WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/GEN/856 
20 June 2008 
 
 (08-2948) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   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 19 June 2008, is being circulated at the request of 
the IICA
. 
 
_______________ 
 
 1. The observer organizations of the Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) 
of the World Trade Organization (WTO) are invited to submit reports on the activities they have carried out to promote the understanding and im plementation of the SPS Agreement.  The IICA 
wishes to present some of the actions and activities th at it considers relevant to the work of this 
Committee. 
I. SPS INITIATIVE FOR THE COUNTRIES OF THE AMERICAS 
2. The IICA continues to implement the SPS Initiative for the Americas.  This 42
nd meeting of 
the WTO SPS Committee is the 18th consecutive one for which 28 Member countries of the IICA 
have benefited from support under the Initiative.  Th is accounts for 43 per cent of all the meetings 
held by the WTO SPS Committee. 
3. This SPS Committee meeting is attended by 21 of  the 28 beneficiary countries, bringing the 
participation rate to 75 per cent.  This figure is positive when one considers that beneficiary countries 
must contribute 50 per cent of their participation co sts.  Some delegations even send more than one 
representative. 
4. Since October 2002, the Initiative has facilitated the participation of a total of 228 capital-
based experts from 32 countries.  This has made it possible to strengthen existing institutional frameworks or develop new ones, thus promoting the creation or upgrading of an international agenda 
in the countries involved and coordinating the work of the WTO SPS Committee and that of the three relevant international organizations. 
5. For further information, please contact Ricardo Molins at ricardo.molins@iica.int
, Eric 
Bolaños at erick.bolanos@iica.int , or Mariela Madrigal at mariela.madrigal@iica.int . 
 G/SPS/GEN/856 
Page 2  
 
   
    
 
    
 
    II. IICA-STDF PROJECT 
6. As a follow up to the development of instituti onal capacity in the countries of the Americas, 
the IICA is currently implementing the IICA-STDF 108 project. 
7. The objectives of this project are to upgrade institutional frameworks, identify 
SPS requirements and develop a national SPS agenda that addresses the priorities identified.  The 
project is closely linked, although not identical, to project STDF 175. 
8. For further details, please contact Ricardo Molins at ricardo.molins@iica.int
, Eric Bolaños at 
erick.bolanos@iica.int , or Mariela Madrigal at mariela.madrigal@iica.int . 
III. TRAINING PROGRAMME TO PROMOTE UNDERSTANDING OF THE THREE 
RELEVANT INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND THE WTO SPS AGREEMENT 
9. The first basic-level training course on the Code x Alimentarius was conducted as part of the 
SPS training programme developed by the IICA.  The course took place thanks to the direct collaboration and participation of the Codex Alimentarius Secretariat and the FAO and was aimed at 
the Southern, Andean, Central and Caribbean regions. 
10. The two-day course placed emphasis on the pr ocedures for developing standards, the 
institutional mechanisms needed to  ensure adequate involvement and the functioning of the Codex 
Alimentarius.  The IICA's Distance Training Cent er (CECADI) was used for the course, which was 
attended by around 500 people from all over the hemi sphere.  Courses may soon take place for other 
international standard-setting or ganizations.  For further information, contact Ricardo Molins at 
ricardo.molins@iica.int
 or Ericka Calderon at ericka.calderon@iica.int . 
11. From 22 to 24 April, Paraguay hosted a regional seminar on SPS, jointly organized by the 
WTO, the IICA and the IDB/INTAL.  The event was attended by representatives from six countries.  
For further information, contact Eric  Bolaños at erick.bolanos@iica.int . 
IV. STRENGTHENING OFFICIAL SERVICES 
12. On 27 and 28 May, the IICA implemented th e Performance, Vision and Strategy Instrument 
(PVS) for phytosanitary services in the State Phyto sanitary Service of Costa Rica.  The event was 
attended by some 50 Service representatives.  The implementation of the instrument represents the 
start of support for institutional strengthening.  Thro ugh this instrument, it will be possible to assess 42nd meeting of the WTO 
SPS Committee : 
• 21 countries supported 
• 21 capital-based experts 
participating 
 
The full programme: 
• 18 meetings supported 
• 228 specialists involved 
• 32 beneficiary countries  
• 6 countries on the Steering Group 
• Countries upgrade their 
institutional framework Reuniones del Comitè M SF de la OM C asistidas por 
la Iniciativa en M SF para las Amèricas
No 
asistidas
24 (59%)Asistidas
17  ( 4 1%)Meetings of the WTO SPS Committee that have been 
attended under the SPS Initiative for the Americas 
Attended 
18 (43%) 
Not attended 
24 (57%)  G/SPS/GEN/856 
 Page 3 
 
 
  the performance level of the Service and lay the fou ndations for a process based on a shared vision.  
For further details, please contact Eric  Bolaños at erick.bolanos@iica.int  or Sacha Trelles at 
sacha.trelles@iica.int . 
13. In Bolivia, the Performance, Vision and Stra tegy instrument for food safety has been 
implemented and a process has begun whereby s upport is given to public and private sector 
institutions with a view to their modernization.  For further information, contact Jaime Flores at 
Jflores@iica.int.ve  or Marco Jordan at marco.jordan@iica.int . 
14. From 28 to 31 May, the IICA supported th e event entitled "Prepa red Communities:  
Assuming Leadership and Acting in an Innova tive Way to Prevent Diseases Transmitted Between 
Animals and Humans", organized by the University  of Michigan, the EARTH University, the Kellogg 
Foundation and the IICA.  The event was attended by  experts from 15 Latin American and Caribbean 
countries, representing various sectors and activities re lating to animal and human health, including 
the production sector (suppliers of services and produc ts), civil society (initiatives at community 
level) and academic institutions.  They discussed and exchanged views on the various trends in this 
area and the implementation of pro-active strategies for resolving problems at local level.  For further 
information, please contact Marisa Cordero at ana.cordero@iica.int . 
V. SUPPORT FOR THE DISSEMINA TION OF INFORMATION 
15. The IICA has various bulletins and channels of  communication to promote the exchange of 
information on SPS matters and the work of the WTO,  the relevant international organizations, and 
the regional organizations. 
16. The electronic bulletin CODEX-MSF Opinion Forum  specializes in the events taking place 
in the Codex Alimentarius and the WTO SPS Comm ittee.  The bulletin reports on and analyses 
standards and activities carried out, and aims to enha nce the dissemination and study of these matters.  
Its readership comprises first and foremost the countries of South America, but it is available to all 
members at www.iica.org.ar .  For further information, contact Lourdes Fonalleras at 
mlfonalleras@iica.org.ar . 
17. The AGROSALUD  information system is dedicated to  the distribution of information on 
agricultural health and food safety, and the areas it covers include standards a nd actions carried out at 
the WTO and the relevant international organizati ons.  It is currently launching an observatory on 
emerging issues and emergencies in the areas of animal and plant health and food safety 
(www.infoagro.net/salud  for the Spanish version and www.agrihealth.ws  for the version in English).  
For further information, contact Ericka  Calderón at ericka.calderon@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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