G/SPS/W/288  
 
14 July 2015  
(15-3615)  Page: 1/2  
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
 BELIZE'S COMMENTS ON PRIVATE STANDARDS 
63RD WTO/SPS COMMITTEE MEETING 
JULY 2015 
Communication from Belize 
The following communication, received on 9 July 2015, is being circulated at the request of the 
Delegation of Belize. 
 
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Belize would like to thank the co-stewards and the Members of the electronic working group for 
their important contributions in addressing this important agenda item. In that light, it is important then to remind Members that the importance of th e working definition is to provide some guidance 
on the scope of coverage of what should be considered under the terms "SPS-related private 
standards" rather than on developing a legal definition. 
1  REACTIVATION OF THE ELECTRONIC WORKING GROUP 
1.1.  We believe that it is now time to reactivate the electronic working group, since advances can 
only be made with Members engaged in discussion and openly demonstrating their commitments in moving the process forward. It is in the spirit of moving the process forward that Belize would like to propose a new definition for consideration. 
2  DEFINITION OF SPS-RELATED PRIVATE STANDARDS – "REQUIREMENTS" 
2.1.  Members will recall that one of the first acti vities of the physical working group, was to look 
at the different examples of "SPS-related priv ate standards" provided by members, in their 
response to the questionnaire circulated by the Secretariat. In the examples provided by the 
respective countries, it was observed that most of  these "SPS-related private standards" included: 
maximum residues limits, guidelines for preventing  and reducing microbial contaminants; limits for 
microbial contaminants, acceptable diagnostic techniques for certain diseases just to mention a 
few. These facts demonstrated that "SPS-related private standards" are "animal health, plant 
health and food safety requirements". We underst and that some Members have concerns with the 
use of the term "requirements" but the only alternative language would be "conditions of 
importation" and those are used to describe measur es applied by governments. As a result Belize 
believes it is more appropriate to use "requirements". This portion of the definition eliminates "related-to" which would address the concerns of those not comfortable with is inclusion. 
3  "A REQUIREMENT" OR "REQUIREMENTS"; "VERBAL OR WRITTEN" 
3 . 1 .   I t  i s  a l s o  u n d e r s t o o d  t h a t  s o m e  M e m b e r s  are of the view that the definition should be 
extremely explicit: qualifying that requirements co uld be singular or plural and that they can be 
written or verbal. Belize is of the opinion that by only using the term "requirements" we address 
both concerns since in its plural form, it does not preclude the inclusion of those that could be single or multiple and incorporates all, irrespective of the manner in which it is expressed (way of document or verbal instruction). G/SPS/W/288 
 
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  4  "DEVELOPED" AND "APPLIED" 
4.1.  Members will also recall that discussions were also held on whether the definition should also 
incorporate who developed and applied the requirements. Belize is of the opinion that for the 
purposes of the definition, it is more appropriate that the focus be on those requirements which 
are applied since those are the ones which are affecting trade.  
5  "NON-GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY" 5.1.  We believe that inclusion of the term "non-governmental entity" is most appropriate to 
differentiate from measures applied by governments. 
6  DISCLAIMER 6.1.  The inclusion of the disclaimer either as a f ootnote or part of the definition has already been 
addressed and Belize would simply reiterate its flexibility in that regard; meaning it could be 
included or excluded and that if it is included it matters not if it is in the form of a footnote or part 
of the definition itself. 
Having addressed those our new proposal then would be as follows: 
"SPS-related private standards are animal  health, plant health and food safety 
requirements applied by non-governmental  entities". (with the inclusion of the 
disclaimer since that is what some Members prefer). 
 
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