G/SPS/GEN/1336  
 
25 June 2014  
(14-3662)  Page: 1/5  
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures    
 
 WORKSHOP ON RISK ANALYSIS 
DRAFT PROGRAMME 
Note by the Secretariat1 
1.  At its 25-26 March meeting, the SPS Committee agreed to use the occasion of the SPS 
thematic workshop in October to focus on risk analysis, based on the proposal submitted by the United States, in the context of the Fourth Review. 
2.  On this basis, the Secretariat of the World Trade Organization is organizing a special workshop 
o n  r i s k  a n a l y s i s  t o  b e  h e l d  i n  G e n e v a ,  S w itzerland on Monday, 13 October and Tuesday, 
14 October 2014. The workshop will be followed by informal and formal meetings of the 
SPS Committee during the same week. Represen tatives of Members, Observers and Observer 
Organizations are all invited to participate in the workshop on 13 and 14 October, as well as the 
subsequent meetings of the Committee. 
3.  Documents G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.4 and G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.4/Add.1 provided information on 
the workshop and on the application process. More than 500 applications were received by the 
deadline of 6 June 2014. The WTO, with the financial assistance of the Doha Development Agenda Global Trust Fund (DDAGTF), will sponsor the participation of approximately 50 government 
officials from developing country Members and Observers. The Secretariat will select participants 
to be sponsored among applications from government officials holding direct responsibilities in the SPS area. 
4.  The workshop will provide a platform for di scussion and experience sharing on developments 
and best practices in the area of SPS-related risk analysis. 
5.  The following is the proposed programme of the workshop. Delegations wishing to provide any 
specific comments regarding this programme should submit them to the WTO (E-mail: 
Anneke.Hamilton@wto.org ) by 25 July 2014. For further enquiries about the workshop, please 
contact Ms Anneke Hamilton (Tel: +(41 22) 739 6566; Fax: +(41 22) 739 5760; E-mail: 
Anneke.Hamilton@wto.org ). 
                                               
1 This document has been prepared under the Secret ariat's own responsibility and is without prejudice 
to the positions of Members or to their rights or obligations under the WTO. G/SPS/GEN/1336 
 
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  WORKSHOP ON RISK ANALYSIS  
MONDAY, 13 OCTOBER – TUESDAY, 14 OCTOBER 2014 
WTO, CENTRE WILLIAM RAPPARD, GENEVA 
DRAFT PROGRAMME 
MONDAY, 13 OCTOBER 2014 
 
10:00 – 10:30 
Workshop overview and objectives This session will provide an overview of the worksh op and its objectives. In addition, this session will 
briefly review the previous information session on risk analysis held by the SPS Committee in 2000
1 
highlighting the main outcomes. 
Speaker:  WTO Secretariat  
Speaker:  TBC (Participant from previous workshop to highlight the outcomes from the 2000 
workshop; and identify areas that merit further explor ation 14 years later in the area of risk analysis).  
 
10:30 – 11:30 
Session 1: The SPS Agreement and Risk Analysis 
Part 1: Conceptual approach - What the SPS Agreement says 
Presentation from the Secretariat on Members' obligations as they relate to risk analysis under the 
provisions of Article 5 of the SPS Agreement. 
Part 2: Practical approach - Lesson s Learned from Dispute Settlement 
A speaker will summarize outcomes of dispute settlement cases as they relate to risk analysis. 
Particular focus will be placed on issues related to risk analysis that have been raised in WTO dispute 
settlement cases and the relevant findings. 
Speaker: WTO Secretariat  
 
11:30 – 13:00 
Session 2: SPS Risk Analysis in the Current Age Part 1:  Define risk assessment by today's standards us ing scientific experts with specific examples 
from various sectors, and discuss responding to challenges such as dealing with uncertainty, data 
availability, and qualitative vs. quantitative risk assessment. 
Part 2:  Discuss risk management using specific examples such as implementation of HACCP in several 
sectors. 
Moderator: TBC 
Speakers: TBC 
13:00 – 15:00  Lunch break 
 
15:00 – 15:45 
Session 2: SPS Risk Analysis in the Current Age (cont'd) 
Part 3:  Round table Q&A session with the experts from this session to answer questions specific to 
risk analysis. 
Moderator: TBC 
Speakers: TBC 
                                               
1 http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/sps_e/risk00_e/risk00_e.htm . G/SPS/GEN/1336 
 
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15:45 – 16:45 
Session 3: International Standards and Gu idelines for Performing Risk Analysis 
Part 1:  Codex 
Part 2:  IPPC 
Part 3:  OIE 
In this session, representatives from each of th e three international standard-setting bodies will 
discuss efforts to strengthen the guidelines, addres s gaps, and ensure these guidelines are understood 
and followed by Members. This se ssion will be followed by Q&A. 
Moderator: TBC 
Speakers: Codex, IPPC, OIE  
 
16:45 – 17:45 
Session 4: Members Discuss Thei r Risk Management Experiences 
Through the use of case studies, speakers in this se ssion will explain their experience with making risk 
management decisions in the SPS realm, how those decisions are related to risk assessments they 
have undertaken and how practical experiences with risk mitigation can improve risk management decisions. In addition, speakers will address the extent to which the objective of minimizing negative 
trade effects is taken into account when determining the appropriate level of sanitary or phytosanitary 
protection. This session will be followed by a question and answer period. 
Part 1: Developing country  
 
Part 2: Developed country  
Moderator: TBC 
Speakers: TBC 
 
17:45 – 18:00 
Closing remarks and wrap-up of day 1 
Speaker:  TBC  
 G/SPS/GEN/1336 
 
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  TUESDAY, 14 OCTOBER 2014 
10:00 – 10:15 Opening Remarks 
 
10:15 – 11:15 
Session 4: Members Discuss Their Risk  Management Experiences (cont'd) 
Through the use of case studies, speakers in this session will explain their experience with making 
risk management decisions in the SPS realm, how those decisions are related to risk assessments 
they have undertaken and how practical experiences with risk mitigation can improve risk management decisions. In addition, speakers will address the extent to which, the objective of 
minimizing negative trade effects is taken into account when determining the appropriate level of 
sanitary or phytosanitary protection. This session will be followed by a question and answer period. 
Part 1: Developing country   
 
Part 2: Developed country  
Moderator: TBC 
Speakers: TBC 
 
11:15 – 12:00 
Session 5: Experience of Internat ional and Regional Organizations 
Part 1: International Level - OECD, World Bank, or other international organization 
Speaker from an international organization will discuss outcomes related to risk assessment, risk 
management and risk communication of various workshops organized at the international and 
regional levels since 2000 on implementation of the SPS Agreement. 
Part 2: Regional Level - IICA 
Speaker from IICA will discuss regional initiatives related to risk assessment, risk management and 
risk communication. 
Moderator: TBC 
Speakers: TBC 
 
12:00 – 13:00 
Session 6: Leveraging Resources for Risk  Assessments - Ways to Address Resource 
Constraints 
This session will explore new ways that Members can meet their WTO obligation to perform risk 
assessments and base their measures on science, in light of limited financial and human resources. 
Topics will include Members sharing experiences wi th having risk assessments drafted by parties 
other than the importing country (e.g., the exportin g country or a third party) and sharing data with 
other Members who have received similar market access requests. Members will also share their 
experiences in coordinating efforts and resources across the public and private sector. This session 
will be followed by a question and answer period. 
Moderator: TBC 
Speakers: TBC 
13:00 – 15:00  Lunch break G/SPS/GEN/1336 
 
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15:00 – 17:00 
Session 7: Members Discuss their Risk Communication Experiences 
During this session Members will share their experiences in important elements of risk 
communication with particular focus on practical examples. Each speaker will tackle an aspect of risk 
communication, followed by brief discussion among Members. 
Part 1:  Internal risk communication: Ensuring effective communication between and among risk 
assessors and risk managers. 
Part 2:  Translating the risk assessment and risk management into communication messages, 
including communicating uncertainty and leveraging new communication tools (social media etc.). 
Part 3:  Targeting communication – who are the audien ces, what do they need/want to hear, and 
when to communicate it? 
Moderator: TBC 
Speakers: TBC 
 
17:00 – 18:00 
Session 8: Outcomes and Next Steps 
This session will be mainly devoted to Q&A. Speake rs will identify a few key outcomes of the sessions 
and Members will discuss what, if any, follow up steps are warranted, including possible organization of a separate event or workshop focusing on particular elements of risk analysis. 
Moderator: TBC 
Speakers:  
 Developing country representative 
 Developed country representative 
 
 
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