WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/GEN/627 
24 January 2006 
 
 (06-0337) 
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, dated 24 January 2 006, is being circulated at the request of the 
Inter-American Institute fo r Cooperation on Agriculture. 
 
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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 steeri ng committee (Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, the 
United States and Mexico), the IICA continues to  implement the SPS Initiative of the Americas (the 
Initiative). 
3. This initiative, which came into force in  October 2002, has now contributed to ten 
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 36 capital-
based experts from 26 countries of the Americas to  participate, with the result that of the 
34 IICA member countries 32 were present.   
4. Through its network of offices in its member countries, the IICA promoted the establishment 
of national forums to follow up the agendas of the SPS-related international or ganizations.  In this 
connection, we note the approval, in November 2005, of the Technical Committee on Sanitary and 
Phytosanitary Measures of Paraguay. 
5. This Committee provides an institutional platform for the sustained follow up to 
SPS Committee activities.  A document prepared by the IICA
1 for the purpose of guiding countries in 
the promotion and establishment of a national dial ogue on these subjects, together with decrees from 
various countries formally setting up these committees, is available at http://infoagro.net/salud/SaniyFito.cfm
 
                                                      
1 Preliminary Guidelines for Institutional Support in the Area of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures. G/SPS/GEN/627 
Page 2  
 
  6. For more information contact:  erick.bolanos@iica.int
 (Eric Bolaños), gregg.young@usda.gov  
(Gregg Young), marianne .mcelroy@fas.usda.gov  (Marianne McElroy), henry.schmick@usda.gov  
(Henry Schmick). 
II. STRENGTHENING NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL HEALTH AND FOOD SAFETY 
SERVICES THROUGH THE PREPARATION OF A COMMON VISION AND 
ACTION 
7. The IICA, together with the World Organiza tion for Animal Health (OIE), has begun 
implementation of the Performance, Vision and Stra tegy (PVS) instrument for the animal health 
sector in certain countries of South America.  The PVS was developed by the OIE and the IICA. 
8. This instrument helps bring together the pub lic and private sectors to develop a common 
approach to the proper implementation of the SPS Agre ement.  Peru and Paraguay are the countries in 
which it has been applied over the past months. 
9. For further information, contact:  ana.cordero@iica.int  (Ana Cordero). 
III. SUPPORT FOR TRAINING IN THE SPS AREA 
10. Specialized SPS workshop :  From 31 October to 11 Novemb er 2005 the WTO, in cooperation 
with the IICA, conducted the first specialized SPS  workshop.  It was conducted in Spanish, and 
attended by 23 specialists, each from a different country. 
11. The workshop focussed on identifying practical so lutions to the problems encountered by the 
developing countries in implementing the SPS Agreemen t.  In order to encourage the exchange of 
experiences, each one of the participants e xplained what it had done in that area. 
12. Each of the participants was called upon to a dopt a practical approach (a project to be 
implemented in their country), which consisted in  identifying a situation that could be improved 
within the limits of their true capacities a nd developing a work programme to that end. 
13. The subjects selected by the participants fo r this exercise generally involved training 
programmes, the strengthening of institutiona l mechanisms for following up SPS Committee 
activities, the establishment of fluid and permanent channels of communicati on between the "capital" 
and their missions in Geneva, and capacity -building in the area of transparency. 
14. The workshop was attended by a number of  qualified participants from different 
organizations as well as representatives of developed countries, who helped to present different ways 
of approaching the implemen tation of the SPS Agreement. 
15. Regional SPS workshop :  From 30 November to 2 December, the IICA supported the WTO 
in organizing a regional workshop on the SPS Ag reement in Managua, Nicar agua.  Twelve Latin 
American countries participated, and it focussed on th e application of SPS measures in the context of 
regional integration processes. 
16. In addition to the IICA, the WTO was also assi sted by the IADB/INTAL, the three sisters 
(CODEX, OIE, IPPC), the USDA, and the European Communities.  More than 50 participants from 
different countries and sectors attended. 
17. Sanitary and phytosanitary portal :  The IICA lent its support to the FAO in the organization of 
regional workshops on training in the management a nd use of the sanitary and phytosanitary portal,  G/SPS/GEN/627 
 Page 3 
 
 
  held in Argentina and Trinidad and Tobago in Octo ber and November respectively.  Both workshops 
covered the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. 
18. Support workshop for enquiry points and notification :  In the context of an activity organized 
by the USDA, the IICA lent its support for a workshop to strengthen enquiry points and notification in 
the countries of the Carribbean.  The workshop provid ed a model for the management of information, 
and was attended by 24 specialists. 
19. For more information, contact:  erick.bolanos@iica.int  (Eric Bolaños), 
maureen.obando@iica.int  (Maureen Obando) and quentin.kubicek@iica.int  (Quentin Kubicek). 
IV. SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES 
20. Avian influenza :  In December, with considerable pa rticipation and support from hemispheric 
and international organizations, tw o events took place:  the "Hemispheric Meeting of Ministers of 
Agriculture and Health on National Contingency Pl ans for Avian Influenza" and the "Hemispheric 
Conference for the Surveillance and Prevention of Av ian Influenza".  The issue of compliance with 
the SPS Agreement in emergency situations was re flected both in the objectives and the discussions 
that took place.  The meetings were attended by experts and political representatives from the 
Americas.  For more information, contact:  ana.cordero@iica.int  (Ana Cordero). 
21. Argentina :  The IICA office in Argentina continu es to provide technical support to the 
Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food (SAGPyA), which is directed to the 
Chairmanship of the Codex Coordinating Committ ee for Latin America and the Caribbean (CCLAC) 
and the SPS enquiry point in Argentina.  For mo re information, contact:  mlfonalleras@iica.org.ar  
(Lourdes Fonalleras). 
22. Ecuador :  Support was provided for the creation of th e International Relations Unit within the 
context of the restructuring of the Ecuadorian Agri cultural Health Service (SESA), as well as for the 
development and implementation of a national information and notifi cation system for sanitary and 
phytosanitary measures.  In addition, the IICA, in coordination with SESA, the FAO and USAID, is 
promoting a project aimed at updating, systematiz ing, analysing and harmonizing, to the extent 
possible, national legislation in the sanitary, phytosanitary, and food health areas.  For more 
information, contact:  paola.ramon@iica.int  (Paola Ramon). 
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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