G/SPS/GEN/1965  
 
15 October  2021 
(21-7843) Page: 1/4 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
ACTIONS AIMED AT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE WTO AGREEMENT  
ON SANITARY AND PHYTOSANITARY MEASURES  
INFORMATION SUBMITTED BY THE INTER -AMERICAN INSTITUTE  
FOR COOPERATION ON AGRICULTURE (IICA)  
The following communication, received on 14 October 2021, is being circulated at the request of  
IICA. 
 
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The observer organizations of the WTO Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures 
(SPS Committee) are invited to submit reports on  the activities they have carried out to promote 
the understanding and implementation of the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and 
Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Agreement). IICA would like to present some of the actions and 
activities that it consider s relevant to the work of this Committee.  
1  SUPPORT FOR MULTILATERAL FOR A ASSOCIATED WITH SANITARY AND 
PHYTOSANITARY MEASURES  
1.1  Codex Alimentarius Colloqui a 
1.1.  The support that IICA provides to countries of the Codex Coordinating Committee for 
Latin America and the Caribbean (CCLAC) in the area of communication and coordination includes, 
prior to each Codex meeting, the provision of a virtual communication platform to enable 
coordination between the countries. In collaboration with the United States D epartment of 
Agriculture (USDA), and the African Union 's Inter -African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU -IBAR), 
IICA hosted the following Interregional Virtual Colloquium for Countries of the Coordinating 
Committee for Africa (CCAFRICA), the CCLAC and the Un ited States  Codex Office (USCO) : 
− August 2021 – 52th Session of the Codex Committee on Food Additives (CCFA52);  
− September 2021 – 35th Session of the Codex Committee on Fish and Fishery Products 
(CCFFP35);  
− September 2021 – 46th Session of the Codex Committee  on Food Labelling  (CCFL46);  
− September 2021 – 8th Ad hoc Codex Intergovernmental Task Force on Antimicrobial 
Resistance (TFAMR8);  
− October 2021: 7th Session of the Codex Committee on Fats and Oils (CCFO) (CCLAC and 
US Codex) ; 
− October 2021: 44th Meeting of the Codex Alimentarius Com mission (CAC 44) . 
1.2.  These events provided an opportunity for delegates from these two regions and the 
United  States  to analy ze issues of common interest and develop regional participation strategies 
prior to those Codex Committee meetings.  
1.2  Regional Workshop of the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) for Latin 
America in 2021  
1.3.  A regional IPPC workshop for Latin America  was held by virtual means on 1, 2, 3, 6 and 
7 September 2021 under the theme "Legacy of the I nternational Year of Plant Health ". 
154 representatives of 20 National Plant Protection Organizations (NPPOs) from Latin America G/SPS/GEN/1965  
 
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  participated. In addition, 26 observers participated, most of them from Regional PPOs, international 
institutions that acted as  co-organizers, including IICA, and speakers. The Contracting Parties ( CPs) 
examined the draft standards that are in the 1st and 2nd consultation period (ISPMs 4, 5, 20, 18  - 
audits in the phytosanitary context ; ISPMs 5, 12 and product -based standards for phytosanitary 
measures). Additionally, they shared information on issues inherent to the Commission on 
Phytosanitary Measures, processes related to strategic issues and the generation and 
implementation of standards, as well as other topics of interest, in cluding issues proposed by the 
CPs as of regional interest (ePhyto, Phytosanitary Intelligenc e and Fusarium  - Foc R4T).  
2  INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS AND REGULATIONS IN REGARD TO SPS MEASURES  
2.1  Strategy Session on OIE Guidelines  
2.1.  Aiming at improving coordination an d promoting the development of harmonized comments on 
the OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code chapters, IICA hosted on -line, in July 2021, the eightieth 
edition of its Strategy Session organized in partnership and sponsored by the USDA. The ninetieth 
editio n of the Strategy Session is programmed for December 2021.  
2.2  Project - Harmonization of Pesticide Registration Procedures and Maximum Residue 
Limits for the Central and Andean Regions  
2.2.  Following up on the information provided in July 2021 ( G/SPS/GEN/1928 ), IICA and the USDA 
are taking specific actions to support the alignment of national pesticide registration systems and to 
harmonize ma ximum residue levels (MRLs) with the objective of facilitating trade in Central America 
and the Andean Regions.  
2.3.  The project is currently being implemented in the Central America Region (Costa Rica, 
the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala , Honduras , Nicaragua  and Panama ), and has 
initiated training actions for the Andean Region ( Bolivia, Colombia , Ecuador  and Peru). The following 
actions should be highlighted:  
− 10 training events on MRL issues  for Central and Andean Regions;  
− A training workshop on biop esticide concepts  for Central and Andean Regions;  
− A technical exchange workshop with representatives of the biopesticides private sector of 
Central and Andean Regions;  
− Established baseline in biopesticides for the Central America n Region;  
− Revision of Centr al American Technical Regulations on botanicals and microbiology 
(ongoing);  
− Harmonization o f the definition and classification of bio -pesticides in the Central Region 
(ongoing);  
− Revision of the draft Central American technical regulation on the registration of chemical 
pesticides for agricultural use (ongoing).  
2.3  11th European Development Fund (EDF) – SPS Project  
2.4.  The actions of the SPS project seek to strengthen AHFS Systems in the CARIFORUM Region. 
During the past year, actions were undertaken to strengthen the SPS regulatory environment and 
build the capacity of public and private sector in SPS compliance requirements.  
2.5.  In relation to the strengthening of the regional and national policy framework, a situational 
analysis was conducted which provide d an overview of the current status of AHFS services across 
CARIFORUM countries. Based on the information gathered, a Regional SPS Policy and Action Plan 
and a National SPS Policy Framework have been drafted. A Regional Validation Workshop is to be 
hosted in October. This activity is being implemented in collaboration with the Caribbean Agricultural 
Health and Food Safety Agency (CAHFSA).  
2.6.  Through a rigorous assessment process, three countries were selected to receive support to 
upgrade their national legisl ation in the areas of plant health, animal health and food safety. 
The countries selected include Belize, Guyana and St Lucia. It is hoped that these upgrades will allow 
countries to meet market requirements that are important for regional and internationa l trade.  G/SPS/GEN/1965  
 
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  2.7.   On SPS compliance through capacity building, an on -going activity seeks to strengthen the 
technical competence of public and private sector professionals in the areas of GAP Auditing. 
Currently , an e-course is being developed in the principles an d practice of GAP Auditing target ed at 
main extension and field officers, producers. This course will be launched during the first quarter of 
2022 and will be delivered through IICA 's e-learning platform.  
2.8.   On strengthening capacities in the fisheries secto r, training is being conducted in relation to 
improving compliance with sanitary regulations through the implementation of associated Caribbean 
Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM ) Guidelines in two fishery operations. The operators were 
selected through an  application and evaluation process open to all CAR IFORUM sector operators 
during the first quarter of 2021. A series of train -the-trainer and general worker training activities 
have been conducted , as well as technical guidance provided. In relation to im proving the laboratory 
testing capacity of the fisheries sector, two laboratories are currently being selected for upgrades in 
the areas of residue and environmental monitoring. These laboratories will receive training, technical 
guidance and equipment.  
2.4   Greater Caribbean Safeguarding Initiative (GCSI)  
2.9.  Emergency response plans (ERPs) have been developed for the priority pests of the Caribbean 
and the United States including citrus canker and citrus leprosis. ERPs provide basic information on 
the biology, ec ology, surveillance and management of the pest. It also provides an outline of the 
administrative responses to prevent the entry, spread and establishment of the pest. 
Specific  sections include: summary of relevant pest biology ; guide for the identificatio n of the pest 
in the field ; preliminary methods for surveillance and monitoring of the pest ; an outline of possible 
eradication and control measures ; and management actions that should be undertaken in the event 
of an incursion.  
2.10.  It is expected that the publications will contribute to: (i) preventing or delaying the entry of 
the pests into the Caribbean ; (ii) protecting crop production from losses due to these pests ; 
(iii) training technicians, producers and other key stakeholders in the prevention of the  entry, spread 
and establishment of the pest , as well  as management of the pest once it has become established ; 
and (iv) reducing the potential impact of the pests.  
3  OTHER ACTIVITIES  
3.1  Online Training on Transboundary Animal Diseases with emphasis on African swine 
fever for Central America and the Andean countries  
3.1.  IICA, in collaboration with the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS ) and 
the Center for Food Security and Public Health (CFSPH) at Iowa State University (ISU), is currently 
hosting  an online self -paced course for M exico, Central America and Caribbean countries. 
The training is aimed at increasing the competencies of veterinarians and other animal health 
professionals to identify, prevent, respond, control and eradicate African swine fever. 
3.2.  In Mexico and Central America , the course had 150 and 174 approved participants , 
respectively . For the Caribbean countries, this course started on 6 September and ends on 
11 November 202 1; 99 professionals have registered for the course. This is th e second edition of 
the course; the first was offered by the partners in August 2020 and was successfully completed by 
over 60 participants.  
3.2  Support for the Implementation of the US Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA)  
3.3.  IICA, in conjunction with the FDA Reg ional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean, 
continues to strengthen the capacities of professionals in the Hemisphere in the FSMA regulations 
on the safety of fresh agricultural products. The project Food Safety Modernization Act: Building 
Competence s in Latin America and the Caribbean  finished last August. Under this 3 -year project, 
262 professionals were trained as Trainers and Lead Trainers on the Produce Safety Rule and more 
than 123 grower training workshops were held with the attendance of more than 5 ,800 participants. 
In addition, 80 Lead Instructors on the Preventive Controls for Human Food were formed, and more 
than 1 ,200 were trained as Preventive Controls Qualified Individuals.  G/SPS/GEN/1965  
 
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  3.3  Virtual Courses and Manuals/Guides  
3.4.  The guide for the interpretat ion of the use of dairy terms was l aunched in the second semester 
of 2021  and is a vailable at: https://repositorio.iica.int/handle/11324/17488 . 
3.5.  The Manual of Good Practices in the Dairy Sector to Prevent the Negative Impacts of COVID -
19 (which includes infographic material  and 17 posters) is a vailable at: 
https://repositorio.iica.int/handle/11324/17765 . 
3.6.  The v irtual course on Anti -COVID -19 Prevention Measures in the Agriculture Sector  is available 
at: https://elearning.iica.int/course/view.php?id=430 . 
3.7.  The v irtual course on Prevention Measure s for the Agricultural Sector in the face of the COVID -
19 Pandemic (second edition)  is available at: https://elearning.iica.int/course/view.php?id=429 . 
3.8.  The virtual course on Good Agricultura l Practices for a Resilient Agriculture  is available at: 
https://elearning.iica.int/course/view.php?id=364 . 
3.9.  The virtual course on Buenas Prácticas Agrícolas para una Agricultura Resiliente  is available at: 
https://elearning.iica.int/course/view.php?id=354 . 
3.4  African Swine Fever  
3.10.  In the framework of the Global Framework for the progressive control of transboundary animal  
diseases (GF -TADs) group, IICA is leading the inter -agency  effort  responsible for the implementation 
of a web -based and in -person capacity building initiative for the hemisphere. In this regard, an 
interdisciplinary group comprised of international agenci es, regional bodies and delegates of 
veterinary services  has been formed to identify the main priorities , and start working on the 
development of the plan. The  use of tools such as Incident Command System ( ICS) and the virtual 
training with Iowa State (developed under previous agreements with APHIS) will be part of this 
effort with the objective of strengthening the technical capabilities of the veterinary services.  
For further information, please contact Ana Marisa Cordero ( ana.cordero@iica.int ). 
Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA)  
Agricultural Health and Food Safety  
http://www.iica.int  
 
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