WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/GEN/295/Add.7
1 March  2002
(02-1056)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:  English
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE – RESPONSE TO THE QUESTIONNAIRE
Submission by Belarus
AddendumG/SPS/GEN/295/Add.7
Page 2Technical assistance requirements:
Information Training Infrastructure: (Hard
and/or Soft)Specific concern Other
Rights,
obligations and
practical
operation of
the SPS
Agreementyes yes Soft
Hard:
NIC needs equipment for
communication with its
partners inside and outsidethe countryTraining is required for the personnel of the TBT and
SPS National Information Centre (NIC) on
communication and cooperation procedures, both
within national governmental structures and with
foreign partners – particularly regarding questions
from WTO Members.
Server of  data  bases
CPU-2xPIII-Xeon
OZY-512Mb
RAID  Controller
HDD-3x20GbFDD-1.44Mb
CD-ROM-40x
Strimmer DDS312/24Gb (4mm)
Ethernet 10/100Mbps
Monitor-15”Keyboard+mouse
Equipment  for appropriated  line
Zyxel  Prestige 153x
3WAN of  port  ILAN,
TCP/IP/IPX,RIP
Modem  for appropriated  line
Zyxel (model depends upon the speed of  connection)
Laser  printer DUPLEX NET
24 ppm 1200dpi 16Mb A4High speed scanner
HP SJ7400CG/SPS/GEN/295/Add.7
Page 3Technical assistance requirements:
Information Training Infrastructure: (Hard
and/or Soft)Specific concern Other
Rights,
obligations and
practical
operation of
the SPS
Agreement(Cont'd)Work station
Processor  Pentium IV type
OZY –128Mb
HDD-30Gb
Monitor-17”
Ethernet 10/100MbpsFDD-1.44Mb
CD-ROM-40x
Keyboard+mouse
Food safety
Animal health
Plant health
Contact detailsVera Levkovitch
National Information Centre on  TBT  and  SPS
3 Melezh str., Minsk, 220113,  Republic of Belarus,
Fax (37517)  262-15-20;  Tel. (37517) 262-12-50;  E-mail:  belgiss@mail.belpak.byG/SPS/GEN/295/Add.7
Page 4
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
(Such information could include, inter alia, a more detailed description of the technical assistance required,
any relevant background information on the reasons for the request, the possibility of using a regional
approach to the provision of the requested assistance and the scope for a coordinated approach among
relevant international organisations.)
1. A joint SPS/TBT National Information Centre has been established by Government decision and fulfils
the functions of both National Notification Authority and Enquiry Point. NIC staff will consist of 3 people for
whom training in the transparency provisions of the SPS Agreement is required.  Specific training topics to be
covered include: processing information coming from the WTO and ensuring Belarusian compliance with the
transparency provisions of the SPS Agreement.  Once trained, these officials will also use their knowledge and
skills to benefit the staff of other Ministries and enterprises involved in SPS questions.
2. Although NIC has good office premises, it is lackin g office equipment.  The list of equipment
mentioned above provides an outline of our needs.
3. We kindly ask for assistance from the WTO so that the NIC may assist the Republic of Belarus in its
WTO accession process.
4.   Technical assistance has previously been provided to the Government of Belarus through the EU's TACIS
programme.  Mr. Bergholm, former Chairman of the SPS Committee, visited Belarus twice financed by this
programme.  Thanks to his seminars a wide circle of Belarusian specialists have received a good overview of
the WTO.   In view of his acquaintance with Belarus,  further training by Mr. Bergholm would be one option
that would be welcomed.G/SPS/GEN/295/Add.7
Page 5Technical assistance requirements:
Information Training Infrastructure: (Hard and/or
Soft)Specific concern Other
Rights,
obligations and
practical
operation of
the SPS
AgreementHarmonization of foodstuff
safety testing methods with
those of other WTO
members.
Food safety1. On the maximum
permissible levels of
micro-organisms andcontaminants (toxic
elements, pesticides,
antibiotics, mycotoxins,
nitrosamins, radionuclides
and others) permitted by
WTO members.
2. On foodstuff safety
testing methods officially
recognized by WTO
members.Training of specialists from:
1. Central Veterinary
Inspection and Inspection onQuality and Standards of
Ministry – 4 persons
2. Republican laboratory and
Belarusian Veterinary Centre -
7 persons
3. Veterinary Inspection and
Inspections on quality andstandards for agricultural
products and regional
veterinary laboratories – 20
persons
4. State border and transport
veterinary inspection - 6
persons
5. Veterinary Service and
services quality and standards
of meat processing enterprisesand the city veterinary station
doctors - 12 personsEquipment for accredited
laboratories undertaking food
safety assessments: devices forexpress testing of microbiological
and other safety criteria using for
example Bac Tzac 4100
FOODCARD 2; OCTETE – PC
and others.G/SPS/GEN/295/Add.7
Page 6Technical assistance requirements:
Information Training Infrastructure: (Hard and/or
Soft)Specific concern Other
Animal healthMinistry of Agriculture
and Food receives
information about animal
diseases from the Office
International des
Epizooties and Europeanstates. Information from
OIE is presented in
English.  In order to
facilitate the
documentation handling itwould be preferable to
receive documents in
Russian.Training of veterinary specialists
of the national Veterinary
Institutions and Organisations
and local officials on food safety
and animal health.Soft Infrastructure:
Ensuring methodical inspection
methods for raw materials and
finished commodities
Hard insfrastructure:
Assistance in equipping
laboratories with the following:
- Atomic absorptive
spectrophotometer with hybrid
attachment and electrosprayer(AAS-6) – 10 items,
- Gas chromatograph with set of
accessories – 10 items ,
- Spectrophotometer – 10 items
 - Binocular biologic microscope
- 10 items
- PH-meter – 10 items
Plant healthExchange of experience
between quarantine
laboratory specialists on
phytosanitary appraisal of
plant products.
Familiarization with
quarantine laboratorystructures.Training of laboratory
specialists to work with Elise
test and Epson printing device
(purchasing of necessary
reactives).Purchasing of laboratory
equipment for plant examination.Assimilation of new methods
of plant laboratory
examination (disease
diagnostics, hook-worms,
pests, weeds).G/SPS/GEN/295/Add.7
Page 7Technical assistance requirements:
Information Training Infrastructure: (Hard and/or
Soft)Specific concern Other
Contact detailsNatalia  Lomasko
Ministry  of  Agriculture  and  Food
15 Kirov str., Minsk, 220050,  Republic of Belarus,
Fax:  (37517)  226-14-26;  Tel:  (37517) 226-51-74;  E-mail:  Inatasha@mshp.minsk.byG/SPS/GEN/295/Add.7
Page 8
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
(Such information could include, inter alia, a more detailed description of the technical assistance required,
any relevant background information on the reasons for the request, the possibility of using a regional
approach to the provision of the requested assistance and the scope for a coordinated approach among
relevant international organisations.)G/SPS/GEN/295/Add.7
Page 9Technical assistance requirements:
Information Training Infrastructure: (Hard and/or
Soft)Specific concern Other
Rights,
obligations and
practical
operation of
the SPSAgreement
Food safetyDelivery to the Ministry of
Health of a set of normativedocuments (translated into
Russian) concerning food
safety: Codex Alimentarius
standards, EC directives on
normalization and
regulation of production
and circulation offoodstuffs, food
supplements, biologically
active supplements and
nutraceuticals, hygienic
rates of safety factors,methodical instructions on
methods for determination
of food quality and safety,
and laboratory quality
systems documentation fortoxicology, including1. Training of specialists of
the Ministry of Health in theintroduction and audit of
risks analysis systems and
control of critical points
(НАССР ) at food enterprises
- 10 persons.
2. Training of leaders and
managers on quality at foodenterprises – 35 persons.
3. Training:
- on foodstuff laboratory
testing -  20 managers –
specialists of the Ministry  ofHealth
- on the quality audit
realization according to ISO
17025 -10 personsLaboratories need the following
equipment:
1. Laboratory  module for the
monitoring of the content of
dioxins, polychlorinated
biphenyls, polyaromatic
hydrocarbons, mycotoxins
nitrosamines ;
2. laboratory equipment of the
following types:
- high-performance liquid
chromatographs – 9  items,
- chromatomasspectrometers
– 9  items,
-  atomic absorption and
atomic emission
spectrometers – 9  itemsTraining of leaders and
enterprise managers onfoodstuff quality according to
HACCP principles - using EC
experience as the example so
as to ensure the speedy
introduction of HACCP into
large food enterprises.G/SPS/GEN/295/Add.7
Page 10Technical assistance requirements:
Information Training Infrastructure: (Hard and/or
Soft)Specific concern Other
Food safety
(Cont'd)good laboratory practice
instructions on methods for
the determination of
foodstuff quality and
safety, good laboratory
practice and laboratoryquality systems- automated complexes for
microbiological indices
evaluation – 9  items
-  radiometers – 9  items
- radiochemical analysis
devices – 9  items
- equipment for keeping of
and working with the
laboratory animals – 2
items
- system for samples
preparation (for
chromatographic and
spectrometric equipment) –
9 items for  each.
3. Assistance on accreditation
of food testing laboratories
including support on
international experts and
auditors' involvement.
4. Assistance in participation of
Belarusian laboratories in
international schemes of roundrobin and professional testingG/SPS/GEN/295/Add.7
Page 11Technical assistance requirements:
Information Training Infrastructure: (Hard and/or
Soft)Specific concern Other
Animal health
Plant health
Contact detailsGolub Vladimir Sergeevich, Chief Medical Officer
Republican Centre of Hygiene and Epidemiology,  Ministry  of Health
Tel. +375 172 784369Fax   +375 172 784207
e-mail: hygiene@rcge.belpak.minsk.byG/SPS/GEN/295/Add.7
Page 12
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
(Such information could include, inter alia, a more detailed description of the technical assistance required,
any relevant background information on the reasons for the request, the possibility of using a regional
approach to the provision of the requested assistance and the scope for a coordinated approach among
relevant international organisations.)
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