. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/GEN/1055 
3 November 2010 
 
 (10-5836) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   Spanish 
  
 
STATEMENT BY CUBA AT THE MEETING OF 
20 AND 21 OCTOBER 2010 
 
  The following communication, received on 22 Octo ber 2010, is being circulated at the request 
of the delegation of Cuba. 
 
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A. A
PPLICATION OF SPECIAL AND DIFFERENTIAL TREATMENT  
1. The delegation of Cuba would like to state for the record that what has been negotiated thus 
far as regards special and differential treatment in the area of sanitary and phytosanitary measures 
falls short of what we feel is required. 
2. The subject of technology transfer is of crucial importance to the developing countries, in that 
it is a significant part of special and differential treatme nt.  It is in Cuba's interest that this technical 
and technological assistance, received either bila terally or through the appropriate international 
organizations, be genuinely applicable as regards our countries, and that means going beyond what is 
provided for in Articles 9 and 10 of the SPS Agreemen t, as is the case with other relevant agreements. 
3. Because technology transfer is a cross-cutting theme and treatment in the technical 
committees would appear to be insufficient, Cuba submitted a proposal to the Special Session of the 
Committee on Trade and Development under the symbol TN/CDT/W/32, calling for the transfer of 
technology to the developing countries in order to  counter the adverse effects on access to the markets 
of the developed countries of the existence or pro liferation of technical barriers to trade and of 
sanitary and phytosanitary requirements. 
4. Cuba believes that exporting developing countries should be able to rely on advice, credits, 
donations and grants as well as the transfer of  technology and equipm ent where substantial 
investments are required of them to fulf il an importing developed country Member's 
SPS requirements.  The basic idea is for many countries of the South to acquire the technical 
expertise, training, equipment and technology they ne ed to adjust to, and comply with, the sanitary or 
phytosanitary measures that have been imposed, wi thout their growing share in those markets being 
affected.  In this connection, C uba supports any action or initiative that this Committee can come up 
with to ensure of the broadest possible application of special and differential treatment, since Cuba 
does not have the resources and equipm ent to conduct proper risk analyses. 
B. CONCERNS WITH PRIVATE AND COMMERCIAL STANDARDS  
5. As in previous meetings, Cuba would like to raise a number of points regarding the 
application of private standards. G/SPS/GEN/1055 
Page 2  
 
  6. We consider private standards to be trade rest rictive in that they concern selected market 
segments and can only be met by a limited number of producers.  Moreover, they are often stricter 
than the limits laid down by the international or ganizations or the country's own human health 
protection standards, and even than the domes tic legislation of the country concerned. 
7. At times they may contain elements that have been omitted in the public standards;  but the 
solution is not simply to allow them to be issu ed without any control, but rather to address the 
limitations of public standards which ultimat ely contribute to the harmonization of food 
specifications.  This would be in keeping with th e requirements of Article  13 of the SPS Agreement. 
8. We also believe that preference should be given to enhancing public standards, with priority 
on food safety and security, by reducing risk to a minimum and applying the Working Principles for 
Risk Analysis throughout the food chain, and by ensuring that all people have access to the necessary 
quantities of healthy, safe, nourishing, culturally accep table and environmentally sustainable food so 
that they can lead a healthy and active life.  
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