G/SPS/N/CAN/1192  
 
27 July 2018  
(18-4762) Page: 1/3 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English/French  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
1. Notifying Member: CANADA  
If applicable, name of local government involved:  
2. Agency responsible: Canadian Food Inspection Agency  
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national 
schedules deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, 
where applicable): All plant, animal and food commodities  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected,  to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[X] All trading partners  
[ ] Specific regions or countries:  
5. Title of the notified document: Notice to International Trading Partners: Progress 
Towards Electronic Certification . Language(s): English and French.  Number of pages: 5 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2018/SPS/CAN/18_4011_00_e.pdf  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2018/SPS/CAN/18_4011_01_e.pdf  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2018/SPS/CAN/18_4011_02_e.pdf  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2018/SPS/CAN/18_4011_03_e.pdf  
6. Description of co ntent: The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is launching 
electronic export certificates for plant, animal and food commodities. Certificates will now 
be signed with either ink or electronic signature and can be viewed securely online. The 
automation of export processes and certificates will be phased in throughout 2018 -2020.   
The attached document "The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is moving to Electronic 
Certification" outlines the minor procedural and format changes the CFIA has made to 
electroni c export certificates, also attached are samples of the new format of Canadian 
electronic export certificates. These changes are only impacting CFIA general purpose 
and/or internationally recognized certificates.  
All bilaterally negotiated certificates rem ain unchanged. For bilaterally negotiated 
certificates that will be launched electronically, the CFIA will engage with foreign 
competent authorities directly. All negotiated export requirements for public or 
plant/animal health requirements and associated attestations for bilaterally negotiated 
certificates remain in place.  
This measure is also notified to the Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade as 
G/TBT/N/CAN/561.  
7. Objective and rationale: [X]  food safety, [X]  animal health, [X]  plant protection, 
[X] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [X]  protect territory from 
other damage from pests.  G/SPS/N/CAN/1192  
 
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  8. Is there a relevant international standard? If so, identify the standard:  
[ ] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex 
standard or related text) :  
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g.  Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number) :  
[X] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) :  
 
For phytosanitary export certificates:  
• ISPM No. 12: Phytosanitary certificates.  
• International Plant Protection Convention, 2014  
[ ] None  
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?  
[X] Yes   [  ] No 
If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:  
9. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available: 
Samples  of the New Format of Canadian Electronic Export Certificates for:  
Food Dairy Certificate CFIA/ACIA 5813  
Meat - Certificate CFIA/ACIA 1454  
Plant Phytosanitary Export Certificate  
Re-export Certificate   
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : Electronic export certificates will be phased 
in throughout 2018 -2020. Adoption of CFIA electronic export certificates will be notified to 
the Committee.  
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) :  
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [  ] Six months from date of publication , and/or  
(dd/mm/yy) : Dairy Certificate (formerly TS -1, CFIA/ACIA 5813): Mid 2018 -19 
Meat Certificate (CFIA/ACIA 1454): Late 2018 -19 
Phytosanitary Certificate: 2019  
Re-export Phytosanitary Certificate: 2019  
[X] Trade facilitating measure  
12. Final date for comments: [X]  Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 25 September 2018  
Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [  ] National Notification 
Authority, [X]  National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if 
available) of other body:  G/SPS/N/CAN/1192  
 
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  13. Text(s) available from: [  ] National Notification Authority, [X]  National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if available) of other body:   
http://www.inspection.gc.ca /about -the-cfia/my -cfia/notice -to-international -trading -
partners/eng/1529586761679/1529586762052  (English)  
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/au -sujet-de-l-acia/mon -acia/avis -aux-partenaires -
commerciaux -internationaux/fra/1529586761679/1529586762052  (French)  
  
Canada's SPS and TBT Notification Authority and Enquiry Point  
Technical Barriers and Regulatio ns Division  
Global Affairs Canada  
111 Sussex Drive  
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0G2  
Tel: +(343) 203 4273  
Fax: +(613) 943 0346  
E-mail: enquirypoint@international.gc.ca