WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/GEN/807 
15 October 2007 
 (07-4418) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
 
MATTERS OF INTEREST ARISING FROM THE WORK OF THE 
OBSERVER ORGANIZATIONS – ITEM 13 
 
Submission by the International Plant Protection Convention Secretariat (IPPC)
 
 
 
 The following communication, received on 11 Octo ber 2007, is being circulated at the request 
of the IPPC.  
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 Since the last SPS Committee meeting in J une 2007, the following IPPC-related activities 
have been undertaken:  Technical Panel on Forest Quarantine (TPFQ)  
 
1. The TPFQ reviews relevant technical and scien tific information to provide recommendations 
to the Standard Committee on development, amendmen t and revision of standards related to forest 
quarantine issues. 
Focus Group on the review of IPPC standard-setting procedures  
 
2. The Second Session of the Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (CPM-2) decided to 
convene a Focus Group to review IPPC standard-se tting procedures, in particular:  the terms of 
reference and rules of procedure for technical pane ls;  procedures and criteria for identifying topics 
for inclusion in the IPPC standard-setting work programme;  transparency in the standard-setting 
process;  and Annex I of the Rules of Procedure of the CPM on development and adoption of 
international standards. 
Regional workshops on draft ISPMs  
 
3. Seven regional workshops were held.  At each  of these Contracting parties are given the 
opportunity to discuss the implications, perceived probl ems, gain clarification, etc., regarding draft 
ISPMs with their peers, which assists them  to formulate their country comments.  
Technical Consultation among Regional Plant Protection Organizations   
 
4. Under Article IX of the IPPC, Contracting parti es undertake to cooperate with one another in 
establishing regional plant protection organizations  (RPPOs) in appropriate areas.  The RPPOs 
function as the coordinating bodies in the areas covere d, participate in various activities to achieve the 
objectives of the Convention and, where appropriate, gather and disseminate information.  Regular 
Technical Consultations of repr esentatives of RPPOs are held to: G/SPS/GEN/807 
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  (a) promote the development and use of re levant international standards for 
phytosanitary measures;  and 
(b) encourage inter-regional cooperation in promoting harmonized phytosanitary 
measures for controlling pests and in preven ting their spread and/or introduction. 
Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) on a Po ssible Compliance Mechanism for the IPPC 
 5. The OEWG determined that, rather than  a conventional compliance mechanism, a 
comprehensive IPPC  Implementation Review and Support System  specifically designed to take 
account of the situation of the IPPC would best suit the needs of IPPC Contracting parties The system developed by the OEWG builds on existing CPM activ ities, which is considered more efficient and 
cost effective, and an assistance based and facilitativ e approach was determined to be more desirable 
than a mechanism that would include enforcement aspects. 
Technical Panel on Diagnostic Protocols (TPDP)  
 
6. The TPDP:  
• produces diagnostic protocols for specific pests  
• proposes flexibility within specific protocols for a range of methodologies for different 
situations  
• identifies priorities for specific protocols to be developed and submitted to the Standards 
Committee  
• determines the mechanism for production of protocols and any rules of procedure. 
 
The TPDP discussed diagnostic protocols for Thrips palmi, Liberibacter  spp./ Liberobacter  spp, 
Xanthomonas axonopodis  pv. citri 
 
Technical Panel on the Glossary (TPG)  
 
7. The TPG is a technical body that reviews a nd updates the Glossary of phytosanitary terms 
(ISPM No. 5). Other matters dealing with the expression of technical issues are also referred to this 
group. 
IPPC-related meetings to be held before the end of the year include: 
 
8. The Standards Committee Working Group  (SC-7) will meet to review and discuss country 
comments on draft ISPMs and prepare revised drafts to be considered by the Standards Committee. 
Draft standards for consultation include: 
• Amendments to the Glossary 
• Classification of commodities into phytosanitary risk categories 
• Guidelines to reduce/replace the use of methyl bromide 
• Debarked and bark-free wood 
• 
Sampling of consignments 
• Area of low pest prevalence for fruit flies 
• Diagnosis of Thrips palmi.   G/SPS/GEN/807 
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9. The Standards Committee (SC)  will meet to review and discuss revised draft ISPMs 
prepared by the SC Working Group (SC-7). They will also consider country comments on a case-by-case basis. 
10. The Technical Panel on Phytosanitary Treatments (TPPT)  is involved with issues relating 
to phytosanitary treatments including collecting,  reviewing and recommending them to be used 
internationally. 
11. The Technical Panel on Pest Free Areas a nd Systems Approaches for Fruit Flies (TPFF)  
reviews scientific and technical data to establish th e technical requirements for the recognition of pest 
free areas and systems approaches for fruit flies. 
 
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