G/SPS/GEN/1606  
 
12 February 2018 
(18-0924) Page: 1/4 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
 
INFORMATION ON SPS -RELATED ACTIVITIES OF 
THE INTERNATIONAL TR ADE CENTRE (ITC)  
(NOVEMBER 201 7 – FEBRUARY 2018 ) 
The following communication, received on 9 February  2018, is being circulated at the request of 
the ITC. 
 
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The International Trade Centre is continuing its efforts to assist enterprises to meet technical 
requirements. An update of selected SPS -related projects of interest to the WTO Members is 
provided below.  
1  PROJECTS  
1.1  Afghanistan: T rade-related support assistance  (August 2016 – July 2019  / Donor 
European Union)  
1.1.  This project aims to strengthen human and institutional capacities in trade policy, strategy 
formulation and implementation, including quali ty management and SPS measures.  
1.2.  The Ministry of Commerce and Industry is the main counterpart of this project and 
beneficiaries include the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Health, National Standards Body and 
relevant sector associations.  
1.3.  A National Export Strategy (NES) document was produced, with public and private sectors 
agreei ng on the action plans for national and sector trade support strategies, including those for 
quality/SPS management and priority sectors (dried fruits and nuts, fresh fruits and vegetables, 
saffron, and non -food items). The NES is will be officially launch ed after endorsement by 
Afghanistan 's High Economic Council.  
1.4.  Awareness and capacity building activities carried out at various workshops relate to:  
 Development of Technical Regulations, including SPS measures  (Kabul, 8 July and 
5 November) that improved un derstanding of the WTO TBT and SPS Agreements , 
the principles for the development of technical regulations and effective market 
surveillance. A draft Afghan procedure for development of technical regulations  was 
reviewed  and is being adopted;  
 Code of Good Practice for Preparation, Adoption and Implementation of Standards  (Kabul 
4-5 July) that built understanding of related international practices and reviewed the 
related draft procedure manual with 45 stakeholders. Afghanistan National Standards 
Authority ( ANSA) welcomed the proposed procedure to streamline the standard 
development activities and adopt international standards as appropria te to the needs of 
the country;  
 5th National Saffron Conference  (7 November 2017) where a European buyer shared 
quality & SPS requirements including market intelligence, sensitizing the National 
Standards Bo dy (ANSA) on relevant standards; and  
 Standardization  (Kabul, 9 July) sensitised 78 private and public sector stakeholders on the 
role and importance of standards. ANSA staff built their capacity to re plicate training 
delivery.  G/SPS/GEN/1606  
 
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  1.2  Myanmar: Improving food safety and compliance with SPS measures to increase 
export revenues in the oilseeds value chain) (August 2015 – August 2018 / STDF 486)  
1.5.  Under this project implemented in close collaboration with the M inistry of Commerce,  
 One company obtained third party ISO 22000 certification as part of  the ongoing food 
safety system  implementation in 11 SMEs under the training and  coaching of 11 local 
trainers;  
 Farmers in two newly established sesame value chains connected with two exporters and 
realized a 4% price increase compared to previous year and following implement ation of 
GAP; and  
 Training for main actors along the oilseed value chain is being held for 300 farmers to 
implement GAP, 20 extension officers and lead farmers to assist farmers, and five  
collectors to implement hygiene and proper use  of fumigants and trac eability.  
1.6.  The project 's social media page ( http:// www.facebook.com/itcoilseedsmyanmar ) reached 
1,000 followers.  
1.3  Promoting Intra -regional trade in Eastern Africa –Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia (January 
2014 – December 2016 / Donor Finland)  
1.7.  This inclusive and sustainable export -led growth project in Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia 
contributed to improving the competitiveness of producers, SMEs and Trade Support Institutions 
(TSIs). The project has come to a close  with: 
 TSIs introduced new food safety and quality -related training and advisory services through 
local advisors to assist enterprises on HACCP implementation as a res ult of which, 
11 Tanzanian and five  Zambian SMEs were certified to HACCP. Comp any audits are 
ongoing in Kenya; and  
 23 enterprises (honey, chilli, and mango) and 20 counsellors in Tanzania and Zambia built 
their capacity to apply food safety systems - HACCP based  on Codex.  
1.4  Kenya: Enhancing the export competitiveness of the avocado industry in K enya 
(Netherlands Trust Fund III) (2014 -2017 Donor/ Netherlands -Centre for the Promotion 
of Imports from developing countries, CBI)  
1.8.  The project is assisting SMEs and farmer groups to increase export capacity; expand business 
linkages and technical partners hips for new client contracts; and supporting TSIs to improve 
service delivery capacity to SMEs:  
 Ten farmers groups (average of 50 farmers each) were established and linked to ten 
exporters with in -depth training to implement GLOBALGAP. Nine groups obtaine d third -
party GLOBALGAP certification;  
 Linkages with the Fit for Market programmes established additional training and capacity 
building support to the groups of farmers beyond the end of the NTF III project.  
1.5  Sri Lanka: Feasibility study for value addition  in the fruit and vegetable sector 
(1 October 2017 - 30 October 2018 / STDF PPG 576)  
1.9.  A Project Preparation Grant (PPG) entitled "Development of feasibility study for value addition 
in the Fruit and vegetable sector of Sri Lanka" is implemented by I TC in cl ose collaboration with 
the Lanka Fruit and Vegetable Producers, Processors and Exporters Association (LFVPPEA), and 
supported by public a nd private sector stakeholders.  
1.10.   The purpose of the PPG is to:  
i. carry out a feasibility study to evaluate the technical, economic and operational 
feasibility of value addition of five export crops (pineapple, papaya, banan a, mango 
and passionfruit); and  
ii. develop a five year strategic plan and a short -term o perations plan for the LFVPPEA.  G/SPS/GEN/1606  
 
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  1.11.   The study commenced in December 2017 with the mission of an ITC international expert 
and a leading company expert on dehydrated fruits. The mission included meetings, a stakeholder 
roundtable and field visits to producers and processing companies.  
1.6  Zimbabw e: Strengthening the national sanitary and phytosanitary institutional 
framework (December 2015 - January 2018 / Donor European Union ) 
1.12.   This project aimed to improve Zimbabwe 's SPS infrastructure in order to facilitate exports to 
the European Union and the neighbouring countries. The project came to an end on 4 January  
2018 with the following achievements:  
 Five SPS institutions (laboratories and inspection bodies) improved their capacity to 
provide new testing and inspection services to the private sector, in line with requirements 
to export food products to the European Union , through provision  of more than 100  items 
of equipment and necessary training;  
 One new standard, Zimbabwe Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) on  Horticulture (Standard 
no. ZWS 1019) has been developed and adopted, that enables the SPS institutions to 
provide a common reference and framework to all farmers to apply GAP, thus improving 
their ab ility to meet SPS requirements.;  
 37 trainers (27 officer s of the extension service of the  Ministry of Agriculture and ten 
representatives of farmers ' associations) are able to train farmers in different regions in 
Zimbabwe on implementing Good Agricultu ral Practices;  
 Staff from the Ministry of SMEs and Cooperat ive Development (MSMECD), Ministry of 
Industry and Commerce (MoIC) of SMEs, and the national trade promotion Organization, 
ZimTrade acquired an in -depth understanding of EU import requirements a nd related 
EC Direct ives for agricultural products;  
 SPS instit utions improved their ability to:  
i. plan and conduct residue monitoring, and a national residue monitoring plan is under  
development to comply with EU requirements;  
ii. prepare their laboratories for international accreditation as per ISO 17025 for improved 
acceptability of their test certificates in international markets and prepare laboratory 
business plans for sustainability of their operations; and  
iii. carry out risk -based official controls for improved effecti veness and resource 
utilization;  
 98 SMEs have an imp roved understanding of EPA Rules of Origin, TBT and SPS issu es, and 
EU import requirements.  
1.7  Supporting Indian Trade and Investment for Africa (SITA) (March 2015 -March 2020 
/ Donor UK -Department for International Development DFID)  
1.13.   This project aims to incre ase the value of business transactions between India and selected 
African countries with the ultimate objective to create jobs and income opportunities.  
1.14.   Following HACCP and GAP trainings in Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda, 
currently 14 enterp rises (spices, pul ses, and sunflower oil sectors)  in these countries are carrying 
out HACCP implementation with hands -on support being provided through trained advisers who 
are supporting with diagnostic assessments and implemen tation of improvement roadma ps. 
1.8  The Gambia: Youth Empowerment Project (YEP) (January 2017 – December 2020 / 
Donor European Union ) 
1.15.   This project aims to contribute to the economic development of The Gambia, by improving 
the employability of potential and returning migrants. The project  focuses on vocational training, 
creation of micro and small -sized enterprises, and creating and improving employment 
opportunities in selected sectors through value addition and internationalization.  
1.16.   In this context, ITC is supporting improved compliance of Gambian products to international 
standards and market requirements including the food and agriculture sectors. A training 
introducing 20 youth trainers to food safety and Good Hygienic Practices (GHP) was held in 
October 2017 with the Food Safety and Q uality Authority of the Gambia (FSQA). Following this 
training, FSQA is now rolling -out these workshops in two provinces. To support strengthening of G/SPS/GEN/1606  
 
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  food safety practices, a new guide titled "Food Safety and Good Hygienic Practices: Handbook for 
Gambian Y outh Entrepreneurs " was developed and distributed.  
1.17.   Internships of the tr ained trainers in Gambian SMEs are  being organized, to be followed by 
in-depth training on HACCP implementation with the aim of improving their employment i n the 
food and beverage sect or. 
1.18.   FSQA and the Partnership for Aflatoxin Control in Africa (PACA) are organizing a 
sensitization and awareness campaign on aflatoxin with the development of radio and television 
dramas, posters and brochures in local languages.  
1.9  Overcoming Trade Obstacles  related to Non -Tariff Measures in the Arab countries 
(January 2017 – December 2021  / Donor USAID)  
1.19.   This project aims to facilitate the coordination of a regional approach to improve the 
transparency of non -tariff measures (NTMs) in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and 
overcome related trade obstacles.  
1.20.   Based on ITC 's NTM studies and analysis of regional trade potential, a workshop towards 
harmonization of SPS measures was held in Tunisia betwe en 18 and 21 December 2017. 
The workshop was aim ed at national food safety, and animal health regulatory agencies in the 
region and resulted in specific recommendations from the 10 countries that participated.  
2  OTHER ACTIVITIES, PU BLICATIONS, OR INTER VENTIONS OF INTEREST  
2.1.  HelpMeTrade.org : At the WTO 's 11th Ministeri al Conference in Buenos Aires, ITC, UNCTAD, 
and WTO launched a new tool to help in particular smaller firms, benefit from trade. This new 
online hub – HelpMeTrade.org – provides data on applicable tariffs and taxes; relevant health and 
safety standards and compliance procedures; details about export and import procedures such as 
pre-shipment formalities; and current trade patterns and trade agreements. Data will be added to 
the Helpdesk over a three -year period, and complemented with business i nformation such as 
buyer and seller contacts as well as trade fair dates and locations.  
2.2.  NTM Surveys :  An NTM report for Bangladesh was published in November 2017 
"Bangladesh: Company perspectives – An ITC Series on Non -Tariff Measures " which identifies mai n 
causes of reported difficulties when exporting or importing, including  SPS -related issues.  
2.3.  ePing : The number of registered users of this joint UN, WTO, ITC SPS/TBT notification alert 
has grown to over 3,000. ( http://www.epingalert.org ). 
Further information:  
NTM-related publications, including country -specific survey reports, can be accessed free of charge 
at http:// www.intracen.org/publications/ntm . Survey results are available in a more interactive 
format via http:// www.ntmsurvey.org . For more information about ITC's NTM programme, please 
contact ntm@intracen.org . 
For more info rmation, please contact:  
Ludovica Ghizzoni, ITC Adviser on Export Quality Management  
Tel: +41 22 730 06 38 - Fax: +41 22 730 05 76 - E-mail: ghizzoni@intracen.org  
 
Khemraj Ramful, ITC Senior Adviser on Export Q uality Management  
Tel: +41 22 730 04 87 - Fax: +41 22 730 05 76 - E-mail: ramful@intracen.org  
 
ITC Export Quality Management  
Website: http://www.intracen.org/eqm  
Twitte r: http://www.twitter.com/ITCstandards  
 
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