WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/GEN/757 
22 February 2007 
 (07-0733) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
SUMMARY OF THE WORK OF  
THE INTERNATIONAL PLANT PROTECTION CONVENTION (IPPC) 
OCTOBER 2006 – FEBRUARY 2007 
 
Communication from the IPPC Secretariat
 
 
 
 The following communication, received on 21 Fe bruary 2007, is being circulated at the 
request of the IPPC. 
_______________ 
 
 
I. SECOND SESSION OF THE COMMISSION ON PHYTOSANITARY MEASURES 
1. The second session of the Commission on Phytosan itary Measures (CPM) will be held on 26-
30 March 2007 in Rome, Italy and is open to all c ontracting parties of the IPPC (non-contracting 
parties may attend as observers).  Credentials are required for each contracting party representative.  
There are over 160 contracting parties to the IPPC. 
2. Items to be discussed at the CPM that will be of  particular interest to WTO Members include 
the adoption of the draft International St andard for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM) Recognition of 
pest free areas and areas of low pest prevalence , and the Composition and Terms of Reference for a 
Working Group to undertake a Feasibility Study on the International Recognition of Pest Free Areas. 
3. The Bureau of the CPM in collaboration with  the CPM Working Group on Strategic Planning 
and Technical Assistance has developed a revi sed business plan for 2007-2011, which includes a 
series of 5-year goals.  It is intended that the pl an be supported by annual operational plans, each with 
an associated budget.  This should enable increased  transparency and accountability of the Secretariat 
to the CPM. 
4. At its Seventh Session in 2005, the Interim Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (ICPM) 
decided that an independent evaluation of the IPPC  funding and structures should be initiated, which 
would include the implications relating to the fu ture transition of the ICPM to the CPM.  The 
evaluation is essentially completed and the Evaluatio n Team will present the preliminary findings and 
resultant draft recommendations for discussion by the CP M.  The final report is planned for June 2007 
and will be presented to the FAO Programme Committee at its 98th Session in October 2007. 
II. THE DEVELOPMENT, ADOPTION AND MONITORING OF THE 
IMPLEMENTATION OF ISPMS 
Standards Committee 
 
5. The Standards Committee met in Rome in November 2006 and inter alia  recommended that 
the following draft ISPMs be submitted to th e Second Session of the CPM for adoption: G/SPS/GEN/757 
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  • Framework for pest risk analysis (revision of ISPM No. 2); 
• Establishment of areas of low pest prevalence for fruit flies (Tephritidae); 
• Phytosanitary treatments for regulated pests; 
• Recognition of pest free areas and areas of low pest prevalence; 
• Debarked and bark-free wood: Supplement No. 3 to ISPM No. 5 ( Glossary of phytosanitary 
terms );  and 
• Amendments to ISPM No. 5 ( Glossary of phytosanitary terms ). 
  
Expert working group 
 
6. Expert working group meetings developed draf ts (during 2006) for the following ISPMs: 
• Alternative strategies to methyl bromide; 
• Appropriate level of protection; 
• Classification of commodities by level of pro cessing, intended use and phytosanitary risk 
(second meeting); 
• Guidelines for the interpretation and application of the term not widely distributed  in relation 
to quarantine pests (supplement to ISPM No. 5: Glossary of phytosanitary terms );  and 
• Plants for planting (including movement, post-entry quarantine and certification 
programmes). 
 
Technical panels  
7. Meetings of Technical Panels since October 2006 included: 
• The Technical Panel for the Glossary (October 2006).  It reviewed country comments on draft 
standards in relation to new and revised te rms and definitions, continued discussions on 
terminology and developed its work programme. 
• The Technical Panel on Diagnostic Protocols (October 2006).  It reviewed and provided 
comments on several draft diagnostic protocols.  It  is anticipated that one diagnostic protocol 
will be submitted for member consultati on in 2007 through the fast track process. 
• The Technical Panel on Phytosanitary Treatments (December 2006). Reviewed 33 
submissions on phytosanitary treatments in the t opic areas of irradiation, fruit flies and 
alternatives to methyl bromide for ISPM No.15 ( Guidelines for regulating wood packaging 
material in international trade ). The Technical Panel recommended some treatments for 
consideration by the Standard Committee and it is anticipated that these will be submitted for 
member consultation in 2007 thr ough the fast track process.  
 III. INFORMATION EXCHANGE 
IPPC advocacy documents 
 
8. The "Guide to the IPPC" is still being update d and when completed will be published in the 
five official FAO languages.  This also applies to the brochure "Quick guide to the IPPC" and the 
series of information notes.    G/SPS/GEN/757 
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  The International Phytosanitary Portal 
 
9. Maintaining navigation in the Inte rnational Phytosanitary Portal (IPP) in English, French and 
Spanish is an ongoing challenge due to resources a nd the need to track the many changes that take 
place.  Work on the Arabic and Chinese translation of the navigation text has begun and will be made 
available as soon as it is ready. 
10. Most IPPC contact points have identified IPP ed itors to undertake the work on the IPP on 
their behalf.  Some countries have designated several IPP editors. 
Capacity-building workshops 
 
11. The IPPC Information Exchange Capacity Build ing Programme was further developed during 
2006 to ensure that countries, through their IPP editor: 
• had a basic understanding of their informa tion exchange obligations under the IPPC; 
• were introduced to the International Phytosan itary Portal (IPP) as the preferred system 
for the exchange of official phytosanitary information;  and 
• were trained to upload and maintain thei r phytosanitary information on the IPP. 
 12. To date, 201 National Plant Protection Orga nization (NPPO) editors from 148 countries and 
16 Regional Plant Protection Organization (RPPO) edito rs have been trained through ten regional- 
and sub-regional IPP training workshops conducted during 2005 and up to the end of November 2006.  
This process is ongoing and it is hoped that training w ill have been provided for all contracting parties 
in all regions by the end of 2007.  As a direct re sult of these regional IPP workshops, there has been a 
substantial increase in the amount of in formation available through the IPP. 
IPPC contact points 
 
13. Summary of the number of all NPPO contact points, and editors for NPPOs and RPPOs. 
 
Contracting  Parties (CPs) Non-CPs 
Region Official 
contact 
point Unofficial 
contact 
point Information  
point Editors RPPO 
staff  
Africa 28 6 16 62 4 
Asia 15 5 7 33 1 
Europe 37 7 3 43 2 
Lat. America  & 
Caribbean 28 5 2 33 5 
Near East 10 4 2 3 0 
North America 2 0 0 0 0 
Pacific 9 2 5 27 4 
Total 129 29 
Total number 158  35 
 201 
 16 
 
  G/SPS/GEN/757 
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  IV. THE PROVISION OF DISPU TE SETTLEMENT MECHANISMS 
14. In 2006, the Secretariat did not receive any request for assistance in dispute settlement. 
V. THE DEVELOPMENT OF PHYTOSANITARY CAPACITY OF MEMBERS BY 
PROMOTING THE PROVISION OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE 
Informal Working Group on Phytosanitary Capacity Evaluation (PCE) 
15. The Informal Working Group on PCE (IWG-PC E) met in Nairobi on 4-8 December 2006. 
The working group reviewed the report of the PC E assessment study undertaken by Commonwealth 
Agricultural Bureaux (CAB)-International, and revi ewed and updated the current modules of the PCE 
tool.  It considered possibilities for further upda tes and considered maintenance and updating issues 
with respect to incorporating new ISPMs and compatibility with the IPP. 
International liaison 
 
16. CAB-International (Africa), Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate and the University of Nairobi 
participated in discussions and actions towards the establishment of a Regiona l Centre of Excellence 
in Kenya.  There is ongoing discussion regarding this subject. 
VI. PROMOTION OF IPPC AND COOPERATION WITH THE RELEVANT 
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS 
 
17. The Secretariat was represented at a range of  meetings with international and regional 
organizations including: Convention on Biodiversity (COP/MOP meetings), International Forestry 
Quarantine Research Group, Interna tional Seed Testing Association, Montreal Protocol, Standards 
and Trade Development Facility and the WTO SPS Committee meetings and workshops. Specific 
issues relating to cooperation with some organi zations are dealt with under agenda item 14.2. 
18. The Secretariat continued to work closely with the WTO SPS Committee and attended all 
formal and informal WTO SPS Committee meetings.  It  also participated either directly, or by 
recommending appropriate consultants, in WTO SPS regional and sub-regional workshops. 
 
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