G/SPS/W/330  
 
1 August  2022 
(22-5754) Page: 1/3 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures    
 
 
SANITARY AND PHYTOSANITARY DECLARATION FOR THE  
TWELFTH WTO MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE: RESPONDING  
TO MODERN SPS CHALLENGES (WT/MIN(22)/27)  
PROPOSED PROCESS  FOR THE WORK PROGRAMME  
NOTE BY THE SECRETARIAT1 
1.  The SPS Declaration for MC12, adopted by Ministers in June 2022, instructs the SPS Committee 
to carry out a work programme, open to all Members and Observers. The Committee is to address 
the outcomes of this work programme and report on key findings and action s undertaken as a result 
of this work to the Thirteenth Ministerial Conference  (MC13)  with recommendations, as appropriate.  
2.  The work will be carried out in the SPS Committee. In between meetings of the SPS Committee, 
Members  and Observers  have the possibility to work together in th ematic groups , led by 
(co)stewards,  on specific themes identified in paragraph 8 of the SPS Declaration.  The (co)stewards  
will play the role of neutral facilitators of the work in the thematic groups.  The thematic groups will 
be open to all interested Memb ers and Observers , who will be able to join any of the groups at any 
time.2 These thematic groups will suggest ideas and /or submit proposals for discussion in the 
SPS Committee.  
3.  An initial timeline until November 2022 was circulated for Members' considera tion, recognizing 
that some of the dates may need to be modified in light of other activities and/or resource 
constraints.3 Based on inputs from Members, the Secretariat has prepare d a more complete  
proposed process  for the work programme until MC13 for adoption at the November 2022 meeting 
of the SPS  Committee.  Members and Observers are invited to submit comments on this document 
by 16 September 2022 . The Secretariat will then revise the proposed process for discuss ion at the 
intersessional consultations on 4 October 2022, with a view to its adoption at the Committee meeting 
in November 2022.  
4.  In addition to the proposed process  detailed in this document, Members may wish to consider 
the possibility of complementing t he work in thematic groups by dedicated thematic sessions , 
workshops, webinars  or additional specific discussions on particular  topics . Members are invited to 
submit proposals for such thematic sessions, workshops, webinars etc. for discussion at the 
intersessional consultations on 4 October 2022 , with a view  to agreeing the Committee's schedule 
of such events for 2023 at the Committee meeting in November 2022.  
Twelfth WTO Ministerial Conference , 12-17 June 2022  
• Adoption by consensus of the SPS Declaration:  Responding to Modern Challenges  
Informal and formal meetings of the SPS Committee, 22 -24 June 2022  
• Preliminary d iscussions on the work programme for the SPS Declaration  
 
1 This document has been prepared under the Secretariat's own responsibility and is without prejudice 
to the positions of Members or to their rights and obligations under the WTO.  
2 Meeting times will be communicated to all interested SPS Committee delegate s; work may also take 
place in writing.  
3 See document G/SPS/W/329 . G/SPS/W/330  
 
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  22 July  2022  
• Members indicate their interest in participating in work of thematic groups on specific 
topics identified in the SPS Declaration work programme  
• Members propose colleagues  to act as (co)stewards for thematic  groups  
• Members submit suggestions for the organization or the work programme  until MC13  
Late July 2022  
• Secretariat circulates list of Members and Observers that volunteered to participate in the  
thematic  groups on specific topics identified in the SPS Declaration  work programme , and 
possible (co)stewards , in consultation with the Chairperson  
• Secretariat circulates a draft timeline for the work programme until MC13, based on inputs 
from Members, in consultation with the Chairperson  
September  – October  2022  
• Thematic groups meet virtually to develop a  common understanding regarding the scope 
of their work  
• Friday , 16 September 2022: Members and Observers submit comments on the draft 
timeline for the work programme until MC13  
• Tuesday, 4 October 2022  (14h00 -17h00) (Tentative): Intersessional  SPS Committee 
consultations , (co)stewards to report on work in thematic  groups , consideration o f 
proposals for thematic sessions, workshops, webinars etc. on particular topics  
• Timeline for the work programme  until MC13  finalized  
• 19 October 20224: (Co)stew ards submit written proposals/observations from thematic 
groups on topics identified in the SPS Declaration work programme  
• Secretariat circulates proposals/observations from thematic groups  
Informal and formal meetings of the SPS Committee, 9 -11 November  2022 
• Discussion of the proposals /observations  submitted by thematic  groups  in the informal 
meeting, with reporting to the formal meeting of the Committee  
• Timeline for the work programme  until MC13  adopted by the SPS Committee , possibly 
including thematic se ssions, workshops, webinars etc. on particular topics  
December 2022  – January 2023  
• Thematic groups meet virtually to advance work on the proposals /observations  discussed 
in the November 2022 Committee meeting  
February – March 2023  
• Intersessional SPS Committee consultations , (co)stewards to report on work in 
thematic groups  
• 1 March 20235: (Co)stewards submit written proposals/reports on the work from thematic 
groups  
• Secretariat circulates written proposals/reports from thematic groups  
Informal and formal meetings of the SPS Committee, 22 -24 March 2023  
• Discussion of the proposals/ reports submitted by thematic groups in the informal meeting, 
with reporti ng to the formal meeting of the Committee  
April – May 2023  
• Thematic groups meet virtually to advance work on the proposals/reports discussed in the 
March 202 3 Committee meeting  
• Intersessional SPS Committee consultations , (co)stewards to report on work in 
thematic groups  
• (Co)stewards submit written reports, including key findings  and actions with 
recommendations, as appropriate, that could serve as a basis for the Committee report to 
MC13  
 
4 19 October 2022  is the deadline for submission of documents for the SPS Committee meeting on 
9-11 November 2022.  
5 1 March 2023 is the deadline for submission of documents for the SPS Committee meeting on 
22-24 March 2023.  G/SPS/W/330  
 
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  June  2023  
• 7 June 20236: Secretariat circulates draft report, including key findings  and actions with 
recommendations, as appropriate  
Informal and  formal meetings of the SPS Committee, 28 -30 June 2023  
• Discussion of the draft report, including key findings  and actions with recommen dations, as 
appropriate,  in the informal meeting, with reporting to the formal meeting of the Committee  
July 2023  
• Deadline  after the Committee meetings  for Members and Observers to submit comments on 
the draft report, including key findings  and actions wit h recommendations, as appropriate  
• Secretariat circulates comments from Members and Observers  on the draft report  
September  2023  
• Secretariat circulates  revised report , including key findings  and actions with 
recommendations, as appropriate  
October  2023  
• Intersessional SPS Committee consultations , (co)stewards to report on work in 
thematic groups  
• 25 October 20237: Secretariat circulates revised draft report, including key findings  and 
actions with recommendations, as appropriate, that could serve as a basis for the Committee 
report to MC13  
Informal and formal meetings of the SPS Committee, 15 -17 November 2023  
• Discussion /adoption  of the revised draft report, including key findings  and actions wi th 
recommendations, as appropriate, that could serve as a basis for the Committee report to 
MC13  
Thirteenth WTO Ministerial Conference , 2023 -2024  
• Report ing to MC13  
 
__________  
 
6 7 June 2023 is the deadline for submission of docume nts for the SPS Committee meeting on 
28-30 June 2023.  
7 25 October is the deadline for submission of documents for the SPS Committee meeting on 
15-17 November 2023.