G/SPS/GEN/1382
2 February 2015
(15-0700)  Page: 1/10
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures   
 
QUESTIONNAIRE ON TRANSPARENCY 
UNDER THE SPS AGREEMENT 
1.1.  In the context of the Fourth Review of the Operation and Implementation of the 
SPS Agreement, Chile, the European Union, Moro cco and Norway submitted a joint proposal for 
actions related to the implementation of the transparency provisions of the SPS Agreement 
(G/SPS/W/278 [ http://goo.gl/SHRGis ]). The joint proposal highlights specific modifications to the 
Recommended Transparency Procedures (G/SPS/7/Rev.3 [ http://goo.gl/1qfO1o ]) aiming primarily 
at improving the quality and completeness of SPS notifications. Several Members expressed their 
concerns about changing the notification format s and the Recommended Transparency Procedures 
without first undertaking a diagnosis of Members' needs and difficulties. 
1.2.  Consequently, at its meeting in October 2014, the SPS Committee agreed that the 
Secretariat develop a questionnaire on transparency . Such questionnaire could also help identify 
problems encountered by Members that could be addressed within an on-going project aiming at 
improving and modernizing the SPS IMS and NSS applications. Members were invited to suggest 
questions for inclusion in the questionnaire, an d the Secretariat took these suggestions into 
account in preparing the present questionnaire. 
1.3.  Members are invited to fill in the questionnaire online  [http://goo.gl/BWrcCe ]. 
Completing this survey will take approximat ely 10-15 minutes. Should any respondent have 
difficulty accessing the questionnaire via Wu foo, they should contact the Secretariat 
(spscommittee@wto.org ). The deadline for completing the questionnaire is 20 February 2015 . G/SPS/GEN/1382 
 
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  QUESTIONNAIRE 
1  CONTACT DETAILS 
1.1.  Who is filling in this questionnaire? 
 SPS National Notification Authority (NNA) 
 SPS National Enquiry Point (NEP) 
 Other 
 
Your contact details: 
Name: 
Function/Title: 
Agency/Ministry: Country: E-mail: 
 1.2.  Please check that the contact information of your SPS National Notification 
Authority (NNA) and your SPS National Enqu iry Point (NEP) available in the SPS IMS 
(http://spsims.wto.org/ ) is correct. Please provide any corrections if needed: 
NNA 
Name/Office: 
 Address: 
 
E-mail: Phone: 
Fax: 
Website: NEP 
Name/Office: 
 Address: 
 
E-mail: Phone: 
Fax: 
Website: 
 
2  FILLING-IN AND SUBMITTING NOTIFICATIONS 
2.1.  What are the main difficulties you encounter when filling in a notification? [Check all 
that apply] 
 Choosing the appropriate type of notification  (regular, emergency, addendum, revision, 
corrigendum) 
 Identifying relevant International Standards 
 Identifying whether the notified SPS regulation conforms to an International Standard G/SPS/GEN/1382 
 
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   Identifying whether the notified SPS regulation is trade facilitating 
 Identifying relevant HS codes 
 Other: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 
 
2.2.  Do you notify online through the SPS Notification Submission System (SPS NSS)? 
 Yes 
 No 
 
2.3.  If not, why? [Check all that apply] 
 We were not aware of this possibility 
 We do not have a reliable internet connection 
 Our internal regulatory procedures do not allow us to notify online 
 Other: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 
 
2.4.  What are your specific suggestions wi th regard to modernizing/improving the SPS 
Notification Submission System (SPS NSS)? 
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 
 
SUPPORT TOOLS 
2.5.  What are the support tools you use to fill in a notification? [Check all that apply] 
 None 
 Procedural Step-by-step Manual for SPS NNA & NEP (Procedural Manual 
[http://www.wto.org/english/res_e/bo oksp_e/sps_proced ure_manual_e.pdf ]) 
 Recommended procedures for implementing the transparency obligations of the SPS 
Agreement ("Recommended Transparency Procedures", G/SPS/7/Rev.3 [http://goo.gl/1qfO1o ]) 
 I do not fill in notifications 
 Other: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 
 
COMMENT PERIODS 
2.6.  According to paragraph 5(d) of Annex B of the SPS Agreement, Members are to 
allow a reasonable period of time  for submission, discussion and consideration of 
comments on a notified regulation. The Recommended Notification Procedures 
(G/SPS/7/Rev.3 [ http://goo.gl/1qfO1o ]) further define the reasonable period of 
time as "at least 60 calendar days". When you are not able to provide a 60-day 
comment period, this is mostly because: [Check all that apply]  
 Administrative delays in processing and submitting notifications reduce the time available 
for comments 
 Our national regulatory procedures foresee a different time-frame for the comment period G/SPS/GEN/1382 
 
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   Other: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 
 
2.7.  The Committee recommends that a noti fying Member should grant requests for 
extension of a comment period via an addend um to the original notification. When you 
grant such an extension of the comment pe riod, is this granted to all Members? 
 Yes, to all Members 
 Only to developing country Members 
 Only to those specifically requesting the extension 
 Other: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 
 
3  QUALITY OF NOTIFICATIONS 
3.1.  Are you, in general, satisfied with  the quality and completeness of information 
provided by Members in their SPS notifications? 
 Very satisfied 
 Rather satisfied 
 Neither satisfied, nor dissatisfied 
 Rather dissatisfied 
 Not satisfied at all 
 
3.2.  What problems do you encounter, if any? [Check all that apply]  
 The relevant international standard is not identified 
 An irrelevant international standard is identified 
 No link to the text of the notified measure is provided  
 Regulations that negatively affect trade are categorised as trade facilitating and no 
comment period is provided 
 The text in the "title of the notified docume nt" and the "description of content" boxes of 
the notification is the same 
 Other: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 
 
TIMING OF NOTIFICATIONS 
3.3.  In light of the recommendation in  the Recommended Transparency Procedures 
(G/SPS/7/Rev.3 [ http://goo.gl/1qfO1o ]) to provide 60 days for comments on a notified 
regulation, are you in general satisfied wi th the comment period granted by other 
Members for REGULAR notifications? 
 Very satisfied 
 Rather satisfied 
 Neither satisfied, nor dissatisfied 
 Rather dissatisfied 
 Not satisfied at all G/SPS/GEN/1382 
 
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3.4.  Annex B of the SPS Agreement requir es immediate notification of emergency 
regulations. Are you, in general, sati sfied with the timeliness of EMERGENCY 
notifications? 
 Very satisfied 
 Rather satisfied 
 Neither satisfied, nor dissatisfied 
 Rather dissatisfied 
 Not satisfied at all 
 
KEYWORDS  
3.5.  The WTO Secretariat assigns keywords to notifications. These keywords can be 
used to conduct searches in the SPS IMS. Are you satisfied with the list of keywords? 
[Check all that apply]  
 Yes 
 Some keywords are missing 
 Some keywords are unclear/confusing 
 Some keywords are obsolete 
 We didn't know about the keywords 
 Other: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 
 
4  RECEIVING NOTIFICA TIONS AND FOLLOW-UP 
4.1.  How do you receive/search for other Members' WTO SPS notifications? [Check all 
that apply]  
 We receive them through the Secretariat's mailing list 
 We regularly search the SPS IMS  for new notifications 
 We search the SPS IMS when needed 
 We regularly search the WTO Documents Online  application for new notifications 
 We search the WTO Documents Online  application when needed 
 We search the I-TIP portal 
 We do not receive/search for notifications  
 Other: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 
 
4.2.  Do you identify relevant SPS notifications and bring them to the attention of 
interested national stakeholders? 
 Yes, systematically 
 Yes, sometimes 
 Rarely 
 Never 
 G/SPS/GEN/1382 
 
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  If yes, how do you bring SPS notifications to the attention of the interested 
stakeholders?  [Check all that apply]  
 Through emails 
 Through an alert mechanism 
 Through a newsletter 
 Through a website 
 We circulate summary tables that we create through the SPS IMS 
 Other: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 
 
4.3.  What are the most important difficulties  you are encountering in the identification 
of relevant notifications and in their distribution to relevant stakeholders? [Check all that 
apply]  
 Difficulties in identifying which notifications are of interest to us 
 Difficulties in dealing with the large volume of notifications received/published 
 Difficulties in identifying the potentially interested stakeholders 
 We receive no reactions from the stakeholders  to whom we send relevant notifications 
 Other:  ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………  
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 
 
4.4.  Do you use the SPS Information Management System (SPS IMS) to search for other 
SPS documents, specific trade concer ns, or addresses of NNAs and NEPs? 
 Yes, often 
 Sometimes 
 Never 
Comment: …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 
 
4.5.  What are your specific suggestions wi th regard to modernizing/improving the SPS 
Information management System (SPS IMS)? 
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 
 
5  REGULATORY DIALOGUE 
5.1.  Are you, in general, satisfied with th e availability of information from your trading 
partners with regard to their SPS regulations currently in force? 
 Very satisfied 
 Rather satisfied 
 Neither satisfied, nor dissatisfied 
 Rather dissatisfied 
 Not satisfied at all 
 G/SPS/GEN/1382 
 
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  5.2.  Is there, in your country, a dedicated website where all SPS regulations currently in 
force are available to the public? 
 Yes  
 No 
 
If yes, please provide the link to this website 
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 
 
If not, would it be possible to make  them available on such a website? [Check all that 
apply]  
 
 Yes 
 It would be difficult to set up and maintain a website 
 It would be difficult to find all the relevant texts 
 Other: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 
 
TRANSLATIONS 
5.3.  In case your government's official  language is not one of the WTO's working 
languages (English, French and Spanish), is th e NEP/NNA able to provide translations of 
the documents or, in case of voluminous docu ments, of summaries of the documents, in 
one of these languages? 
 Yes, the Enquiry Point 
 Yes, the Notification Authority 
 Sometimes 
 No 
 
If not, why? ..............................................................................................................  
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 
 
5.4.  How do you usually obtain translations of other Members' notified SPS regulations? 
[Check all that apply]  
 Officially, from the notifying Member 
 Informally, from other Members  
 Through "Google translator" or another internet service 
 We rarely/never obtain translations 
 Other: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 
 
5.5.  Do you usually encounter difficulties in  obtaining translations of other Members' 
notified SPS regulations? 
 Yes 
 No 
 Sometimes 
 G/SPS/GEN/1382 
 
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  COMMENTS ON NOTIFIED REGULATIONS 
5.6.  How satisfied are you with the hand ling of your comments on other Members' 
notified regulations? 
 Very satisfied 
 Rather satisfied 
 Neither satisfied, nor dissatisfied 
 Rather dissatisfied 
 Not satisfied at all 
 We rarely/never comment on other Members' notified regulations 
 
5.7.  What problems do you encounter, if any? [Check all that apply]  
 None 
 Comment periods are not extended even if requested 
 No reply/acknowledgment is provided to my comments  
 My comments are not taken into account  
 No justification is provided on why my comments were not taken into account  
 No explanation is provided on how my comments were taken into account 
 Other: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 
 
6  RECOMMENDED PROCEDURES FOR IMPLEMENTING THE TRANSPARENCY 
OBLIGATIONS OF THE SPS AGREEMENT (G/SPS/7/Rev.3) 
6.1.  Do you find the Recommended Tr ansparency Procedures (G/SPS/7/Rev.3 
[http://goo.gl/1qfO1o ]) useful? 
 Very useful 
 Sometimes/a little bit useful 
 Not useful at all 
 I am not familiar with the Recommended Transparency Procedures 
Comment : …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 
 
6.2.  Which parts of the Recommended Tran sparency Procedures (G/SPS/7/Rev.3) do 
you find the most useful?  
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
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And which parts are the least useful?  
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6.3.  When notifying "trade facilitating " measures, no comment period has to be 
provided. Do you believe that more guidance  is needed in G/SPS/7/Rev.3 to further 
define the term "trade facilitating"?  
 Yes 
 No 
 6.4.  Are there any other sections of G/SPS/ 7/Rev.3 that should be clarified/revised? 
 Yes 
 No 
If yes, please specify:  ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
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7  TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE 
7.1.  Would you be willing to provide technica l assistance to Enquiry Points and/or to 
National Notification Authorities? [Check all that apply]  
 Yes, to least-developed countries  
 Yes, to developing countries  
 No 
If yes, in what form? 
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 
 
7.2.  Do your NEP and/or NNA need technical assistance? 
 Yes 
 No 
If yes, please describe briefly the type of technical assistance you would need:  
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………  
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………  
 
7.3.  Have you requested technical assist ance for your NEP and/or NNA? Have you 
received technical assistance? 
 Requested and received 
 Requested, but not received 
 Received, but not requested 
 Neither received nor requested 
 G/SPS/GEN/1382 
 
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  If you have received technical assistance  for your NEP and/or NNA, was it useful? 
And why? 
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
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Other comments: 
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8  FINAL COMMENTS 
 
8.1.  Do you have any other comments/suggest ions with respect to transparency in the 
context of the SPS Agreement? 
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