G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.6/Add.1  
 
13 May 2016  
(16-2675)  Page: 1/2  
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures    
 
WTO SPS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ACTIVITIES IN 2016: 
GENERAL INFORMATION, SELECTION PROCESS AN D APPLICATION FORM 
NOTE BY THE SECRETARIAT1 
Addendum 
1  THEMATIC SPS WORKSHOP 
1.  The Secretariat will organize a special SPS thematic workshop to focus on maximum residue 
levels (MRLs), to be held in Geneva, Switzerland. The workshop will take place on Monday, 
24 October and Tuesday, 25 October 2016. The SPS informal and regular meetings will be held on 26-27 October 2016. 
2.  The objective of the workshop is to bring toge ther officials responsible for participation in and 
implementation of the SPS Agreement, as well as the relevant international standard-setting 
organization and scientific bodies for an in depth discussion, at a technical level, on maximum residue levels. More specifically: 
a. Participants will review the SPS Agreement and MRLs, including the relevant provisions 
of the Agreement and jurisprudence; 
b. Participants will review the Codex approach to establishing MRLs. This will include 
relevant information on the respective work of Codex and scientific bodies, such as the 
Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues (CCPR), the Joint FAO/WHO Meeting on Pesticide Residue (JMPR), the Codex Committee on Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Foods (CCRVDF), and the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA); 
c. Participants will be exposed to the relevant  international, regional and bilateral work 
being undertaken on pesticide residues; and 
d. Participants will discuss their experiences in complying with MRLs and establishing MRLs, 
including information on their domestic regulatory and legal infrastructures. 
3.  The workshop is open to participation by all delegates from WTO Members and Observers 
attending the SPS Committee meeting in October 2016. 
4.  The WTO, with the financial assistance of the Doha Development Agenda Global Trust Fund 
(DDAGTF), will sponsor the participation of at least 25 government officials from developing country Members and Observers. The Secretariat w ill select participants to be sponsored from 
applications received from capital-based officials holding direct responsibilities in the SPS area. 
5.  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. 
                                               
1 This document has been prepared under the Secret ariat's own responsibility and is without prejudice 
to the positions of Members or to thei r rights and obligations under the WTO. G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.6/Add.1 
 
- 2 - 
 
  6.  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 the table below, and complete and submit the online application form available at: https://worldtradeorganization.wufoo.eu/forms/2 016-wto-sps-technical-assistanceapplication-
form/ . 
7.  An economy-class round-trip air-ticket (excursion fare, if applicable), accommodation, daily 
subsistence allowance, at least  for the duration of the workshop (24-25 October 2016), and 
terminal expenses will be provided to the select ed participants as of the opening day of the 
activity. Detailed administrative arrangements shall be communicated directly to the selected participants in advance of the workshop. 
Title of the 
activity Thematic SPS Workshop on Ma ximum Residue Levels (MRLs) 
Dates 24 to 25 October 2016 
Venue Geneva, Switzerland 
Eligible WTO 
Members and 
Observers WTO least-developed and developing country Members and Observers 
Pre-requisites for 
funding Only for government officials holding di rect 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/2016-wto-sps-technical-
assistanceapplication-form/  
 
Candidates should complete and submit the online application form before 
17 June 2016 . 
 
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 2016. 
Administrative and logistical information will be provided in due course to 
the selected candidates. 
Selected 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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