G/SPS/GEN/1694  
 
13 March 2019  
(19-1553) Page: 1/3 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures    
 
WORKSHOP ON TRANSPARENCY AND COO RDINATION  
MONDAY, 15 JULY – WEDNESDAY, 17 JULY 201 9 
WTO , CENTRE WILLIAM RAPPARD, GENEVA  
PROGRAMME  
Note by the Secretariat1 
1.  The SPS Committee decided that the July SPS thematic workshop would focus on transparency 
and coordination. This first draft of the programme is circulated for discussion at the 2019 March 
SPS Committee meetings. Members are invited to submit comments on t his draft programme and 
suggested speakers by 3 May 2019 . The Secretariat will circulate a revised version of the programme  
after taking into consideration comments received.  
                                                
1 This document has been prepared under the Secretariat's own responsibility and is without prejudice to 
the positions of Members or to their rights and obligations under the WTO.  G/SPS/GEN/1694  
 
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  DRAFT PROGRAMME  
MONDA Y, 15 JULY 2019  
Opening remarks by  the Chair person  of the SPS Committee  
Overview of t he workshop and its objectives  
Session 1: Introduction  to the Legal Framework  
Speaker(s):  WTO Secretariat  
▪ Overview of the transparency provisions in the SPS Agreement and of relevant 
Committee/Ministerial Decisions  
Session 2:  SPS/TBT Provisions  
▪  Report on  discussions at  the June TBT  Committee  Thematic Session on Transparency  
Speaker(s):  WTO Secretariat  
 
Session 3: Implementation of the transparency provisions: Members' experience with                        
SPS/TBT notifications  
Speaker(s):  WTO Secretariat  
 
13:00–15:00  Lunch break  
Session 4 : WTO tools and sources of SPS information  
Speaker(s):  WTO Secretariat  
Documents Online; ePing ; SPS IMS; updated Practical Manual for SPS NNAs and NEPs   
 
Session 5 : State of Play of the new IT project on SPS/TBT STCs online submission  
Speaker(s):  WTO Secretariat  
 
Session 6 : Sharing of Members' experiences: Transparency -related coordination  
▪ Domestic  coordination  to ensure  notification  of all SPS regulations  
▪ Experiences in using established SPS information exchange mechanisms (ePing and/or other 
similar systems)  
 
Speaker(s):  TBC 
 
 
  G/SPS/GEN/1694  
 
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  TUESD AY, 16 JULY 2019  
Opening remarks  
SHARING OF NATIONAL EXPERIENCES WITH COORDINATION  
 
Sess ion 7 : Establishing national SPS coordination mechanisms: Lessons learnt  
 
Speaker(s):  TBC 
 
Session 8: National SPS coordination mechanisms: What role for the private sector ? 
Speaker(s):  TBC 
 
Session 9: Role of n ational SPS coordination mechanisms in communication/advocacy at the 
national level  
Speaker(s):  TBC 
 
Session 10: The procedures for developing national SPS strategies and positions in regional  
and international organizations  
 
Speaker(s):  TBC 
 
13:00–15:00 Lunch break  
SHARING OF REGIONAL INITIATIVES TO SUPPORT NATIONAL COORDINATION  
 
Session 11: Regional/International initiatives to support national coordination  
 
Speaker (s): TBC (African Union, OIRSA, ECOWAS, IICA , others ) 
 
 
WEDNESD AY, 17 JULY 2019  
Session 12: Briefing on the Informal Meeting of the SPS Committee  
Speaker(s):  WTO Secretariat  
 
INFORMAL MEETING OF THE SPS COMMITTEE  
13:30–15:00  Lunch break  
Session 13 : Practical session on the use of the SPS online  tools  
Speaker(s):  WTO Secretariat  
Target group: transparency experts  
 
 
 
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