WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/GEN/611 
12 December 2005 
 
 (05-5872) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   Spanish 
 
  
PROCEDURES FOR RECOGNITION OF PEST- OR DISEASE-FREE AREAS OR 
AREAS OF LOW PEST OR DISEASE PREVALENCE UNDER ARTICLE 6 
OF THE SPS AGREEMENT, ON REGIONALIZATION 
 
Communication from Colombia
 
   The following communication, received on 5 D ecember 2005, is being circulated at the 
request of the delegation of Colombia. 
 
_______________ 
 
 
1. Colombia supports the initiatives by various c ountries in the context of the Committee on 
Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Committee ) to promote the development of administrative 
procedures for the practical implementation of Article 6 of the Agreement on Sanitary and 
Phytosanitary Measures, involving the recognitio n by all country Members of the World Trade 
Organization (WTO) of pest- or disease-free areas or areas of low pest or disease prevalence by the 
competent international authorities. 
2. Within the SPS Committee, Colombia is seeking to  ensure that the administrative aspects are 
considered together with the technical and sci entific aspects in the process of evaluation and 
recognition of pest-free and disease-free areas, on the clear understanding that technical and scientific matters come within the purview of the World Or ganization for Animal Health (OIE), the Codex 
Alimentarius Commission and the FAO Internati onal Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), while 
administrative matters should be dealt with by  the SPS Committee, with a view to determining inter 
alia the time-limits, treatments, evaluation and pro cedures necessary for the practical implementation 
of Article 6 of the SPS Agreement. 
3. This is of crucial importance, especially for developing country exporters, as it represents an 
important incentive to improving sanitary status and reducing trade barriers.  Colombia is therefore 
anxious to report on its regionalization experience at  the next meeting of the SPS Committee and, at 
the same time, to submit to th e latter, for its consideration, the attached document proposing a 
procedure to carry out the above-mentioned process. 
4. Colombia believes that success in applying the principle of regionalization is closely bound 
up with the suitability and effectiveness of pest and disease control and sanita ry surveillance measures 
applied in pest- and disease-free areas as well as in fected areas.  Such measures should guarantee both 
reduction of the risk of disease propagation from the infected area to the disease-free area and, where 
necessary, rapid detection of the pathogen and immediate implementation of adequate control 
measures, in order to prevent an unnecessar y risk situation for importing countries. 
5. Substantial investments are required to eliminate pests or diseases from particular areas.  
International experience has shown that it may take sev eral years or even decades to establish pest- or 
disease-free areas, on account of biological, environmen tal, economic and related social factors, so G/SPS/GEN/611 
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that once this status is obtained, it is very importa nt for the country concerned that it be recognized by 
other countries with which it maintains commercia l relations, and by the international community. 
6. Colombia is investing heavily in the control and eradication of pests and diseases.  The 
purpose of such investments is to establish pest - and disease-free areas with a view to eliminating 
losses and, above all, securing market  access for agricultural products. 
7. It should be noted that, in the case of deve loping countries like Colombia in particular, 
importing countries do not in some cases consider  acceptable the recognition and certification 
provided by competent international organizations.  In this connection, it should be emphasized that 
the administrative procedures required by some importing countries for recognition of a pest- or 
disease-free area or area of low prevalence are not clearly defined, are very complex, expensive and 
slow, and there are no precise time-limits for any response.  Consequently, Colombia attaches priority 
to establishing a harmonized recognition procedure for regionalization purposes and for recognition of 
pest- or disease-free areas or areas of low prev alence, leading ultimately to the effective 
implementation of this principle, with established tim e-limits for each of the stages, which is in turn 
recognized by the different country Members. 
8. For the declaration and recognition of pest- or disease-free areas, various factors need to be 
taken into account, such as the reliability and credibilit y of official animal or plant health services;  
the capacity of such official servi ces to maintain the pest- or disease-free status;  timely, systematic 
and accurate notification of pests and diseases;  the availability and quality of scientific information;  
transparency and other variables such as the risk  management options that exist for each case. 
9. In the specific case of Colomb ia, the recognition of pest- and disease-free areas is especially 
important in view of its experience of foot-and-m outh disease, since the national agencies responsible 
for animal health management have carried out camp aigns for the eradication of this disease, with the 
result that more than 50 per cent of the national te rritory has been declared free of foot-and-mouth 
disease, with vaccination, by the OIE.  The attach ed document describes Colombia's experience with 
recognition of the area free of this disease. 
10. Pursuant to the foregoing and in an effort to provide input for a structured debate on 
regionalization, Colombia offers responses to the ques tions raised by the informal ad hoc group, with 
a view to actively contributing to the debate sche duled to be held during the next meeting of the 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures. 
1. How are international recognition by the bod y concerned and international standards taken 
into account in the national standard-setting process? 
 In sanitary matters, Colombia bases its nationa l standards on the guidelines of international 
reference bodies.  Accordingly, standards are designed to protect the integrity of areas 
recognized as pest- and disease-free by the OIE and to further secure and extend those areas. 
2. Would it be possible to address issues such as th e existence of general or specific rules, lack 
of international recognition of reference bodies, national infrastructure and the legal 
framework for implementation of the regionalization principle? 
 We consider it important to address the above -mentioned issues, taking into account the fact 
that some countries do not promote this principle because of the lack of administrative procedures with established time-limits for their enforcement, and in some cases do not provide for regionalization measures in their own legislation.  These countries tend not to accept the technical advice of organizations of which they are themselves members. 
3. How to ensure that the measures are not  more trade-restrictive than necessary?  G/SPS/GEN/611 
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 To prevent this from happening, the technical  and scientific concepts must be accompanied 
by international guidelines which establish harmonized administrative procedures for the 
practical application of the regionalization principle and which result in opportunities for 
genuine access to international markets for de veloping country products .  This should be 
subject to support and guidance from the international reference bodies, with a view to 
establishing a clear distinction between purely technical and administrative procedures in the 
process of recognition of a specific sanitary status.   
4. How could the process be made more transparent and predictable?  Attached to this document is a Colombian proposal for the recognition of pest- or disease-free 
areas and areas of low pest or disease prevalen ce.  It is important to take account of the 
concept of a third party for the recognition of certifications, on a transparent basis.   
5. How are developing countries' needs taken into account in the regionalization recognition 
process? 
 From the standpoint of the OIE requirements,  there is no difference between developed and 
developing or least de veloped countries;  however, actual recognition is accorded by the 
importing country and this is what creates difficulties for exporting countries, since in most 
cases no account is taken of OIE recognition or the needs of developing countries. 
6. Application of regionalization measures gear ed to dealing with internal matters and 
promoting exports.  
 The main purpose of the regionalization measure s adopted in Colombia has been to improve 
the country's sanitary status and promote exports , this being an essential factor for stimulating 
the economy and promoting the country's economic and social development, particularly in 
strategic areas where recognitio n by the international reference organizations has been 
achieved. G/SPS/GEN/611 
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COLOMBIAN PROPOSAL FOR THE RECOGNITION OF PEST- OR 
DISEASE-FREE AREAS OR AREAS OF LOW 
PEST OR DISEASE PREVALENCE 
 
 Colombia hereby submits to the SPS Comm ittee its proposals concerning the sequence of 
defining stages in the recognition process, which ar e intended to guarantee the sanitary safety of 
country Members, with time-limits of betw een eight (8) and seventeen (17) months. 
1. Areas recognized internationally by the scientif ic reference organizations  referred to in the 
SPS Agreement shall be validated by country Members using a simplified procedure and on a 
priority basis, so as to e xpedite the recognition process. 
2. The exporting country shall transmit a request to the importing country for the recognition of 
a pest- or disease-free area or an area of lo w pest or disease prevalence, attaching the 
technical file and the resolution of the interna tional reference agency (if it has already been 
recognized by any such agency).  The importing country shall have three (3) months to issue a reply and request comments, if any.  If rec ognition has been accorded  previously by an 
international body, the importing country sha ll conduct a technical inspection visit, if 
required, within a maximum of two (2) months following receipt of the request. 
3. If the response is negative, the importing count ry shall issue a decision rejecting the request 
and provide reasons therefore so that the expor ting country can modify and adapt its system 
with a view to seeking recognition once again. 
4. If the response is positive, it shall be indi cated whether or not there are any comments. 
5. If there are no comments and if required, the t echnical inspection visit shall be carried out no 
later than two (2) months after the affirmative reply has been given. 
6. If there are any comments, the importing co untry shall send the request for additional 
information or clarification to the exporting co untry no later than three (3) months after 
receiving the request for recognition from the exporting country. 
7. If comments are made, the exporting country sha ll have not more than three (3) months to 
return to the importing country the clarifica tions, system adjustments and supplementary 
information required by the latter. 
8. Following due receipt of any comments ma de, the importing country shall if necessary 
conduct the technical inspection visit within a period of not more than two (2) months. 
9. As a result of the technical inspection visit,  the importing country shall issue an evaluation 
report within a maximum of two (2) months , indicating whether or not it agrees to 
recognition.  If it does agree to recognition, it shall indicate in turn whether it has any 
comments or requires clarificati ons.  If the decision is negative, the importing country shall 
give reasons so that the exporting country can modify and adapt its system with a view to 
seeking recognition once again. 
10. If comments are made or clarifications requi red by the importing country, as a result of the 
technical inspection report, the exporting country shall respond within three (3) months, providing the relevant clarificati ons, additions or modifications. 
11. If the decision is favourable, the importing country shall, within a maximum of 
four (4) months, effect the internal administrative changes required to eliminate the  G/SPS/GEN/611 
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restrictions relating to the pest or disease con cerned by the recognition, so as to allow imports 
from the exporting country that requested recognition. 
 The technical file referred to in stage 2 shall contain at a minimum the following information: 
(a) Animal or plant population, as the case may be; 
(b) scientific, technical and services infrastructure within the area; 
(c) proximity to the area or areas affected a nd type of physical separation between high 
risk areas.  The boundaries must be easy to identify and monitor; 
(d) types of animals and products entering risk areas; 
(e) measures applied to prevent the transfer of  prohibited animals or plants and risk 
products; 
(f) monitoring of animal diseases or plant pests within the area; 
(g) disease control policies and veterinary infrastructure resources; 
(h) availability of equipment to deal with sanitary emergencies; 
(i) historical incidence of the disease or pest in the area; 
(j) systematic serological follow-up within and outside the affected area; 
(k) existing legislation on the establishment of restricted zones, surveillance zones and 
buffer zones, clearly demarcated within the regionalization area, for the application of 
any measures to control the movement of  persons, animals and plants, as well as 
sanitary treatments to eradicate the disease or pest; 
(l) monitoring of restricted zones, including support by civil and military authorities 
under a plan agreed in advance with the veterinary authority; 
(m) in the absence of pest or disease outbr eaks, continued monitoring must be 
demonstrated by systematic herd research. G/SPS/GEN/611 
Page 6  
 
 
__________ 
 
 YES
NO
3 months 
2 months 
2 months
3months
2 months
4 months 3 months Sequence of Necessary Steps for Implementation of the Recognition of Pest- or 
Disease-Free Areas or Areas of Low Pest or Disease Prevalence 
 
Response to the comments of 
the importing country with 
relevant clarifications, 
additions or modifications Any 
comments on the 
recognition request? NO YES  
Technical inspection
visit and report 
Any comments 
following the 
inspection visit? YES  NO
Response to the comments of 
the importing country together 
with relevant clarifications, 
additions or modifications Internal administrative changes to 
eliminate restrictions and allow imports 
from the exporting country which 
requested recognition Acceptance?
YESNO
Decision rejecting
the request 
Acceptance?YES NODecision 
 rejecting  
 the request Recognition by the 
international 
reference 
organization? 
Request for recognition of sanitary status, 
with attached technical file