G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.8  
 
30 January  2018 
(18-0692) Page: 1/11 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures    
 
WTO SPS TECHNICAL  ASSISTANCE ACTIVITIE S IN 201 8: 
GENERAL INFORMATION,  SELECTION PROCESS AN D APPLICATION FORM  
NOTE BY THE SECRETAR IAT1 
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 
2018. These activities include: the SPS E-Learning course, natio nal SPS seminars, a thematic 
SPS workshop in Geneva, regional SPS workshops2 and an  advanced SPS course.3 These activities 
will primarily focus on the provisions of the SPS Agreement, implementation matters and the latest 
discussions taking place in the SP S Committee.4 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 Agreemen t, 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 
activit ies planned for 201 8, including information on dates, venues, eligibility and selection criteria 
of participants, in structions 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 technic al 
assistance activit ies in 201 8 can be found in Annex I . 
                                                
1 This document has been prepared under the Secretariat's own responsibility and is without prejudice 
to the positions of Members or to their rights and obligations under the WTO.  
2 Regional SPS Workshops will be organized in 2018 upon request from regional organizations . Please 
refer to additional details in Section 4 of this document.  
3 In addition to these SPS -specific technical assistance activities, the WTO offers general training 
courses where the SPS Agreement is taught, such as Introduction Courses for Least -Developed Countries, 
Regional Trade Policy Courses and Advanced Trade Policy Courses.  
4 The SPS Committee is scheduled to meet three times in 201 8: 1-2 March; 11-12 July; and 31 October 
- 1 Novem ber. Informal meetings of the SPS Committee and oth er 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.8  
 
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  5.  The structure, content, target audience, pre -requisites, exercises and materials of these SPS -
specific activities will follow the WTO Progr essive Learning Strategy (PLS).5 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 expected 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 e nsure 
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 activ ities can be found in Annex II.  
1  E-LEARNING COURSE ON T HE 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 Agreement, the work of the SPS Committee and the SPS 
disputes brought to the WTO Dispute Settlement Mechanism. 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 SPS -related question. While a brief introduction to 
the SPS Agreement is included in the E -Learning course "Introduction to the W TO", this online 
course on the SPS Agreement is the most introductory -level training available specifically on the 
SPS Agreement.  
7.  The course is available in all three WTO working languages (English, French and Spanish) and 
is divided into nine modules whic h must be completed within t wo months. At the end of each 
module, participants are required to take a short online test. The completion of all of these tests 
(with an overall  average of 60%) is required for the successful completion of the course.  
8.  Successf ul completion of the SPS E-Learning Course is a pre -requisite for participation in other 
SPS technical assistance activities, such as the Advanced SPS Course. However, successful 
completion of the SPS E-Learning Course does not guarantee  selection for SPS -related training 
events. 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  E-Campus  (http://ecampus.wto.org ) offers the SPS E-Learning Course throughout the 
year. 
10.  While the WTO E -Learning material  can be freely requested through  the WTO E -Campus  
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 at http://ecampus.wto.org . This registration form 
needs to be completed onl ine, 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 at http://ecampus.wto.org . 
The completed nomination form must be sent either by email (scanned) to 
elearning.registration@wto.org  or by fax to +41 22 739 5191.  
12.  Further information and instructions about the registration process for the SPS E-Learning 
Course can be found on the website http://e campus .wto.org . 
                                                
5 The primary aim of the PLS is to promote higher levels of learning and to encourage the development 
of participant s' 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.  G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.8  
 
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  2  NATIONAL SPS SEMINAR S 
Level of this activity : 1    3 
13.  WTO developing country Members and Observers are e ntitled 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 possible 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) l evel, depending on the training needs identified 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 a n 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 t he seminar.  In addition, the Secretariat encourage s Members to 
clearly outline the objectives of national seminars  in the submitted training requests, in order to 
allow the Secretariat to respond more effectively to the training needs of Members.  
15.  To reques t a national seminar on the SPS Agreement, Members and  Observers must complete 
and submit a  Technical Assistance National Request form which is available online at: 
https://wto.formstack. com/forms/national_ta_requests . 
16.  The Technical Assistance National Request form  must be submitted along with an official letter  
of request , addressed to the Director of the Institute for Training and Technical Co -operation 
(ITTC). Th e form and the official letter should be submitted online  via the weblink  
(https://wto.formstack.com/forms/national_ta_requests ).  
17.  Due to the increased number of requests received 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 WORKSHO P  
Level of this activity: 1    3  
18.  The Secretariat will organize a special Thematic SPS Workshop , to be held in Geneva, 
Switzerland.  The workshop will focus on a thematic area  to be identified in consultation with the 
SPS Committee. The Secretariat will announce the thematic area selected in an addendum to this 
document after the  March meeting of the SPS Committee . The workshop will take place on 
Monday, 9 July and Tuesday, 10 July  2018, immediately prior to t he SPS  informal and regular 
meetings to be held during the same week . 
19.  The objective of the workshop is to bring together officials  involved in the  implementation of 
the SPS Agreement , or in the work of  the FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex), the 
International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), and the World Organization for Animal Health 
(OIE) for an in depth discussion, at a technical  level, on the thematic area  to be identified .  
20.  The workshop will be  open to participation by all delegates from WTO Members and Observers 
attending the SPS Committee meeting in July 2018. 
21.  The WTO, with the financial assistance of the Doha Development Agenda Global Trust Fund 
(DDAGTF), will sponsor the participation of gov ernment officials from developing country Members 
and Observers. The Secretariat will select participants to be sponsored from applications received 
from capital -based officials holding direct responsibilities in the SPS area. 
                                                
6 While every effort will be made to accommodate  the requests of Members and Observers, the 
Secretariat cannot guarantee that it will have the necessary resources to undertake  all national seminars 
requested during the year.  G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.8  
 
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  22.  Preference will be given to a pplications from least -developed countries (LDCs), and from 
developing country Members and Observers that have not been sponsored to participate in a 
thematic workshop on the SP S Agreement in the recent past.  No more than one participant from 
each country will be selected.  
23.  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 fo rm available at: 
https://worldtradeorganization.wufo  o.eu/forms/2018 -wto-sps-technical -assistanceapplication -
form/ . 
24.  An economy -class round -trip air -ticket (excursion fare, if applicable),  accommodation,  daily 
subsistence allowance and termin al 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 WORKSHO PS 
Level of this activity: 1    3  
4.1  Overview  
25.  The Secretariat of the WTO organizes re gional 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 national levels.  Funding is available through the Doha 
Development Age nda Global Trust Fund (DDAGTF)  for these workshops . 
26.  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.  
27.  These regional workshops may include r epresentatives from Codex, IPPC and OIE as resource 
persons contributing th eir knowledge and experience in their areas of expertise. In addition, 
relevant international organizations, international and regional development institutions and 
organizations, as well as other technical assistance organizations and bilateral donors inv olved in 
SPS matters, may be invited to inform participants of their latest activities.  
4.2  Regional SPS Workshops in 201 8 
28.  In order to deliver more effective and tailored regional workshops, t he WTO Secretariat will be 
working collaboratively with regional organizations  to specifically address SPS-related  training 
needs identified within regions. Using this approach, the WTO Secretariat will schedule  regional 
SPS workshops in 201 8, upon request from regional organizations.7 
29.  To request a regional workshop on the SPS Agreement, regional organizations (or a Member 
in conjunction with a regional organization ) must submit an official letter indicating the purpose 
and expected outcome  of the workshop , their expected contribution , as well as  the proposed dates  
and venue . This formal request should be addressed to the Director of the Institute for Training 
and Technical Co -operation (ITTC)  and sent by fax to: +41 22 739 57 64.  
30.  Programmes, prerequisites and selection criteria will be d efined for each requested activity.  
31.  Specific information and instructions for regional SPS workshops  that are requested during the 
year, will be made available on the WTO website at http://www.wto.org/sps/ta . 
                                                
7 While every effort will be made to accommodate the requests of regional organ izations , the Secretariat 
cannot guarantee that it will have the necessary resources to undertake  all regional workshops  requested 
during the year.  G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.8  
 
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  32.  No ne w requests for regional SPS workshops have been received for 2018. The Follow -up 
Regional SPS Workshop for Arab countries (co -organized with the IMF -Middle East Centre for 
Economics and Finance), which was postponed in 2017, will be held in April 2018.   
4.3  Selection Process  
33.  In general, for regional SPS workshops that are requested, t he 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 
applications 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.  
34.  The Secretariat will select a maximum of thirty participants for each Regional SPS Workshop. 
The targeted audience for these workshops are government officials : 
a. holdin g 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 understanding of the principles and structure 
of the WTO, and of the principles and provisions of the SPS Agreement.  
35.  Specific information and instructions on applying for regional SPS workshops that are 
requested during the year will be made available on the WTO website at 
http://www.wto.org/sps/ta . Government officials from WTO Members and Observers wishing to 
apply for participation in regional workshops must consult the  website for  instructions, and 
complete and submit the online application form available at:  
https://worldtradeorganization.wufoo.eu/forms/2018 -wto-sps-technical -assistanceapplication -
form/ . 
36.  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.  
37.  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 transport airport -hotel-airport). The WTO will  also 
provide the confirmed participants with 100 Swiss Francs lump sum for their out of pocket 
expenses. In addition, when stopovers are mentioned 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  
38.  Preference will be given to those candidates that have succe ssfully completed the WTO SPS 
E-Learning Course by the time  they submit their application. All participants are  expected to have 
completed the WTO SPS E -Learning Course be fore the start of the workshop.  See Section 1 
regarding enrolment in the WTO SPS E-Learning Course.  
5  OTHER SPS WORKSHOPS  
39.  At the request of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the  WTO is 
planning to jointly organize a Follow -up W orkshop8 on the SPS and TBT Agreements for IGAD 
members in 2018. Further information on this activity will be made  available by the IGAD 
Secretariat ( icpald@igad.int ). 
                                                
8 A first Regional SPS and TBT Workshop for IGAD members was held in May 2015 (in Nairobi, Kenya) 
also at IG AD's request.  G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.8  
 
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  40.  The Secretariat is also planning to  organize  a joint workshop on the SPS and TBT Agreements 
for Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members, at the request of the GCC St andardization 
Organization (GSO) . This workshop will focus on the transparency obligations under the SPS and 
TBT Agreement s and is expected  to be held in 2018. Further information on this activity will be 
made available by the GSO Secretariat ( csc@gso.org.sa ). 
41.  In addition, the WTO Secretariat will participat e 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  
42.  The 201 8 Advanced SPS Course  will be held from 22 October  to 9 November  2018 in 
Geneva, Switzerland, in Span ish. This course i s an in -depth and "hands -on" training activity on 
the SPS Agreement conceived to encourage the active involvement and leadership of participants 
in SPS -relate d 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 countr ies in enhancing 
their part icipation in the SPS Committee.  
43.  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 Agreement. In the second week, participants will 
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 partic ipate in its 
discussions. In the third week, participants will share their experiences and will strengthen their 
knowledge  on how to improve the implementation of specific provisions of the SPS Agreement, 
including the application of concepts and principle s 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 
complemented 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 development 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.  
44.  Each participant will be required to elaborate an action plan with the assistance of coaches. 
This plan should address one or two specific implementation and/or market access challenge s 
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 . 
45.  A follow -up session will be organized in June /July 2019, where participants to the Advanced 
SPS Course will report on the implementation of their action plans.  
46.  At the time of their application  for this course,  candidates will be asked to provide preliminary 
ideas for  an action plan which  they will further develop  during the course.  
6.2  Selection Process  
47.  The Secretariat will select a maximum of twenty -five participants for the Advanced 
SPS Course. The target audience for this course are 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 i nternational trade;  
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   G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.8  
 
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  c. fluent in oral and written Spani sh. 
48.  Eligible candidates must be  government officials at the time of applying for the course, during 
the course, and envisaged to continue as such during the 9 -month period following the course and 
the follow -up session which will be held in June/July of th e following year. Candidates must be in a 
position to implement their action plans in their country during the 9-month period  following the 
course . 
49.  Candidates will be selected using criteria such as the fulfilment of prerequisites, prior selection 
of other  candidates from the Member , as well as balance among the selected candidates in terms 
of region , gender, years of experience and specialization.  
50.  Government officials from WTO Members and Observers wishing to apply for the Advanced 
SPS Course must consult  the instructions provided in Annex  IV, and complete and submit the 
online application form available at: https://worldtradeorganization.wufoo.eu/forms/2018 -wto-sps-
technical -assistanceapplication -form/ . 
51.  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 gov ernment before the final 
selection.  
52.  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 arrangements will be communicated directly to the 
selected participants in advance of the course.  
6.3  Pre-requisites for Participation  
53.  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 Course 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 count ries. Completion 
and submission of the responses to the questionnaire is compulsory  for participation in 
the course.   
  G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.8  
 
- 8 - ANNEX I  
SPS-SPECIFIC TECHNI CAL ASSISTANCE ACTIV ITIES IN 201 8 – 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  
 
2018  Advanced SPS 
Course  
(in Spanish ) SPS E -Learning Course  
 
Completion and submission of 
pre-course questionnaire   
Applications accepted until  
8 June  Results of 
selection  Submission of 
response  
to the 
questionnaire  Course 
from 
22 Oct. - 
9 Nov.   
Thematic SPS 
Workshop  – Specific 
topic to be announced  
(English, French and 
Spanish)  Only for government officials 
holding direct responsibilities in 
the SPS area  Applications accepted until  
3 April  Results of 
selection   Workshop  
9-10 July 
  
 Although E -Learning courses are available throughout the year, the completion of each course must take place within t wo months from the start date.  G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.8  
 
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  ANNEX II  
PROGRESSIVE LEARNING  STRATEGY1 
SPS-SPECIFIC TECHNICAL A SSISTANCE (TA) ACTIV ITIES  
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 encourage the development of participants ' 
autonomy . This is  with a view to build and sustain the long -lasting human and i nstitutional 
capacity of beneficiary countries  to participate mo re effectively in the rules -based multilateral 
trading system.  
2.  In this regard, two broad categories of participants in WTO capacity -building have been 
identified:  
a. "Generalists"  are 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 government officials who will require in -depth knowledge in a specific 
area, such as 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 assist ance 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 learning 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", the E -Learning "Course  on the SPS Agre ement " is the most introductory -level training available 
specifically on the SPS Agreement.  
3 National SPS seminars may have a lower (more introductory) 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 consultations 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 challeng es 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.8  
 
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  ANNEX III  
THEMATIC SPS WORKSHO P IN 201 8 
Title of the 
activity  Thematic SPS Workshop (Specific topic to be confirmed)  
Dates  9 to 10 July 2018 
Venue  Geneva, Switzerland  
Eligible WTO 
Members and 
Observers  WTO least -developed and developing country Members and Observ ers 
Pre-requisites for 
funding  Only for government officials holding direct responsibilities in the SPS area . 
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 thematic workshop on 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/2018 -wto-sps-technical -
assistanceapplication -form/  
 
Candidates should complete and submit the  online application form by 
3 April 2018. 
 
Incomplete forms or forms  sent after  the deadline will not be considered.  
Results of the 
selection  Only selected candidates w ill be informed about the results of the selection 
during April 2018. 
Administrative and logistical information will be provided in due course to 
the selec ted candidates.  
For administrative purposes, s elected 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.8  
 
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  ANNEX IV 
2018 ADVANCED SPS COURSE  
Title of the 
activity  2018 Advanced SPS Course (in Spanish ) 
Dates  22 October to 9 November  2018 
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 s uccessfully completed the WTO               
SPS E-Learning Course by the time of their application. Applications from 
candidates who have n ot successfully completed the SPS E-Learning  Course 
on the SPS Agreemen t 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 Spanish . 
Application  Candidates must fill -in and submit the online application form which is 
available at:  
 
https://worldtradeorganization.wufoo.eu/forms/2018 -wto-sps-technical -
assistanceapplication -form/  
 
At the time of their application, candidates wi ll also be asked to provide  
preliminary ideas for an action plan which  they will undertake during the 
course,  aimed at  address ing an implementation and/or market access 
challenge that they have identified in their country.  
Candidates should complete and submit the online application form by 
8 June 2018. 
 
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 /August  2018. 
Administrative and logistical information will be provided in due course to 
the selected candidates . 
For administrative  purposes, s elected 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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