G/SPS/GEN/1538  
 
9 March  2017 
(17-1384) Page: 1/10 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures    
 
UPDATE ON THE  OPERATION OF THE STA NDARDS AND  
TRADE DEVELOPMENT FA CILITY  
NOTE BY THE SECRETAR IAT1 
1  OVERVIEW  
1.1.  The Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF ) supports developing countries in  
building capacity to implement international food safety, animal and plant health standards  and 
requirements and gain and maintain market access . As a leading coordination and knowledge 
platform  in the SPS area , the STDF identifies  and disseminates good practice , leverages resources 
and works  on coordinated, coherent so lutions.  The STDF  also provides support and funding for the 
development and implementation of SPS project s. 
1.2.  The core founding partners of the STDF are the Food and Agriculture Organization of the 
United Nations (FAO), the World Organisation for Animal Heal th (OIE), the World Bank, the World 
Health Organization (WHO) and the  World Trade Organization (WTO), which houses and manages 
the Facility.  Other organizations involved in SPS -related technical coopera tion, donors contributing 
to the STDF trust fund and developing country experts part icipate actively in the STDF 's work. The 
Secretariats of the Codex Alimentarius Commission and the International Plant Protection 
Convention (IPPC) also participate.  
1.3.  Delegates who w ish to have more information on the STDF are invited to visit the STDF 
website and subscribe to the STDF electronic mailing lis t.2 The next STDF Working Group meeting 
will be he ld on 20-21 March 2017 . 
2  DRIVING SPS CAPACITY : NEW STDF BRIEFING NO TES AND RESULTS STORIES  
2.1.  As part of its role to s hare avail able know -how and SPS -related good practice, the STDF 
recently published two briefing notes:  
a. The note entitled "Inclusive Trade Solutions: women in SPS capacity building"  illustrates 
how STDF 's global partnership is working to build women 's capacity on SPS  issues 
through its knowle dge hub and grassroots projects.3 STDF projects are helping women 
working in agricultural value chains to overcome obstacles by  plugging the knowledge 
gap on SPS issues and accessing domestic and export markets . Examples of STDF's  work 
in this area were presented in a high -level panel session during " International Women's 
Day at the WTO ", held on 8 March 2017.  
b. The note entitled "Partnering with the private sector: delivering SPS outcomes" 
examines how STDF projects are improving the private sector's capacity to implement 
SPS measures and take advantage of trade opportunities.4 A broad spectrum of STDF 
projects contribute to private sector development, which plays a key role in 
commercializing agriculture, generating economic growth and creating employment.  This 
                                                
1 This document has been prepared under the Secretariat's own re sponsibility and is without prejudice 
to the positions of Members or to their rights and obligations under the WTO.  
2 See: http://www.standardsfacility.org/ . 
3 See: http://www.standardsfacility.org/women -sps-capacity . 
4 See: http://www.standardsfacility.org/partnering -private -sector . G/SPS/GEN/1538  
 
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  note and examples of STDF work featured prominently at the annual conference of the 
Global Food Safety  Initiative (GFSI) from 28 February to 2 March 2017.5 
2.2.  The STDF also prepared and issued a number of project results stories under the title 
"Driving S PS capacity, delivering results ", highlighting  the results and impacts of STDF projects on 
the ground in Africa, Asia and Latin America.6 More results stories are under prepar ation and will 
be disseminated and added to the website  in the coming months.  
3  ELECTRONIC SPS CERTI FICATION  
3.1.  In June 2016, the S TDF organized an information seminar on Electronic SPS Ce rtification 
(SPS e -cert), on the margins of the SPS Committee meeting . The seminar brought together over 
150 participants from W TO Members, international organizations and global business. Speakers 
shared the latest knowledge and good practice on automated systems operating worldwide and 
their impact on facilitating trade by cutting time and costs .7 This STDF work has generated 
significant interest to date.  
3.2.  During the Sixth G lobal Review of Aid for Trade, to be held at the WTO from 11 -13 July 2017 
under the the me of "Promoti ng Connectivity", the STDF plans to organize a side-event on 
SPS E-cert. SPS delegates will have an opportunit y to attend this event, as the next SPS 
Committee meeting will be held that same week . The objective of the STDF event will be to 
continue the informed dialogue on the implementation  of SPS e -cert, identify good practice s and 
consider challenges and op portunities in support ing the smooth transition of developing countries 
from paper -based to automated SPS controls systems. More inform ation on the Global Aid for 
Trade Review will become available in the coming weeks on the WTO website. Delegates will also 
be informed about the STDF side -event through the SPS distribution list.  
4  JOINT EIF/STDF ANALY SIS ON SPS ISSUES IN  DTIS STUDIES  
4.1.  The STDF and the Enhanced Integra ted Framework (EIF) Secretariat8 have undertaken a 
joint study that analyses the coverage of SPS issues in EIF Diagnostic Trade Integration Studies 
(DTIS)9 and identifies good practice for future studies and their implementation. The  study 
highlights good practice  and makes several strategic and practical recommendations to improve 
the analysis on SPS  issues in the DTIS process, enhance capacity to imple ment SPS -related 
actions and promote synergies between EIF and STDF -related processes. This includes 
recommendations to make better use of relevant SPS -related capacity evaluation tools  and to 
consider ways to actively engage SPS agencies and ministries at national level , as well as 
international organizations (such as FAO and OIE ) in the DTIS proce ss. An EIF/STDF briefing note, 
highli ghting  the scope, findings and recommendations of this joint work is a vailable on the EIF and 
STDF website s.10 The study will be available shortly on the EIF and STDF website s. 
5  PRIOR ITIZING SPS INVESTMEN TS FOR MARKET ACCESS  (P-IMA)  
5.1.  In 2016, t he STDF published the user guide "Prioritizing SPS Investments for Market Access 
(P-IMA): A framework to inform and improve SPS decision -making processes". An information 
session on P -IMA was organized for 100+ SPS delegates on the margin s of the SPS Committee in 
March  2016. To date, the  framework has been used to prioritize SPS investment  options in a 
number of developing countries that differ considerably in the scale and diversity of their food and 
agricultural exports, and the range and magnitude of SPS capacity -building needs.11 The 
experiences hi ghlight several benefits , for instance t o facilitate public -private dialogue on SPS 
matters, increase political awareness about th e benefits of strengthening SPS  capacity, inform and 
                                                
5 See: http://www.tcgffoodsafety.com/ . 
6 See: http://www.standardsfacility.org/stdf -results -series . 
7 More information on the E -cert seminar, including presentations and a podcast are available at:  
http://www.standardsfacility.org/sps -ecert. 
8 The EIF is a trade capacity building programme for Least Developed Countries ( LDCs). For more 
information, see: http://www.enhancedif.org/en/about/how -does-it-work. 
9 The DTIS is the  cornerstone of the EIF in LDCs to mainstream and integrate  trade into national 
development plans. The DTIS sets the basis for all subsequent interventions and establishes priorities to 
increase exports from LDCs . 
10 See: http://www.standardsfacility.org/sites/default/files/STDF_Briefing_no12_E N.pdf . 
11 Belize, Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Seychelles, Uganda, Viet  Nam and Zambia.  G/SPS/GEN/1538  
 
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  improve national SPS planning and decision -making processes, support project design and 
leverage additional fundi ng resources.  
5.2.  The P-IMA user guide, as well as a short briefing note , is available  for download  on the 
STDF  website .12 Delegates from developing countries who would like to have more information on 
how to use and benefit from the P -IMA framework are encoura ged to contact the STDF Secretari at. 
6  PROJECT DEVELOPMENT  
6.1.  The STDF  provides advice and support to applicants on issues related to SPS project 
development and finances project preparation grants (PPGs) . PPGs, normally up to US$50,000, are 
available to help a pplicants articulate their SPS needs and develop technically sound and 
sustainable project proposals. PPGs  can be requested to: (i) apply SPS capacity evaluation and 
prioritization tools; (ii) prepare feasibility studies before project development to asses s the 
potential impact and economic viability of proposals  in terms of costs and benefits; and  
(iii) develop project proposals for  funding by donors and/or the STDF.  
6.2.  A total of 81 PPGs  have been approved and funded by the STDF since its inception. 
Informat ion on on -going and completed PPGs is available on the STDF website.13 The STDF 
Working Group may  approve additional PPGs for funding at its next meeting on 20-21 March 2017 . 
7  PROJECT IMPLEMENTATI ON 
7.1.  Project grant financing is also available from the STDF. Fa vourable consideration is given to 
projects that: (i)  identify , develop  and dissemination good practice in SPS -related technical 
cooperation, including the development and application of innovative and replicable approaches; 
(ii) apply regional approaches to add ress SPS constraints; and/or (iii ) implement  collaborative  
approaches across food safety , animal and plant health and trade . 
7.2.  Beneficiaries must contribute to the project –- from their own resources, either in the form of 
financial or in -kind contribu tions such as staff time, use of premises, veh icles or other existing 
assets.  
7.3.  A total of 76 projects  have been approved for STDF funding since its inception. Information 
on on -going and completed PGs is available on the STDF website.14 Depending on financia l 
resources available in the STDF trust fund, t he STDF Working Group may approve additional 
projects and PPGs for funding at its next meeting on 20-21 March 2017 .  
7.4.  Annex 1  provides an overview of on -going STDF projects and PPGs . Since its in ception, the 
STDF has devoted 65% of its project and PPG resource s to LDCs and other low income countries 
(OLICs) , as shown below in Figure 1. Hence, t he STDF continues meeting its target to devote at 
least 40% of its project and PPG resources to LDCs and OLICs . In parti cular the allocation of  
PPG resources to LDC s and OLICs remains high (i.e. 78% of the overall budget for PPGs).  
 
                                                
12 See: http://www.standardsfacility.org/p -ima. 
13 See: http://www.standardsfacility.org/projectpreparationgrants . 
14 See: http://www.standardsfacility.org/projectgrants . G/SPS/GEN/1538  
 
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  Figure 1: STDF projects and PPGs (US$)  Figure 2:  STDF Projects and PPGs (number)  
    
  
7.5.  Figure 2 above indicates  that 48% of the number of STDF projects and PPGs ha s gone to 
Sub-Saharan Africa, 23 % to Asia, and 17 % to Latin America an d the  Caribbean.  In addit ion, 
10% of STDF projects and PPGs are classified as global.  
7.6.  Applications for STDF funding can be made at any poi nt in the year but should be received at 
least 60 working days in advance of each Working Group meeting in order to be considered at that 
meeting. The next deadline for the submission of applications is 4 August 2017 . Further 
information on eligibility cri teria, application forms, etc. is available o n the ST DF website.  
Recommended steps to follow when seeking PG or PPG funding opportunities with the STDF:  
1. Browse our PPG http://www.stan dardsfacility.org/projectpreparationgrants  and PG 
http://www.standardsfacility.org/projectgrants  webpages for examples of previous 
projects.  
2. Carefully read our guidance note for applicants : 
http://standardsfacility.org/sites/default/files/STDFGuidanceNote_English_FINAL_2015.pdf  
3. Consult relevant stakeholders in the country/region.  
4. Send u s a brief concept note of your potential project for feedback on eligibility and 
likelihood of funding ( STDFSecretariat@wto.org ). 
5. Fill out an application form ( http://www.standardsfacility.org/application -forms ) and 
submit it electronically before the deadline.  
 
 
  G/SPS/GEN/1538  
 
- 5 - ANNEX 1  
OVERVIEW OF ONGOING STDF PROJECTS  AND PROJECT PREPARAT ION GRANTS  
PROJECTS  
Ref. No.  Title Beneficiary  Implementing 
entity/ 
person Start Date  End Date  Budget (US$)  
STDF/PG/242  Strategy to strengthen the SPS 
system in Comoros  Comoros  United Nations 
Development 
Programme 
(UNDP)  17-Sep-12 31-Dec-17 $1,033,673  
STDF/PG/303  Regional Total Diet Study for 
Sub-Saharan Africa  Benin, Camer oon, 
Mali, Nigeria  FAO 1-Apr-14 30-Sep-17 $1,063,708  
STDF/PG/316  Strengthening phytosanitary 
inspection and diagnostic 
services in Azerbaijan  Azerbaijan  FAO/IPPC  1-Sep-14 31-Aug-18 $1,000,000  
STDF/PG/345  Regional feed and food security 
programme  Argenti na, Brazil, 
Chile, Costa Rica, 
Mexico, Paraguay, 
Peru, Uruguay  Asociación de 
las Industrias 
de 
Alimentación 
Animal de 
América Latina 
y Caribe 
(FEEDLATINA)  15-Feb-14 14-Feb-18 $991,100  
STDF/PG/346  Breaking barriers, facilitating 
trade in COMESA member 
states COMESA members  Common 
Market for 
Eastern and 
Southern Africa 
(COMESA)  1-Nov-14 31-Oct-17 $820,628  
STDF/PG/359  Strengthening capacity in 
Africa to meet pesticide export 
requirements  Benin, Cameroon, 
Ghana, Kenya, 
Mali, Senegal, 
Tanzania, Uganda , 
Zambia  African Union 
Inter-African 
Bureau for 
Animal 
Resources (AU -
IBAR)  1-May-13 30-Apr-17 $446,150  
STDF/PG/401  Training of Phytosanitary 
Capacity Evaluation (PCE) 
Facilitators  Developing 
countries  IPPC 1-Apr-14 30-Sep-17 $655,436   
  G/SPS/GEN/1538  
 
- 6 - Ref. No.  Title Beneficiary  Implementing 
entity/ 
person Start Date  End Date  Budget (US$)  
STDF/PG/432  Strengthening inf ormation 
systems for pest surveillance 
and reporting in Asia Pacific  Cambodia, 
Lao People's 
Democratic 
Republic , 
Malaysia, Papua 
New Guinea, 
Philippines, 
Thailand, 
Viet Nam Australia's 
Department of 
Agriculture  and 
Water 
Resources 
(DAWR) 1-Dec-16 31-Dec-19 $897,595  
STDF/PG/460  Implementation of ISPM 15  Botswana, 
Cameroon, Kenya, 
Mozambique  International 
Institute of 
Social Stu dies - 
Erasmus 
University of 
Rotterdam  1-Feb-15 31-Jul-17 $278,870  
STDF/PG/486  Improving food safety and 
compliance with SPS measur es 
to increase export revenues in 
the oilseeds value chain in 
Myanmar  Myanmar  International 
Trade Centre 
(ITC) 17-Aug-15 16-Aug-18 $736,671  
STDF/PG/489  Technical assistance on SPS 
and the value -chain, to 
improve market access for 
small-scale / artisanal f isheries 
in West Africa  Côte d'Ivoire, 
Guinea, 
Mauritania, 
Senegal  United Nations 
Industrial 
Development 
Organization 
(UNIDO)  1-Sep-15 31-Aug-17 $910,714  
STDF/PG/495  Accreditation of laboratory 
diagnostic tests for animal 
diseases in OIRSA member 
countrie s Belize, Cos ta Rica, 
Dominican 
Republic, 
El Salvador, 
Guatemala, 
Honduras, 
Nicaragua, 
Panama  Organismo 
Internacional 
Regional de 
Sanidad 
Agropecuaria 
(OIRSA)  1-Mar-16 28-Feb-19 $793,300  
STDF/PG/502  Regional Strengthening for the 
Implementation of 
Phytosa nitary Measures and 
Market Access in COSAVE 
member countries  Argentina ; Bolivia, 
Plurinational State 
of; Brazil ; Chile;  
Paraguay ; Peru; 
Uruguay  Inter-American 
Institute for 
Cooperation on 
Agriculture 
(IICA)  1-Nov-15 31-Oct-18 $985,700  
STDF/PG/504  ePhyto: Enhancing safe trade 
in plants and plant products  Developing 
countries  FAO/IPPC 15-Dec-16 14-Dec-19 $1,000,000   
  G/SPS/GEN/1538  
 
- 7 - Ref. No.  Title Beneficiary  Implementing 
entity/ 
person Start Date  End Date  Budget (US$)  
STDF/PG/515  Honey Chain Traceability in 
Guatemala  Guatemala  Directorate for 
Food Safety - 
Ministry of 
Agriculture, 
Livestock and 
Food (MAGA) 
of Guatemala  15-Dec-15 14-Dec-17 $45,400  
STDF/PG/521  Strengthening the capacity of 
the National Public Health 
Laboratory to provide services 
in support of market access for 
Solomon Islands fish exporters  Solomon Islands  FAO TBD TBD $291,634   
  G/SPS/GEN/1538  
 
- 8 - PROJECT PREPARA TION GRANTS (PPGs)  
Ref. No.  Title Beneficiary  Implementing 
entity/ person  Start Date  End Date  Budget (US$)  
STDF/PPG/375  Development of a project for 
the establishment of a National 
SPS Strategy in Togo  Togo Consultant 
(Mr Antoine  Nguz) 15-Jun-16 15-Dec-16 $38,000  
STDF/PPG/392  Integrating SPS in Sierra Leone: 
A whole chain approach to 
developing the national food 
safety management system  Sierra Leone  FAO 1-Nov-13 Upon approval  $39,000  
STDF/PPG/431  Aflatoxin management in chillies 
in Pakistan  Pakistan  FAO 1-May-15 30-Apr-16 $34,000  
STDF/PPG/435  Strengthening SPS compliance 
of sesame production in Sudan 
for enhanced access to 
international markets  Sudan  UNIDO  1-Jun-15 31-Mar-16 $50,000  
STDF/PPG/447  Development of a project 
proposal to address SPS 
capacity needs focusing on the 
national food safety system  in 
Tajikistan  Tajikistan  ITC 1-Oct-15 30-Sep-16 $40,600  
STDF/PPG/461  Development of a Sanitary and 
Phytosanitary Centre of 
Excellence (SPSCOE) for Pacific 
Island Countries and Territories 
(PICTs)  Pacific I sland 
Countries and 
Territories 
(PICTs)  Secretariat of the 
Pacific Community 
(SPC) - Land 
Resources Division 
(LRD)  TBD TBD $50,000  
STDF/PPG/477  Improving sanitary capacity and 
facilitating export of livestock 
and livestock products in 
Ethiopia  Ethiopia  Ministry of 
Agriculture, 
Livestock 
Development 
Sector, Veterinary 
Service Directorate  11-May-15 Upon approval  $37,500  
STDF/PPG/481  Strengthening the phytosanitary 
capacity of the horticulture 
sector in Zambia  Zambia  Consultant 
(Mrs Ruth 
Frampton ) 1-Nov-15 Upon approval  $31,380  
STDF/PPG/516  Cost-Benefit Analysis for 
Establishing a Foot and Mouth 
Disease Free Zone or 
Compartment in Tanzania  Tanzania  Royal Veterinary 
College, U nited 
Kingdom  7-Sep-16 31-Mar-17 $48,500   
  G/SPS/GEN/1538  
 
- 9 - Ref. No.  Title Beneficiary  Implementing 
entity/ person  Start Date  End Date  Budget (US$)  
STDF/PPG/517  Capacity building and 
knowled ge sharing to combat 
SPS issues in spices in India  India Consultant 
(Mrs Shashi 
Sareen ) and the 
Spices Board India  19-Dec-16 31-May-17 $35,680  
STDF/PPG/534  Preparation for a project 
proposal to develop traceability 
and identification of livestock in 
Mongo lia Mongolia  Consultant 
(Mr Hans Schild) 
and Sustaina ble 
Development 
Consulting , 
Mongolia  4-Apr-16 31-Aug-16 $49,750  
STDF/PPG/535  Spillover Effects of Export -
Oriented SPS Technical 
Assistance on the Domestic 
Food Safety Situation  Global  Michigan State 
University (MSU)  1-Mar-17 1-Mar-18 $75,000  
STDF/PPG/539  Development of a project for a 
biosecurity classification system 
and registration for SPS 
Laboratories in Guatemala  Guatemala  Asociación 
Guatemalteca de 
Exportadores 
(AGEXPORT), 
Guatemala  TBD TBD $49,81 2 
STDF/PPG/543  Enhancing the capacity of the 
fruits and Vegetable Sector in 
Uganda to comply with 
European Phytosanitary 
requirements  Uganda  Consultant (Mr 
Huub Stoetzer ) 15-Mar-17 31-Jul-17 $35,000  
STDF/PPG/548  Strengthening the Lao PDR 
National Sanitar y and 
Phytosanitary Capacity to 
Support Market Access of Fresh 
Fruit and Vegetable Produce to 
the EU and other Potential 
Markets  Lao People's 
Democratic 
Republic  Centre for 
Agricultural 
Bioscience 
International 
(CABI)  TBD TBD $48,400  
STDF/PPG/550  Feasibil ity study for 
establishment of a fresh meat 
producing compartment in 
Zimbabwe  Zimbabwe  Royal Veterinary 
College, UK  16-Sep-16 31-Mar-16 $45,000  
STDF/PPG/553  Training of champion coffee and 
cocoa farmers in Papua New 
Guinea (PNG) to adopt good 
agriculture practices (GAP) and 
to ensure compliance with SPS 
requirements to enhance trade  Papua New 
Guinea  Consultant 
(Mr Andrew 
Graffham ) 1-Nov-16 30-Apr-17 $50,000   
  G/SPS/GEN/1538  
 
- 10 - Ref. No.  Title Beneficiary  Implementing 
entity/ person  Start Date  End Date  Budget (US$)  
STDF/PPG/561  Preparation for a project 
proposal to increase market 
access by strengthen the 
capacit y of phytosanitary 
inspection and diagnostic of the 
State Service on Phytosanitary 
Inspection and Plant Quarantine 
of the Republic of Tajikistan  Tajikistan  FAO TBD TBD $43,900  
STDF/PPG/567  Proposal development on 
establishment and maintenance 
of fruit pro duction areas free 
and under low prevalence of 
fruit fly pests in Southern Africa  Southern 
African 
countries  Directorate of Plant 
Health, 
Department of 
Agriculture 
Forestry and 
Fisheries (DAFF), 
South Africa  TBD TBD $50,000  
STDF/PPG/569  Preparation of a p roject 
proposal to promote compliance 
with international SPS 
requirements in Kyrgyz Republic  Kyrgyz 
Republic  Association of Food 
Industry 
Enterprises (AFIE) 
of the Kyrgyz 
Republic  1-Mar-17 30-Sep-17 $44,790  
STDF/PPG/577  Mitigation and Remediation of 
Cadmi um Contamination in 
Cocoa Beans in Latin America 
and the Caribbean  Colombia, 
Ecuador, Peru , 
Trinidad and  
Tobago  International Cocoa 
Organization 
(ICCO)  15-Mar-17 15-Mar-18 $61,124  
 
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