G/SPS/GEN/1758/Rev.4  
 
2 November  2020 
(20-7712) Page: 1/3 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
 
SANITARY AND PHYTOSANITARY DECLARATION  FOR THE  
TWELFTH WTO MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE  
SUBMISSION BY  ARGENTINA, AUSTRALIA, BELIZE, BRAZIL,  
BURKINA FASO,  CANADA,  CHILE, COLO MBIA,  COSTA RICA,  
CÔTE D 'IVOIRE, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC,  ECUADOR,   
GUATEMALA, PARAGUAY, PERU,  SENEGAL,  
SINGAPORE,  THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ,  
URUGUAY  AND VIET NAM 
Revision  
The following communication, received on 30 October  2020, is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation s of Argentina , Australia , Belize, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Canada,  Chile, Colombia,  
Costa  Rica, Côte d'Ivoire , Dominican  Republic,  Ecuador,  Guatemala, Paraguay, Peru,  Senegal, 
Singapore , the United States of America , Uruguay  and Viet Nam.1 
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1.  The twelfth WTO Ministerial Conference coincides with the 25th anniversary of the Agreement on 
the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Agreement ) — an opportune point to 
reflect on the successes achieved since its adoption, and to recognize the challenges ahead resulting 
from emerging pressures that may significantly impact  international trade in food, animals and 
plants.  
2.  We wish to take this opport unity to underline that the SPS Agreement and its provisions are as 
relevant and applicable today  as they were in 1995, and they continue to safeguard the right for 
Members to take measures necessary for the protection of human, animal or plant life or hea lth. 
3.  In addition to this, the proper  implementation of the SPS Agreement by Members supports rural 
livelihoods, facilitates trade, and supports sustainable agricultural growth. Of particular note to these 
outcomes are the contributions of the SPS Agreement 's provisions requiring Members to be 
transparent in taking SPS measures; and that these measures be based on scientific principles, 
applied only to the extent necessary  to protect human, animal or plant life or health , and not be 
maintained without suffic ient scientific evidence, including through an assessment of risk.  
4.  We recognize that the WTO Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Committee) 
has been instrumental in advancing the implementation of the SPS Agreement, particularly as it 
relates to improving the transparency of SPS measures through increased notification among 
Members. Looking to the future, the SPS Committee will continue to undertake valuable work, and 
Members remain committed to the continued enhancement of the implementat ion of the 
SPS Agreement.  
5.  We reaffirm  the rights and obligations of Members established by the SPS Agreement and call 
for Members ' strengthened  adherence to the SPS Agreement to support international trade while 
ensuring the protection of human, animal and  plant life or health.  
 
1 Please note that the original version of this document was circulated on 28 February  2020.  G/SPS/GEN/1758/Rev.4  
 
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  6.  The Membership acknowledges  that the global agricultural landscape  has evolved since the 
adoption of the SPS Agreement in 1995 . This evolution  has brought about a variety of new 
opportunities and emerging pressures for the international trade in food, animals and plants , 
including but  not limited to:  
- expanding global population s, as well as  increased movement of agricultural products to 
addres s changing population structures and distribution s;  
- increased pace of innovation in tools and technologies;  
- changing climatic conditions and associated stresses on food production;  
- growing importance of sustainable agricultural practices;  
- shifting pressures due to the spread of pests, disease s, disease -carrying organisms, 
or disease -causing organisms; and  
- continued application of SPS measures that would constitute a disguised restriction on 
international trade.  
7.  To that end, the Ministerial Conference decides that the SPS Committee will further enhance the 
implementation of the SPS Agreement in an effort t o better manage issues related to international 
trade in food, animals and plants by undertaking a work programme, open to all Members and 
Observers, consisting of new efforts  to identify: (1) common challenges in the implementation of 
the SPS Agreement an d the mechanisms available to address them; and (2) the impacts of emerging 
pressures on the application of the SPS  Agreement.  
8.  Through the work programme, the Ministerial Conference envisions that the SPS Committee 
should explore the following themes, incl uding but not limited to:  
- How to facilitate sustainable intensification of agricultural production  and international trade , 
including by promoting the adoption and use of safe, innovative plant -protection products and 
veterinary medicines , and by encoura ging the use of international standards, guidelines, and 
recommendations developed by the Codex Alimentarius Commission, the World Organisation 
for Animal Health and the International Plant Protection Convention as the basis of harmonized 
SPS measures , including on maximum residue limits for veterinary drugs and pesticides, to 
protect human, animal or plant life or health . 
- How to support basing SPS measures on scientific evidence and principles including where 
international standards, guidelines, or recom mendations do not exist or are not appropriate; 
and how to promote the use by Members of principles employed by the international standard 
setting bodies  for considering scientific  uncertainty in risk analysis.  
- How to support food security and facilitate greater access to and safe use of innovative tools 
and technologies (for example, plant breeding innovations to manage emerging  pest pressures 
such as fall armyworm while supporting integrated pest management strategies) , including 
through risk-based control, inspection, and approval procedures.  
- How to enhance the safe international trade in food, animal s and plants and products thereof  
through the adaptation of SPS measures to regional conditions, including pest -or disease -free 
areas and areas of low pest or disease prevalence which can strengthen Members ' ability to 
protect plant and animal life or health through efforts to limit the spread of pests such as the 
Mediterranean fruit fly , diseases such as African swine fever, disease -carrying  organisms, or 
disease causing organisms.  
- How to encourage cooperation  with observer  organizations that support the work of the 
SPS Committee and the international standard setting bodies  through technical exchanges 
and assistance  in the context of this work programme . 
- How to increase participation of and support for the special needs of least developed country 
Members in the development and application of SPS measures, respectively; and  in particular, 
to increase awareness of and sensitivity to the impacts of SPS measures on the export 
possibilities of such Members.  
- Other topics as identified over the course of the work programme  or as a result of emerging 
sanitary or phytosanitary pre ssures or risks worldwide . 
9.  This work programme does not launch the negotiation of new obligations, nor re -open or amend 
the SPS  Agreement . G/SPS/GEN/1758/Rev.4  
 
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  10.  The SPS Committee will address the outcomes of this work programme and report on key 
findings and actions undertaken as a result of this work to the thirteenth Ministerial Conference with 
recommendations, as appropriate.  
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