WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/GEN/950 
19 June 2009 
 
 (09-3012) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   Spanish 
  
 
ACTIONS AIMED AT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE WTO AGREEMENT 
ON SANITARY AND PHYTOSANITARY MEASURES 
 
Information Presented by the Inter-American Institute
 
for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA ) 
 
  The following communication, received on 17 June  2009, is being circulated at the request 
of IICA
. 
 
_______________ 
 
 1. The observer organizations in the Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) 
of the World Trade Organization (WTO) are invited to submit reports on the activities they have carried out to promote understanding and implemen tation of the SPS Agreement.  IICA wishes to 
present some of the actions and activities that it cons iders relevant to the work of this Committee. 
I. IICA-STDF-108 PROJECT 
2. IICA continues to implement the IICA-STDF-108 project.  Actions at the national level 
aimed at institution building and the preparation of national agendas for sanitary and phytosanitary 
measures have been completed.  The process was conducted in 26 of the 28 countries covered by the 
project. 
3. This phase evaluated inter alia  how the countries have benefited from six years of financial, 
technical and institutional support under the Initiative for the Americas, which has enabled them to 
participate in the WTO SPS Committee.  It also se rved to evaluate the countries' institutional SPS 
capabilities. 
4. One of the most significant accomplishments of this first phase was the preparation of the 
national agendas, which have already been presente d to the STDF and which provide a "road map" for 
the countries involved and for the cooperating organi zations in identifying and prioritizing their 
needs. 
5. Another important element was the training which the countries have received on the 
institutional structures designed to facilitate impl ementation of the SPS Agreement, including the 
successful experiences presented by Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile and the United States on 
institutional matters, transparency, dispute settlement, etc. 
6. In addition to the national agendas, the project  identified regional activities to be implemented 
in the Caribbean, Central American, Andean and Southern Regions.  These activities largely address 
the priorities identified in the national agendas. G/SPS/GEN/950 
Page 2  
 
  7. Regional actions can be classified as follows: 
(a) Awareness-raising tools:  successful cases (i nstitutional and technical) of investment 
in SPS and benefits deriving from internati onal participation will be documented and 
decision makers will receive training in the importance of SPS measures and international standards. 
(b) Support for technical independence:  organiza tion of workshops on risk evaluation of 
chemical and microbiological hazards in food (July/August for the Andean and 
Southern Regions).  Preparation of a manual and relevant training courses on 
phytosanitary hazard profiles.  Training in risk communication. 
(c) Capacity building:  organization of SPS workshops, developmen t and implementation 
of information systems aimed at improving management of knowledge of SPS issues.  
Preparation of manuals on how to improve the notification process.  Workshops on 
good practice for participati on in international fora, which will be accompanied by 
manuals and a training CD. 
8. For further information, contact Ricardo Molins at ricardo.molins@iica.int
, or Erick Bolanos 
at erick.bolanos@iica.int . 
II. SERIES ON EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP IN FOOD SAFETY 
9. IICA's Agricultural Health and Food Safety Area and Center for Leadersh ip in Agriculture, in 
collaboration with the Global Initia tive for Food System Leadership of the University of Minnesota, 
has launched the Second Series of the Exec utive Leadership in Food Safety (ELFS) 
Program (2009-2010). 
10. The programme aims to implement four modules over a two-year period and to provide food 
safety training for 25 to 30 professionals from the public and private sectors. 
11. The four modules are:  (i) Globalization and public /private partnerships;  (ii) Laws, ethics and 
regulations;  (iii) Food safety systems, public health  and the agri-food chain;  and (iv) Multiple roles 
of agricultural health and food safety. 
12. For further information, contact Ricardo Molins at ricardo.molins@iica.int , or Ana Cordero at 
ana.cordero@iica.int . 
III. SPECIFIC ACTIONS, BY COUNTRY OR REGION 
13. Support for the Southern Cone Plant Health Committee (COSAVE ):  A pilot plan to set up a 
regional risk analysis centre is being develope d with a view to the practical evaluation of a 
methodology for pest risk analysis at regional le vel.  A seminar and workshop on phytosanitary 
inspection are being organized in order to upgrade the management of phytosanitary inspection and 
certification by national plant protection organizations  and to build up regional capacity to implement 
and administer phytosanitary measures. 
14. Support for the Permanent Veterinary Committee (CVP-for the Southern Region ):  IICA is 
coordinating support for the implementation and manage ment of risk analysis for the purposes of food 
safety and animal health.  Support is being provide d to conduct a regional inventory of food safety 
objectives established by the CVP member countries.  G/SPS/GEN/950 
 Page 3 
 
 
  15. Ecuador :  As part of the move to strengthen the country's National Food Quality, Health and 
Safety System, IICA is providing support for the design of instruments needed to implement the new 
model for sanitary registration of processed food products, which seeks to streamline and automate 
the sanitary registration of products once plants ha ve been certified as applying Good Manufacturing 
Practice (GMP) and to strengthen post-registration controls.  The procedures manuals, instructions 
and guides are currently being prepared, new cost-b ased charges and fees are being calculated, and a 
programme is being designed to include small-scale producers in the implementation of GMP in their plants.  At the same time, work is being done on two draft regulations:  the Single Food Regulation 
and the Technical Food Regulation, which will pr ovide the legal framework for the initiative. 
16. Peru
:  The IICA Office in Peru is supporting SENASA's integrated quality and safety control 
system in developing sectoral food safety standards. 
IV. SUPPORT FOR THE DISSEMINA TION OF INFORMATION 
17. IICA has various newsletters and other communi cation media to promote the exchange of 
information on SPS matters and the work of the WTO,  the international reference organizations and 
the regional organizations. 
18. The electronic newsletter CODEX-SPS Opinion Forum specializes in developments within 
the Codex Alimentarius and the WTO SPS Commi ttee.  The newsletter reports on and analyses 
standards and activities, and its purpose is to broa den the dissemination and study of the topics 
involved.  It is available to all members at www.iica.org.ar .  For further information, contact 
Lourdes Fonalleras at mlfonalleras@iica.org.ar . 
19. The AGROSALUD information system focuses on the circulation of information on 
agricultural health and food safety and encompass es standards and activities of the WTO and the 
international reference organizati ons (English version available at www.agrihealth.ws ;  Spanish 
version available at www.infoagro.net/salud ).  For further information, contact Ericka Calderón at 
ericka.calderon@iica.int . 
20. In Paraguay, a periodic electronic news letter reports on the activities of the 
National SPS Technical Committee and on SPS developm ents.  For further information, contact 
Carlos Franco at carlos.franco@iica.int . 
Inter-American Institute for C ooperation on Agriculture (IICA) 
Agricultural Health and Food Safety 
http://www.infoagro.net/salud  
http://www.iica.int  
 
__________