G/SPS/W/319/Rev.2  
 
13 February 2020  
(20-1177) Page: 1/3 
 Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
STRENGTHENING THE CO NSULTATIVE FUNCTION OF THE SPS COMMITTEE  
SUBMISSION FROM BRAZ IL 
Revision  
The following communication, received on  13 February 2020 , is being circulated at the request of 
the Delegation of  Brazil . 
  
 
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The proposed draft Working Procedures encompass a list of topics that resulted from  informal 
discussions held at the sidelines of the SPS Committee and that was reviewed according to Members' 
suggestions received in the period from November 2019 to January 2020.  
 
This proposal seeks to improve the consultation process among Members, without any changes to 
their rights and obligations under WTO rules, so that we can make better use of the Committee's 
meetings. Being able to discuss is sues effectively and efficiently will facilitate consultations among 
Members, increasing the likelihood of resolving concerns within the Committee, which should be one 
of our main goals.  
DRAFT WORKING PROCED URES TO STRENGTHEN T HE CONSULTATIVE FUNC TION   
OF THE SPS COMMITTEE  
The Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures ("the Committee"),  
 
Having regard to paragraph 1 of Article 12 of the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and 
Phytosanitary Measures ("the Agreement");  
 
Recalling that Members may bring to the attention of the Committee trade concerns on any sanitary 
or phytosanitary issue, including sanitary and phytosanitary measures proposed, adopted or 
implemented by another Member, aiming at addressing and resolving the issue throug h discussions 
among the Members;  
 
Desiring to strengthen the consultative function of the Committee by further facilitating consultations 
among Members on specific sanitary or phytosanitary issues;  
 
Recognizing that it is desirable to promote a high level of transparency and understanding about the 
sanitary or phytosanitary issues brought by the Members before the Committee, while preserving 
the oral nature of the discussions held on the regular sessions of the Committee;  
 
Seeking to improve the regular wor k of the Committee and to complement its Working Procedures, 
in ways that do not add to the Members' substantive obligations, in order to enhance transparency 
and Members' ability to take part in the discussions of specific sanitary and phytosanitary issue s 
brought before the Committee:  
  G/SPS/W/319/Rev.2  
 
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  Decides as follows:  
 
1. When requesting the inclusion of a trade concern in the agenda of the Committee's regular 
meeting, Members should provide a substantive description of the concern. Members should consider 
including in the description, when appropriate, clear identification of: the proposed, adopted or 
implemented sanitary or phytosanitary measure(s) or issue(s) at stake; the product(s) affected by 
the measure(s); the relevant provision(s) of the Agreement; and short references of any previous 
treatment or discussion of the same or a similar trade concern in another WTO body. When 
appropriate, Members  should consider including in the substantive description of the concern , 
questions for the Member maintaining the proposed, adopted or implemented sanitary or 
phytosanitary measure(s) or issue(s) at stake.  
2. The request to include a  trade concern in the agenda and its substantive description shall be 
submitted through an online system established for that purpose, no later than 22 calendar days 
before the meeting in which the concern is intended to be discussed.  
3. The Secretariat shall  circulate, in advance of the Committee's regular meeting, a notice 
convening the meeting in the form of an annotated agenda that contains the compilation of all trade 
concerns submitted to be discussed in that meeting and, when available, their respective  substantive 
descriptions.  
4. Without prejudice to any oral interventions that take place during the meeting,  Members 
raising and responding to the trade concerns should submit their statements regarding the raised 
concern through the online system establishe d for that purpose, no later than 20 calendar days after 
the meeting. Members responding to raised concerns should endeavor to fully address the substance 
of the concerns. When the Member raising the concern has posed questions, if the responding 
Member do es not fully address them at the meeting, there shall be a separate section in the online 
system to allow for the submission of additional and more comprehensive responses.  
5. All written trade concerns and their corresponding statements and replies submitted  to the 
online system shall be made publicly available, unless the Member raising or responding to the 
concern requests otherwise. The Secretariat shall establish and manage a searchable online 
database on trade concerns, in which all written trade concern s and replies shall be recorded.  
6. At the beginning of each regular session, the Secretariat shall remind Members about the 
existence of the Catalogue  of Instruments Available to WTO Members to Manage SPS Issues  
(G/SPS/63 ), as well as about the possibility to request Chairperson's assistance pursuant to 
paragraph 6 of the Working Pro cedures of the Committee ( G/SPS/1 ) and to resort to the procedures 
set forth i n document "Procedure to Encourage and Facilitate the Resolution of Specific Sanitary or 
Phytosanitary Issues among Members in Accordance with Article 12.2" ( G/SPS/61 ). 
7. When organizing thematic sessions and workshops, the Secretariat shall provide the means 
for remote participation (through live streaming).  
8. The Secretariat shall cir culate the draft of the summary report of a regular meeting of the 
Committee within 20 calendar days after the meeting, for Members to present their comments. 
The final summary report, which takes into account Members' comments, should be circulated within  
30 calendar days after the meeting and not later than 40 calendar days before the next regularly 
scheduled meeting of the Committee.  
9. Members are encouraged to publish comments on notified proposed measures and the replies 
thereto through an online system established for that purpose. The decision to publish comments 
and replies thereto shall lie with the Member submitting the comment or the reply.  
10. The Secretariat shall adjust the online notification database [SPS -IMS or ePing] in order to 
facilitate  the submission and publication of translations of notified SPS measures. Notifying Members 
are encouraged to submit a supplement notification to inform about the availability of an official 
translation. The database shall permit unidentified/anonymous sub missions of unofficial translations 
if submitted by registered delegates.  G/SPS/W/319/Rev.2  
 
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  11. Nothing in this Decision shall be construed as affecting the rights and obligations of Members 
contained in the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures.  
 
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