WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/GEN/704 
21 June 2006 
 (06-3039) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English/ 
                 Spanish 
 
 
 
ACTIONS AIMED AT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE WTO AGREEMENT ON 
SANITARY AND PHYTOSANITARY MEASURES 
 
Information Presented by the Inter-American Institute  
for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA)  
   The following communication, received on 21 June 2006, is being circulated at the request of 
the IICA. 
 
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1. The observer organizations of the WTO Comm ittee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures 
(SPS) are invited to submit reports on the activities they have carried out to further understanding and 
implementation of the SPS Agreement. 
I. SPS INITIATIVE FOR THE COUNTRIES OF THE AMERICAS 
2. In conjunction with the United States Depart ment of Agriculture (USDA) and with the 
collaboration of six countries that serve as a st eering committee (Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, 
Mexico, and the United States), IICA continues to  implement the SPS Initiative for the Americas 
(Initiative). 
3. The Initiative, which came into force in Oc tober 2002, has now contributed to twelve 
consecutive SPS Committee meetings, supporting the par ticipation of the countries of the Americas 
and helping them to build their capacity.  For this particular meeting, the Initiative enabled 
27 capital-based experts from 27 countries of the Americas to participate. 
4. Through its network of offices in its memb er countries, the IICA has promoted the 
establishment of national forums to follow up on th e agendas of the SPS-related international bodies, 
particularly the WTO SPS Committee. 
5. IICA wishes to report on an activity that comp lements the Initiative fo r the Americas, which 
is the follow-up of the first sp ecialized SPS course, held in Oc tober-November 2005, in cooperation 
with the WTO.  That follow-up event will take pl ace immediately following the 36th meeting of the 
WTO/SPS Committee.  The purpose is to monitor ac tivities accomplished by the participants of the 
course and assess the impact and multiplier effect th at technical cooperation has had in the countries 
that have benefited. 
6. One of the main results of the specialized cour se has been a new practical approach developed 
by each participant.  This practical approach will be presented and discussed with a view to G/SPS/GEN/704 
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  determining the problems that exist as well as opportun ities that have emerged.  The group discussion 
could be useful in identifying practical solutions to the problems raised. 
7. For additional information, kindly contact  the following people:  Eric Bolaños at 
erick.bolanos@iica.int
;  Marianne McElroy at marianne.mcelroy@fas.usda.gov ;  and Henry Schmick 
at henry.schmick@usda.gov .  For the specialized workshop erick.bolanos@iica.int  (Eric Bolaños), 
Joao.Magalhaes@wto.org  (Joao Magalhaes) 
II. STRENGTHENING NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL HEALTH AND FOOD SAFETY 
SERVICES THROUGH A COMMON VISION AND JOINT ACTION 
8. As follow-up to the institutional moderniza tion in which IICA has been engaged in its 
member countries, we wish to report on the process carried out in June in Ecuador with respect to 
official food safety services, in conjunction with  the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).  
The process was coordinated with the private sect or, the aim being to develop a common vision. 
9. The process conducted in Ecuador will shortly be applied in Uruguay, in relation to animal 
health.  The Performance, Vision and Strategy Inst rument (PVS), developed in conjunction with the 
OIE, will be available for that process. 
10. This instrument brings together the public and private sectors to establish a common vision 
for the appropriate implementation of the WTO SPS Agreement.  Further information may be 
obtained from ana.cordero@iica.int  (Ana Cordero). 
III. SUPPORT FOR THE DISSEMINA TION OF INFORMATION 
11. IICA has various bulletins and channels of communication to promote an exchange of 
information on SPS matters and the work of the WTO,  the relevant international organizations and 
regional organizations. 
12. The Electronic Bulletin CODEX-MSF Opinion Forum  specializes in events taking place in 
Codex Alimentarius and the WTO/SPS Committee.  The bulletin reports and analyzes standards and 
activities and aims to enhance the dissemination and st udy of these matters.  Its readership comprises 
first and foremost the countries of South Amer ica, but it is available to all members at 
WWW.IICA.ORG.AR .  For further information, contact Lourdes Fonalleras at 
mlfonalleras@iica.org.ar . 
13. The bulletins Access and Access Plus  specialize in subjects and information generated by the 
SPS Committee and the Codex Alimentarius, respectivel y.  Both bulletins are intended to generate 
executive reports that make it possible to give follow-up to the two bodies.  They have hemispheric coverage (the Americas) and are published electronica lly in English and Spanish.  They are available 
to the public at www.infoagro.net/salud
.  For further information, you may contact Tim O’Brien at 
tim.obrien@iica.int   and Eric Bolaños at erick.bolanos@iica.int . 
14. The bulletin CARAPHIN News, designed for the Caribbean, promotes an exchange of 
information on the presence of pests and diseases of commercial importance.  The next edition will be 
published and distributed in July.  For further information, kindly contact Carol Thomas at 
carol.thomas@iica.int . 
15. The information system AGROSALUD  is dedicated to the distribution of information on 
agricultural health and food safety and the areas it c overs include standards a nd actions carried out at 
the WTO and relevant international organizations .  The Spanish version may be consulted at  G/SPS/GEN/704 
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  www.infoagro.net/salud  and the English version may be consulted at www.agrihealth.ws .  For further 
information, consult Ericka Calderón at consultor2@iica.int . 
16. The INFOAGRONEGOCIOS  information system is dedicated to promoting agribusiness in 
the Americas.  One of its objectives is to facilitate  access to import/export requirements for agrifood 
products on selected markets and access to the ma in sources of information related to the agrifood 
sector.  The Spanish version may be consulted at www.infoagro.net/agronegios .  For further 
information, kindly contact Daniel Rodríguez at daniel.rodriguez@iica.int . 
IV. SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES 
17. Argentina :  IICA continues to provide technical su pport to the Secretariat of Agriculture, 
Livestock, Fisheries and Food of Argentina and, specifically, to the Chair of the CODEX Committee 
for Latin America and the Caribbean and the SPS contact point in Argentina.   
18. IICA is also assisting SENASA and the governments of provinces and municipalities with a 
range of publicity activities in different locations aimed at sensitizing stakeholders in the agrifood 
chain about good agricultural practices (GAPS) in an effort to encourage the voluntary participation 
of these stakeholders in agrifood quality progra ms.  IICA facilitates an understanding of good 
agricultural practices and international agreements , and the relationship between them.  Examples are 
the WTO/SPS Agreement, the animal health agre ements (OIE), plant protection (IPPC) and food 
safety (CODEX).  For further informat ion, contact Lourdes Fonalleras at mlfonalleras@iica.org.ar . 
19. Colombia :  IICA develops projects that seek to certify the quality and safety of tropical fruits 
and poultry products on na tional and international markets.  A Pr otocol of Good Practices for Poultry 
Farming aimed at improving sanitary  and environmental conditions, c onditions for rearing poultry, as 
well as safety conditions, has been developed jointly with the private sector, using the agrifood chain 
approach. 
20. Along the same lines, IICA, in conjunction with the public and private sectors in Colombia, is 
implementing a Suppliers' Development Program.  This initiative seeks to develop a program to 
enable a group of producers of promising fruits from cold climate (Cape goo seberry, "bananito", tree 
tomatoes, passion fruit and strawberry cactus) to  meet quality and food safety requirements on 
international markets and, through the implemen tation of a good agricultural practices (GAP) 
protocol, to ensure EUREPGAP certification.  Th e project also seeks to improve relations between 
international marketing firms and their respective suppliers through the use of business management 
tools and economies of scale to make it possible to lower production costs.  For further information, 
please contact Pilar Agudelo at pilar.agudelo@iica.int  (Pilar Agudelo). 
21. Good agricultural practices in the Andean region :  in Venezuela and Ecuador, GAP national 
committees have been formed with the participation of the public and private sectors.  These national 
committees are working on preparing national GAP pr otocols or guidelines for fresh fruits and 
vegetables, in an effort to harmonize US (Guide  to Minimize Microbial Food Safety Hazards for 
Fresh Fruits and Vegetables) and EC requirements (EUREPGAP). 
22. In Peru, a series of GAP guidelines have been developed for various products, such as olives, 
corn, etc.  These have been circulated and made  available to small- and medium-scale producers. 
23. In Bolivia, Venezuela and Ecuador, a series of events have been organized to circulate 
information on the importance of GAP and sensitize small- and medium-scale producers so as to provide high-quality and safe food on the national markets. G/SPS/GEN/704 
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  24. In Venezuela, a series of training events ha ve been organized for representatives of the 
various chains (e.g. coffee, cocoa, fruits and vegeta bles) regarding the importance of GAP in order to 
remain on or gain access to new export markets.  Likewise, through the National CODEX Committee in Venezuela, information on the importance of the t opic has been circulated in various fora in the 
interior of the country. 
25. Caribbean countries
:  From April 3 through 7, a meeting was held in Trinidad and Tobago on 
animal diseases and how the countries need to exer cise disease surveillance a nd prepare themselves to 
deal with them.  The emphasis was placed on Avia n Influenza in the Caribbean.  IICA, CIRAD, 
CARICOM, CPA, PAHO, FAO and USDA, cooperated in this event.   
26. In Guyana, IICA participated in a planning meeting with the Beef Improvement Committee 
and the IDB to develop a plan of action to impr ove the meat industry.  A document on HACCP is 
being prepared for abattoirs. 
27. Preparations are under way for the eleventh  meeting of the Group to Coordinate the 
Caribbean Pest Control Boards.  The meeting will be held in Barbados from June 20-22.  The IICA 
Office in Saint Lucia is serving as secretariat for this group. 
28. The IICA Office in Saint Lucie prepared a draft document on Good Practices for Pork 
Production. 
29. IICA supported the creation of the National Agri cultural Health and Food Safety Committee 
of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. 
30. In the Dominican Republic, IICA participated in  developing a National Avian Influenza Plan, 
creating an operations manual for the control and eradication of classic swine fever and preparing a 
memorandum of understandi ng between the Dominican Republic and Haiti on the harmonization of 
emergency criteria in the event of an Avian In fluenza outbreak, how to exercise disease surveillance 
and respond accordingly. 
31. IICA participated in the technical meeti ngs of the CARICOM Council for Trade and 
Economic Development (COTED), held in  Trinidad and Tobago from 9-10 May. 
32. In conjunction with the FAO, initial steps we re taken to develop plans for a regional 
workshop on the implementation of ISPM 15 (guide lines to regulate the use of wood packaging in 
international trade) to be held in August this year. 
33. Conversations were held with IICA staff in St. Kitts and Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda and 
Trinidad and Tobago aimed at sponsoring workshop m eetings to discuss relevant  topics covered at the 
SPS Committee's meetings in Geneva.  Further information is obtainable from Carol Thomas at 
carol.thomas@iica.int . 
Inter-American Institute for C ooperation on Agriculture (IICA) 
Agricultural Health and Food Safety 
http://www.infoagro.net/salud  
http://www.iica.int  
 
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