G/SPS/GEN/1332  
 
12 June 2014  
(14-3404) Page: 1/2  
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures    
 
PROCEDURE TO MONITOR THE PROCESS 
OF INTERNATIONAL HARMONIZATION 
DRAFT SIXTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT1 
1  INTRODUCTION 
1.1.  At its meeting of 15-16 October 1997, the SPS Committee adopted a provisional procedure to 
monitor the process of international harmonization and the use of international standards, 
guidelines or recommendations, as provided for in Articles 3.5 and 12.4 of the SPS Agreement. 
The Committee extended the provisional monito ring procedure in 1999, 2001, and 2003, and 
revised the procedure in October 2004.2 In 2006, the Committee agreed to extend the provisional 
procedure indefinitely, and to review its operation as  an integral part of the periodic review of the 
operation and implementation of the Agreement under Article 12.7.3 This procedure was reviewed 
as part of the Third Review of the Agreement4, and will be reviewed again in 2014 in the context of 
the Fourth Review. 
1.2.  The Committee has previously adopted fifteen  annual reports on the monitoring procedure.5 
These reports summarize several standards-related issues that the Committee has considered and the responses received from the relevant standard-setting organizations. 
2  PROPOSED REVISION TO THE MONITORING PROCEDURE (G/SPS/W/268) 
2.1.  In June 2013, Argentina and Chile reiterated their proposal that the SPS Committee's 
monitoring procedure adequately reflect how international standards are used by Members.
6 
Argentina noted that the topic of monitoring the use of international standards could be addressed 
in the context of the Fourth Review of the Oper ation and Implementation of the SPS Agreement. 
2.2.  In October 2013, Argentina recalled its proposal and suggested that this topic be addressed 
in the context of the Fourth Review and, in particul ar that it could be included in the catalogue of 
tools available to WTO Members for the management of SPS issues proposed by Canada.7 
3  NEW ISSUES 3.1.  Since the adoption of the Fifteenth Annual Report
8, no new issues were set forth by 
Members. 
4  PREVIOUS ISSUES 4.1.  Since the adoption of the Fifteenth Annual Report, there has been no discussion of issues 
previously raised under this procedure. 
                                               
1 This document has been prepared under the Secret ariat's own responsibility and is without prejudice 
to the position of Members or to their rights or obligations under the WTO. 
2 G/SPS/14, G/SPS/17, G/SP S/25 and G/SPS/11/Rev.1. 
3 G/SPS/40. 
4 G/SPS/53. 
5 These were circulated as G/SPS/13, G/SPS/16, G/SPS/18, G/SPS/21, G/SPS/ 28, G/SPS/31, G/SPS/37, 
G/SPS/42, G/SPS/45, G/SPS/49,  G/SPS/51, G/SPS/54, G/SPS/56, G/SPS/59, and G/SPS/60. 
6 Argentina's written proposal, contained in document G/SPS/W/268, was circulated in July 2012. 
7 G/SPS/W/271. 
8 G/SPS/60. G/SPS/GEN/1332 
 
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  5  RESPONSES RECEIVED FROM THE RELEVANT STANDARD-SETTING ORGANIZATIONS 
5.1.  At the October 2013 meeting of the Committee,  the IPPC reported on the activities of the 
Implementation Review and Support System (IRSS) , including a general survey on the IPPC and 
32 standards.9 The IPPC requested contracting parties to complete a survey on pest reporting and 
regulated pest listing as soon as possible, as this information would help identify ways that the 
IPPC Secretariat and the IRSS program could better assist countries to fulfil related IPPC obligations. The IRSS website and help desk had been launched and IPPC was seeking donors for 
translation of existing IRSS analyses, tools and resources, as well as donors for the second 3-year 
cycle of the IRSS. 
 
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9 G/SPS/GEN/1284.