G/SPS/W/329  
 
15 July  2022 
(22-5411) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures    
 
 
SANITARY AND PHYTOSANITARY DECLARATION FOR THE  TWELFTH  
WTO MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE: RESPONDING TO  
MODERN SPS CHALLENGES (WT/MIN(22)/27)  
INITIAL TIMELINE FOR THE WORK PROGRAMME  
1.  The SPS Declaration for MC12, adopted by Ministers in June 2022, instructs the SPS Committee 
to carry out a work programme, open to all Members and Observers. The Committee is to address 
the outcomes of this work programme and report on key findings and ac tion undertaken as a result 
of this work to the Thirteenth Ministerial Conference  (MC13)  with recommendations, as appropriate.  
2.  The work will be carried out in the SPS Committee. In between meetings of the SPS Committee, 
Members have the possibility to work  together in thematic groups , led by stewards/co -stewards,  on 
specific themes identified in paragraph 8 of the SPS Declaration.  The stewards/co -stewards will play 
the role of neutral facilitators of the work in the thematic groups.  The thematic groups will  be open 
to all interested Members, who will be able to join any of the groups at any time.1 These thematic 
groups will suggest ideas and /or submit proposals for discussion in the SPS Committee.  
3.  The initial timeline below (until November 2022) is proposed  for Members' consideration, 
recognizing that some of the dates may need to be modified in light of other activities and/or 
resource constraints.2 Based on inputs from Members, the Secretariat will prepare a more complete 
timeline for the work programme u ntil MC13 for adoption at the November meeting of the 
SPS Committee.  
Twelfth WTO Ministerial Conference , 12-17 June 2022  
• Adoption by consensus of the SPS Declaration: Responding to Modern Challenges  
Informal and formal meetings of the SPS Committee, 22 -24 June 2022  
• Preliminary d iscussions on the work programme for the SPS Declaration  
22 July  2022  
• Members indicate their interest in participating in work of thematic groups on specific 
topics identified in the SPS Declaration work programme  
• Members propose colleagues  to act as stewards/co -stewards for thematic  groups  
• Members submit suggestions for the organization or the work programme  until MC13  
Late July 2022  
• Secretariat circulates list of Members that volunteered to participate in the  thematic  
groups on specific topics identified in the SPS Declaration  work programme , and possible 
stewards/ co-stewards , in consultation with the Chairperson  
• Secretariat circulates a draft timeline for the work programme until MC13, based on inputs 
from Members, in con sultation with the Chairperson  
September  – Early October  2022  
• Thematic groups meet virtually to develop a common understanding regarding the scope 
of their work  
 
1 Any meeting times will be communicated to all SPS Committee delegates; work may also take place in 
writing.  
2 It was initially circulated as RD/SPS/210  on 24 June 2022. This version incorporates a first round of 
comments from Members.  G/SPS/W/329  
 
- 2 - 
 
  • Members submit comments on the draft timeline  for the work programme until MC13  
• Informal SPS Co mmittee consultations, co -stewards to report on work in thematic  groups  
• Timeline for the work programme  until MC13  finalized  
By 19 October 20223 
• Stewards/c o-stewards submit proposals /observations  from thematic  groups on topics 
identified in the SPS Declar ation work programme , for discussion  at the November  informal  
meeting of the SPS Committee  
• Secretariat circulates proposals/observations from thematic groups  
Informal and formal meetings of the SPS Committee, 9 -11 November  2022  
• Discussion of the proposals submitted by thematic  groups  in the informal meeting, with 
reporting to the formal meeting of the Committee  
• Timeline for the work programme  until MC13  adopted by the SPS Committee  
 
__________  
 
3 19 October is the deadline for submission of documents  for the SPS Committee meeting on 
9-11 November  2022.