G/SPS/GEN/1675/Rev.1  
 
13 March  2019 
(19-1559) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures    
 
SPS COMMITTEE THEMAT IC SESSION ON EQUIVALENCE (PART 2 ) 
MONDAY , 18 MARCH  2019 
WTO, CENTRE WILLIAM RAPPARD, GENEVA  
PROGRAMME  
Revision  
In the context of the Fifth Review of the Operation and Implementation of the SPS Agreement, 
Canada submitted a proposal for the Committee to consider holding a workshop or thematic session 
on equivalence.1 Australia and Brazil  also submitted proposals on the subject , including examining 
the existing guidance on the recognition of equivalence (G/SPS/19/Rev.2) .2 At the Committee 
meeting in July 2018, many Members were in favour of a thematic session or workshop on 
equivalence.  
The first part of a two -part th ematic session on equivalence was held on 30 October 2018. It provide d 
an opportunity to introduce the concept of equivalence , and for WTO Members to increase their 
awareness of  the relevant provision s of the SPS Agreement,  Committee  guidance , related  
jurisprudence, and equivalence from a TBT perspective. In addition, representatives of Codex, IPPC 
and OIE outlined the relevant international standards and explained how equivalence was applied in 
their areas.  
The second part of this thematic session  will focus on Members'  experiences with the implementation 
of equivalence. It  will be held in Geneva, Switzerland, on Monday , 18 March  2019, beginning at 
10 a.m. in room CR  I. 
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Chairperson:  Ms Noncedo Vutula  
1  MEMBER EXPERIENCES  
1.1  Equivalence  of SPS Measures  
Member experiences and approaches to the recognition a nd implementation of equivalence  of 
specific SPS measures or groups of SPS measures . 
Speakers:  
▪ Ms Shannon McMurtr ey (FSIS) and Ms Mara Burr ( International Food Safety Policy Manager , 
FDA), United States  
▪ Mr Kong Xiaobang, Director , General Customs Administration , China  
Practice and Challenge of Equivalence in China's Import and Export Food Safety Supervision  
                                                
1 G/SPS/W/302/Rev.1.  
2 G/SPS/W/299, G/SPS/W/301 . G/SPS/GEN/1675/Rev.1  
 
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  ▪ Ms Heather Holland, National Manager, Foreign Relations and Issues Management, 
Canadian Food Inspection Agency  
Canada 's Application of Equivalence for Plant Health  
▪ Mr Ernesto Guevara,  General Coordinator,  Directorate of Technical Requirements for Foreign 
Trade, Viceministry of Foreign Trade, Peru  
Equivalenc e: Peru's experience  
Followed by Q&A session and discussion  
1.2  Systems -Based Equivalence  
Member experiences and approaches to the recognition and implementation of systems -based 
equivalence . 
Speakers:  
▪ Dr Bill Jolly, Chief Assurance Strategy Officer, New Zealand Ministry for Primary 
Industries   
Making Equivalence Work; From International Standards to Modern Trading Relationships  
▪ Ms Heather Holland, National Manager, Foreign Relations and Issues Management, 
Canadian Food Inspection Agency  
Canada’s Approach to Food Safety Equivalence  
▪ Mr Simon Smalley, Minister Counsellor , Australia  
Followed by Q&A session and discussion  
2  OTHER EXPERIENCES AN D APPROACHES   
The sessi on will explore other experiences  and approaches  taken  in the implementation of 
equivalence.  
Speakers:  
▪ Mr Ernesto Guevara, General Coordinator, Directorate of Technical Requirements for Foreign 
Trade, Viceministry of Foreign Trade, Peru  
▪ Ms Martha Byanyima, COMESA  
Applying equivalence to facilitate trade in the COMESA Free Trade Area  
▪ Dr Megan Quinlan,  Senior Research Fellow , Centre for Environmental Policy, Imperial 
College London  
Key Approaches to Equivalence in Plant Health  
Followed by Q&A session and discussion  
3  TAKEA WAY MESSAGES, CONCLU DING REMARKS  
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