G/SPS/GEN/2033  
 
3 June  2022 
(22-4231) Page: 1/3 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
 
ACTIONS AIMED AT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE WTO AGREEMENT  
ON SANITARY AND PHYTOSANITARY MEASURES  
INFORMATION SUBMITTED BY THE INTER -AMERICAN INSTITUTE  
FOR COOPERATION ON AGRICULTURE (IICA)  
The following communication, received on 3 June 2022, is being circulated at the request of  IICA. 
 
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The observer organizations of the WTO Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures 
(SPS Committee) are invited to submit reports on the  activities they have carried out to promote 
the understanding and implementation of the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and 
Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Agreement). IICA would like to present some of the actions and 
activities that it considers re levant to the work of this Committee.  
1  SUPPORT FOR MULTILATERAL FOR A ASSOCIATED WITH SANITARY AND 
PHYTOSANITARY MEASURES  
1.1  Codex Alimentarius Colloqui a 
1.1.  IICA, in collaboration with the United States Codex Office and the AU -IBAR, continues to 
support its member  countries in their active participation in the Codex Alimentarius, through the 
implementation of an annual program of colloquiums aimed at the CCLAC regions, CCAFRICA and 
the United States. In these colloquiums, both regions (43% of the Codex membership) discuss and 
exchange opinions on the various agenda items of each of the official Codex Alimentarius meetings. 
These meetings motivate and support developing countries to enhance their active participation both 
individually and regionally. The most recent colloquiums were:  
− March 2022 – preparation for the 52nd Session of the Codex Committee on Food Hygiene 
(CCFH52);  
− April 2022 – preparation for the 15th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Colloquium on 
Contaminants in Food (CCCF15) . 
1.2.  These events provided an opportunity for delegates from these two regions and the 
United  States to analyze issues of common interest and develop regional participation strategies 
prior to those Codex Committee meetings.  
1.2  Regional Coordination Session on WTO SPS Matters  
1.3.  Adding to the regional efforts to strengthen capacities in the Hemisphere for the application of 
sanitary and phytosanitary measures and working in collaboration with several of its members IICA 
conducted last March its Third Coordination Session on WTO SP S Committee Matters. The meeting 
was hosted virtually with simultaneous interpretation for English, Spanish and French and was 
attended by 111 participants from thirty -one countries. Considering the current prominent subjects 
under discussion in the WTO SP S Committee, the third coordination session addressed matters 
related to: the SPS Committee Working Group on Approval Procedures (G/SPS/W/328/Rev.1/Add.1 ), 
the Declaration for the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference ( G/SPS/GEN/1758/Rev.10 ) and  the 
EU review of legislation on veterinary medicinal products ( STC 446 ). The next coordination ses sion G/SPS/GEN/2033  
 
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  on WTO SPS Committee matters is already scheduled for 16 June in preparation for the forthcoming 
83rd Session of the WTO SPS Committee.  
1.3  Inter -American Coordinating Group in Plant Health (GICSV) recent activities  
1.4.  Since the constitution of the GICSV, II CA has exercised the Technical Secretariat on a 
permanent basis and currently hosts its website . In recent years it has maintained an intense agenda 
and a work plan focused on institutional strengthen ing, coordination of activities and attention to 
the main emerging phytosanitary issues. It currently has biannual work plans and has set up Working 
Groups on relevant topics such as Electronic Certification (ePhyto), Fruit Fly, HLB, Tuta absoluta, 
Orthopt eros Plague (Lobster) and FOC R4T. The most relevant events and activities conducted during 
the period covered by this report were:  
− Sessions for the analysis of the documents for the 16th Commission on Phytosanitary 
Measures - CMF 16 - of the IPPC.  
Activit ies of the Working Groups : 
− ePhyto - contingency plan for the ePhyto system;  
− Fruit fly - report on the species of economic concern present in America and the Caribbean;  
− HLB - campaign for the harmonization of messages on prevention and management of HLB;  
− Tuta absoluta  - Reference Manual for Surveillance and Control of T. absoluta ; 
− FOC R4T - harmonized hemispheric campaign on the prevention and control of FOC R4T;  
− Lobster - Technical sheets on the Orthoptera species present in America and the Caribbean 
and an  updated status report of the Orthoptera species in the region.  
Collaboration with the IPPC secretariat in the organization of:  
− The IPPC Workshop for Latin America – analysis of the draft standards proposed for 
comments and approval in 2022;  
− Webinar "Introduction to IPPC Implementation: Your Questions Answered".  
2  INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS AND REGULATIONS IN REGARD TO SPS MEASURES  
2.1  Strategy Session on OIE Guidelines  
2.1.  Aiming at improving coordination and promoting the development of harmonized comments on 
the OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code chapters, IICA hosted on -line, in April 2022, the tenth edition 
of its Strategy Session organized in partnership and sponsored by the USDA. Matters related to the 
OIE General Session, antimicrobial resistance and animal  welfare, Venezuelan equine encephalitis 
and fish diseases were discussed by the veterinary services of the hemisphere. 61 delegates from 
22 countries attended the Session.  
3  OTHER ACTIVITIES  
3.1  Expanding knowledge on the magnitude of pesticide residues in crop s 
3.1.  IICA, together with the Fundación de Usos Menores , continues to carry out studies on the 
magnitude of pesticide residues in crops to expand the capacity development of Latin American 
countries in the preparation of these studies, as well as increasing th e necessary information before 
the Codex Alimentarius to establish new MRLs. Large -scale tests on pesticide residues are currently 
being carried out in Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Peru, and Ecuador. The program will be expanded 
to Argentina, Honduras, an d Chile this year.  
3.2.  As anticipated in March 2022 ( G/SPS/GEN/1995 ) IICA and Fundación de Usos Menores hosted 
last month a workshop in the Latin American and Caribbean region to establish a new prioritization 
process and thus be able to advance further in these important trials. 141 delegates from 
23 countries participated. Also noteworthy was the participation of the Caribbean region, which was 
present at the event with 25 delegates from seven countries.  G/SPS/GEN/2033  
 
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  3.2  African Swine Fever  
3.3.  Within the framework of the GFTADs, IICA has been leading training actions for the prevention 
of African swine fever in the countries of America and the Caribbean, which are sti ll free of the 
disease. This coordination is being developed in conjunction with the different international agencies, 
as well as regional agencies (OIE, FAO, CVP, CAN, CAFHSA, CaribVET, OIRSA, USDA, COPEG).  
3.4.  Continuing with the work plan for 2022, IICA hos ted last March the hemispheric Webinar on 
Emergency Actions in the Event of Confirmation of African Swine Fever. 284 participants from 
29 countries attended the Webinar.  
3.3  Dairy Hygiene and Technology  
3.5.  Together with the Honduran Milk Chamber (CAHLE), IICA sup ported capacity building on the 
Central American Technical Regulation (RTCA) concerning the use of dairy terms. 400 participants 
(producers, ranchers, processors, technicians from the official sector, academia) attended the 
capacity building activities hel d last April in the VIII Milk Congress, in Honduras.  
For further information, please contact Ana Marisa Cordero ( ana.cordero@iica.int ). 
Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA)  
Agricultural Health and Food Safety  
http://www.iica.int  
 
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