G/SPS/GEN/1597  
 
2 February 2018  
(18-0763) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: Spanish  
 
  
ACTIONS AIMED AT THE  IMPLEMENTATION OF TH E WTO AGREEMENT  
ON SANITARY AND PHYT OSANITARY MEASURES  
INFORMATION SUBMITTED BY THE INT ER-AMERICAN INSTITUTE  
FOR COOPERATION ON A GRICULTURE (IICA)  
The followi ng communication, received on 31  January 2018 , is being circul ated at the request of 
the IICA. 
 
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The observer organizations of the WTO Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures 
(SPS Committee) are invited to submit  reports on the activities they have carried out to promote 
the understanding and implementation of the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and 
Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Agreement). The IICA would like to present some of the actions and 
activities t hat it considers relevant to the work of this Committee . 
1  CODEX ALIMENTARIUS  
1.1.  Technical training to enhance the political capacities of the JMPR : This activity was held in 
Ottawa, in Ontario, Canada,  from 27 November to 1 December 2017. The technical trainin g 
provided sought to enhance capacity and awareness in respect of the approaches and policies of 
the Joint FAO/WHO Meeting on Pesticide Residues (JMPR ), and to build LAC and international 
expert capacities through training on  the joint WHO/FAO scientific a dvice programme . Agriculture 
and Agri -Food Canada (AAFC) and FAO funded and supported training for 17 technical experts in 
the area of pesticide and risk  assessment. The training was given by four instructors, and a FAO 
representative was present at the me etings. Thirteen countries  benefited from the training 
sessions : Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Greece , India, Kenya, Mala ysia, T hailand, Uganda, 
Finland, Japa n and the United Kingdom . The instructors were from Braz il, the United States , 
New Zealand and Canada . 
1.2.  Nicaragua – Chile twinning programme : Two events aimed at strengthening and raising 
awareness  of the Codex Alimentarius in Nicaragua were held in Managua from 29 January to 
1 February 2018. The events received technical support from the Government of Chile and funding 
from the United States  Department of Agriculture  (USDA) . 
1.3.  A risk assessment workshop was organized with a view to enhancing basic knowled ge of food 
safety risk analysis.  A second workshop on promotion and political positioning took plac e in the 
presence of  high-level delegates . 
1.4.  Costa Rica – Brazil – PAHO twinning programme : In November  2017, the IICA held a Codex 
Alimentarius twinning programme event in Costa Rica. The event received technical support 
from PAHO and the Government of Braz il, and funding from PAHO and the USDA . 
1.5.  Veterinary service representatives from  Costa Rica, public and private sector agri-food 
professionals , industry members , and academics met at the headquarters of the IICA to receive 
training and to discuss the importance of international food safety standards for  public health and 
international trade . G/SPS/GEN/1597  
 
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 1.6.  Over five days, participants focused on exploring the impl ications of risk analysis in respect of  
veterinary drug residues, pesticides and contaminants in foods for human consumption, in 
accordance with the Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) established in the Codex Alimentarius. 
Their aim was to identify  existing  information barrie rs and gaps with a view to ensuring that 
JECFA  – JMPR have the scientific studies and data required to evaluate o r re-evaluate a 
veterinary  drug,  pesticide or contaminant. The event was broadcast online to 158 viewers  in 
18 Latin American and Caribbean cou ntries . 
1.7.  Virtual coordination sessions within the  CCLAC  framework : Thirteen virtual sessions have 
already been planned for 2018 as part of IICA support to CCLAC for communication and 
coordination activities. These sessions will take place prior to  Codex meetings. All 33 CCLAC 
country member s will be able to  participate in the coordination sessions , and simultaneous 
interpretation will be available. The sessions seek to promote regional coordination and the 
identification of issues and common positions. The IICA technological platform used for these 
sessions was activated  for the first time at a meeting of a Codex Alimentarius  physical working 
group , thereby giving countries unable to attend the meeting physically the  opportun ity to do so 
remotely. The meeting in question was held in December in Santiago de Chile, within the 
framework of a CCFICS working group. The IICA very much looks forward to  support ing this type 
of initiative more frequently and in a n increasingly effectiv e manner . 
1.8.  Virtual coordination sessions : In collaboration with the USDA , the IICA, through the 
Agricultural Health and Food Safety  programme , will be  holding four virtual preparatory sessions 
for Codex Alimentarius meetings. The aim of t hese sessions  is to encourage technical discussion on 
the agenda items to be addressed at Code Alimentarius meetings. On this occasion, four events 
will be held: CCFA - 20 February  2018; CCCF  - 1 March  2018; CCRVDF  - 20 March  2018; 
and CCPR  - 22 March  2018. 
1.9.  Codex Alimentarius meeting participation programme : In 2017, the IICA supported 
participation in nine Codex Alimentarius committees, providing 49 participation grants and support 
payments to a total of 22 countries. The participation programme is funded by the U SDA and 
implemented by the IICA . 
2  OTHER ACTIVITIES  
2.1.  In the area of  national agricultural health and food safety system modernization , the 
Performance, Visi on and Strategy (PVS) tool for national food safety monitoring systems, national 
plant health services and national animal health services was implemented in Jamaica . 
This provided an opportunity to present and discuss the results obtained  from surveys , and helped  
generate dialogue among the various stakeholders . It also enabled  participants to identify 
constraints and opportunities and to propose strategies for achieving  the levels of performance 
deemed appropriate  for the various elements assessed by the  tool. 
2.2.  Capacity -building with a view to ensuring compliance with the Food Safety Modernization Act  
(FSMA): The IICA, with the support of the USDA/FAS and  USAID , continued to support this 
process by holding training workshops for trainers in Gu atemala, Peru and Colombia. 
130 professionals received training in this area and, in turn, undertook to train a t least 
15 participants per country free of charge . 
For further information, please contact Robert Ahern (Robert.ahern@iica.int ) 
Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) , http://www.iica.int  
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