G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.5  
 
3 March 2015  
(15-1194)  Page: 1/13  
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures    
 
 WTO SPS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ACTIVITIES IN 2015: 
GENERAL INFORMATION, SELECTION PROCESS AN D APPLICATION FORM 
NOTE BY THE SECRETARIAT1 
Revision 
1.  The Secretariat of the WTO plans to organize a number of specific technical assistance activities 
on the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Agreement) in 
2015. These activities include: the SPS E-Learni ng course, national SPS seminars, a thematic 
SPS workshop in Geneva, regional SPS workshops and an advanced SPS course.2 These activities 
will primarily focus on the provisions of the SPS Agreement, implementation matters and the latest 
discussions taking place in the SPS Committee.3 The overall objective of the SPS technical 
assistance activities is to enhance the knowledge and expertise of government officials from WTO 
developing country Members and Observers, so they can better understand and implement the 
SPS Agreement, benefit from its provisions, and strengthen their capacity to engage in the work of 
the SPS Committee (for additional information on technical assistance activities related to the 
SPS Agreement, please consult the WTO website at http://www.wto.org/sps/ta ). 
2.  This document provides detailed information about SPS-specific WTO technical assistance 
activities planned for 2015, including information on dates, venues, eligibility and selection criteria 
of participants, instructions for submission of applications, deadlines and pre-requisites when required. 
3.  This document is structured according to the different types of SPS-specific technical assistance 
activities provided by the WTO: 
 E-Learning Course on the SPS Agreement 
 National SPS Seminars 
 Thematic SPS Workshop 
 Regional SPS Workshops 
 Other SPS Workshops 
 Advanced SPS Course, including the Follow-up Session 
4.  A chronological table with the dates and steps for application for all the SPS-specific technical 
assistance activities in 2015 can be found in Annex I. 
                                               
1 This document has been prepared under the Secret ariat's own responsibility and is without prejudice 
to the positions of Members or to their rights or obligations under the WTO. 
2 In addition to these SPS-specific technical assistance activities, the WTO offers training courses where 
the SPS Agreement is taught, such as Introduction and Intermediate Courses for Least-Developed Countries, Regional Trade Policy Courses and Advanced Trade Policy Courses. 
3 The SPS Committee is scheduled to meet three times in 2015: 26-27 March; 15-16 July; and 
15-16 October. Informal meetings of the SPS Committe e and other SPS-related workshops might be scheduled 
during the weeks when the SPS Committee meetings take place. These dates are subject to change. G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.5 
 
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  5.  The structure, content, target audience, pr e-requisites, exercises and materials of these SPS-
specific activities will follow the WTO Progressive Learning Strategy (PLS).4 Therefore, each activity 
is identified according to a scale ranging from "Level 1" (the least advanced, introductory activities) to "Level 3" (the most advanced, in-depth training activities). This measurement will, 
inter alia , assist in making candidates aware of the expe cted level of the activity before they apply, 
and facilitate the Secretariat's assessment of whether a candidate's profile and experience match the level of the activity when carrying out the selection process. This will ultimately help ensure 
that the participants in a particular activity are able to most effectively follow and contribute to the 
discussions, and that they have a harmonized level of understanding of the SPS Agreement. 
Further information on the WTO PLS and a table with the level of each of the SPS-specific technical assistance activities can be found in Annex II. 
1  E-LEARNING COURSE ON THE SPS AGREEMENT 
Level of this activity: 1 
   3  
6.  The WTO offers an E-Learning Course on the SPS Agreement (SPS E-Learning Course), so as to 
enable government officials from around the world to learn, through an interactive tool, about the 
basic provisions and principles of the SPS Agr eement, the work of the SPS Committee and the SPS 
disputes brought to the WTO Dispute Settlement Mech anism. During the entire course, participants 
receive personal tutoring from an assigned staff member of the WTO Secretariat who is 
responsible for clarifying and responding to any SP S-related question. While a brief introduction to 
the SPS Agreement is included in the E-Learning course "Introduction to the WTO", this online course on the SPS Agreement is the most introducto ry-level training available specifically on the 
SPS Agreement. 
7.  The course is available in all three WTO official languages (English, French and Spanish) and is 
divided into eight modules which must be comple ted within three months. At the end of each 
module, participants are required to take a short online test. The completion of these tests is 
required for the successful completion of the course. 
8.  Successful completion of the SPS E-Learning Course is a pre-requisite for participation in a 
number of other SPS technical assistance activities, such as the Regional Workshops and the 
Advanced SPS Course. However, successful co mpletion of the SPS E-Learning Course does not 
guarantee  selection for other SPS-related training ev ents. Government officials who have already 
successfully completed the SPS E-Learning Course, in any of the available languages, are not 
required to undertake it again. 
9.  The WTO offers the SPS E-learning Course throughout the year. 10.  While the WTO E-Learning material is freely available on the WTO E-Learning website, 
participants have to register and submit a nomination form in order to participate in a monitored 
course, access the module exams and obtain a WTO certificate. 
11.  Government officials from WTO Members and Observers wishing to register for the SPS E-
Learning Course must access the WTO E-Learning website ( http://ecampus.wto.org ). In order to 
register for a course, two forms are to be filled-in and submitted: 
a. Online Registration Form:  available on http://ecampus.wto.org  at "Online Courses". 
This registration form needs to be completed online, and the system will generate a 
registration number that will be  used in the "nomination form"; 
b. Nomination Form:  the candidate should be confirmed by the responsible government 
authorities. The nomination form is also available on http://ecampus.wto.org  at "Online 
Courses". The completed nomination form must be sent either by email (scanned) to 
elearning.registration@wto.org  or by fax to +41 22 739 5191. 
                                               
4 The primary aim of the PLS is to promote higher le vels of learning and to encourage the development 
of participants' autonomy, with a view to building an d sustaining the long-lasting human and institutional 
capacity of beneficiary countries to participate most effe ctively in the rules-based multilateral training system. G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.5 
 
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  12.  Further information and instructions about the registration process for the SPS E-Learning 
Course can be found on the website http://ecampus.wto.org . 
2  NATIONAL SPS SEMINARS 
Level of this activity: 1    3 
13.  WTO developing country Members and Observers are entitled to request national seminars 
with a view to address specific training needs on the SPS Agreement and its implementation. In 
this regard, the programmes for national seminars are elaborated by the beneficiary country in 
consultation with the WTO Secretariat. It is po ssible to address both the SPS and TBT Agreements, 
or the SPS Agreement and the Agreement on Agriculture, in a single national seminar. 
14.  National SPS seminars may have a lower (more introductory) or higher (in-depth, advance 
training) level, depending on the training needs id entified by the requesting Member, and the level 
of knowledge and experience of the participants. It is also possible to organize two national 
activities back-to-back for different participants, for example, one at an introductory level and another at an advanced level. The Secretariat will aim to tailor the structure and content of these 
seminars according to each specific request and through consultations with the beneficiary Member 
during the preparation phase of the seminar. 
15.  To request a national seminar on the SPS Agreement, Members and Observers must complete 
and submit a Technical Assistance National Request form
5 which is available online at: 
https://adobeformscentral.com/?f=xdwzKQdS1rW-ACYrvWhqtA . The formal request must be 
submitted along with the official requesting letter,  addressed to the Director of the Institute for 
Training and Technical Co-operation (ITTC). The form and the official requesting letter should 
either be submitted online via the weblink ( https://adobeformscentral.com/?f=xdwzKQdS1rW-
ACYrvWhqtA ) or printed and sent by fax to: +41 22 739 57 64.  
16.  Due to the increased number of requests receiv ed for national SPS seminars in recent years, 
the Secretariat encourages Members and Observers to submit any request for national SPS 
seminars as early as possible (preferably in the first half of the year) to ensure proper coordination and preparation for these activities.
6 
3  THEMATIC SPS WORKSHOP  
Level of this activity: 1    3  
17.  The Secretariat will organize a special work shop on the Transparency Provisions of the SPS 
A g r e e m e n t ,  t o  b e  h e l d  i n  G e n e v a ,  S w i t z e r l a n d .  T h e  w o r k s h o p  w i l l  t a k e  p l a c e  o n  M o n d a y ,  
12 October and Tuesday, 13 October 2015. The SPS informal and regular meetings will be held on 
14-16 October 2015. 
18.  The objective of the workshop is to bring toge ther officials in charge of the implementation of 
the transparency obligations of the SPS Agreement, in particular SPS enquiry points (NEPs) and 
national notification authorities (NNAs), for an exchange of experiences and for hands-on training: 
a. Delegates to the SPS Committee will have the opportunity to share their experiences 
with the implementation of the transparen cy provisions of the SPS Agreement, in 
particular in light of the replies to the questionnaire on transparency circulated in February 2015; and  
b. Delegates will have the opportunity to participate in technical sessions aimed at 
providing "hands-on" training on the use of the online SPS Notification Submission 
System (SPS NSS) and the SPS Information Management System (SPS IMS).
7 
                                               
5 More information on the new national request form is available in JOB/TC/5. 
6 While every effort will be made to accommodate  the requests of Members and Observers, the 
Secretariat cannot guarantee that it will have the nece ssary resources to undertake  all national seminars 
requested during the year. 
7 http://spsims.wto.org/  G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.5 
 
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  19.  The workshop is open to participation by all delegates from WTO Members and Observers 
attending the SPS Committee meeting in October 2015. 
20.  The WTO, with the financial assistance of the Doha Development Agenda Global Trust Fund 
(DDAGTF), will sponsor the participation of approximately 50 government officials from developing 
country Members and Observers. The Secretariat w ill select participants to be sponsored from 
applications received from capital-based officials holding direct responsibilities in the implementation of the transparency provisions of  the SPS Agreement, in particular the SPS NEPs 
and NNAs. Exceptions will be made for candidates from WTO Members that have not yet 
designated their SPS enquiry point and/or the national notification authority, as well as for WTO Observers, on the basis of evidence that the candid ate has, or will have, responsibilities related to 
SPS notifications. 
21.  Preference will be given to applications from least-developed countries (LDCs), and from 
developing country Members and Observers that have not been sponsored to participate in a 
transparency workshop on the SPS Agreement in the recent past. No more than one participant 
from each country will be selected. 
22.  Government officials from WTO Members and Observers meeting the above-mentioned 
criteria and wishing to apply for the thematic workshop must consult the instructions provided in 
Annex III, and complete and submit the online application form available at: 
https://worldtradeorganization.wufoo.eu/forms/2 015-wto-sps-technical-assistanceapplication-
form/ . 
23.  An economy-class round-trip air-ticket (excursion fare, if applicable), accommodation, daily 
subsistence allowance for the duration of the wo rkshop and the SPS Committee meetings (from 12 
to 16 October 2015), and terminal expenses will be provided to the selected participants as of the opening day of the activity. Other administrative arrangements shall be communicated directly to 
the selected participants in advance of the workshop. 
4  REGIONAL SPS WORKSHOPS Level of this activity: 1 
   3  
4.1  Overview 
24.  The Secretariat of the WTO organizes regi onal workshops on the SPS Agreement with the 
purpose of making participants fully aware of the WTO SPS Agreement, its implementation, and 
the possible implications at the regional and nati onal levels. These workshops are generally funded 
by the Doha Development Agenda Global Trust Fund (DDAGTF). 
25.  The regional workshops also serve as an opportunity for government officials working on SPS 
matters in different developing countries to establish contact with their counterparts in other 
developing countries of the region, facilitating the exchange of information and the sharing of best 
practices related to the implementation of the SPS Agreement. 
26.  Representatives from Codex, IPPC and OIE actively participate as resource persons in these 
regional workshops, contributing their knowledge and experience in their areas of expertise. In 
addition, the WTO may invite relevant regional organizations, international and regional development institutions and organizations, as well as other technical assistance organizations and bilateral donors involved in SPS matters, to inform participants of their latest activities. 
4.2  Regional SPS Workshops in 2015 
27.  Three regional workshops on the SPS Agreement will be organized in 2015:  
 Regional SPS Workshop for the Caribbean (co-organized with the Caribbean Community -
CARICOM); 
 Regional SPS and TBT Workshop for Asia (co-organized with the United Nations Economic 
and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific); and G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.5 
 
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   Regional SPS Workshop for Arab countries (co-organized with the IMF-Middle East Centre 
for Economics and Finance). 
28.  Specific information and instructions for each of these three activities can be found in 
Annex IV. 
4.3  Selection Process  
29.  The WTO Secretariat will carry out a selection process aimed at better utilizing the resources 
available by ensuring that only qualified and suitable candidates participate in the regional 
workshops. The Secretariat will consider applic ations from all eligible Members and Observers 
subject to the receipt of the candidacy within the deadline and to the candidate meeting the pre-requisites. The Secretariat will endeavour to ensure an overall balance regarding participants' specializations, countries of origin and gender. 
30.  The Secretariat will select a maximum of thir ty participants for each Regional SPS Workshop. 
The targeted audience for these workshops are government officials:
8 
a. holding direct responsibilities in the SPS area, i.e. SPS notification authority or enquiry 
point; Codex, IPPC or OIE contact points; officials from a relevant Ministry in charge of 
coordinating SPS matters and international trade; and 
b. possessing a proven intermediate level of und erstanding of the principles and structure 
of the WTO, and of the principles an d provisions of the SPS Agreement. 
31.  Government officials from WTO Members and Observers wishing to apply for participation in 
the regional workshops must consult the instructions provided in Annex IV, and complete and submit the online application form available at: 
https://worldtradeorganization.wufoo.eu/forms/2 015-wto-sps-technical-assistanceapplication-
form/ . 
32.  The Secretariat will inform Members' and Observers' contact points to the WTO (e.g., mission 
in Geneva) of the proposed selection of candidates from their government before the final 
selection. 
33.  Selected participants will receive from the WTO an economy-class round-trip air-ticket 
(excursion fare, if applicable), full board services and facilities at the hotel where the activity is 
held (bed, breakfast, lunch, dinner and ground tr ansport airport-hotel-airport). The WTO will also 
provide the confirmed participants with 100 Sw iss Francs lump sum for their out of pocket 
expenses. In addition, when stopovers are mentio ned in the air-tickets issued by the WTO, the 
participant will receive 300 Swiss Francs per stopover. This/These amount(s) will be provided 
during the two weeks following the closure of the activity, via Western Union or bank transfer and 
once the participant has returned to his/her home country. Other administrative arrangements will 
be communicated directly to the selected participants in advance of each activity. 
4.4  Pre-requisites for Participation  34.  Preference will be given to those candidates that have successfully completed the WTO SPS 
E-Learning Course by the time they submit their application.
9 All participants are expected to have 
completed the SPS E-Learning Course before the start of the workshop.10 See Section 1 regarding 
enrolment in the E-Learning Course. 
                                               
8 For the Regional SPS and TBT Workshop for Asia, gove rnment officials holding direct responsibilities in 
the TBT area and possessing a proven intermediate level of the principles and provisions of the TBT 
Agreement, will also be considered in the selection process. 
9 For candidates applying for the Regional SPS and TB T Workshop for Asia, preference will be given to 
those candidates that have either successfully comple ted the WTO SPS E-Learning Course and/or the WTO TBT 
E-Learning Course. All participants for this workshop  are expected to have completed either the SPS E-
Learning Course or TBT E-Learning Cour se before the start of the workshop. 
10 See footnote 9. G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.5 
 
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  5  OTHER SPS WORKSHOPS 
35.  At the request of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the WTO will 
jointly organize a workshop on the SPS and TBT Agreements for IGAD members in May 2015. This 
activity will take place in Kenya. Further information on the selection of participants for this 
activity is available from the IGAD Secretariat ( icpald@igad.int ). 
36.  In addition, the WTO Secretariat will participate in other SPS technical assistance activities at 
the request of other organizations, where possible. 
6  ADVANCED SPS COURSE AND FOLLOW-UP SESSION 
Level of this activity: 1    3 
6.1  Overview 
37.  The 2015 Advanced SPS Course will be held from 5 to 23 October 2015  in Geneva, 
Switzerland, in English . This course is an in-depth and "hands-on" training activity on the SPS 
Agreement conceived to encourage the active involvement and leadership of participants in SPS-related matters, ranging from addressing national implementation problems to the identification of 
SPS-related market access difficulties and how to develop strategies to overcome these. The 
course also seeks to assist government officials from developing countries in enhancing their participation in the SPS Committee. 
38.  The course comprises a series of sessions and practical exercises related to the 
implementation of the SPS Agreement. The first week of the course includes sessions aimed at 
deepening participants' understanding of the SPS Ag reement. In the second week, participants will 
take part in the thematic workshop, and attend the SPS Committee meetings, with a view to 
learning how the Committee works in practice, so as to become familiar with the rules and 
procedures of the Committee and to participate in  its discussions. In the third week, participants 
will share their experiences and will streng then their knowledge on how to improve the 
implementation of specific provisions of the SPS Agreement, including the application of concepts 
and principles such as risk analysis, harmonization, equivalence, regionalization and transparency. Dispute settlement, technical assistance and cooperation, and special and differential treatment 
will also be addressed. The course is compleme nted by briefing sessions with SPS delegates. 
Former participants of the course, attending the SPS Committee, will also share their experiences 
with current participants in relation to the de velopment and implementation of their own action 
plans. A number of external experts, including from Codex, IPPC and OIE, will participate in parts 
of the course. 
39.  Each participant will be required to elaborat e an action plan with the assistance of coaches. 
This plan should address one or two specific implementation and/or market access challenges 
encountered in their countries. During the course, participants will regularly meet with their 
coaches to discuss and develop their action plan. On return to their countries, participants will be required to implement their action plans and submit periodic reports on their progress.  
40.  A follow-up session will be organized in June/July 2016, where participants to the Advanced 
SPS Course will report on the implementation of their action plans. 
41.  At the time of their application for this cour se, candidates will be asked to provide preliminary 
ideas for an action plan which they will further develop during the course. 
6.2  Selection Process  
42.  The Secretariat will select a maximum of twenty-five participants for the Advanced SPS 
Course. The target audience for this course ar e government officials, in particular those: 
a. holding direct responsibilities in SPS areas, e.g. specialists on food safety, animal health, 
plant protection or officials from a relevant Ministry in charge of coordinating SPS matters and international trade; G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.5 
 
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  b. possessing a proven advanced level of understanding of the provisions and structure of 
the WTO, and the principles and provisions of the SPS Agreement, and willing to take 
initiative and leadership; and 
c. fluent in oral and written English. 
43.  Government officials from WTO Members and Observers wishing to apply for the Advanced 
SPS Course must consult the instructions provided in Annex V, and complete and submit the online application form available at: https://worldtradeorganization.wufoo.eu/forms/2015-wto-sps-
technical-assistanceapplication-form/ . 
44.  The Secretariat will inform Members' and Observers' contact points to the WTO (e.g. mission 
in Geneva) of the proposed selection of candidates from their government before the final selection. 
45.  Selected participants will receive an economy-class round-trip air-ticket (excursion fare, if 
applicable), accommodation, daily subsistence allowance for the duration of the course and terminal expenses at the applicable WTO rate. These will be provided to the participant by the 
WTO during the activity. Other administrative arra ngements will be communicated directly to the 
selected participants in advance of the course. 
6.3  Pre-requisites for Participation 
46.  There are two pre-requisites for participation in the Advanced SPS Course: 
a. All candidates are required to have successfully completed the WTO SPS E-Learning 
Course by the time of their application. Applications from candidates who have not successfully completed the SPS E-Learning Cour se will not be considered. See Section 1 
regarding enrolment in the E-Learning Course. 
b. Before the start of the course, the selected candidates will receive a questionnaire to 
assess the level of implementation of the SPS Agreement in their countries. Completion 
and submission of the responses to the questionnaire is compulsory for participation in the course.  
  G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.5  
 
- 8 - ANNEX I 
SPS-SPECIFIC TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ACTI VITIES IN 2015 – CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE 
Activity Pre-requisites 
January 
February 
March 
April 
May 
June 
July 
August 
September 
October 
November 
December 
E-Learning Course 
on SPS (English, 
French and 
Spanish) WTO Certification only 
for registered 
Government officials 
from WTO Members 
and Observers  
Courses available throughout the year 
Regional SPS 
Workshop for the 
Caribbean SPS E-Learning 
Course* Applications ac cepted until  
5 June.  Results 
of 
selection   Workshop 
during  
Nov. 
(TBC)   
Regional SPS and 
TBT Workshop for 
Asia SPS E-Learning Course 
and/or TBT E-Learning 
Course*  
Applications accepted until 
5 June.   Results 
of 
selection   Workshop 
during 
week of   
9 Nov.   
Regional SPS 
Workshop for Arab 
countries SPS E-Learning 
Course*  
Applications accepted until 
5 June.  Results 
of 
selection   
Workshop from 
 30 Nov. – 3 Dec. 
2015 Advanced 
SPS Course  
(in English) SPS E-Learning Course 
 
Completion and 
submission of pre-
course questionnaire  
Applications accepted until 
5 June. Results 
of 
selection  Submission of 
response 
to the 
questionnaire Course from 
5-23 Oct.    
Transparency 
Workshop 
  Only for government 
officials in charge of the 
implementation of the 
SPS transparency 
provisions, in particular 
SPS NEPs and NNAs  
Applications accepted until 
5 June. Results 
of 
selection   Workshop & 
SPS 
Committee 
meetings from  
12-16 Oct.    
 Although the E-learning courses are availabl e throughout the year, its completion must take place within three months of having  started the process. 
* Preference will be given to those candidates that have succes sfully completed the identified WTO E-Learning Course by the tim e of their application. 
 All participants are expected to have completed the E-Learning  Course before the start of the workshop. Further information ca n be found in Section 1 of this document.  G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.5 
 
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  ANNEX II 
PROGRESSIVE LEARNING STRATEGY1 
SPS-SPECIFIC TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE (TA) ACTIVITIES 
1.  In order to respond to the need for greater coherence and complementarity in WTO capacity-
building, the Institute for Training and Technical Cooperation (ITTC) has developed a progressive 
strategy to promote higher levels of learning and to encourage the development of participants' 
autonomy, with a view to building and sustaining the long-lasting human and institutional capacity 
of beneficiary countries to participate most effectively in the rules-based multilateral training 
system. 
2.  In this regard, two broad categories of participants in WTO capacity-building have been 
identified: 
a. "Generalists"  are those government officials who will need a broad knowledge of the 
WTO to conduct their work, such as capital-based officials dealing with WTO issues or delegates posted to Geneva missions with  general responsibility for WTO affairs; 
b. "Specialists"  are those government officials that will require in-depth knowledge in a 
specific area, such as those officials working on a specific issue in a particular Ministry in their capital (for example, those who are dealing with SPS issues). 
3.  Following this strategy, each SPS-specific technical assistance activity has been categorized 
based on a scale of three training levels, ranging from "Level 1" (the least advanced, introductory 
activities) to "Level 3" (the most advanced, in-depth training activities). 
Progressive Learning Strategy 
Level SPS-specific TA Activity 
1 and 2 E-Learning Course on the SPS Agreement2 
2 National SPS Seminars3 
2 and 3 Thematic SPS Workshop, in Geneva 
2 and 3 Regional SPS Workshops4 
3 Advanced SPS Course, in Geneva 
 
 
                                               
1 Additional information on the WTO's progressive le arning strategy (PLS) is available in JOB/TC/7. 
2 While an introduction to the SPS Agreement is included in the Level 1 E-Learning course "Introduction 
to the WTO", this online course on the SPS Agreement is the most introductory-level training available specifically on the SPS Agreement. 
3 National SPS seminars may have a lower (more intr oductory) or higher (in-depth, advance training) 
level, depending on the training needs identified by the requesting Member, and the level of knowledge and 
experience of the participants. The Secretariat will aim to tailor the structure and content of these seminars 
according to each specific request and through cons ultations with the beneficiary Member during the 
preparation phase of the seminar. 
4 The training provided in regional SPS workshops will, in general, be more advanced than the training 
given in national SPS seminars, as it will also focus on regional challenges and coordination matters. In 
determining the level of each regional workshop, the Secretariat will take into account the level of 
implementation of the SPS Agreement by the participating countries (for instance, through participation in the SPS Committee, number of notifications, etc.), as well as the overall level amongst the selected candidates. G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.5 
 
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  ANNEX III 
THEMATIC SPS WORKSHOP IN 2015 
Title of the 
activity Transparency Workshop  
Dates 12 to 16 October 20151 
Venue Geneva, Switzerland 
Eligible WTO 
Members and Observers WTO least-developed and developing country Members and Observers. 
Pre-requisites for 
funding Only for government officials in charge of the implementation of the 
transparency provisions of the SPS Agreement, in particular the SPS 
Enquiry Point(s) or the SPS National Notification Authority. 
Exceptions will be made for candidates from WTO Members or Observers 
that have not yet designated either their SPS Enquiry Point or the SPS 
National Notification Authority, on the basis of evidence that the candidate 
will have responsibilities directly related to SPS. 
Preference will be given to applications from least-developed countries 
(LDCs), and from developing country Members and Observers that have not 
been sponsored to participate in a wo rkshop on transparency in the SPS 
Agreement in the recent past. No more than one participant from each 
country will be selected. 
Fluent in either English, French or Spanish. 
Application Candidates must fill-in and submit the online application form which is 
available at: 
 https://worldtradeorganization.wufoo.eu/forms/2015-wto-sps-technical-
assistanceapplication-form/  
 
Candidates should complete and submit the online application form before  5 June 2015 . 
 
Incomplete forms or forms sent after the deadline will not be considered. 
 
Results of the 
selection Only selected candidates will be informed about the results of the selection 
during July 2015. 
Administrative and logistical information will be provided in due course to 
the selected candidates. 
Selected candidates will be required to immediately provide their passport 
information, including number, place and date of issue, and date of expiry.  
                                               
1 Dates include participants' attendance at the info rmal and regular meetings  of the SPS Committee. G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.5 
 
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  ANNEX IV 
REGIONAL SPS WORKSHOPS IN 2015 
Title of the 
activity Regional SPS Workshop for the Caribbean (co-organized with the 
Caribbean Community - CARICOM)  
Dates November 2015  
Venue To be confirmed 
Eligible WTO 
Members and Observers  Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, 
Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago. 
 
Pre-requisites  Preference will be given to those candidates that have successfully 
completed the WTO SPS E-Learning Course by the time of their application. 
All participants are expected to have completed the SPS E-Learning Course 
before the start of the workshop. The E-Learning Course is available at: http://ecampus.wto.org . 
 
Fluency in English. 
Application Candidates must fill-in and submit the online application form which is 
available at: 
https://worldtradeorganization.wufoo.eu/forms/2015-wto-sps-technical-
assistanceapplication-form/  
 
Candidates should complete and submit the online application form before  5 June 2015. 
 Incomplete forms or forms sent after the deadline will not be considered.  
Results of the 
selection Only selected candidates will be informed about the results of the selection 
during August 2015. 
Administrative and logistical information will be provided in due course to 
the selected candidates. 
Selected candidates will be required to immediately provide their passport 
information, including number, place and date of issue, and date of expiry. G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.5 
 
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Title of the 
activity Regional SPS and TBT Workshop for Asia  (co-organized with the United 
Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific - 
UNESCAP) 
Dates Week of 9 November 2015  
Venue Bangkok, Thailand 
Eligible WTO Members and Observers  Bangladesh; Bhutan; Brunei Darussalam; Cambodia; China; Hong Kong, 
China; India; Indonesia; Korea, Republic of; Lao, People's Democratic Republic; Macao, China; Malaysia; Maldives; Mongolia; Myanmar; Nepal; 
Pakistan; Philippines; Singapore; Sri Lanka; Chinese Taipei; Thailand; 
Viet Nam.  
Pre-requisites  Preference will be given to those candidates that have successfully 
completed the WTO SPS E-Learning Co urse and/or WTO TBT E-Learning 
Course by the time of their application. All participants are expected to 
have completed either the SPS E-Learni ng Course or TBT E-Learning Course 
before the start of the workshop. The E-Learning Course is available at: http://ecampus.wto.org . 
 
Fluency in English. 
Application Candidates must fill-in and submit the online application form which is 
available at: 
 https://worldtradeorganization.wufoo.eu/forms/2015-wto-sps-technical-
assistanceapplication-form/  
 
Candidates should complete and submit the online application form before  5 June 2015. 
 Incomplete forms or forms sent after the deadline will not be considered.  
Results of the 
selection Only selected candidates will be informed about the results of the selection 
during August 2015. 
Administrative and logistical information will be provided in due course to 
the selected candidates. 
Selected candidates will be required to immediately provide their passport 
information, including number, place and date of issue, and date of expiry. G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.5 
 
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Title of the activity Regional SPS Workshop for Arab countries (co-organized with the 
IMF-Middle East Centre fo r Economics and Finance) 
Dates 30 November – 3 December 2015  
Venue Kuwait City, the State of Kuwait 
Eligible Algeria, Kingdom of Bahrain, Djib outi, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, 
Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Kingdom of Saudi 
Arabia, Sudan, Syrian Arab Republic, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen. 
Pre-requisites  Preference will be given to those candidates that have successfully 
completed the WTO SPS E-Learning Course by the time of their 
application. All participants are expected to have completed the SPS 
E-Learning Course before the start of the workshop. The E-Learning Course is available at: http://ecampus.wto.org . 
 
Fluency in English. 
Application Candidates must fill-in and submit the online application form which is 
available at: 
 https://worldtradeorganization.wufoo.eu/forms/2015-wto-sps-technical-
assistanceapplication-form/  
 
Candidates should complete and submit the online application form before 
5 June 2015 . 
Incomplete forms or forms sent after the deadline will not be considered. 
Results of the 
selection Only selected candidates will be informed about the results of the selection 
during August 2015. 
Administrative and logistical information will be provided in due course to 
the selected candidates. 
Selected candidates will be required to immediately provide their passport 
information, including number, place and date of issue, and date of expiry. 
 G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.5 
 
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  ANNEX V 
2015 ADVANCED SPS COURSE 
Title of the 
activity 2015 Advanced SPS Course (in English) 
Dates 5 to 23 October 2015 
Venue Geneva, Switzerland 
Eligible WTO 
Members and Observers WTO least-developed and developing country Members and Observers 
Pre-requisites Successful completion of the WTO E-Learning Course on the SPS 
Agreement. 
Candidates are required to have successfully completed the WTO  
SPS E-Learning Course by the time of their application. Applications from 
candidates who have not successfully completed the SPS E-Learning Course 
on the SPS Agreement will not be considered. The E-Learning Course is 
available at: http://ecampus.wto.org . 
Completion and submission of the responses to the questionnaire is 
compulsory for participation in the course. 
Short-listed candidates may be required to submit a letter of motivation.  
Fluent in oral and written English. 
Application Candidates must fill-in and submit the online application form which is 
available at:  
https://worldtradeorganization.wufoo.eu/forms/2015-wto-sps-technical-
assistanceapplication-form/  
 
At the time of their application, candidates will also be asked to provide 
preliminary ideas for an action plan which they will undertake during the 
course, aimed at addressing an implementation and/or market access challenge that they have identified in their country. 
Candidates should complete and submit the online application form before 
5 June 2015 . 
 
Incomplete forms or forms sent after the deadline will not be considered. 
Results of the 
selection Only selected candidates will be informed about the results of the selection 
during July 2015. 
Administrative and logistical information will be provided in due course to 
the selected candidates. 
Selected candidates will be required to immediately provide their passport 
information, including number, place and date of issue, and date of expiry. 
 
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