G/SPS/GEN/1798  
 
30 June 2020 
(20-4530) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
COVID -19 TESTING ON IMPORTED FOOD AND AG RICULTURAL PRODUCTS AND “LETTER 
OF COMMITMENT” ATTES TATIONS  
SUBMISSION  BY THE UNITED STATES  
The following document , received on 30 June 2020, is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of the United Sta tes. 
 
_______________  
 
 
1.1.  We appreciate the contributions of the Secretariat, the representatives of the International 
Standard Setting Bodies, the WHO and other Members in this tim ely and important session on the 
SPS-related aspects of COVID -19.  
1.2.  The United States reiterates its commitment to protecting public health and to complying with 
its obligations under the SPS Agreement. The global nature of this public health crisis makes 
compliance with WTO o bligations critically important  to ensure that our workers and consumers are 
protected without unduly restricting trade flows. To that end, U.S. regulatory agencies are working 
with their foreign counterparts  to share scientific evidence about the virus and information about 
the approac hes they are taking to protect consumers and maintain trade. We look forward to 
continuing our collaboration with our partners as we together address global public health and trade 
concerns.  
1.3.  We would like to underscore the FAO/WHO issued document entitled,  COVID -19 and Food 
Safety: Guidance for Food Businesses ,1 which outlines the relation of COVID -19 to food safety : "It is 
highly unlikely that people can contract COVID -19 from food or food packaging. COVID -19 is a 
respiratory illness and the primary transm ission route is through person -to-person contact and 
through direct contact with respiratory droplets generated when an infected person coughs or 
sneezes. There is no evidence to date of viruses that cause respiratory illnesses being transmitted 
via food o r food packaging. Coronaviruses cannot multiply in food; they need an animal or human 
host to multiply. " 
1.4.  Chair, despite the clarity of this Guidance, the United States is receiving increasing reports of 
COVID -19 product testing across a variety of food and  agricultural commodities, including meat, 
seafood, fresh fruit, and bulk grains. In some cases, U.S. exporters report that importing country is 
testing 100 percent of shipments, despite the absence of any identified risk.  
1.5.  We appreciate that the intended focus of this COVID -19 session is not specific trade concerns. 
However, we feel we must convey that reports of food safety measures ostensibly related to 
COVID -19 have escalated sharply over the past week due to the recent actions taken by one 
Member. Furt her, these actions have created escalating confusion and consternation across food 
supply chains.  
1.6.  The United States is deeply concerned about this Member 's recent actions to restrict imports 
of food and agricultural products, allegedly to prevent transmiss ion of COVID -19 and the adverse 
impact it may have on trade and food security.  G/SPS/GEN/1798  
 
- 2 - 
 
  1.7.  Chair, several  foreign em bassies including ours, recently received a form letter from this 
Member 's capital that referenced the FAO/WHO  Guidance document, COVID -19 and Food Safety: 
Guidance for Food Businesses1.  
1.8.  The form letter to the embassies requested that : 1) government regulated establishments that 
export  food and agricultural products a dopt food -safety managem ent systems consistent with the 
FAO/WHO  Guidance ; and 2) the competent authorities should suspend exports from facilities that 
"identify C OVID -19 cases or suspected cases " and notify the importing government  of the status of 
COVID -19 infections in facility workers.  
1.9.  Such a request of foreign regulators to  restrict food and agricultural exports is not appropriate  
nor scientifically justified . The FAO/WHO Guidance focuses on keeping these workers safe, and also 
states clearly that there "is no evidence to date of viruses that cause respiratory illnesses bein g 
transmitted via food or food packaging ." 
1.10.   This Member also advised its importers to request that their foreign suppliers of agricultural 
products sign "Letters of Commitment " attesting that  the importer of the products will:  
• abide by the import country 's laws and regulations;  
• abide by the WHO " COVID -19 and Food Safety: Guidance for Food Businesses " to ensure 
that food products are "not contaminated by COVID -19 and to ensure food safety "; and  
• if a food exporting enterprises discovers new cases of COVID -19, "take all necessary 
measures to eliminate food safety risks and protect consumers' health ." 
1.11.   Chair, we are also unaware any notification to the public, to the trading community or to other 
governm ents of measures to implement  COVID -19 testing requirements for imported foods. Nor are 
we aware of any public notification of similar testing requirements applied for domestically produced 
foods.  
1.12.   We ask that all Members base their actions to protect publ ic health and safety amid the 
COVID -19 pandemic on scientific principles and evidence of risk, and to avoid unnecessary barriers 
to food trade that is vital to global food security in this crisis.  
__________  
 
1 https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/covid -19-and-food-safety -guidance -for-food-businesses