. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/W/258 
1 April 2011 
 (11-1642) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
REVIEW OF THE OPERATION AND IMP LEMENTATION OF THE SPS AGREEMENT 
PROPOSAL TO ADVANCE RECOMMENDATION 3 OF THE WORKSHOP  
BETWEEN THE SPS COMMITTEE AND THE INTERNATIONAL  
STANDARD-SETTING BODIES (G/SPS/R/57) 
 
Submission by Canada and Japan
 
   The following communication, received on 29 Marc h 2011, is being circulated at the request 
of the Delegations of Canada and Japan
. 
 
_______________ 
 
 
BACKGROUND  
1. On 26 October 2009, the WTO Secretariat organized a special workshop between the SPS 
Committee and the Secretariats of the three intern ational standard-setting bodies (ISSBs) referenced 
in the SPS Agreement (also referred to as the "t hree Sisters") in response to a request by SPS 
Committee Members pursuant to the Second Review of the Operation and Implementation of the SPS 
Agreement.  The workshop, open to all Members,  Observer Governments, and organizations with 
Observer status in the SPS Committee, provided an opportunity to clarify the relationship between the 
SPS Committee and the ISSBs, as well as to review the standard-setting procedures of each of the three Sisters, with a focus on how to enhance the participation of developing countries.  The 
workshop resulted in the identification of areas of future collaboration between the four bodies, as 
well as 11 specific recommendations intended to im prove coordination and collaboration between the 
SPS Committee and the three Sisters. 
2. During the Third Review of the Operation and Implementation of the SPS Agreement, 
Members recommended that the Committee follow-up on the recommendations that resulted from this 
workshop
1, with a view to strengthening the relati onship between the Committee and the ISSBs. 
3. In October 2010, Japan submitted a paper (G/SPS/W/251) that proposed priorities for work 
arising from the Third Review, and, in particular , future actions to be taken to enhance the 
relationship between the SPS Committee and the ISSBs.   In October, 2010, Ca nada submitted a paper 
(G/SPS/W/252) also proposing priority areas of work to enhance the c ooperation between the SPS 
Committee and the ISSBs. 
4. Both Japan and Canada identified recommend ation 3 as an area of priority work. 
Recommendation 3 of the report calls for "Joint wo rk by two or all three Sisters on cross-cutting 
issues such as certification, inspection, ap proval procedures and/or risk analysis". 
                                                      
1 Recommendations can be found in G/SPS/R/57. G/SPS/W/258 
Page 2  
 
  5. Canada and Japan believe that it is important  for the SPS Committee to communicate to the 
ISSBs the recommendation agreed upon during the WTO workshop.  In this regard, Canada and Japan 
propose the following decision, for considerati on by the SPS Committee, be forwarded to the 
secretariats of the three ISSBs referenced in the SPS Agreement.  
DRAFT DECISION 
The Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures ('the Committee'), 
Desiring to further the use of harmonized sanitary a nd phytosanitary measures between Members, on 
the basis of international standards, guidelin es and recommendations developed by the relevant 
international organizations;  
 
Recognizing  the differences in mandates amongst the three sisters;  
 
Seeking to promote the use of international st andards, guidelines and recommendations; 
 Recognizing  the importance of full participation by Members, within the limits of their resources, in 
standard-setting procedures, especially by developing Members; 
 
Agrees  as follows: 
 The Committee encourages joint work by two or all three Sisters on cross-cutting issues such as, inter 
alia, certification, inspection, approval procedures and/or risk analysis. 
 
 
__________