G/SPS/GEN/1904   
20 May 2021 
(21-4227) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: Spanish  
 
  
PANAMA'S UNDUE DELAYS IN THE RENEW AL OF  AUTHORIZATION S FOR PLANTS  OF 
PERUVIAN FISH ERY AND LIVESTOCK ENTERPRISES  
COMMUNICA TION FROM  PERU 
The following communication , received on  25 March  2021, is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of Peru. 
 
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1.  Peru would like to express before WTO Members its trade concern regarding Panama's undue 
delays in renewing  authorization s for plants  of Peruvian fish ery and livestock enterprises . 
2.  Article 8 and Annex C( 1)(a) and C(1)(c) of the SPS Agreement indicate  that the procedures 
undertaken to check the fulfilment of a sanitary measure must be completed without undue delay  
and the information requirements limited to what  is necessary for the se procedures . Panama has 
failed to comply with this since  no response has been received and the authorization of the fish ery 
and livestock enterprises  as requested by Peru has yet to be  carried out . Moreover, Panama recently 
requested  that information that had been duly sent in good  time by the competent Peruvian health 
authority be updated . 
3.  Peru wishes to highlight that, despite the bilateral meetings and efforts  undertaken, Panam a has 
not communicate d the anticipated  processing period and there is uncertainty as to the length of time 
that would be granted to Peruvian enterprises  should renew al be secured , in violation of  Article 8 
and Annex C  (1)(b) of the SPS Agreement . 
4.  Twenty -two Peruvian exporters of  hydrobiologica l products are currently affected  and their 
authorization is thus no longer valid  on the Panamanian health authority's official list , despite the 
fact that Peru has provided all the  required  health  information since May 20201 and, at Panam a's 
request , resent this information in March 20212, without any health  reasons being given to justify 
this second sending of information . 
5.  Likewise , there are  four Peruvian livestock enterprises  waiting for their authorization to be 
renewed by Panama . In this connection , in 2020, Peru issued  five official communications3 containing 
the required  information, with no  response being  received to date . A further  communication was  
issued  in January 2021, which , similarly,  has not been addressed in accordance with  Annex C of the 
WTO SPS Agreement4. 
 
1 Official Notes  No. 156-2020-SANIPES/PE and No. 157-2020-SANIPES/PE, 15 May 2020.  
2 Official Notes  No. 084-2021-SANIPES/PE, 10 March  2021 and No. 022 - 2021 - 
MINCETUR/VMCE/DGPDCE/DRTCE, 11 March  2021.  
3 Communica tions: 
CARTA -0108-2020-MINAGRI -SENASA -DSA of 19 February  2020;  
CARTA -0419-2020-MINAGRI -SENASA -DSA of 25 August  2020;  
CARTA -0442-2020-MINAGRI -SENASA -DSA of 7 September  2020;  
CARTA -0485-2020-MINAGRI -SENASA -DSA of 1 October  2020;  
CARTA -0659-2020-MIDAGRI -SENASA -DSA of 7 December  2020.  
4 Official Note No. 001 - 2021 - MINCETUR/VMCE/DGPDCE/DRTCE, 7 January  2021.  G/SPS/GEN/1904  
 
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  6.  In addition, Peru wishes to recall that, pursuant to  Articles 2.2 and 5.1 of the WTO SPS 
Agreement , Members' sanitary measures are to be appli ed only when they are necessary to protect 
human, animal or plant life or health and these measures must  be based on a risk assessment . 
Unfortunately, Panam a has failed to indicate  any health  reason s for the non -renewal of the 
authorization s of Peruvian enterprises . 
7.  This situation has caused  damage to exports of Peruvian hydrobiological and livestock products, 
which decreased  by approximately USD 2 million in 2020.  
8.  In the light of the foregoing, and in order to prevent  a violation of Articles 2.2, 5.1, 8 and 
Annex  C (1)(a), C(1)(b) and C(1)(c) of the WTO SPS Agreement , Peru asks Panama to renew the 
authorizations of Peruvian export plants  and prevent increased  barriers to bilateral trade . 
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