G/SPS/W/355  
 
18 March  2024 
(24-2365) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
 
SIXTH  REVIEW OF THE OPERATION AND IMPLE MENTATION OF THE AGREEMENT  
ON THE APPLICATION OF SANITARY AND PHYTOSANITARY MEASURES  
MONITORING THE USE OF INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS:   
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CCFICS GUIDELINE ON THE USE OF VOLUNTARY  
THIRD -PARTY ASSURANCE PROGRAMMES (CXG 93 -2021)  
PROPOSAL FROM BELIZE  
The following proposal , received on  16 March  2024, is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of Belize . 
 
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1  BACKGROUND  
1.1.  In 2020, the Standards and Trade Development Facility approved two pilot projects: one in 
East Africa ( STDF/PG/665 ) and another in Central America ( STDF/PG/682 ). Belize and Honduras are 
both beneficiaries of the pilot project approved by the Standa rds and Trade Development Facility: 
STDF/PG/682: "Piloting the use of Third -Party Assurance (TPA) Programme in Central America 
(Belize and Honduras) to improve food safety outcomes for public health and trade ". 
1.2.  In summary, the pilot contains three main are as: 
1. A regulatory component : focusing on the competent authorities (increasing knowledge 
on vTPAs; looking at the legislative framework; capacity building efforts and possible 
public/private partnership opportunities that would facilitate strategic changes to strengthen 
the food control management system based on Codex principles and guidelines);  
2. Food Business Operators  (FBO) : engaging the FBOs to improve food safety compliance 
in the selected value chains. This component is expected to foster growth and promotion of 
the selected value chains and open new opportunities which will also benefit consumers; and  
3. Dissemination and Learning component : which will enable the beneficiary countries to 
receive mentoring from other stakeholders and especially food safe ty regulators who have 
used vTPA as part of their risk management strategies in their national food control system. 
It will also allow for the beneficiary countries to share experiences, challenges and lessons 
learnt regionally and globally.  
2  INTRODUCTION  
2.1.  The pilot project in Central America experienced some delays in implementation as a result of 
the COVID -19 pandemic. It is now coming to a close and should be completed before the end of 
2024.  
2.2.  In line with the project objectives to disseminate and share lea rning experiences and best 
practices , both Belize and Honduras believe that one of the most effective means of doing so would 
be through a thematic session or workshop held at the margins of the SPS Committee meeting . 
2.3.  Both countries have benefited tremendo usly from experiences and best practices shared by 
other WTO Members inclusive of information shared by a few of the certification programme owners. G/SPS/W/355  
 
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  In addition, the capacity building initiatives in the area of risk -based inspection and use of tools for 
the evaluation of third -party assurance programmes have been extremely useful to both countries.  
2.4.  Holding a thematic session on Members ' experience in the implementation of a guideline 
produced by one of the three sisters, we believe, would help to highlight several important elements:  
1. The voluntary nature of standards, guidelines and recommendations produced by the 
international standard setting bodies;  
2. the importance of ensuring that these standards, guidelines and recommendations are 
risk-based;  
3. the effectiveness of capacity building initiatives in enhancing developing countries ' ability to 
comply with international standards, guidelines and recommendations;  
4. the role of public/private partnerships; and  
5. the significant contributions that organizations such as the STDF and UNIDO play in capacity 
building initiatives.  
3  PROPOSAL  
3.1.  Belize would like to propose that a thematic session be held on the Implementation of the 
Codex Guideline: Principles and Guidelines for the Assessment and Use of Voluntary Third -Party 
Assurance Programmes (CXG 93 -2021), which was adopted in 2021.  
3.2.  The thematic session will:  
− Explore t he different approaches used by Members in the implementation of the Codex 
Guideline;  
− Provide an opportunity for Members to share experiences and best pr actices;  
− Explore the variety of tools available to Members to assist in the evaluation of third -party 
assurance programmes;  
− Receive updates on pilot projects on Data Sharing; and  
− Identify capacity building opportunities to assist developing countries in enhancing their 
risk-based inspection and auditing frameworks.  
3.3.  The thematic session will also provide the beneficiary countries of the STDF Pilot projects to 
report on their experience in establishing a roadmap for the implementation of the gu ideline at the 
national level.  
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