G/SPS/GEN/1284  
 
15 October 2013  
(13-5615)  Page: 1/2  
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
 IPPC IMPLEMENTATION REVIEW AND SUPPORT SYSTEM (IRSS) 
REPORT FOR THE COMMITTEE ON SANITARY AND PHYTOSANITARY MEASURES 
MEETING OF 16-18 OCTOBER 2013 
Agenda Item 10(b) - Monitoring of the Use of International Standards 
The following communication, received on 14 October 2013, is being circulated at the request of 
the International Plant Protection Convention secretariat (IPPC). 
 
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1  INTRODUCTION 
1.1.  This report provides an update on the ac tivities of the IPPC's Implementation Review and 
Support System (IRSS). The IRSS concept emanated  from an IPPC Commission on Phytosanitary 
Measures (CPM) proposal for the establishment of a possible IPPC compliance mechanism. The 
compliance mechanism concept was reviewed and rejected in 2007 because there was a belief that a compliance (enforcement) mechanism was not specified in the IPPC and was contrary to the 
general philosophy of the IPPC's emphasis on cooperation, harmonization of science-based 
measures and exchange of information to prevent introduction and spread of pests. 
1.2.  Therefore the IRSS program was developed as a proactive means to identify the extent of 
implementation of the IPPC and its International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPMs), 
diagnose challenges to implementation, and offer support to strengthen future implementation, all 
outside of the context of compliance. The IRSS programme was adopted by CPM in 2008, noting the importance of this programme in the implemen tation of both the IPPC and the implementation 
of ISPMs. The programme initiated in 2011, thanks to generous financial contributions from the 
European Union. 
1.3.  The IRSS is a program unique to the IPPC, now in its third year of implementation, and 
revolutionising the way the IPPC approaches the provision of support to contracting parties to 
improve implementation of the IPPC and its standards. The IRSS utilizes a non-confrontational approach based on analysis of implementation status, challenges, and identification of opportunities for improvement. This takes place through a range of interventions including 
revisions of ISPMs for clarity, strengthening Secretariat information systems based on information 
gathered through IRSS analyses, and orienting global and national phytosanitary capacity development support to address the specific needs that have been identified. 
1.4.  This approach offers clear benefits to the contracting parties, IPPC Secretariat, and donors. 
These benefits include the ability to: 
 establish baseline information on implementation of the IPPC and its ISPMs; 
 identify technical, policy and other limits to implementation at national, regional and global 
levels; 
 utilize this information on limits to implem entation to strengthen capacity development 
activities directed to the specific challenges that contracting parties face; 
 monitor, encourage and support harmonised implementation of the IPPC and its ISPMs; G/SPS/GEN/1284 
 
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   identify and address emerging and potential implementation problems; and 
 identify strengths and gaps in adop ted standards (ISPMs) and offer some 
recommendations for their improvement when they are up for revision. 
1.5.  The IRSS is a cross-cutting activity in the IPPC Secretariat and involves close collaboration 
between the three principal IPPC Secretariat units (Standard Setting, Capacity Development and 
Information Exchange), as well as with the principal structures of the IPPC (the CPM Bureau, Standards Committee, Subsidiary Body on Di spute Settlement and Capacity Development 
Committee). A Triennial Review Group has been established, comprising of members from the 
above-named structures and the IPPC Secretariat, to review the IRSS' work each year and produce a final report at the conclusion of the initial three-year funding cycle. 
2  UPDATES OF PROJECT ACTIVITIES IN THE THIRD YEAR: APRIL 2013-MARCH 2014  
2.1.  Since the last meeting of the WTO SPS Committee, the IRSS has conducted a general survey 
on the IPPC and 32 standards. The draft of the report will be available soon on the IPP. 
2.2.  There is also an on-going survey on pest reporting and regulated pest listing. The Secretariat 
is requesting contracting parties to complete this survey as soon as possible. This information will 
help in identifying ways that the IPPC Secretariat and the IRSS program can improve support for countries to fulfil related IPPC obligations. 
2.3.  Additional future and on-going  activities for the IRSS include: 
 The IRSS website and help desk have been launched and continue to be fine-tuned; 
 Identification of donors for translation of existing IRSS analyses, tools and resources; 
 Identification of donors for the second 3-year cycle of the IRSS; 
 Further analyses of country implementation challenges with adopted standards; 
 Management of the helpdesk and related support tools; and 
 Production of a triennial report, Implementation Review Response (IRR), covering the first 
2011-2014 IRSS cycle. The IRR w ill include conclusions from an alyses of ISPMs, relevant 
data from the IPP, and studies such as thos e on aquatic plants and e-commerce. The IRSS 
Triennial Review Group (TRG) will provide guidance to develop the IRR. 
 
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