G/SPS/GEN/1498  
 
17 June 2016  
(16-3329)  Page: 1/5  
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures    
 
  WORKSHOP ON MAXIMUM RE SIDUE LEVELS (MRLS) 
MONDAY, 24 OCTOBER – TUESDAY, 25 OCTOBER 2016 
PROGRAMME 
Note by the Secretariat1 
1.  The Secretariat of the World Trade Organization is organizing a special workshop on maximum 
residue levels (MRLs) to be held in Geneva, Switzerland on Monday, 24 October and Tuesday, 
25 October 2016. The workshop will be followed by informal and formal meetings of the 
SPS Committee during the same week. Represen tatives of Members, Observers and Observer 
Organizations are all invited to participate in the workshop on 24 and 25 October, as well as the subsequent meetings of the Committee on 26 and 27 October 2016. 
2.  Documents G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.6 and G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.6/Add.1 provide information on 
the workshop, deadline for submission of applications, and criteria for funding of officials to attend the workshop. The WTO, with the financial assistance of the Doha Development Agenda Global 
Trust Fund (DDAGTF), will sponsor the participation of at least 25 government officials from 
developing country Members and Observers. The Secretariat will select participants to be 
sponsored among applications from government o fficials holding direct responsibilities in the 
SPS area. 
3.  The workshop will provide a platform for di scussion and experience sharing on developments 
and best practices in the area of maximum residue levels for pesticides and veterinary drug residues. 
4.  The following is the proposed programme of the workshop. Delegations wishing to provide any 
specific comments regarding this programme should submit them to the WTO (E-mail: Anneke.Hamilton@wto.org ) by 29 July 2016 . 
5.  Members will also be invited to comment on the proposed programme for the workshop at the 
SPS Committee meeting on 30 June - 1 July 2016. 
                                               
1 This document has been prepared under the Secret ariat's own responsibility and is without prejudice 
to the positions of Members or to thei r rights and obligations under the WTO. G/SPS/GEN/1498 
 
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  WORKSHOP ON MAXIMUM RESIDUE LEVELS  
MONDAY, 24 OCTOBER – TUESDAY, 25 OCTOBER 2016 
WTO, CENTRE WILLIAM RAPPARD, GENEVA 
DRAFT PROGRAMME 
MONDAY, 24 OCTOBER 2016 
 
10:00 – 10:30 
Workshop Overview and Objectives 
This session will provide an overview of the workshop and its objectives.  Speaker:  WTO Secretariat  (TBC)  
 
10:30 – 11:00 
Session 1: The SPS Agreement and Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) The Secretariat will provide a background presen tation on the relevant provisions of the SPS 
Agreement and summarize the relevant WTO jurisprudence related to maximum residue levels. 
Speaker: WTO Secretariat  
 
11:00 – 13:00 
Session 2: Codex Approach to Establishing MRLs Part 1: Pesticide MRLs  
Introduction to the Codex approach to establishing pesticide MRLs. This will include relevant 
information on the respective work of Codex and other scientific bodies such as the Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues (CCPR) and the Joint FAO/WHO Meeting on Pesticide Residue (JMPR).  
Part 2: Veterinary Drug MRLs  
Introduction to the Codex approach to establishing  veterinary drug MRLs. This will include relevant 
information on the respective work of Codex and other scientific bodies such as the Codex 
Committee on Residue and Veterinary Drugs in Foods (CCRVDF), and the Joint FAO/WHO Expert 
Committee on Food Additives (JECFA). 
Moderator: TBC 
Speakers: TBC 
13:00 – 15:00  Lunch break 
15:00 – 15:45 
Session 2: Codex Approach to Establishing MRLs (cont'd) 
Part 3:  Round table Q&A session with the experts to answer questions specific to the Codex 
Approach. 
Moderator: TBC 
Speakers: TBC G/SPS/GEN/1498 
 
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15:45 – 17:45 
Session 3: Relevant Bilateral, Regional an d International Work on Pesticide Residues 
In this session, relevant bilateral, regional or international work will be presented in the area of 
maximum residue levels for pesticides.  
Moderator: TBC 
Part 1: OECD and APEC Guidance on MRLs  
This session will provide an update on OECD and APEC work. In particular, speakers will focus on 
OECD guidance on residue definitions, testing and the harmonization work programme, as well as APEC Import MRL guideline for pesticides.  
Speakers : TBC  
 Donna Davis , Office of Pesticide Programs, US Environmental Protection Agency  (TBC) 
 
 TBC 
Part 2: Establishing MRLs for Minor-Use Crops 
In this session, speakers will also address issues related to establishing MRLs for minor-use crops 
(i.e. crops of low pesticide usage on a global scale). In particular, focus will be placed on the 
ongoing work being carried out through projects (s upported by the STDF, USDA, IDB, JMPR and/or 
others) in Africa, Asia, Latin America and North America, including the experiences in identifying MRL needs for developing country exports. 
Speakers : TBC  
 
 Dan Kunkel , Associate Director, Food and International Programs, IR-4 Project 
Headquarters, Rutgers State University of New Jersey (TBC)  
 The experience of IR4 in identifying MRL needs for developing country exports and 
generating data packages and supporting international harmonization 
 John A. Pwamang , Deputy Executive Director/Operations, Environmental Protection 
Agency - Ghana  (TBC) 
 Jason Sandahl , Trade and Scientific Capacity Building Division, Office of Capacity Building 
and Development, US Department of Agriculture (TBC) 
 
17:45 – 18:00 
Closing remarks and wrap-up of day 1 
Speaker:  TBC  
 G/SPS/GEN/1498 
 
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  TUESDAY, 25 OCTOBER 2016 
10:00 – 10:15 Opening Remarks 
10:15 – 12:15 
Session 4: Domestic Frameworks and Approa ches for Establishing MRLs and Import 
Tolerances  
Moderator: TBC 
Part 1: Domestic Policy, Regulatory and Le gal Infrastructures for Establishing MRLs 
In this session, speakers will explain their domestic regulatory and legal infrastructures for 
establishing MRLs.  
Speakers: TBC  
 European Union : The EU policy for setting pesticide MRLs  
 TBC  
Part 2: Domestic Frameworks for Ri sk Assessment and Risk Management 
Through the use of case studies, speakers in this session will provide insights into their domestic 
frameworks for establishing MRLs and import tolerances. In particular, speakers will highlight their approaches to risk assessment and risk management where no international standard exists or where an existing international standard is no t used. This session will also explore concerns 
related to specific commodity and pesticide combinations. 
Speakers: TBC  
 Australia  (TBC)  
 Dr Peter Chan , Director General, Health Evaluation Directorate, Health Canada, 
 
Pest Management Regulatory Agency (TBC)  
12:15 – 13:00 
Session 5: Experiences in Implementing and Complying with Codex MRLs 
This session will explore Members' experiences in implementing existing Codex MRLs from an 
importer’s perspective. In addition, the session will  provide additional insights into the difficulties 
and challenges faced in complying with MRLs fr om an exporter’s perspective. Experiences will 
also be shared in relation to the application of measures for compounds that cannot be detected in final products. 
Moderator: TBC 
Speakers: TBC 
 Rakitskiy Valeriy , Professor, Russian Academy of Sciences  
Harmonization of Russian pesticide MRLs with Codex standards (TBC) 
 Dominican Republic : The impact of implementation of Codex MRLs on export of fruits 
and fresh vegetables (TBC) 
13:00 – 15:00  Lunch break 
15:00 – 15:45 
Session 6: The Role of the Private Sector in the Establishment and Implementation of 
MRLs 
Through the use of specific examples, speakers in  this session will explore the various ways in 
which the private sector can be involved in the establishment of MRLs and their experiences in 
the implementation of MRLs. In particular, this sessi on will highlight the role of the private sector 
in providing support for the scientific review proc ess through data sharing, expert consultation 
and contribution of financial resources to supp ort the review process. This session will be 
followed by a question and answer period. 
Moderator: TBC 
Speakers: TBC G/SPS/GEN/1498 
 
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  15:45 – 17:30 
Session 7: Impact on International Trade of MRLs Part 1:  Impact on International Trade of Compliance with Default MRLs 
This session will explore the impact of the use of default MRLs on international trade, including 
those set at the limits of detection. Through the us e of case studies, speakers will explain their 
experiences with addressing the use of default MRLs by trading partners and the subsequent 
impact on agricultural exports. This session will  be followed by a question and answer period. 
Part 2:  Impact of MRL Expiration on Agricultural Trade  
Speakers will highlight the potential impacts of  MRL expiration on agricultural trade and the 
possible approaches to address potential environmental concerns that may be posed by older 
products while maintaining safe trade. 
Moderator: TBC 
Speakers : TBC  
 
17:30 – 18:00 
Session 8: Conclusions 
Speakers will identify a few key conclusions of the sessions. This session will also include a 
question and answer period.  
Moderator: TBC 
Speakers:  
 Developing country perspective –  TBC 
 Developed country perspective - TBC 
 
 
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