of these 
participatory methodologies would also have the ef fect of identifying future projects for possible 
funding through the STDF.   
2004
 WORK PLAN 
12. Activities to be funded as part of the STDF work  plan for 2004 can be separated into new 
activities approved by the Working Group in th e first quarter of 2004 and on-going activities 
approved in 2003.  Further activities may be added to  the work plan after the Working Group meeting 
scheduled for the second half of 2004. 
                                                      
11 Proposals have been received from Uganda, the Philippines, Cameroon and Lithuania to date.  
Unfortunately, none of the proposals met the eligibility criteria for the STDF.  However, in the case of Uganda 
and Cameroon, some of the substance of the proposals has been taken up in other project proposals.  G/SPS/GEN/523 
 Page 45 
 
 
 A. NEW ACTIVITIES  
STDF 19:  Model arrangements for SPS stakeho lder involvement at the national level 
13. The goal of this project is to improve SPS-re lated information flow as well as information 
sharing between the public and private sectors with  positive spin-offs for market access.  The wider 
objective of this project is to improve the capacity of stakeholders in the public and private sectors of 
developing countries to work in an international trading system that applies demanding standards in 
the area of food safety and animal and plant health .  This improvement in institutional capacity should 
then translate into an improvement in export perfo rmance.  The project will be organized in three 
stages. 
14. Stage 1 will be the establishment of the project  organization structure including the working 
framework and operational mechanisms to develop and strengthen links between stakeholders in two 
case study countries.  This stage will also include a l iterature review of examples of best practice of 
SPS co-ordination activities and an assessment of th e current practices for SPS co-ordination and 
technical capacities in the study countries. 
15. Stage 2 will facilitate the formation or strengt hening of an SPS coordination group within 
each country.  Different stakeholders in SPS activ ities (identified and interviewed during the first 
stage) will be invited to form a national SPS co-ord inating body.  Special attention will be paid to 
develop consultative structures that involve private sector stakeholders.   
16. In Stage 3, the parameters for best practice in co-ordinating SPS activities will be reassessed 
based on the experience gained and a final project report produced.   
STDF 20:  Country-based plans for SPS-related development 
17. The goal of the project is to facilitate sanita ry and phytosanitary (SPS) capacity building in 
both the private and public sectors.  The goal will  be achieved by making available a planning 
methodology responsive to economic objectives a nd which encourages a cooperative relationship 
between donors and private and public sector stakeholders in recipient countries.  The project will demonstrate in selected countries an integrated  approach to planning and executing SPS capacity-
building, with special emphasis on enhancement of export market access for agricultural, food, 
fishery, horticulture and forest products of deve loping economies.  The project will be organized in 
four stages. 
18. In Stage 1, a methodology will be developed fo r evaluating SPS capacity at national level.  
The methodology will identify key economic sectors (e .g. livestock, arable, food processing, fisheries, 
forestry), look at private/public interaction releva nt for these sectors, study the state of SPS legislation 
and enforcement and draw conclusions on the SPS capacity of the country in both the public and 
private sector.  The methodology will build on exis ting IPPC, Codex and OIE tools as well as those 
developed by other relevant organi zations (e.g. IICA) to produce a single generic planning tool.  One 
essential element of the methodology will be a cost-ben efit analysis framework to gauge the impact of 
different resource allocation decisions.  A key parame ter will be the ability of the sectors selected to 
maintain or expand export market access.   
19. In Stage 2, the methodology will be applied in  two pilot countries chosen on the basis of 
technical assistance questionnaires submitted to th e WTO and requests made for project funding 
under the STDF.  The methodology will be applied w ith a participatory approach pulling in expertise 
from the public and private sectors.  The results of  the methodology will then be used to report on 
SPS capacity and develop an action plan for each country.   G/SPS/GEN/523 
Page 46  
 
 20. Stage 3 will mobilise resources for the national action plans.  The plans will make use of 
national budget resources and identify where inte rnational donor support is necessary.  Once 
completed, these reports will be presented by the na tional authorities to donors, both in-country and in 
other appropriate venues.   
21. In the fourth and final stage, the consultant will revise the methodology in the light of the 
experience gained during the project, and prepare a guidance document to facilitate the use of the 
methodology in other developing countries.   
STDF 9:  Model Programme for Developing Food Standards within a Risk Analysis Framework 
22. This project aims to increase the capacity of low income countries to use risk analysis 
techniques to develop their own food standards;  to participate in the Codex standard-setting process;  
and to understand and comply with, in the developm ent of these standards, international obligations 
under the relevant WTO agreements.  This project will provide a model for implementation of this 
programme in other regions of the world.  The project will be organized around the following four 
activities: 
• preliminary survey of needs of participating countries; 
 
• development of a training programme based on the results of the needs assessment and 
covering such topics as risk analysis, risk management, practical case studies, legal framework for standards, identification of stak eholders, drafting of standards, assessment of 
regulatory impact; 
 
• delivery of training programme;  and 
 
• survey and evaluation of the course and its r esults 6 months after the conclusion of the 
training course. 
 23. The project will be partly funded by the STDF and partly funded from FAO sources. 
STDF 10:  International Portal on Food Safety, Animal and Plant Health project 
24. This project builds on existing work by the F AO on the International Portal on Food Safety, 
Animal and Plant Health.  The portal is a powerfu l source of information on international standards 
and of national legislation and regul ations on food safety, animal and plant health.  The aim of this 
project is to:  
• extend the country coverage of the Portal on a pilot basis to one least-developed country and 
one middle income developing country; 
 
• develop a portal implementation handbook to  assist countries in the establishment of a 
national internet-based site for the exchange of official legislation a nd regulations on food 
safety, animal and plant health;  and 
 
• assist countries meet their transparency obliga tions under the SPS Agreement by ensuring that 
legislation in force is "available in such a ma nner as to allow interested Members to become 
acquainted with them".  Portal links in each country will be maintained by the SPS Enquiry Point. 
 
25. The project will be partly funded by the STDF and partly funded from FAO sources.   G/SPS/GEN/523 
 Page 47 
 
 
 STDF 15:  Expanding SPS Capacities at National and Regional Levels 
26. The aim of this project is to promote greater  co-ordination at regional level between the 
partners both in regular activities and in the deliver y of technical assistance.  To date, the STDF has 
focused on improved co-operation between staff at S ecretariat level.  The objective of this pilot 
project is to duplicate this enhanced co-operation also in the regions through training for the OIE's 
regional representation offices.  If successful, the project  would be repeated for the regional offices of 
other partner agencies.  Expected benefits include: 
• creation of regional inter-partner networks for information dissemination and training; 
 
• greater understanding of inter-agency roles in animal disease and zoonoses emergency 
situations, allied to structur ed consultation procedures; 
 
• improved technical capacity to deliver assistance on the part of partner organizations, in 
particular OIE;  and 
 
• avoidance of duplication in projects and or pr oduction of training materials by partners. 
 B. O
N GOING ACTIVITIES STARTED IN 2003 
STDF website 
27. A website for the STDF has been established at  www.standardsfacility.org.  In addition to 
information on the STDF and how to apply, each of th e partner organizations has made available their 
training materials on SPS-related standards.  Further ma terials will be added in 2004 as part of the co-
ordination function of the STDF.  Furthermore, the we bsite is also being made available in French and 
Spanish language versions. 
STDF 5:  STDF Database 
28. In the final quarter of 2003, a database on SPS technical assistance was established.  The 
objective of the database is to provide an overv iew of planned and deliver ed SPS-related technical 
assistance;  to assist coordination between the partner institutions of the STDF;  to enable information 
sharing between institutions thereby creating opportunities to identify ga ps and exploit synergies;  and 
to minimize and/or avoid duplication in the provision of technical assistance.  
29. The database is an on-going ac tivity and at present the period of  coverage is 2001 to 2003.  
Data on technical assistance activities in the SPS ar ea is reported from the five partner institutions, 
multilateral agencies, regional a nd bilateral donors and harvested from the existing WTO/OECD 
Trade-Related Technical Assistance and Capacity Build ing database.  In April and in the final quarter 
of 2004, further data collections  are planned.  These data collection exercises should yield further 
useful information on trends in technical assistance in  this area.   The database can be consulted at 
http://stdfdb.wto.org.  A search of the database can be performed by one of four STDF categories 
(food safety, plant health, animal health and a ge neral category) or by beneficiary country, donor 
country or agency. 
STDF 14:  OIE veterinary capacity evaluation project 
30. Capacity evaluation tools exist in the plant and food safety areas, but not in the area of animal 
health.  As such, the STDF funded a project proposal  from OIE to develop such a veterinary capacity 
evaluation tool.  The project aims to develop a specific diagnostic tool capable of evaluating the capacity of national veterinary services to meet inte rnational zoosanitary obligations in an efficient G/SPS/GEN/523 
Page 48  
 
 and sustainable manner.  The instrument will measure capacities of various countries through an 
inventory of the functions and resources available to  comply with zoosanitary obligations according to 
the OIE standards.  The instrument was developed in collaboration with the Inter-American Institute 
for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and it is be ing refined in the OIE region of the Americas.  
Once complete it is expected that the self-diagnos tic tool will assist developing countries to prepare 
internal and external grant applications for pr ojects on technical and administrative infrastructure 
improvements. 
__________