WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/W/113
15 October 2001
(01-5021)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures
QUESTIONNAIRE ON TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
Note by the Secretariat
1. At the 9 July 2001 informal meeting of the SPS Committee on technical assistance, the
Secretariat was requested to circulate a new questionnaire on technical assistance activities thatfocused on ascertaining developing countries' technical assistance requirements. The new
questionnaire is attached.  It is intended to offer developing countries the possibility to present their
specific needs in the SPS area in a way which helps to better ensure the provision of targeted and
efficient technical assistance.  The replies received by the Secretariat will be circulated to other
Members, and brought to the attention of the SPS Committee so as to assist other Members andinternational organizations in identifying technical assistance requests to which they may give
favourable consideration.
2. Completion of the questionnaire would greatly assist the work of the Committee in the
implementation of Article 9 of the Agreement (as set out below).  However, it should be stressed that
the questionnaire does not prejudice the rights of Members to bring specific requests to the attention
of the Committee at any time in the future.
Article 9
Technical Assistance
1.  Members agree to facilitate the provision of technical assistance to other
Members, especially developing country Members, either bilaterally or through
the appropriate international organizations.  Such assistance may be, inter alia, in
the areas of processing technologies, research and infrastructure, including in theestablishment of national regulatory bodies, and may take the form of advice,
credits, donations and grants, including for the purpose of seeking technical
expertise, training and equipment to allow such countries to adjust to, and
comply with, sanitary or phytosanitary measures necessary to achieve the
appropriate level of sanitary or phytosanitary protection in their export markets.
2. Where substantial investments are required in order for an exporting
developing country Member to fulfil the sanitary or phytosanitary requirements
of an importing Member, the latter shall consider providing such technical
assistance as will permit the developing country Member to maintain and expand
its market access opportunities for the product involved.
3. The design of the questionnaire is based on the Secretariat note on typology of technical
assistance (G/SPS/GEN/206).  This typology classifies technical assistance according to four broad
categories: information, training, soft infrastructure and hard infrastructure.  Information activities areaimed at enhancing the awareness and understanding of Members' rights and obligations under theG/SPS/W/113
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Agreement and normally take the form of conferences, seminars and workshops. Training activities
involve providing detailed explanations of particular aspects of the Agreement such as transparency,
equivalence, risk analysis, again through conferences, seminars and workshops.  Infrastructural
development can be separated into "soft" and "hard" categories.  Soft infrastructure covers areas such
as procedures and techniques, national regulatory frameworks, human capital in the form of properly
trained personnel, food safety programmes and consumer education.  Hard infrastructure refers to
field equipment and physical systems necessary for testing, monitoring and other functions required
of Member governments.  From the perspective of the agreement, infrastructure also covers
implementation of certain of the transparency prov isions of Article 7 and Annex B of the Agreement
(i.e. the designation of a single central government authority for notification procedures and of an
enquiry point responsible for the provision of answers to all reasonable questions from interested
Members as well as the provision of relevant documents).
4. The note by the Secretariat on technical assistance typology makes it clear that the categories
listed are not exhaustive.  Actions which fall outside the scope of one of these four categories should
also be included in the new questionnaire using the "other" column.
5. Members are requested to fill in the relevant Tables and submit the responses to the
Secretariat, by e-mail where possible.  Members are also encouraged to provide as much relevantadditional information as possible on the issues highlighted in the questionnaire.  Should Members
wish to obtain this document in electronic format, please send an e-mail to michael.roberts@wto.org
(cc: irma.bracco@wto.org) with the words "SPS Questionnaire" in the subject line.
6. Members are requested to submit the completed questionnaires to the Secretariat by 31
January 2002, at the latest.G/SPS/W/113
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Information Training Infrastructure: (Hard and/or Soft) Specific concern Other
Rights,
obligations and
practical
operation of theSPS Agreement:
Food Safety
Animal Health
Plant Health
Contact detailsG/SPS/W/113
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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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