G/SPS/W/328  
 
9 June 2020 
(20-4099) Page: 1/3 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
WTO SPS COMMITTEE WO RKING GROUP ON APPRO VAL PROCEDURES PROCE SS 
SUBMISSION FROM CANA DA 
The following communication, received on  8 June 2020, is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of  Canada . 
 
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Canada proposes that the SPS Committee working group on approval procedures, which is part of 
the Fifth Review, commence following the June 2020 SPS Committee meeting. To initiate the way 
forward for this work, Canada proposes the following process.  
1  WORKI NG GROUP TITLE  
1. SPS Committee Working Group (WG) on Approval Procedures  
2  FUNCTION AND REPORTI NG TO COMMITTEE  
2. The WG will primarily work electronically. The WG will also meet on the margins of the 
SPS Committee meetings, in person or virtually, depending on  whether the SPS Committee is 
meeting in person or taking place virtually.  
3. The steward(s) of the WG will report on its work to the informal and formal SPS Committee 
meetings to keep the Committee informed of its deliberations.  
3  PARTICIPATION AND STEWARD  
4. The WG would be open to all Members and Observers. The WG should identify from among its 
Members one or more neutral “stewards” to oversee and facilitate the work of the WG. Canada notes 
its willingness to act as a steward. Members and Observers who are in terested in participating in the 
WG, and Members interested in acting as a steward, should submit their contact email address to 
the Secretariat (spscommittee@wto.org) no later than one month after the SPS Committee meeting 
launching the WG.  
5. All Members and Observers who indicated an interest in the WG will be included in an email 
list that would be distributed to the WG steward(s) two business days following the deadline for 
joining the WG . G/SPS/W/328  
 
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  4  DESCRIPTION  OF WORK  
6. The working group could explore  the following topics:  
a) Key challenges of approval procedures that impact international trade and that the 
Committee should seek to address.  
b) Principles of approval procedures that facilitate international trade while meeting the 
importing Member's appropri ate level of sanitary or phytosanitary protection and the 
Committee's role in highlighting these principles.  
c) Tools available and best practices to enhance the implementation of the obligations 
of the SPS Agreement as they apply to approval procedures.  
d) Other topics raised by WG members over the course of the WG.  
7. Finally, following the examination of topics a) to d) , the WG will give consideration to topic 
e) possible future work of the Committee on approval procedures.  
8. Following the conclusion of its delibe rations, the WG will submit a written report to the 
Committee.  
5  LANGUAGE   
9. The process and liaison with WG members will be conducted in English. The Secretariat may 
assist with translation of comments and proposals, if requested.  
6  PROPOSED  TIMELINES AND NEX T STEPS1 
10. The deadlines suggested for the proposed process are as follows. The WG will conclude at the 
SPS Committee meeting following three rounds of deliberations (over three SPS Committee 
meetings)  unless the WG and Committee agree to extend the timefram e of the WG. If the timeframe 
for the WG is extended, a revised set of timelines and next steps will be issued.  
11. First round  (period between the SPS Committee  meeting  launching the WG and next 
SPS Committee  meeting ): 
a. Members and Observers interested in being part of the working group should submit 
contact information to the Secretariat no later than one month after the SPS Committee  
meeting  launching the WG ; 
b. The Secretariat will provide to the steward(s) and all partic ipants the email list of 
interested Members and Observers by two business days following the deadline for joining 
the WG ; 
c. WG members will submit written proposals concerning topics a) to d)  to the steward(s), 
and the Secretariat, no later than four weeks a fter the deadline for joining the WG ; 
d. The steward(s) will develop a written document consolidating the input received, which 
will be circulated to all members of the WG for the opportunity to provide comments no 
later than four weeks after the deadline for  written proposals . 
e. The steward(s) will prepare a revised document based on the input and comments 
received, which will be circulated to all members of the WG no later than two weeks after 
the deadline for comments . 
f. Meeting of the WG on the margins of the SPS Committee meeting, where WG members 
will discuss the revised document.  
g. The steward(s) will report on the work of the WG at the informal SPS Committee  meeting  
to provide the Membership the opportunity to discuss the work of the WG.  
h. The steward(s) will report on the work of the WG and discussion at the informal 
SPS Committee  meeting  at the formal SPS Committee  meeting , as appropriate.  
12. Second round  (period between the next SPS Committee meeting and the second  
SPS Committee  meeting ) and t hird round  (period between the second SPS Committee  meeting  and 
the third SPS Committee  meeting ). 
 
1 Note that timelines and next steps could be revised by the WG as appropriate.  G/SPS/W/328  
 
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  13. The format for the second and third rounds of consultations will remain substantially the same 
as the first round.  
14. In addition to the steps from the first round, input  received during the informal and formal 
SPS Committee meetings at the end of the previous round will be incorporated. As appropriate, the 
steward(s) will identify key themes and concepts, develop questions for consideration by the WG, 
and identify informa tion gaps . 
15. During the third round, the WG will also give consideration to possible future work of the 
Committee on approval procedures . The third round will end with the formal SPS Committee meeting 
determining whether to conclude or extend the WG.  
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