RESTRICTED  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/ACC/SYC/11 
4 June 2010 
 
 (10-3102) 
Working Party on the 
Accession of Seychelles Original:   English 
 
 
 
ACCESSION OF SEYCHELLES 
 
Check-list of Illustrative Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS)  
and Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Issues for Consideration in Accessions  
 
  The following submission, dated 26 May 2010, is  being circulated at the request of the 
Delegation of the Republic of Seychelles.  
 
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  WT/ACC/SYC/11 
Page 2 Checklist of Illustrative SPS Issues for Consideration in Accessions  
 
Commitments (by the time of accession) WTO Re ference Status (as of 30 April 2010) 
1. Standstill:  the introduction of new 
standards, animal health regulations and food safety regulations shall conform to 
SPS Agreement principles. 1. Generally agreed principle 
in WTO accession negotiations. The Government of Seychelles is committed to complying with the requirements of 
the SPS Agreement. As a sma ll island state, Seychelles reco gnises that it will require 
financial and technical resources to achiev e the required level of compliance.   
Seychelles would require the support of its trade cooperation partners. 
2. Establishment and operation of a single 
Contact Point for Information ("enquiry point"). 2. Article 7 and Annex B.3. Seychelles has established and is operating a single contact point for information.  
The details are as follows:  
 Ministry of Finance  
 Trade Division  P.O. Box 313,  
 Victoria,  
 Mahe,    Seychelles 
 
Tel:  (+248) 382000 Fax:  (+248) 225791 
 
E-mail:  enquirywto@finance.gov.sc  
Website: Not Available 
3. Transparency: notification and access to 
documentation: 3. Articles 7 and Annex B, 
Also G/SPS/7.  
 (a) identification of authority responsible for 
making notifications to the WTO and 
ensuring transparen cy obligations are 
met on an ongoing basis;  (a) Annex B.5.(b) and 
Annex B.10. The authority responsible for making notifications to the WTO for Seychelles is the 
Trade Division in the Ministry of Finance. 
 (b) establish guidance or law requiring 
publication of proposed measures at an 
early stage for comment;  (b) Annex B.5(a). The current legislations requ ire a review to incorp orate this provision. 
 (c) provision in law or administrative 
procedure to provide copies of proposed measures to WTO Members; and  (c) Annex B.5.(c). The current legislations re quire a review to incorp orate this provision.  
   WT/ACC/SYC/11
 Page 3Commitments (by the time of accession) WTO Re ference Status (as of 30 April 2010) 
 (d) require in law or administrative 
procedure, a reasonable period of time 
for comment from Members and the public, and establishment of a process to 
take comments into account without 
discrimination.  (d) Annex B.5(d). The current legislations requ ire a review to incorp orate this provision. 
4. Necessity:  measures are applied only to the 
extent necessary to pr otect human, animal or 
plant health. 4. Article 2.2. Animals (Diseases and Imports) Ac t, Plant Pests Act, Public Health Act and the 
Quarantine Act. These Acts provide for measures to be applied only to the extent 
necessary to protect human, animal or plant health. 
5. Regulations Based on Science:  regulations 
governing animal and plant health and food safety shall be based on scientific evidence. 5. Articles 2.2, 3.3 and 5.2. The Acts mentioned in 4 a bove do not have explicit provisions that establish or 
describe or require animal and plant health, and food safety to be based on scientific evidence. 
6. Harmonization:  to the extent possible, 
members shall follow international 
standards, guidelines, and recommendations in establishing SPS measures. 6. Articles 3.1, 3.3 and 3.4. Seychelles is a member of the Codex Alimentaris and IPPC  and an observer to the 
OIE and implements the international standards set by these Organisations.  
However, the current legislations require a review to incorporate this provision. 
7. Equivalence:  members shall recognize 
different measures that achieve the same 
level of protection. 7. Article 4. The current legislations requir e a review to incorpor ate this provision. 
8. Risk Assessment:  developing scientific 
evidence and conducting risk assessments to 
ensure that measures are based on science and applied only to the extent necessary to 
protect health. 8. Article 5.1, 5.2 and 5.3. The current legislations  require a review to inco rporate this provision. 
9. Regional conditions: measures take into 
account the regional characteristics both of the areas from which products originate and 
the areas for which they are destined. 9. Article 6 and Annexes A.6 
and A.7. The current legislations require a revi ew to incorporate this provision. 
10. Non-discrimination:  measures do not 
arbitrarily or unjustifiably discriminate between different members or between 
domestic and foreign suppliers. 10. Article 2.3, and 
Annex C.1(a) and (d). The current SPS-related legislations mentio ned in 4 above do not prescribe measures 
which discriminate between members or non members of WTO or between domestic and foreign suppliers.   
11. Control, inspection and approval procedures: 
ensure that procedures, including systems for approval of the use of additives or for 
establishing tolerances for contaminants in 
foods, beverages or feedstuffs comply with the Agreement. 11. Article 8 and Annex C. The current legislations require a review to inco rporate this provision.  
  WT/ACC/SYC/11 
Page 4 Checklist of Illustrative TBT Issues for Consideration in Accessions  
 
Commitments (by the time of accession) WTO Re ference Status (as of 30 April 2010) 
1. Standstill:  the introduction of new 
standards, technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures should be 
fully compatible with the TBT Agreement 1. Generally agreed principle 
in WTO accession negotiations The Government of Seychelles is committed to complying with the requirements of 
the TBT Agreement.  As a small island st ate, Seychelles recognises that it will 
require financial and technical resources to achieve the required level of compliance.   
Seychelles would require the support of its trade cooperation partners. 
2. Submission of Statement on Implementation 2. Article 15.2 and TBT 
Committee Decision (G/TBT/1) The Trade Division in the Ministry of Fi nance in cooperation with the Seychelles 
Bureau of Standards will be responsible to implement the provisions of the TBT Agreement. 
3. Establishment and operation of a single 
Contact Point for Information ("inquiry 
point") 3. Article 10 Seychelles has established and is operating a single contact point for information.  
The details are as follows: 
  Ministry of Finance  
 Trade Division 
 P.O. Box 313,   Victoria,  
 Mahe,   
 Seychelles  
Tel:  (+248) 382000 
Fax: (+248) 225791 
 
E-mail:  enquirywto@finance.gov.sc  Website: Not Available 
4. Identification of authority responsible for 
notifications, publications and other internal 
procedures to ensure transparency obligations are met on an ongoing basis: 4. Articles 2, 3, 5, 7, 10, 15.2, 
Annex 3 and G/TBT/1  
 (a) identification of publication where 
notices of proposed technical regulations 
and conformity assessment procedures will appear;  (a) Articles 2.9.1, 3.1, 5.6.1, 
7.1, 10.1.5 All standards are advertised in the national daily newspaper "Nation" and on the SBS 
website at the following address ( www.seychelles.net/sbsorg
).   
 (b) identification of authority responsible for 
making notifications to the WTO;  (b) Article 2.9.2, 2.10.1, 3.2, 
3.3, 5.6.2, 5.7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 
10.7, 10.10 The authority responsible for making notifications to the WTO for Seychelles is the 
Trade Division in the Ministry of Finance.  
   WT/ACC/SYC/11
 Page 5Commitments (by the time of accession) WTO Re ference Status (as of 30 April 2010) 
 (c) guidance/law to ensure regulatory 
authorities afford non-discriminatory 
consideration of comments in the preparation of a final regulation;  (c) Articles 2.9.4, 2.10.3, 
3.15 3.3, 5.6.4, 5.7.3, 
7.1, 7.3 Current provisions in the SBS Act and Regulations provide for this. 
 (d) guidance/law to ensure regulatory 
authorities allow a reasonable period of 
time between the final publication of a technical regulation and conformity 
assessment procedure and its entry into 
force so that suppliers can adapt;  (d) Articles 2.11, 2.12, 3.1, 
5.8, 5.9, 7.1 Current provisions in the SBS Act and Regulations provide for this. 
 (e) publication and notification of work 
programme for standards and non-
governmental conformity assessment 
procedures, including publication of notices of draft standards and an 
opportunity for public comment.  (e) Article 4, Annex 3 (J, K, 
L, N, 0); Article 8.1 Draft Standards are put on public review for 60 days as per the Code of Good 
Practice for review and comments by stakeholders. 
5. Development and Application of Technical 
Regulations and Conformity Assessment Procedures:  Existence of legal and/or 
administrative underpinnings (or reasonable 
measures" as appropriate) to ensure ongoing 
compliance with provisions of the agreement 
concerning, in particular: 5. Articles 2, 3, 5, 6, 7  
 (a) non-discrimination with respect to the 
treatment of products;  (a) Articles 2.1, 3.1, 5.1, 
5.2, 7.1 The technical regulations currently in place accords non-discrimination provisions 
with respect to the treatment of products. 
 (b) the prohibition of unnecessary obstacles 
to international trade and the 
consideration of less trade-restrictive alternatives to fulfilling legitimate 
objectives;  (b) Articles 2.2, 3.1, 5.1, 
5.2, 7.1 The current legislations require a revi ew to incorporate this provision. 
 (c) the ongoing review of technical 
regulations to ensure they are appropriate to achieve the desired legitimate 
objective;  (c) Article 2.3, 3.1, 7.1 The cu rrent legislations require a review  to incorporate this provision.  
  WT/ACC/SYC/11 
Page 6 Commitments (by the time of accession) WTO Re ference Status (as of 30 April 2010) 
 (d) the consideration of appropriate 
international standards, guides and 
recommendations as a basis for technical regulations and conformity assessment 
procedures;  (d) Article 2.4, 3.1, 5.4, 7.1 Standards prescribed by  CODEX, ISO and IEC are taken into consideration in the 
consideration of appropriate international standards, guides and recommendations as 
a basis for technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures.  
 (e) the consideration of equivalent technical 
regulations of other Members;  (e) Article 2.7, 3.1, 7.1 The cu rrent legislations require a review  to incorporate this provision. 
 (f) the acceptance of the results of 
conformity assessment procedures 
conducted by bodies in an exporting 
Member country;  (f) Article 6, 7.1 Current provisions allow for th e acceptance of the results of conformity assessment 
procedures conducted by bodies in an exporting country, however, they are subject to 
an agreement. 
 (g) non-discriminatory and cost-based fee 
structure.  (g) Article 5.2, 7.1, 10.4 Current legislation does allow for non-discriminatory and cost-based fee structure. 
6. Development and Application of Standards 
and Conformity Assessment Procedures: 
Existence of legal and/or administrative underpinnings (or "reasonable measures" as 
appropriate) to ensure ongoing compliance 
with provisions of the agreement concerning, 
in particular: 6. Article 4 and Annex 3, 
Article 8  
 (a) non-discrimination with respect to the 
treatment of products;  (a) Annex 3 (D), Article 8.1 The technical regulations currently in place accords non-discrimination provisions 
with respect to the treatment of products. 
 (b) the prohibition of unnecessary obstacles 
to international trade;  (b) Annex 3 (E), Article 8.1 The current legislations  require a review to inco rporate this provision. 
 (c) the consideration of appropriate 
international standards, guides and 
recommendations as a basis for standards;  (c) Annex 3 (F), Article 8.1 Standards prescribed by CODEX, ISO and IEC are taken into consideration in the 
consideration of appropriate international standards, guides and recommendations as 
a basis for technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures. 
 (d) non-discriminatory and cost-based fee 
structure.  (d) Annex 3 (M), Annex 3 
(P), Articles 8.1, 10.4 Current legislation does allow for non-discriminatory and cost-based fee structure. 
 
 
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