G/SPS/GEN/1818  
 
23 July 2020 
(20-5059) Page: 1/1 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures   
 
REPORT ON THE USE OF  THE SPS E -AGENDA  FOR THE 25 -26 JUNE SPS COMMITTEE 
MEETING  
NOTE BY THE SECRETARIAT1 
1.1.  The SPS Committee held its 77th regular meeting on 25 -26 June 2020. Delegates were able to 
attend in person, as well as via a virtual platform ( JOB/SPS/8/Add.1 ). The regular SPS Committee 
meeting also involved a written procedure, using the new online eAgenda platform  for the first time.2 
Here below are summarized some key numbers of the use of eAgenda in June 2020:  
• 139 users from 51 Members and 1 observer  government  
• 52 agenda points added through eAgenda  
• 17 new and 12 previous STCs raised through eAgenda  
• 21 Me mbers uploaded 91 statements before the Committee meeting  
1.2.  By way of background, the eAgenda project was launched  in 2019, with the  support  of the 
WTO IT Solutions Division , for use by both the SPS and TBT Committees, building  on the existing 
online notifications systems (SPS/TBT NSSs) and Information Management Systems 
(SPS/TBT  IMSs).  In February 2020, nine Members3 took part in the pilot -test phase of the SPS 
eAgenda, in preparation for the March 2020 SPS Committee meetings, subsequently cancelled due 
to the COVID -19 pandemic.4 The Secretariat thanks the participating Members for their comments 
that helped to correct technical issues , and contributed to the continuous improving of the system , 
facilitating its implementation fo r the June meeting.  
1.3.  For the June SPS Committee meeting, Members had the possibility to add points to the agenda, 
raise and support specific trade concerns (STCs), and to upload statements through the SPS eAgenda 
platform, following the procedure outlined i n JOB/SPS/7 . The procedure was adapted from the one 
used by the TBT Committee in its 13 -14 May 2020 written STC procedure ( JOB/TBT/365 ), 
undertaken through the TBT eAgenda. Lessons learnt from the TBT procedure and the ability to 
resolve technical issues in r eal-time contributed to the success of the meeting.  
1.4.  The written procedure consisted of three phases: a first phase for submission of points 
("interventions" in eAgenda terminology) and STCs for inclusion in the agenda; a second phase for 
supporting or wit hdrawing STCs; and a third phase to continue uploading statements, which had 
also already been possible during the first two phases. A total of 139 users requested access to the 
SPS eAgenda  before the end of phase 1 (10 June 2020) . These represented 51 Mem bers (plus five 
EU member States) , one observer government and one international intergovernmental organization  
with observer status. Of these, 41 users requested read -only access while the rest requested full 
drafting rights. The number of users per deleg ation ranged from one to 14, including both capital -and 
Geneva -based officials. After phase  1, sixteen additional users requested access. As of 21 July 2020 , 
the total number of users is 155, representing 57 Members (plus five EU member States), one 
observ er government and one international intergovernmental organization with observer status.  
 
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 Members can access the eAgenda platform from: https://eagenda.wto.org/members/ .  
3 The following Members participated in the pilot -test phase: Canada, Colombia, Indonesia, Paraguay, 
Senegal, South Africa, Chinese Taipei, Ukraine and the United States.  
4 See document JOB/SPS/5/Rev.1/Corr.1 . G/SPS/GEN/1818  
 
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  1.5.  In order to set up a single sign -in system across all WTO accounts, users with a 
DocsOnLine/DORA account were invited to use the same credentials to access the eAgenda  
platforms. Twenty -four users  already had access to the TBT eAgenda and could log on using the 
same credentials.  
1.6.  A user guide , available in the three WTO working languages from the eA genda platform, was 
specifically developed  for the June 2020 SPS Committee meeting to help Members get started using 
the platform.  Besides, the Secretariat provided virtual training upon request to familiarize 
delegations with the use of the platform.5 
1.7.  A total of 52 interventions were added to eAgenda prior to the meeting, including 17 new and 
12 previous STCs raised by 20 Members and supported by 23 Members through eAgenda.  In 
addition, one STC that had been included in the agenda was withdrawn before the Committee 
meeting . Overall, 21 Members uploaded their statements on STCs using eAgenda.  
1.8.  Apart from STCs, other points were added to eAgenda under the following agenda items: 
Information sharing (10); Pest and disease -free areas (regionalization) ( 4); Monitoring of the use of 
international standards (1 new issue and 2 previously raised); Cross -cutting issues (4); and 
Technical assistance (2).  
1.9.  In addition, at the beginning of the meeting, several Members requested the inclusion of  new 
interventions under Information sharing, Pest and disease -free areas (regionalization) and 
Cross -cutting issues, which were subsequently added to the eAgenda by the Secretariat, to ensure 
that the platform represented a complete repository of informat ion. 
1.10.  In the drafting of the summary report, the Secretariat relied on statements submitted by 
Members, mainly through the eAgenda, but also by email. Statements provided by email were 
subsequently added to the eAgenda. For the time being, for items other than S TCs, all Members' 
interventions are displayed at the same level, without differentiating between the Members raising 
the interventions and the Members making statements on the raised interventions.  
1.11.  Regarding the procedure, JOB/SPS/7  set deadlin es for uploading statements for Members 
raising and supporting concerns (3 July 2020) and for Members maintaining measures subject to an 
STC and all other items (10 July 2020). However, given that the eAgenda could not technically 
differentiate the two dea dlines, some statements from Members raising and supporting STCs were 
uploaded after the 3 July deadline. Given the circumstances, these statements have been taken into 
account in the summary report, with a footnote indicating that they were submitted afte r the 
deadline.  
1.12.  In terms of next steps, the SPS Committee will hold an informal consultation on 
16 September  2020 (date to be confirmed) where Members will have the opportunity to provide 
further feedback on the use of the eAgenda, and on the overall proce dures used for the June 
meeting. In the meantime, the eAgenda platform will be updated, when technically possible, taking 
into account the feedback provided by Members during: (i) the pilot -test phase; (ii) the June 2020 
Committee meeting; and (iii) the Ma y 2020 TBT Committee meeting held by written procedure.6 In 
particular, the inclusion of the following new features will be considered: (i) replicating the structure 
available for the STCs to all other agenda items to allow differentiation between Members raising an 
intervention and those taking the floor under the corresponding item (see paragraph 1.10 above);  
and (ii) downloading of statements; among others.  
 
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5 Training requests and/or further information on the eAgen da can be addressed to 
spscommittee@wto.org .  
6 The TBT Committee held an informal meeting on 12 June 2020 to receive feedback on the use of the 
TBT eAgenda at the TBT Committee meeting held by written procedure in May 2020. Feedback received is 
summarized in document JOB/TBT/367 .