WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/GEN/1003 
9 March 2010 
 
 (10-1235) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   Spanish 
  
 
ACTIONS FOR IMPLEMENTING 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 5 Marc h 2010, is being distributed at the request 
of IICA
. 
 
_______________ 
 
 1. The observer organizations of the Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) 
of the World Trade Organization (WTO) are inv ited to submit reports on activities they have 
accomplished to foster an understanding of the SPS Agreement and to promote its implementation.  
IICA wishes to put forward a number of actions or activ ities which it considers to be of interest to this 
Committee. 
I. TRAINING IN INSPECTION AND PHYTOSANITARY HAZARD PROFILES 
2. A methodology was devised in the framework of the IICA STDF 108 project for developing 
phytosanitary hazard profiles at the border post level.   This methodology is based on two fundamental 
principles:  (i) officials at border posts, who are called upon to take rapid decisions on phytosanitary 
and trade matters with little information, should be pr ovided with the necessary technical tools;  (ii) a 
system needs to be developed to help facilita te trade at the border posts or checkpoints. 
3. The dissemination and training process was c onducted through regional workshops covering 
nine countries, five of them from the southern  region (Chile, Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and 
Uruguay) and four from the Andean region (Colombia,  Ecuador, Bolivia and Peru).  A total of about 
100 experts were trained to serve as trai ners in their respective countries. 
4. The workshop for the co untries of the southern region took  place in Asunción, Paraguay, in 
November 2009, and was organized by the National Plant and Seed Quality and Health Service of 
Paraguay (SENAVE), the Southern Cone Pl ant Health Committee (COSAVE), and the 
Inter-American Institute for C ooperation on Agriculture (IICA). 
5. The workshop for the Andean countries took pl ace in Lima, Peru, in February, with the 
cooperation of the National Agricultural Health Service of Peru (SENASA). 
6. The objectives of the workshops were: 
• To build up capacity in the preparation of phytosanitary hazard profiles (a new 
concept for rapid specific hazard risk.  A ssessments needed at the border posts or 
commercial ports of entry of perishable goods); G/SPS/GEN/1003 
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  • to develop a team of experts in the various countries that are able to disseminate the 
methodology in their organizations; 
• to create trade facilitation tools that are compatible with the protection of 
phytosanitary status; 
• to enhance the capacity to interrelate and implement ISPMs, and to introduce 
appropriate inspection procedures to strengt hen effective performance in the region; 
• to provide updated information on capaciti es, standards and operating procedures 
used in the region for phytosanitary inspection, identifying strengths and needs. 
7. A similar workshop is also being organized for Ecuador outside the STDF 108 project, and it 
is hoped that the domino effect of this initiative in other countries of the Andean region, the Caribbean and the central region can be enhanced. 
8. The phytosanitary hazard profile manual can  be found in Spanish at www.iica.int
 (the English 
version will be available shortly). 
 For further information, contact Lour des Fonalleras (lourdes.fonalleras@iica.int ), 
Eric Bolaños (erick.bolanos@iica.int ) or Ricardo Molins (ricardo.molins@iica.int ). 
 
II. PROJECT TO SUPPORT PARTICIPATION IN CODEX ALIMENTARIUS 
MEETINGS 
9. In collaboration with the United States Depa rtment of Agriculture (USDA), the IICA has 
implemented a project to promote effective participat ion of the countries of the Americas and to help 
them to profit from the different Codex Alimentarius committees. 
10. To date, the project has included four committe es (Fresh Fruits and Vegetables (CCFFV - 
Mexico), Nutrition and Foods for Special Diet ary Uses (CCNFSU - Germany), Food Hygiene 
(CCFH - United States), and Food Import and Export Inspection and Certification Systems (CCFICS - 
Australia).  A second stage is being launched fo r 2010 which includes the committees on General 
Principles (CCGP - France), Pesticide Residue s (CCPR - China) and Food Contaminants 
(CCFC - Turkey). 
11. Since this is a competitive fund with limited r esources, funding has so far been provided for 
the participation of 13 countries in the different committees. 
12. To date, the following conclusions and recomme ndations have emerged for strengthening the 
Codex institutional framework in the different countries: 
 (a) A considerable number of countries do not  have technical sub-committees or if they 
do, they are not operational.  Consequently, it is difficult for a national focal point to 
coordinate them.  The following was observed: 
 
• Low participation of the private sector; 
• information management problems; 
• no dissemination activities on the importa nce and benefits of the Codex 
committee;  G/SPS/GEN/1003 
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  • meetings of sub-committees very sporadic; 
• virtually no consumer participation; 
• shortage of manuals of procedures and internal regulations for the national 
Codex committees as well as for the enquiry points and the technical sub-committees; 
 (b) there is a pressing need to work on the management of the national Codex 
committees; 
 
 (c) it is important to focus on the Codex working groups.  The progress made in those 
groups essentially guides the work of the committees; 
  (d) the preparation of delegates needs to be reinforced, particularly if they are new 
delegates.  Fostering encounters among delegates through video conferencing, 
electronic forums or communities of practice to facilitate the exchange of information 
and examination of subjects of interest  could have a considerable impact; 
  (e) a permanent training programme should be  developed on good par ticipation practices 
and Codex standard-setting procedures; 
 
 (f) post-event follow-up should be ensured a nd the results of the meeting should be 
disseminated in the country by the participa ting delegates, and the next steps to be 
taken in the framework of the National Codex Committee should be established; 
 
 (g) a procedural or management manua l should be drawn up as a guide to the 
newly-formed national committees or to sy stems that do not have a national Codex 
committee; 
  (h) support should be provided for dissemina tion activities relating to the international 
standards-setting process of the Codex Alimen tarius and other international reference 
organizations; 
  (i) cooperation with the Codex Coordinating Committee for Latin America and the 
Caribbean (CCLAC), as a mechanism for building regional consensuses, should be 
strengthened. 
 
13. The strategy for implementing this project is described in annex. 
 For further information, contact:  ricardo.molins@iica.int
 (Ricardo Molins), 
erick.bolanos@iica.it  (Eric Bolaños). 
 
III. DEVELOPMENT OF MANUALS ON GOOD PARTICIPATION PRACTICES 
14. The IICA has developed four ma nuals on good participation pract ices for the meetings of the 
WTO SPS Committee, the Codex Alimentarius, the I PPC and the OIE.  All of the manuals are 
designed for officials with little or no experien ce in official representation and should serve as a 
management support tool.  The manuals can be found at http://www.iica.int . G/SPS/GEN/1003 
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  IV. INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SUPPORT 
15. The electronic newsletter CODEX-SPS Opinion Forum  specializes in the topics discussed at 
Codex Alimentarius and WTO SPS Committee meetings .  This newsletter disseminates and analyses 
the standards and actions defined at these events with the aim of increasing information and promoting the study of these issues.  The newsle tter is available to all member countries at 
www.iica.org.ar
.  For further information contact mlfonalleras@iica.int  (Lourdes Fonalleras). 
16. In Paraguay, a periodic electronic newslette r reports on the activities of the National 
SPS Technical Committee and on SPS developments.  Fo r further information, contact Carlos Franco 
at carlos.franco@iica.int . 
Inter American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) 
Agricultural Health and Food Safety 
http://www.infoagro.net/salud  
http://www.iica.int   G/SPS/GEN/1003 
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ANNEX 
 
Programme Implementation Diagram 
 
 
 
     
 
    
 
     
 
    
 
     
 
    
 
    
 
     
__________ 1. OPENING OF 
COMPETITION 
2. RECEPTION, 
ANALYSIS AND 
SELECTION OF 
COUNTRIES 
3. CODEX 
MEETING National dialogue/possible IICA support 
Definition of the country's position 
Good participation practices for the selected delegates Meeting of the Uruguay Sub-Committee on 
Fresh Fruit and Vegetables with the IICA 
Support in the meeting:  logistic, 
technical, exchange of experiences, 
regional coordination 
Return to the capital, 
coordination meeting for 
information purposes