RESTRICTED  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/W/200 
16 June 2006 
 (06-2933) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures  
  
REVIEW OF THE PROVISIONAL PROCEDURE TO MONITOR 
THE PROCESS OF INTERNATIONAL HARMONIZATION 
 
Note by the Secretariat
1 
  
1. At its meeting of 15-16 October 1997, the Committee adopted a provisional procedure to 
monitor the use of international standards (G/SPS/11) .  This provisional procedure has been extended 
three times, by decisions of the Committee in July  1999 (G/SPS/14), July 2001 (G/SPS/17) and June 
2003 (G/SPS/25), and was revised by the Committee in October 2004 (G/SPS/11/Rev.1).  In making 
the June 2003 decision, the Committee also agre ed to review the operation of the provisional 
procedure by July 2006, with a view to deciding th en whether to continue w ith the same procedure, 
amend it or develop another one. 
2. Since the adoption of the monitoring procedur e in October 1997, Members have used the 
procedure to bring a total of sixteen standards-rela ted issues to the attention of the Committee (Table 
1).  The attention of the relevant standard-setti ng organizations was drawn to the issues raised by 
Members.  In all cases, the standard-setting organizations have promptly addressed these concerns in 
their respective competent bodies, and have regularly reported on their actions to the SPS Committee.  
The information provided by the standard-setting or ganizations has been summarized in each annual 
report.  
Table 1 - New Issues Raised Each Year 
Year 
(ending 
July) Number 
of Issues 
Raised  
Issues Annual 
Report 
1999 9 -- Requirement for control of Infectious Bursal Virus (IBDV) 
 in cooked chicken meat; -- Definition of "quarantine pest"; -- Chlortetracycline (CTC) residues in pork and pork products; -- Bacilli and other organism s in canned/bottled products, 
 including jams; 
-- Frequency of controls to be carried out on bulls in collection 
 centres (brucellosis, tuberculosis, leukosis, IBR); -- Benzoic acid as a preservative in sauces; -- Certification requirements for origin of animals; -- Certification regarding the ab sence of certain pathogens in 
 raw meat products; 
-- Certification requirements for diseases for which national  control measures may not exist (meat products). G/SPS/13 
                                                      
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. G/SPS/W/200 
Page 2  
 
  Year 
(ending 
July) Number 
of Issues 
Raised  
Issues Annual 
Report 
2000 0  G/SPS/16 
2001 0  G/SPS/18 
2002 1 -- OIE standard on African horse sickness G/SPS/21 
2003 2 -- Low pathogenic strains of avian influenza 
-- Products with no acceptable dail y intake levels (ADIs) or 
 Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) G/SPS/28 
and Corr.1 
2004 0  G/SPS/31 
2005 2 -- Regionalization (pest- and disease-free areas) 
-- Implementation of ISPM 15 on wood packaging material- G/SPS/37 
2006* 2 -- MRLs for sulphur dioxide in cinnamon 
-- OIE standard on avian influenza G/SPS/W/1
96 
*  Preliminary, based on draft report prepared for meeting of June 2006. 
3. In October 2004, the Committee noted the sparse us e of this mechanism and decided to revise 
the procedure.  The revision permitted Members to identify specific issues to be considered under this 
agenda item up to ten (10) days in advance of a regular meeting of the SPS Committee, as opposed to 
the thirty (30) days initially established by the pro cedure.  This brought the identification of specific 
monitoring concerns into line with the identificati on of issues proposed for consideration under other 
items of the Committee's agenda.  The result has been  a somewhat more active use of this procedure 
in the past two years.  
4. Nonetheless, the use of the monitoring procedur e remains very limited in comparison with the 
number of specific trade concerns raised by Members (Figure 1).  Yet a number of these specific concerns actually involve either ex isting international standards, or th e lack of relevant international 
standards.  On the other hand, issues raised unde r the monitoring procedure, such as regionalization 
(recognition of pest- or disease-free areas) may be discussed under other agenda items.  The 
impression is thus that Members are making little u se of the monitoring procedure to bring their 
concerns regarding specific standards, or the n eed for standards, to the attention of the SPS 
Committee and of the relevant standard-setting organizations. 
5. It is worth noting, however, that those issues  which have been raised under this procedure 
have been brought to the attention of the SPS Co mmittee by both developing and developed country 
Members, and the issues raised have dealt with ma tters within the competence of all three relevant 
standard-setting organizations.  It would thus appear that the provisional procedure is not difficult to 
use, especially since its revision in October 2004.   
6. In reviewing the operation of this procedure, Members may wish to consider what changes 
might improve their use of this procedure.  One issu e to consider is whether it would be helpful for 
the Committee to clarify which issues should be rai sed under this agenda ite m and which under other 
agenda items.  The example provided by Sri Lanka w ith respect to its difficulties exporting cinnamon 
may be useful.  Sri Lanka raised as a "Specific Trade Concern" the problems it was facing due to restrictions imposed specifically by the European Communities.  At the same time, it raised under the  G/SPS/W/200 
 Page 3 
 
 
  "Monitoring" agenda item the more general need fo r Codex to develop an international standard 
which established MRLs for sulphur dioxide in cinnamon.   
 
7. Another example relates to concerns about the recognition of regionalization (pest- or disease-
free status).  These concerns have been raised under the agenda item on monitoring and also under the 
specific agenda item on regionalization.  The Comm ittee may wish to clarify that when a Member 
provides information regarding its achievement of  a pest- or disease-free status, it report under the 
specific agenda item on regionalization.  However,  when a Member wishes to raise concerns 
regarding the failure to respect the guidelines on recognizing pest- or disease-freedom established by 
the IPPC or the OIE, then it should raise that c oncern under the agenda item on monitoring the use of 
international standards.   
8. The examples above would not require any ch ange in the provisional procedure for the 
monitoring of the use of international standards, but clarifications given by the Committee regarding 
the organization of issues raised at meetings.   
9. However, Members may wish to suggest possible modifications to the provisional procedure, 
based on their experience and any difficulties they have experienced with the current procedure. 
10. In the absence of any specific proposals for modifying the provisional procedure, it is 
suggested that the Committee agree to encourage Memb ers to make greater use of this mechanism for 
addressing their standards-related concerns, and ex tend the provisional pro cedure on an indefinite 
basis, with a review of the procedure every four year s as an integral part of the regular review of the 
operation and implementation of the SPS Agreement in the context of Article 12.7.  The next review 
would thus be undertaken in 2009, and every four year s thereafter.  A draft decision to this effect is 
attached for consideration by the Committee. 
 Figure 1 - Number of Specific Trade Concerns Raised Each Year  
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005G/SPS/W/200 
Page 4 
  
DRAFT 
DECISION TO MODIFY AND EXTEND THE PROVISIONAL PROCEDURE TO 
MONITOR THE PROCESS OF INTERNATIONAL HARMONIZATION 
  
 The Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures, 
Having regard to  Articles 3.5 and 12.4 of the SPS Agreement; 
Taking into account  the provisional procedure to monitor the use of international standards adopted 
by the Committee at its meeting of 15-16 Octobe r 1997 and as subsequently revised on 27-28 October 
2004 (G/SPS/11/Rev.1);  the Committee's decisions of July 1999, July 2001 and of June 2003 to 
extend this provisional procedure, and to decide by July 2006 whether to continue with the same 
procedure, amend it or deve lop another one (G/SPS/25);  
Considering  that in reviewing the operation of the provisional procedure, it has noted that the 
procedure provided an effective mechanism for Memb ers to raise specific standards-related issues;   
 Considering  that at the Fourth Session of the Minist erial Conference, Ministers instructed the 
Committee to review the operation and implemen tation of the Agreement, as provided for in 
Article 12.7 of the Agreement, at least once every four years;  Considering that this procedure to monitor the use of inte rnational standards is related to the operation 
and implementation of the Agreement;    Decides as follows:  
1. The provisional procedure to monitor the use of  international standards, as modified, is 
extended indefinitely.   
2. The Committee will review the operation of the prov isional procedure as an integral part of its 
periodic Review of the Operation and Implementa tion of the Agreement under Article 12.7, with a 
view to deciding whether to continue with the same  procedure, amend it or de velop another one.  The 
next such Review is to be completed in 2009, and every four years subsequently.   
3. The Committee encourages Members to make use of this procedure to address their concerns 
regarding specific international standard s or the need for such standards. 
 
 
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