G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.3  
 
13 March 2013  
(13-1349)  Page: 1/16  
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures    
 
 WTO SPS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ACTIVITIES IN 2013: 
GENERAL INFORMATION, SELECTION PROCESS AN D APPLICATION FORM 
NOTE BY THE SECRETARIAT1 
Revision 
1.  The Secretariat of the WTO plans to organize a number of specific technical assistance activities 
on the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Agreement) in 
2013. These activities include: E-Learning courses, national SPS seminars, a thematic SPS 
workshop in Geneva, regional SPS wo rkshops and an advanced SPS course.2 These activities will 
primarily focus on the provisions of the SPS Ag reement, implementation matters and the latest 
discussions taking place in the SPS Committee.3 The overall objective of the SPS technical 
assistance activities is to enhance the knowledge and expertise of government officials from WTO 
developing country Members and Observers, so they can better understand and implement the 
SPS Agreement, benefit from its provisions, and strengthen their capacity to engage in the work of 
the SPS Committee (for additional information on technical assistance activities related to the SPS 
Agreement, please consult the WTO website at http://www.wto.org/sps/ta ). 
2.  This document provides detailed information about each SPS-specific WTO technical assistance 
activity planned for 2013, including information on dates, venues, eligibility and selection criteria 
of participants, instructions for submission of applications, deadlines and pre-requisites when required. 
3.  This document is structured according to the different types of SPS-specific technical assistance 
activities provided by the WTO: 
 E-Learning Courses on the SPS Agreement 
 National SPS Seminars 
 Thematic SPS Workshop 
 Regional SPS Workshops 
 Advanced SPS Course and Follow-up Session 
4.  A chronological table with the dates and steps for application for all the SPS-specific technical 
assistance activities in 2013 can be found in Annex I. 
                                               
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. 
2 In addition to these SPS-specific technical assistance activities, the WTO offers training courses where 
the SPS Agreement is taught, such as Introduction Co urses for Least-Developed Countries, Short Trade Policy 
Courses, Regional Trade Policy Course s and Advanced Trade Policy Courses. 
3 The SPS Committee is scheduled to meet th ree times in 2013: 21-22 March; 27-28 June; and 
17-18 October. Informal meetings of the SPS Committe e and other SPS-related workshops might be scheduled 
during the weeks when the SPS Committee meetings take place. These dates are subject to change. G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.3 
 
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  5.  The structure, content, target audience, pr e-requisites, exercises and materials of these SPS-
specific activities will follow the WTO Progressive Learning Strategy (PLS).4 Therefore, each activity 
is identified according to a scale ranging from "Level 1" (the least advanced, introductory activities) to "Level 3" (the most advanced, in-depth training activities). This measurement will, 
inter alia , assist in making candidates aware of the expe cted level of the activity before they apply, 
and facilitate the Secretariat's assessment of whether a candidate's profile and experience match the level of the activity when carrying out the selection process. This will ultimately help ensure 
that the participants in a particular activity are able to most effectively follow and contribute to the 
discussions, and that they have a harmonized level of understanding of the SPS Agreement. 
Further information on the WTO progressive learning strategy and a table with the level of each of the SPS-specific technical assistance activities can be found in Annex II. 
1  E-LEARNING COURSE ON THE SPS AGREEMENT 
Level of this activity: 1 
   3  
6.  The WTO offers an E-Learning Course on the SPS Agreement, so as to enable government 
officials from around the world to learn, through an interactive tool, about the basic provisions and 
principles of the SPS Agreement, the work of th e SPS Committee and the SPS disputes brought to 
the WTO Dispute Settlement Mechanism. During the entire course, participants receive personal 
tutoring from an assigned staff member of the WTO Secretariat who is responsible for clarifying 
and responding to any SPS-related question. While a brief introduction to the SPS Agreement is included in the E-Learning course "Introduction to the WTO", this online course on the SPS Agreement is the most introductory-level training  available specifically on the SPS Agreement. 
7.  The course is available in all three WTO official languages (English, French and Spanish) and is 
divided into eight modules which must be comple ted within three months. At the end of each 
module, participants are required to take a short on-line test. The completion of these tests is 
required for the successful completion of the course. 
8.  Successful completion of the E-Learning Course on the SPS Agreement is a pre-requisite for 
participation in a number of other SPS technical assistance activities, such as the Regional 
Workshops and the Advanced SPS Course. Howeve r, successful completion of the E-Learning 
Course on the SPS Agreement does not guarantee  selection for other SPS-related training 
events. Government officials who have already successfully completed the E-Learning Course on the SPS Agreement, in any of the available langua ges, are not required to undertake it again.  
9.  The WTO offers the E-learning Course on the SPS Agreement throughout the year. 
10.  While the WTO E-Learning material is freely available on the WTO E-Learning website, 
participants have to register and submit a nomination form in order to participate in a monitored 
course, access the module exams and obtain a WTO certificate. 
11.  Government officials from WTO Members and Ob servers wishing to register for the E-Learning 
Course on the SPS Agreement must access the WTO E-Learning website ( http://etraining.wto.org ). 
In order to register for a course, two forms are to be filled-in and submitted: 
a. On-line Registration Form:  available on http://etraining.wto.org  at "Online Courses". 
This registration form needs to be comple ted on-line, and the system will generate a 
registration number that will be  used in the "nomination form"; 
b. Nomination Form:  the candidate should be confirmed by the responsible government 
authorities. The nomination form is also available on http://etraining.wto.org  at "Online 
Courses". The completed nomination form must be sent either by email (scanned) to 
elearning.registration@wto.org  or by fax to +41 22 739 5191. 
12.  Further information and instructions about the registration process for the E-Learning Course 
on the SPS Agreement can be found on the website http://etraining.wto.org . 
                                               
4 The primary aim of the PLS is to promote higher le vels of learning and to encourage the development 
of participants’ autonomy, with a view to building an d sustaining the long-lasting human and institutional 
capacity of beneficiary countries to participate most effe ctively in the rules-based multilateral training system. G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.3 
 
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  2  NATIONAL SPS SEMINARS 
Level of this activity: 1    3 
13.  WTO developing country Members and Observers are entitled to request national seminars 
with a view to address specific training needs on the SPS Agreement and its implementation. In 
this regard, the programmes for national seminars are elaborated by the beneficiary country in 
consultation with the WTO Secretariat. It is po ssible to address both the SPS and TBT Agreements, 
or the SPS Agreement and the Agreement on Agriculture, in a single national seminar. 
14.  National SPS seminars may have a lower (more introductory) or higher (in-depth, advance 
training) level, depending on the training needs id entified by the requesting Member, and the level 
of knowledge and experience of the participants. It is also possible to organize two national activities back-to-back for different participants, for example, one at an introductory level and 
another at an advanced level. The Secretariat will aim to tailor the structure and content of these 
seminars according to each specific request and through consultations with the beneficiary Member during the preparation phase of the seminar. 
15.  To request a national seminar on the SPS Agreement, Members and Observers must submit a 
formal request according to the document TRTA National Request Form (JOB/TC/2), which is found in Attachment I.
5 
16.  The request must be submitted through the Me mber's or Observer's contact point to the WTO 
(e.g. mission in Geneva) and be addressed, with a cover letter, to the Director of the Institute for Training and Technical Co-operation (ITTC) by fax: +41 22 739 57 64. 
17.  Due to the increased number of requests receiv ed for national SPS seminars in recent years, 
the Secretariat encourages Members and Observers to submit any request for national SPS 
seminars as early as possible (preferably in the first half of the year) to ensure proper coordination and preparation for these activities.
6 
3  THEMATIC SPS WORKSHOP  
Level of this activity: 1    3  
18.  The Secretariat will organize a special workshop on SPS-related market access challenges to 
be held in Geneva, Switzerland. The workshop will take place on Monday, 14 October 2013. The 
SPS informal and regular meetings will be held on 16-18 October 2013. 
19.  The objective of the workshop is to bring together officials, selected from among former 
participants to the SPS Advanced Course, for an in -depth session focusing on specific SPS-related 
challenges faced by Members in their agricultural exports and how these have been addressed, 
with a view to developing guidance or recommendat ions that can be more generically applicable:  
a. Participants will have the opportunity to discuss specific SPS-related market access 
challenges faced by their agricultural exports and share their experiences on how they 
have successfully resolved these challenges; 
b. Representatives of the Codex, IPPC and OIE will be invited to provide information on 
selected issues related to the main market access challenges in the food safety, plant 
and animal health areas; 
c. The Standards and Trade Development Facility  (STDF) will be invited to present on 
funded projects which have addressed specific market access challenges. 
20.  The workshop is open to participation by all delegates from WTO Members and Observers 
attending the SPS Committee meeting in October 2013. 
                                               
5 ITTC is currently in the process of changing its TRTA request form as well as developing an online 
platform for WTO Members and Observ ers to request National Seminars. 
6 While every effort will be made to accommodate  the requests of Members and Observers, the 
Secretariat cannot guarantee that it will have the nece ssary resources to undertake  all national seminars 
requested during the year. G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.3 
 
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  21.  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 w ill select participants to be sponsored from 
applications received from former participants to the SPS Advanced Course who are government 
officials. Applicants will need to identify relevant experiences in addressing SPS-related market access issues. Preference will be given to those applications from least-developed countries (LDCs), and from developing country Members an d Observers that have not been sponsored to 
participate in a thematic workshop on the SPS Agreement in the recent past. 
22.  Government officials from WTO Members and Observers meeting the above-mentioned 
criteria and wishing to apply for the thematic workshop must consult the instructions provided in Annex III, and complete and submit the online application form available at: 
https://worldtradeorganization.wufoo.eu/forms/w to-sps-technical-assistance-application-form/ . 
23.  An economy-class round-trip air-ticket (excursion fare, if applicable), daily subsistence 
allowance for the duration of the workshop  and the SPS Committee meetings (from 14 to 
18 October 2013) and terminal expenses will be provided to the selected participants as of the 
opening day of the activity. Other administrative arrangements shall be communicated directly to the selected participants in advance of the workshop. 
4  REGIONAL SPS WORKSHOPS 
Level of this activity: 1 
   3  
4.1  Overview 
24.  The Secretariat of the WTO organizes regi onal workshops on the SPS Agreement with the 
purpose of making participants fully aware of the WTO SPS Agreement, its implementation, and 
the possible implications at the regional and nati onal levels. These workshops are generally funded 
by the Doha Development Agenda Global Trust Fund (DDAGTF). 
25.  The regional workshops also serve as an opportunity for government officials working on SPS 
matters in different developing countries to establish contact with their counterparts in other developing countries of the region, facilitating the exchange of information and the sharing of best 
practices related to the implementation of the SPS Agreement. 
26.  Representatives from Codex, IPPC and OIE actively participate as resource persons in these 
regional workshops, contributing their knowledge and experience in their areas of expertise. In 
addition, the WTO may invite relevant regional organizations, international and regional 
development institutions and organizations, as well as other technical assistance organizations and 
bilateral donors involved in SPS matters, to inform participants of their latest activities. 
4.2  Regional SPS Workshops in 2013 
27.  In accordance with the WTO Biennial Techni cal Assistance and Training Plan 2012-2013 
(WT/COMTD/W/180/Rev.1), two regional workshops on the SPS Agreement will be organized in 
2013:  
 Regional SPS Workshop for French-speaking Africa; and 
 Regional SPS Workshop for Arab countries (c o-organized with the Arab Monetary Fund). 
28.  Specific information and instructions for each of these two activities can be found in Annex IV. 4.3  Selection Process  
29.  The WTO Secretariat will carry out a selection process aimed at better utilizing the resources 
available by ensuring that only qualified and suitable candidates participate in the regional workshops. The Secretariat will consider applic ations from all eligible Members and Observers 
subject to the receipt of the candidacy within the deadline and to the candidate meeting the pre-
requisites. The Secretariat will endeavour to ensure an overall balance regarding participants' specializations, countries of origin and gender. G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.3 
 
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  30.  The Secretariat will select a maximum of thir ty participants for each Regional SPS Workshop. 
The targeted audience for these workshops are government officials: 
a. holding direct responsibilities in the SPS area, i.e. SPS notification authority or enquiry 
point; Codex, IPPC or OIE contact points; officials from a relevant Ministry in charge of 
coordinating SPS matters and international trade; and 
b. possessing a proven intermediate level of und erstanding of the principles and structure 
of the WTO, and of the principles an d provisions of the SPS Agreement. 
31.  Government officials from WTO Members and Observers wishing to apply for participation in 
the regional workshops must consult the instructions provided in Annex IV, and complete and submit the online application form available at: https://worldtradeorganization.wufoo.eu/forms/w to-sps-technical-assistance-application-form/ . 
32.  The Secretariat will inform Members' and Observers' contact points to the WTO (e.g. mission 
in Geneva) of the proposed selection of candidates from their government before the final selection. 
33.  Selected participants will receive from the WTO an economy-class round-trip air-ticket 
(excursion fare, if applicable), full board services and facilities at the hotel where the activity is held (bed, breakfast, lunch, dinner and ground tr ansport airport-hotel-airport). The WTO will also 
provide the confirmed participants with 100 Sw iss Francs lump sum for their out of pocket 
expenses. This amount will be provided during th e two weeks following the closure of the activity, 
via Western Union or bank transfer once the participant has returned to his/her home country. In addition, when stopovers are mentioned in the air- tickets issued by the WTO, the participant will 
receive 300 Swiss Francs per stopover. This/These amount(s) will be provided during the two 
weeks following the closure of the activity, via Western Union or bank transfer and once the 
participant has returned to his/her home country . Other administrative arrangements will be 
communicated directly to the selected participants in advance of each activity. 
4.4  Pre-requisites for Participation  34.  Preference will be given to those candid ates that have successfully completed the WTO 
E-Learning Course on the SPS Agreement by the time  they submit their application. All participants 
are expected to have completed the E-Learning Course before the start of the workshop. See Section 1 regarding enrolment in the E-Learning Course. 
5  ADVANCED SPS COURSE AND FOLLOW-UP SESSION 
Level of this activity: 1 
   3 
5.1  Overview 
35.  The 2013 Advanced SPS Course will be held from 7 to 25 October 2013  in Geneva, 
Switzerland, in English . This course is an in-depth and "hands-on" training activity on the SPS 
Agreement conceived to encourage the active invo lvement of participants in SPS-related matters, 
ranging from addressing national implementation problems to the identification of SPS-related 
market access difficulties and how to develop strategies to overcome these. The course also seeks 
to assist government officials from developing countries in enhancing their participation in the SPS Committee. 
36.  The course comprises a series of sessions and practical exercises related to the 
implementation of the SPS Agreement. The first week of the course includes sessions aimed at 
deepening participants' understanding of the SPS Ag reement. In the second week, participants will 
participate in the workshop on market access challenges, and attend the SPS Committee 
meetings, with a view to learning how the Committee works in practice, so as to become familiar 
with the rules and procedures of the Committee and to participate in the discussions taking place there. In the third week, participants will compare their experiences and will learn more about how 
to improve the implementation of specific provisions of the SPS Agreement, including the 
application of concepts and principles such as risk analysis, harmonization, equivalence, regionalization and transparency. Dispute settlemen t, technical assistance and cooperation, and 
special and differential treatment will also be addressed. The course is complemented by briefing G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.3 
 
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  sessions with SPS delegates. Former participants of the course, attending the SPS Committee, will 
also share their experiences with current part icipants in relation to the development and 
implementation of their own action plans. A numbe r of external experts, including from Codex, 
IPPC and OIE, will participate in parts of the course. 
37.  Each participant will be required to elaborat e an action plan with the assistance of coaches. 
This plan should address at least one or two specific implementation and/or market access challenges encountered in their countries. During th e course, participants will regularly meet with 
their coaches to discuss and develop their action plan. On return to their countries, participants 
will be required to submit periodic progress reports on their action plans.  
38.  A follow-up session will be organized in June 2014, where participants to the Advanced SPS 
Course will report on the implementation of their action plans. 
5.2  Selection Process  
39.  The Secretariat will select a maximum of twenty-five participants for the Advanced SPS 
Course. The target audience for this course ar e government officials, in particular those: 
a. holding direct responsibilities in SPS areas, e.g. specialists on food safety, animal health, 
plant protection or officials from a relevant Ministry in charge of coordinating SPS matters and international trade; 
b. possessing a proven advanced level of understanding of the provisions and structure of 
the WTO, and the principles and provisions of the SPS Agreement; and 
c. fluent in oral and written English. 
40.  Government officials from WTO Members and Observers wishing to apply for the Advanced 
SPS Course must consult the instructions provided in Annex V, and complete and submit the online 
application form available at: " https://worldtradeorganization.wufoo.eu/forms/wto-sps-technical-
assistance-application-form/ ". 
41.  The Secretariat will inform Members' and Observers' contact points to the WTO (e.g. mission 
in Geneva) of the proposed selection of candidates from their government before the final selection. 
42.  Selected participants will receive an economy-class round-trip air-ticket (excursion fare, if 
applicable), daily subsistence allowance for the duration of the course and terminal expenses at the applicable WTO rate. These will be provided to  the participant by the WTO during the activity. 
Other administrative arrangements will be communicated directly to the selected participants in 
advance of the course. 
5.3  Pre-requisites for Participation 43.  There are two pre-requisites for participation in the Advanced SPS Course: 
a. All candidates are required to have successfully completed the WTO E-Learning Course 
on the SPS Agreement by the time of their ap plication. Applications from candidates who 
have not successfully completed the E-Learning Course on the SPS Agreement will not 
be considered. See Section 1 regarding enrolment in the E-Learning Course. 
b. Before the start of the course, the selected candidates will receive a questionnaire to 
assess the level of implementation of the SPS Agreement in their countries. Completion and submission of the responses to the questionnaire is compulsory for participation in 
the course. 
  
  G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.3  
 
- 7 - ANNEX I 
SPS-SPECIFIC TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ACTI VITIES IN 2013 – CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE 
Activity Pre-requisites 
January 
February 
March 
April 
May 
June 
July 
August 
September 
October 
November 
December 
E-Learning Course 
on SPS (English, 
French and 
Spanish) WTO Certification only 
for registered 
Government officials 
from WTO Members 
and Observers  
Courses available throughout the year 
Regional SPS 
Workshop for 
French-Speaking 
Africa E-Learning course on 
SPS*  
Applications accepted until 
7 June. Results 
of 
selection  Workshop 
from 17-20 
Sept.    
Regional SPS 
Workshop for Arab 
Countries E-Learning course on 
SPS*  
Applications accepted until 
7 June.   Results 
of 
selection   Workshop 
from 
4-7 Nov.  
2013 Advanced 
SPS Course in 
English E-Learning course on 
SPS 
 
Completion and 
submission of pre-
course questionnaire  
Applications accepted until 
7 June. Results 
of 
selection  Submission of 
response 
to the 
questionnaire Course 
from 
7-25 Oct.   
Workshop on SPS-
related Market 
Access Challenges 
and Opportunities Only for Government 
officials who are former 
participants to the 
Advanced SPS Course  Applications accepted until 
7 June. Results 
of 
selection   Workshop 
& SPS 
Committee 
meetings 
from 
14-18 Oct.   
 Although the E-learning courses are availabl e throughout the year, its completion must take place within three months of having  started the process. 
* Preference will be given to those candidates that have succes sfully completed the WTO E-Learning Course on the SPS Agreement by the time of their application. 
 All participants are expected to have completed the E-Learning  Course before the start of the workshop. Further information ca n be found in Section 1 of this document.  G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.3 
 
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  ANNEX II 
PROGRESSIVE LEARNING STRATEGY1 
SPS-SPECIFIC TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE (TA) ACTIVITIES 
1.  In order to respond to the need for greater coherence and complementarity in WTO capacity-
building, the Institute for Training and Technical Cooperation (ITTC) has developed a progressive 
strategy to promote higher levels of learning and to encourage the development of participants’ 
autonomy, with a view to building and sustaining the long-lasting human and institutional capacity 
of beneficiary countries to participate most effectively in the rules-based multilateral training 
system. 
2.  In this regard, two broad categories of participants in WTO capacity-building have been 
identified: 
a. "Generalists"  are those government officials who will need a broad knowledge of the 
WTO to conduct their work, such as capital-based officials dealing with WTO issues or delegates posted to Geneva missions with  general responsibility for WTO affairs; 
b. "Specialists"  are those government officials that will require in-depth knowledge in a 
specific area, such as those officials working on a specific issue in a particular Ministry in their capital (for example, those who are dealing with SPS issues). 
3.  Following this strategy, each SPS-specific technical assistance activity has been categorized 
based on a scale of three training levels, ranging from "Level 1" (the least advanced, introductory 
activities) to "Level 3" (the most advanced, in-depth training activities). 
Progressive Learning Strategy 
Level SPS-specific TA Activity 
1 and 2 E-Learning Course on the SPS Agreement2 
2 National SPS Seminars3 
2 and 3 Thematic SPS Workshop, in Geneva 
2 and 3 Regional SPS Workshops4 
3 Advanced SPS Course, in Geneva 
                                               
1 Additional information on the WTO's progressive le arning strategy (PLS) is available in JOB/TC/4. 
2 While an introduction to the SPS Agreement is included in the Level 1 E-Learning course "Introduction 
to the WTO", this Internet course on the SPS Agreement is the most introductory-level training available specifically on the SPS Agreement. 
3 National SPS seminars may have a lower (more intr oductory) or higher (in-depth, advance training) 
level, depending on the training needs identified by the requesting Member, and the level of knowledge and 
experience of the participants. The Secretariat will aim to tailor the structure and content of these seminars 
according to each specific request and through cons ultations with the beneficiary Member during the 
preparation phase of the seminar. 
4 The training provided in regional SPS workshops will, in general, be more advanced than the training 
given in national SPS seminars, as it will also focus on regional challenges and coordination matters. In 
determining the level of each regional workshop, the Secretariat will take into account the level of 
implementation of the SPS Agreement by the participating countries (for instance, through participation in the SPS Committee, number of notifications, etc.), as well as the overall level amongst the selected candidates. G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.3 
 
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  ANNEX III 
THEMATIC SPS WORKSHOP IN 2013 
Title of the 
activity Workshop on SPS-related Market Access Challenges and 
Opportunities  
Dates 14 to 18 October 20131 
Venue Geneva, Switzerland 
Eligible WTO 
Members and Observers WTO least-developed and developing country Members and Observers. 
Pre-requisites for 
funding Only government officials who are form er participants to the SPS Advanced 
Course can apply. Applicants will need to identify relevant experiences in 
addressing SPS-related market access issues. 
Preference will be given to those applications from least-developed 
countries (LDCs), and from developing country Members and Observers 
that have not been sponsored to participate in a thematic workshop on the 
SPS Agreement in the recent past.  
Application Candidates must fill-in and submit the online application form which is 
available at: 
 "https://worldtradeorganization.wufoo.eu/forms/wto-sps-technical-
assistance-application-form/ " 
 
Candidates should complete and submit the online application form before 
7 June 2013 . 
 
Incomplete forms or forms sent after the deadline will not be considered. 
 
Results of the 
selection Only selected candidates will be informed about the results of the selection 
during July 2013. 
Administrative and logistical information will be provided in due course to 
the selected candidates. 
Selected candidates will be required to immediately provide their passport 
information, including number, place and date of issue, and date of expiry. 
 
  
                                               
1 Dates include participants' attendance at the info rmal and regular meetings  of the SPS Committee. G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.3 
 
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  ANNEX IV 
REGIONAL SPS WORKSHOPS IN 2013 
Title of the 
activity Regional SPS Workshop for French-speaking Africa 
 
Dates 17 to 20 September 2013 
Venue Libreville, Gabon  
Eligible WTO Members and Observers  Algeria, Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso , Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, 
Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Democratic 
Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Guinea, Guinea-
Bissau, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Sao Tome & Principe, 
Senegal, Togo, Tunisia.  
Pre-requisites  Preference will be given to those candidates that have successfully 
completed the WTO E-Learning Course on the SPS Agreement by the time 
of their application. All participants are expected to have completed the 
E-Learning Course before the start of the workshop. The E-Learning Course is available at: http://etraining.wto.org . 
 
Fluency in French. 
 
Application Candidates must fill-in and submit the online application form which is 
available at:  
"https://worldtradeorganization.wufoo.eu/forms/wto-sps-technical-
assistance-application-form/ " 
 
Candidates should complete and submit the online application form before 
7 June 2013. 
 
Incomplete forms or forms sent after the deadline will not be considered.  
 
Results of the 
selection Only selected candidates will be informed about the results of the selection 
during July 2013. 
Administrative and logistical information will be provided in due course to 
the selected candidates. 
Selected candidates will be required to immediately provide their passport 
information, including number, place and date of issue, and date of expiry. 
 
  G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.3 
 
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Title of the 
activity Regional SPS Workshop for Arab Countries (co-organized with the 
Arab Monetary Fund) 
 
Dates 4 to 7 November 2013 
Venue Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates 
Eligible WTO 
Members and 
Observers Algeria, Kingdom of Bahrain, Djib outi, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, 
Lebanon, Libya, Oman, Mauritania, Morocco, Qatar, Kingdom of Saudi 
Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen.  
Pre-requisites  Preference will be given to those candidates that have successfully 
completed the WTO E-Learning Course on the SPS Agreement by the time of their application. All participants are expected to have completed the 
E-Learning Course before the start of the workshop. The E-Learning Course 
is available at: http://etraining.wto.org . 
 
Fluency in English. 
 
Application Candidates must fill-in and submit the online application form which is 
available at: 
 "https://worldtradeorganization.wufoo.eu/forms/wto-sps-technical-
assistance-application-form/ " 
 
Candidates should complete and submit the online application form before 
7 June 2013 . 
Incomplete forms or forms sent after the deadline will not be considered. 
Results of the 
selection Only selected candidates will be informed about the results of the selection 
during August 2013. 
Administrative and logistical information will be provided in due course to 
the selected candidates. 
Selected candidates will be required to immediately provide their passport 
information, including number, place and date of issue, and date of expiry.  
 G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.3 
 
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  ANNEX V 
2013 ADVANCED SPS COURSE 
Title of the 
activity 2013 Advanced SPS Course (in English) 
Dates 7 to 25 October 2013 
Venue Geneva, Switzerland 
Eligible WTO 
Members and Observers WTO least-developed and developing country Members and Observers 
 
Pre-requisites Successful completion of the WTO E-Learning Course on the SPS 
Agreement. 
Candidates are required to have successfully completed the WTO 
E-Learning Course on the SPS Agreement by the time of their application. Applications from candidates who have not successfully completed the 
E-Learning Course on the SPS Agreement will not be considered. The 
E-Learning Course is available at: http://etraining.wto.org . 
Completion and submission of the responses to the questionnaire is 
compulsory for participation in the course. 
Fluent in oral and written English. 
Application Candidates must fill-in and submit the online application form which is 
available at: 
 "https://worldtradeorganization.wufoo.eu/forms/wto-sps-technical-
assistance-application-form/ " 
 
Candidates should complete and submit the online application form before 7 June 2013 . 
 
Incomplete forms or forms sent after the deadline will not be considered. 
 
Results of the 
selection Only selected candidates will be informed about the results of the selection 
during July 2013. 
Administrative and logistical information will be provided in due course to 
the selected candidates. 
Selected candidates will be required to immediately provide their passport 
information, including number, place and date of issue, and date of expiry. 
 
 G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.3 
 
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  ATTACHMENT I 
 
JOB/TC/2   6  February 2012 
 
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BIENNIAL TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE  
AND TRAINING PLAN 2012-2013 
 
REQUESTS FOR NATIONAL TA ACTIVITIES 
 
 1. The Biennial Technical Assistance Plan (TA Plan) for 2012-2013 was adopted by the 
Committee on Trade and Development on 14 November 2011 (WT/COMTD/W/180/Rev.1). 
2. Members are invited to submit requests  for national activities to be held in 2012 at their 
earliest convenience. The TA Plan leaves considerable room for flexibility in matching available 
resources with national demands. The main objective of national activities is to address specific 
issues that in terms of priority cannot be adequately covered in the planned regional seminars and trade policy courses. All requests should be addressed to  the Director of the Institute for 
Training and Technical Cooperation (ITTC).  
3. The requests should, as much as possible, be based on a needs assessment  undertaken 
by the beneficiary or by the WTO Secretariat as reflected in Trade Policy Review Reports and other documents as well as by other organisations. Beneficiaries are invited to use the TRTA National 
Request Form annexed. The requests should contain precise information on the topics/issues to be 
addressed, so as to best tailor the assistance  provided. Members are invited to indicate any 
support already offered by other agencies and/or do nors on the same or related needs, so as to 
allow for efficient use of the Secretariat's financial and human resources. 
4. Pursuant to the implementation of the progre ssive learning strategy and the results based 
management approach to TRTA by the Secretaria t, considerable emphasis is being placed on 
identifying the expected results or objectives of tr aining activities. Therefore, the beneficiary would 
be requested prior to the activity to clearly state the expected outcomes or objectives that would result from the activity. ITTC and the beneficiary co untry will agree on what indicators will be used 
to ascertain whether the expected results have been achieved. 
5. Given the constraints in WTO resources, both human and financial, we need to plan 
carefully so that the demands are met to the extent possible. Resources permitting, no more than two national activities will be provided to the developing countries and no more than three for 
LDCs for each calendar year. This figure is indicative and aimed at ensuring that a disproportionate 
allocation of national seminars to the same beneficiary does not occur. 
6. All requests will be given serious and equal attention, but for organisational purposes, it 
would be helpful if requests are timely submitted by delegations. The Secretariat encourages 
Members to provide equal opportunity for men and women to participate in WTO's TA programmes. 
 
 
 
_______________ G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.3 
 
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  ANNEX TO JOB/TC/2 
TRTA NATIONAL REQUEST FORM 
  
 Consistent with the demand driven nature of TRTA provided by the Secretariat, the attached 
form is designed to assist beneficiary countries, who would like to request a national technical assistance activity to be held in their country, in providing more detailed and specific background 
information on the nature of the activity to be conducted. This includes precise information on the 
outputs and outcomes set for the activity, the requir ed levels of specificity of the presentations, 
the target audience, expected participants' knowledge of subject(s) covered, etc.  
 Also, it would be useful for the Secretariat to understand how the activity fits in the 
beneficiaries' overall strategies and if and how it is based on a specific needs assessment. This would allow the Secretariat to better tailor the technical assistance to the specific needs of the 
beneficiary, thus ensuring that expectations can be met. 
  To facilitate the process, the Secretariat stands ready to provide support and can give 
detailed information on the technical assistance that has been provided in beneficiary countries 
over the past two or three years.   The Secretariat would kindly request beneficiaries of TRTA to complete this form and send it 
back as an attachment to the official request. All forms should be addressed to the Director of the 
Institute for Training and Technical Cooperation and sent by fax to +41 22 739 57 64.  
 
 
_______________ 
 
  G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.3 
 
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  PLEASE COMPLETE THIS FORM FOR EACH TRTA AND CAPACITY BUILDING ACTIVITY  
AND FORWARD IT WITH YOUR COVER LETTER TO : 
THE INSTITUTE FOR TRAINING AND TECHNICAL COOPERATION (ITTC)  – WTO  - GENEVA 
FAX: +41  22 739 57 64 
 
 
Government of ...  
Requesting governmental authority  
(Ministry, Permanent Mission):  
Contact person(s)  in capital responsible 
for the activity: Name:   
   Address:   Email: 
 Tel:  Fax:  Mobile:  
Topic(s ) for the Activity: 
 
   
 
               
 
 Academics  ................................................................ □ 
Accession  ................................................................. □ 
Competition Policy  ..................................................... □ 
Customs Valuation  .................................................... □ 
Development Issues  .................................................. □ 
Dispute Settlement  .................................................... □ 
Environment  ............................................................. □ 
General Capacity -Building  .......................................... □ 
Government Pr ocurement ........................................... □ 
IT / WTO Reference Centre  ......................................... □ 
Non-Agricultural Market Ac cess  ................................... □ 
Notificati ons  ............................................................. □ 
Outreach  .................................................................. □ 
Regional Trade Agreements  ........................................ □ 
Rules  ....................................................................... □ 
Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  ........................... □ 
Services  ................................................................... □ 
Technical Barrier s to Tr ade  ......................................... □ 
Trade Facilitation  ....................................................... □ 
Trade Negotiation Sk ills/Techniques  ............................ □ 
Trade Policies Revi ew Mechanism  ................................ □ 
Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights  .... □ 
Other  ....................................................................... □ 
Please indicate if any particular aspect of 
the chosen topic needs to be addressed in detail.  
Has this topic been covered by other 
TRTA providers?  G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.3 
 
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  Justification : Please indicate if this 
request is based, for example, on a needs assessment emanating from a Trade Policy Review, a Diagnostic Trade Integration Study (DTIS) under the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) STDF, TF or any other relevant study or document. If not, please provide reasons for the request:  
Outputs:  Please state the expected 
immediate outputs and proposed indicators to be used to measure the success of the activity   
Outcomes: Please state the expected 
medium-term outcomes for this activity along with proposed indicators that can confirm the outcomes have been achieved.    
Target audience : Government officials □ Journalists  □ 
 Civil society □ Academics  □ 
 Private sector □ Others  □ 
 Parliamentarians  □ 
 
Background/Expertise: Please provide 
succinct information on the background and expertise of the participants.   
Resource persons:  Can national or 
other speakers/experts be involved in the activity?  
Proposed venue  and preferred dates for 
the activity:  
In which of the WTO official  language  is 
the activity to be conducted?  English □ French □ Spanish □ 
  
List WTO National TRTA requests for the last two years:     
Any additional comments:  
 
 
__________