G/SPS/GEN/1535  
 
7 March  2017 
(17-1358) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
UPDATE ON OECD ACTIV ITIES OF INTEREST TO  THE SPS COMMITTEE  
COMMUNICATION FROM T HE OECD  
The followi ng communication, received on 7 March 2017, is being circulated at the request of the 
OECD . 
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OECD WORK ON TRADE -RELATED INTERNATIONA L REGULAT ORY CO -OPERATION  
1  RECENT WORK ON INTER NATIONAL REGULATORY CO-OPERATION BY THE OEC D 
TRADE COMMITTEE AND THE OECD COMMITTEE O F AGRICULTURE  
1.1  A Theoretical Framework  
1.1.  The OECD Trade Policy Paper No. 195 provides a Theoretical Framework for Trade -Related 
Internati onal Regulatory Co -operation. More details on the Framework can be found in the Update 
provided to the SPS Committee in October 2016 (G/SPS/GEN/1528).  
 von Lampe, M., K. Deconinck and V. Bastien (2016), "Trade -Related International 
Regulatory Co -operation: A Theoretical Framework", OECD Trade Policy Papers, No . 195, 
OECD Publishing, Paris. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/3fbf60b1 -en 
1.2  Trade costs in regulatory co -operation: Findings from case studies  
1.2.  A hori zontal analysis across 12 IRC initiatives is in the process of finalisation. The analysis 
investigates actual IRC experiences by employing a questionnaire addressed to governments 
participating in these initiatives, eight of which relate to agri cultural an d food products. 
The initiatives cover a wide range of IRC mechanisms, such as the development and use of 
common or international standards, harmonisation or convergence of rules or conformity 
assessment procedures, or mutual equivalency or recognition agr eements. The analysis looks at 
factors behind achieving these outcomes and at the perceived effects that these outcomes have on 
trade costs. In addition, an empirical quantification of the trade effects of one set of initiatives, the 
OECD Seeds Schemes, is  provided.  
2  RECENT WORK ON NON -TARIFF MEASURES AND GLOBAL VALUE CHAINS BY THE OECD 
TRADE COMMITTEE  
2.1.  A recent paper analyses the extent of participation in global value chains (GVCs) in Latin 
America. It looks deeper into certain key trade policy -related aspe cts of Latin American trade 
integration with the potential to improve GVC participation. Latin America has a dense web of intra 
and extra -regional preferential trade agreements (PTAs). Nevertheless, the overlap, duplication 
and conflicts among the differen t rules and standards governing trade under these PTAs are likely 
reducing the benefits of these agreements. This is prompting renewed interest in the idea of 
linking or harmonising the various Latin American PTAs. To help inform this debate, this study 
analyses the impact of rules of origin (RoO) and non -tariff measures (NTMs, including but not 
limited to SPS and TBT measures) on GVC integration in the region, and examines relevant 
harmonisation initiatives.  G/SPS/GEN/1535  
 
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   Cadestin, C., J. Gourdon and P. Kowalski (2016),  "Participation in Global Value Chains in 
Latin America: Implications for Trade and Trade -Related Policy", OECD Trade Policy 
Papers, N o. 192, OECD Publishing, Paris. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/5 jlpq80ts8f2 -en 
3  RECENT WORK ON INTER NATIONAL REGULATORY CO-OPERATION BY THE OEC D 
REGULATORY POLICY CO MMITTEE  
3.1.  International regulatory co -operation remains a priority of the OECD Regulatory Policy 
Committee programme of work for 2017 -2018, in support of imp lementing the 2012 OECD 
Recommendation of the Council on Regulatory Policy and Governance  
(http://www.oecd.org/gov/regulatory -policy/2012 -recommendation.htm ). 
3.2.  List of relevant  publications:  
 OECD (2016), International Regulatory Co -operation: The Role of International 
Organisations in Fostering Better Rules of Globalisation , OECD Publishing, Paris. DOI: 
http://dx.doi.org /10.1787/9789264244047 -en 
 Correia de Brito, A., C. Kauffmann and J. Pelkmans (2016), "The contribution of mutual 
recognition to international regulatory co -operation", OECD Regulatory Policy Working 
Papers , No. 2, OECD Publishing, Paris. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/5jm56fqsfxmx -en 
 Basedow, R. and C. Kauffmann (2016), "International Trade and Good Regulatory 
Practices: Assessing The Trade Impacts of Regulation", OECD Regulatory Policy Working 
Papers, No. 4, OECD Publishing, Paris. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/5jlv59hdgtf5 -en 
 OECD (2013), International Regulatory Co -operation: Addressing Global Challenges , OECD 
Publishing, Paris. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/9789264200463 -en 
4  OECD JOINT MEETING O F THE REGULATORY POL ICY COMMITTEE AND TH E TRADE 
COMMITTEE ON TRADE A ND INTERNATIONAL REG ULATORY CO -OPERATION  
4.1.  A second joint meeting of t he Trade Committee (TC) and the Regulatory Policy Committee 
(RPC) took place on 4 November 2016. The focus of the discussions was two -fold: How can the 
evidence base on existing or potential trade costs associated with regulatory divergence be 
strengthened ? And how should different IRC approaches be selected and tailored to effectively 
reduce heterogeneity -related trade costs and to improve countries' welfare in a specific country 
and sector context? The meeting also discussed a new report, International Re gulatory Co -
operation and Trade: Understanding the Trade Costs of Regulatory Divergence and the Remedies , 
synthesising work on IRC undertaken by the two committees. The report brings together available 
evidence on heterogeneity -related trade costs and on e xisting tools to assess them, and discusses 
the merits and challenges of different IRC approaches (ranging from good regulatory practice at 
the national level through international standards, regulatory provisions in trade agreements and 
mutual recognition  to WTO disciplines at the multilateral level) to address trade costs and improve 
countries welfare. It is expected to be published in mid -2017.  
Contacts:  
Martin von Lampe (E -mail: martin.vonlampe@oecd.org ) 
Céline Kauffmann (E -mail: celine.kauffmann@oecd.org ) 
 
 
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