G/SPS/GEN/121/Add.17  
 
30 May 2016  
(16-2907)  Page: 1/2  
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures    
 
APPLICANTS FOR OBSERVER STATUS 
NOTE BY THE SECRETARIAT1 
Addendum 
An application for observer status in the SPS Committee was received on 17 May 2016 from the 
Caribbean Agricultural Health and Food Safety Agency (CAHFSA). Information provided by CAHFSA 
is summarized below. 
 
1  MEMBERSHIP 
1.1.  Membership is open to all Members and associate members of the Caribbean Community 
(CARICOM). Current Membership includes 15 Members and five associate member States. 
Members      Associate Members 
Antigua and Barbuda*   Anguilla 
Bahamas**     Bermuda 
Barbados*     British Virgin Islands 
Belize*     Cayman Islands Dominica*     Turks and Caicos  
Grenada* 
Guyana* Haiti* Jamaica*  
Montserrat  
Saint Kitts and Nevis* Saint Lucia* 
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines* 
Suriname* Trinidad and Tobago*  
 
*WTO Member **WTO Observer  
2  MANDATE, SCOPE AND AREA OF WORK 
2.1.  CAHFSA is an intergovernmental organizati on for consultation, coordination and cooperation 
among CARICOM member States on issues related to the WTO SPS Agreement. The Agency, which 
was operationalized in October 2014, has the primary objectives to: 
a. establish an effective regime of sanitary and phytosanitary measures in support of the 
goals of CARICOM as set out in the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas Establishing 
Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME); 
                                               
1 This document has been prepared under the Secret ariat's own responsibility and is without prejudice 
to the position of Members or to thei r rights and obligati ons under the WTO. G/SPS/GEN/121/Add.17 
 
- 2 - 
 
  b. provide regional and national support to CARICOM in the establishment and 
management of National Agricultural Health and Food Safety Systems (NAHFSS) as they 
relate to sanitary and phytosanitary measures; and  
c. execute on behalf of those countries such actions and activities that can be more 
effectively and efficiently executed  through a regional mechanism. 
3  CONTRIBUTION TO THE WORK OF THE SPS COMMITTEE 
3.1.  CAHFSA is expected to develop technical measures and protocols that complement and build 
upon existing Caribbean programmes in animal health, plant health, and food safety so as to 
achieve relevant SPS certification. The Agency works in support of the development and use of 
regional and international SPS standards. Particular focus is placed on the following critical functional areas: 
a. promotion of the development and use of regional and international sanitary and 
phytosanitary measures, standards and guidelines; 
b. strengthening of the legislative framework wi th respect to sanitary and phytosanitary 
measures; 
c. harmonization of technical procedures in relation to matters such as quarantine systems 
and their protocols, surveillance, laboratory analyses, safe management and use of 
agrochemicals and other relevant processes and procedures in collaboration with other 
existing organizations in the Community; 
d. provision of a coordination mechanism for sanitary and phytosanitary related issues; 
e. development of protocols for the conduct of regional and international risk assessments, 
including site visits and other investigations; and 
f. establishment of partnerships with existing regional and international organizations in 
matters of agricultural health and food safety.  
4  RECIPROCITY 
4.1.  All documents related to the implementati on of the SPS Agreement are available on the 
CAHFSA website. CAHFSA offers to grant the WTO Secretariat observer status in the meetings of 
its governing Board of Directors as well as broad access to CAHFSA documents and proceedings.  
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