. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/GEN/662 
28 March 2006 
 
 (06-1412) 
Committee on Sanitary and  
Phytosanitary Measures Original:   French 
 
 
 
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SPS AGREEMENT 
 
Information for the Workshop on 31 March 2006  
 
Communication from Burkina Faso  
  
 The following communication, received on 24 Marc h, 2006, is being circulated at the request 
of the delegation of Burkina Faso. 
 
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 1. Burkina Faso, an original WTO Member classi fied as a least developed country, is a West 
African country which is experiencing numerous di fficulties in implementin g the SPS Agreement.  
These difficulties relate not only to the understanding  of the SPS Agreement and the lack of capacity 
in this area, but to the mobilization of resources to meet SPS Agreement requirements.   2. The lack of awareness of the SPS Agreemen t and insufficient domestic expertise do not 
favour its implementation.  At this level, inform ation, awareness-raising and training activities to 
build domestic capacity in respect of the Agreemen t, as well as technical and financial assistance, are 
indispensable.  The need for support in this area is  evident if one considers Burkina Faso's experience 
in respect of SPS measures.   - Burkina Faso's participation in SPS Comm ittee meetings is sporadic and has so far 
been occasional and infrequent.  If the country  does participate, it is represented by 
capital-based experts or by counsellors from  the Permanent Mission of Burkina Faso 
in Geneva, depending on circumstances and av ailability.  In general, information 
relating to SPS Committee meetings is recei ved in the form of aerogrammes and/or 
reports sent by the WTO Secretariat.  Burkin a Faso has participated in a number of 
information and training sessions on the SPS Agreement, most of which were held in 
West Africa. 
  - Burkina Faso does not have a national S PS committee.  However, SPS-related issues 
are addressed within Subcommittee No.1 of the Market Access Committee of the 
National Unit for the Follow-Up and Coor dination of the Implementation of WTO 
Agreements (CNSC/OMC).  Details of WT O trading partners' new SPS requirements 
can be obtained from the National Enquiry Point, the Standardization and Quality Promotion Directorate (FASONORM) and the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Crafts of Burkina Faso (CCIA-BF).  SPS in formation can also be transmitted directly 
to Burkinan economic operators through th e CCIA-BF and professional organizations 
such as the Professional Association of Indu strialists (GPI), the Burkinan National 
Employers' Council (CNPB), the Associati on of Traders, Importers and Exporters 
(SCIMPEX) and the Young Entrepreneurs Association. G/SPS/GEN/662 
Page 2  
 
   - There has not yet been any national planning on how to implement the 
SPS Agreement.  This is due to the inexis tence of an SPS Committee at national level 
and the numerous issues addressed within Su bcommittee No.1, which is responsible 
for examining these matters.  The main task  of Subcommittee No.1 is to follow the 
negotiations and monitor the implementati on of the Agreements on Agriculture, 
Subsidies and Countervailing Measures, Technical Barriers to Trade and Sanitary and 
Phytosanitary Measures.  
  - In order to identify its assistance n eeds, Burkina Faso generally organizes a 
consultation phase involving all the parties c oncerned.  Any concerns and suggestions 
are put forward and examined with a view to establishing a consensus and a clear idea 
of the type of assistance to request.  In th e area of SPS measures, Burkina Faso needs 
substantial technical and financial assistan ce in order to facilitate the understanding 
and implementation of the Agreement.  Th e consultation phase, which would be held 
at national level, would undoubtedly ensu re the rational and optimal use of the 
assistance provided by any donors that come forward. 
 3. In short, Burkina Faso's experience of SPS Agreement implementation is still in its early 
stages and merits special consideration.  For this reason, technical assistance of any sort is required 
from both the WTO and various partners in order to en able Burkina Faso to assimilate and effectively 
implement the SPS Agreement provisions.  It is also  vital that the enquiry point and FASONORM be 
made more operational in order to strengthen their functional capacity. 
 4. It should also be mentioned that, at sub -regional level, the West African Economic and 
Monetary Union (WAEMU or UEMOA) has launche d an extensive programme entitled the "UEMOA 
Quality Programme".  Phase I of this programme  involves capacity building and Phase II relates 
specifically to technical assistance.  The progra mme should ultimately ensure that WAEMU member 
countries understand SPS standards and adopt them at regional level. 
 
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