WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/GEN/572 
22 June 2005 
 (05-2659) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures  
  
 
   
UPDATE ON THE OPERATION OF THE STANDARDS AND  
TRADE DEVELOPMENT FACILITY 
 
Note by the Secretariat
1 
  
Background 
 1. The aim of the Standards and Trade Developmen t Facility (STDF) is to assist developing 
countries enhance their capacity to meet interna tional sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) standards, 
improving the human health, animal health and ph ytosanitary situation, and thus gaining and 
maintaining market access. 
2. The STDF is both a financing and a coordination me chanism.  Grant financing is available for 
private and public organizations in developing coun tries seeking to comply with international SPS 
standards and hence gain or maintain market acc ess.  The STDF provides funds for two types of 
grants:  project preparation grants and project gran ts.  Project preparation grants up to US$20,000 aim 
to act as a bridge between the identification of technical assistance needs and the development of 
coherent project proposals.  The STDF also funds pr oject grants.  The size of grants typically ranges 
between US$300,000 and US$600, 000.  Applicants must assume some of the financial cost of the 
projects.
2 
3. Funding applications are reviewed at  meetings of the STDF Working Group.3  Applications 
need to be submitted 45 working days in advan ce of each Working Group meeting.  The next 
Working Group meeting is scheduled for 6-7 Septem ber 2005 to be held at WHO offices in Geneva.  
The deadline for the receipt of projects for the Sept ember meeting is 1 July 2005.  Projects submitted 
after that date will be evaluated at the next Working Group meeting in early 2006. 
                                                      
1 This document has been prepared under the Secret ariat's own responsibility and is without prejudice 
to the positions of Members or to their rights or obligations under the WTO. 
2 Applicants from least-developed countries must meet at least 10 per cent of the cost of the project 
from their own resources, while other developing countries are required to fund at least 25 per cent of the project cost.  Further information on eligibility criteria, the application process and governance arrangements for 
the STDF can be found in document G/SPS/GEN/523. 
3 The STDF Working Group comprises representatives of the five partner organizations (FAO, OIE, 
World Bank, WHO and WTO) as well as donor representa tives.  Arrangements are al so being finalized on a 
formula for representation by stakeholders in potential beneficiary countries. G/SPS/GEN/572 
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 4. Further information on the STDF, including the Business Plan, application forms and 
information on projects approved can be found at the STDF website www.standardsfacility.org.  The 
website also contains training materials collected  from partner agencies (FAO, OIE, the World Bank, 
WHO and WTO) and a link to the database on SPS technical activities for the years 2001-2003.   
Status of project implementation 
 5. The STDF Working Group met on 11 March 2005.  At the meeting, a project grant and eight 
project preparation grants were approved.  The project grant concerns assistance to developing 
countries in the implementation of the Codex Alim entarius Code of Practice for Animal Feeding 
(project STDF 56).  Project preparation grants we re approved for the development of projects in 
Benin, Cambodia, Djibouti, Guinea, Malawi, Mozamb ique, Yemen and for a project assisting regional 
SPS co-operation among South Asian Associati on for Regional Co-operation  countries. 
6. An overview of the status of implementation of  STDF project grants is provided in Table 1 
and of project preparation grants in Table 2.  An updated work plan for 2005, including short 
summaries of on-going projects can be found in Annex 1 to this document.    G/SPS/GEN/572 
 Page 3 
 
 
 Table 1:  Status of implementation of STDF project grants 
 
Project title Implementation status Project 
budget 
STDF 56: Capacity building for 
implementation of the Codex 
Alimentarius Code of Practice for 
animal feeding Project approved in March 2005.  Contract signed with 
International Feed Industry Federation.  Implementation 
scheduled to begin in July 2005. $150,000 
STDF 37:  Assistance to 
Developing Countries in the Implementation of ISPM 15 
(Guidelines for regulating wood 
packaging material in international trade) Project approved in September 2004.  Project centrepiece, a 
workshop on implementation of ISPM 15, was held in Vancouver, Canada on 28 February – 4 March 2005.  
Project nearing completion.  Trai ning materials related to the 
workshop can be found on the IPPC website at www.ippc.int  $332,000 
STDF 13: Development of a 
Strategy and Action Plan for 
Selected African Regions to Enhance Public and Private 
Sector Capacity in Meeting 
Sanitary Standards for International Trade of Livestock 
and Livestock Products Project approved in September 2004.  Awaiting detailed 
implementation plan from OIE. $305,000 
STDF 14: OIE veterinary 
capacity evaluation project Project approved in November 2003.  Implementation on-
going.  The capacity evaluation tool (developed in collaboration with the Inter-American Institute for Co-
operation on Agriculture) has been field-tested in South 
America.  Tool will next be pilot-tested in two Sub-Saharan 
African countries.  Project  to finish in 2006. $37,000 
STDF 20: Country-based plans 
for SPS-related development Project approved in September 2004. Implementation on-
going.  Draft methodology submitted for comment.  Fieldwork in Uganda and Peru planned for last quarter of 
2005.  Project to finish in 2006.   $170,862 
STDF 19: Model arrangements 
for SPS stakeholder involvement at the national level Project approved in September 2004. Implementation on-
going. Preliminary fieldwork undertaken in Paraguay and Sri Lanka.  Awaiting methodology and follow-up fieldwork.  
Project to finish in 2006. $291,218 
STDF 9: Model Programme for 
Developing Food Standards within a Risk Analysis 
Framework  Project approved in November 2003.  Implementation 
delayed, but planned to begin July 2005.  Project to finish in 2006. $70,848 
STDF 10:  International Portal on 
Food Safety, Animal and Plant Health project Project approved in November 2003.  Implementation on-
going with fieldwork undertaken in Turkey and planned in Uganda.  Project to finish in 2006. $59,400 
STDF 15: Expanding SPS 
Capacities at National and 
Regional Levels Project approved in September 2004. Implementation on-
going.  Training syllabus developed and tested. 
Implementation to begin with two workshops in September and October 2005. Project to finish in 2006. $130,614 
STDF 5:  STDF Database Project approved in June 2003.  Databa se on SPS technical 
assistance has been established at http://stdfdb.wto.org.  Data collection exercises t ook place in July 2004 and 
another is planned in July 2005.  Data covers years 2001-
2003. $73,474 G/SPS/GEN/572 
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 Table 2:  Status of implementation of STDF project preparation grants 
 
Project title Implementation status Project 
budget 
STDF 38: Agricultural Health and Food 
Safety Laboratory Needs Assessment for 
CARICOM Countries Approved in September 2004. Implementation 
currently delayed.  $20,000 
STDF 62: Project preparation grant in 
Cameroon  Approved in September 2004.  Consultant 
contracted.  Fieldwork on-going and concentrated 
on application of FAO developed "Guidelines to Assess Capacity Building Needs in Official Food 
Control Systems".  Grant application expected in 
September 2005. $20,000 
STDF 67: Project preparation grant on 
aflatoxin in Malawi Approved in March 2005.  Terms of Reference 
being developed with FAO to design project to 
address post-harvest aflatoxin contamination 
problems in the paprika and groundnut sectors. $20,000 
STDF 68: Project preparation grant on 
South Asian Association for Regional 
Co-operation (SAARC) SPS co-
operation Approved in March 2005.  Terms of Reference in 
development for consultant to support efforts at 
regional co-operation on SPS among SAARC 
countries.  $20,000 
STDF 63: Project preparation grant in 
Benin  Approved in March 2005.  Consultant contracted.  
Fieldwork on-going and concentrated on 
application of FAO developed "Guidelines to 
Assess Capacity Building Needs in Official Food Control Systems".  Grant applications expected in 
September 2005. $20,000 
STDF 61: Project preparation grant in 
Cambodia  Approved in March 2005. Consultant contracted.  
Fieldwork being undertaken in Cambodia.  Grant 
application expected in September 2005. $20,000 
STDF 64: Project preparation grant in 
Djibouti  Approved in March 2005.  Consultant contracted to 
conduct field research and design project in the livestock sector in Djibouti.  Grant application 
expected in September 2005. $20,000 
STDF 65: Project preparation grant in 
Guinea  Approved in March 2005.  Consultant contracted to 
build on UNCTAD evaluation of costs of compliance in the tropical  fruit sector and design 
project application.  Gran t application expected in 
September 2005. $20,000 
STDF 66: Project preparation grant in 
Mozambique  Approved in March 2005.  Consultant contracted to 
build on UNCTAD evaluation of costs of 
compliance in the tropical  fruit sector and design 
project application.  Gran t application expected in 
September 2005. $20,000 
STDF 69: Project preparation grant in 
Yemen  Approved in March 2005.  Terms of Reference in 
development for consultant to support efforts at 
resolving SPS issues in the fisheries sector. $20,000 
  G/SPS/GEN/572 
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 Financial overview of  STDF Trust Fund 
 
7. Since the adoption of the STDF Business Plan in September 2004, the Facility has attracted 
financial commitments from a number of Members.  Table 3 lists the financial commitments which have been made to the STDF since its inception.   Financial commitments made by donors have 
ensured the short term sustainability of the Fac ility and good progress has been made towards the 
objective of a fund with annual resources of US$5-7 m illion.  Table 3 does not provide an overview of 
resources currently available in the STDF. 
Table 3:  Contributions to the STDF since its inception  
 
Donor Total 
Amount 
in $US Comment 
World Bank 900,000 
 The World Bank contribution from the Development Grant 
Facility covers the years 2002-2005 for $US 300,000 per annum.  Funding ends on 30 June 2005. 
WTO 350,000 A WTO contribution from the Global Trust Fund has been 
made the years 2002-2005 for $US100,000 in the first two 
years and $US150,000 in the third year.  The 2005 
contribution is designed to cover administrative costs arising from the running of the STDF 
France 131,493 France contributed €100,000 in August 2004  
Denmark 468,284 Denmark made a contribution to the STDF in January 2005. 
Netherlands 1,183,500 The Netherlands donated €900,000 euros over a period of 
three years in 2004. 
United Kingdom 1,623,377 The United Kingdom signed a Memorandum of 
Understanding with the WTO over a contribution of £850,000 to the STDF which will be disbursed in two instalments in 2005. 
Canada 300,000 The Government of Canada ma de a contribution of $Can 
400,000 to the STDF in March 2005. 
 
Co-operation with the Integrated Framework 
 
8. In the Business Plan, a target was established th at at least 40 per cent of Facility resources 
should be devoted to projects in Least-Developed C ountries (LDCs).  To achieve this objective, the 
STDF has collaborated closely with the Integrated Framework.   
9. In document G/SPS/GEN/545, a review was undert aken of SPS standards-related issues 
which had been identified in the Integrated Framew ork (IF) process to date.  To address some of the 
SPS standard-related needs expressed by LDCs in th eir Diagnostic Trade Integration Studies (DTIS), 
the STDF Working Group approved project preparation grants for six countries which have had an IF 
National Validation Workshop: Cambodia, Djibouti,  Guinea, Malawi, Mozambique and Yemen.  
Consultants have been engaged to undertake these project preparation activities and project 
applications should be submitted for review at the September 2005 STDF Working Group meeting.  G/SPS/GEN/572 
Page 6  
 
 ANNEX I:  UPDATED 2005 WORK PLAN 
 
 
1. Paragraphs 12-25 of document G/SPS/GEN/523 set  out a work plan for 2005.  Further 
activities have been added to this work plan as  a result of decisions taken by the STDF Working 
Group in March 2005.  An updated work plan for 2005 is set out below. 
2. Activities to be funded as part of the STDF Wo rk Plan for 2005 can be separated into new 
activities which will start in 2005 and on- going activities approved in 2003 and 2004. 
A. NEW
 ACTIVITIES 
STDF 56:  Capacity building for implementation of the Codex Alimentarius Code of Practice for 
animal feeding  
3. A project grant has been approved for the deve lopment of a manual of Good Practices for 
Animal Feeding.  This will be a practical guide to the Codex Code of Practice for Animal Feeding 
which was adopted by the Codex Alimentarius  Commission in 2004.  The manual will be 
disseminated through five regional workshops in suppo rt of the implementation of the Codex Code of 
Practice on Animal Feeding.  These will take place in  Brazil, China, Egypt, Kenya and India in 2005 
and 2006.  The manual and the workshops will info rm key stakeholders in government, livestock 
production and the feed industry about safe feed  production, GAP, GMP and HACCP for long-term 
development and sustainability of the feed and livest ock industries.  The project will be implemented 
by the International Feed Industry Federation (IFIF ), an international NGO which brings together 
national and regional feed associations and federati ons, together with the FAO and a partner in a 
developing country.  
STDF 37:  Assistance to Developing Countries in the Implementation of ISPM 15 (Guidelines for 
regulating wood packaging material in international trade)  
4. The project is being implemented by the IPPC Secretariat in conjunction with a number of 
collaborating agencies including the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Canadian Forest Service, 
United States Department of Agriculture and go vernment experts from Chile, Jamaica, Malaysia, 
South Africa, Sweden and the United Kingdom.  The objective of the project is to facilitate understanding of ISPM No. 15 among developing and least-developed countries so as to ensure 
implementation of the standard and minimize disruption to trade.  The project focuses on three key 
activities: 
• A workshop to provide information and guidance for National Plant Protection 
Organizations (NPPOs) on implementation of ISPM No. 15, analyze difficulties in implementation and build consensus on how to resolve implementation issues in a consistent manner worldwide.  The work shop was held in Vancouver, Canada on 28 
February - 4 March 2005;  
• The development of training materials to provide guidance to NPPOs on the 
implementation of ISPM No. 15;  and 
• The development of implementation plans for the national implementation of ISPM No. 15 
in conjunction with relevant stak eholders, notably the private sector. 
5. The project aims to enhance the capacity of countries and national plant protection officials to 
set up adequate infrastructure and systems to impl ement ISPM No. 15.  Global implementation in a  G/SPS/GEN/572 
 Page 7 
 
 
 consistent manner will protect natural resources, de crease the movement of p ests harmful to plants 
and increase countries' market access and their ability to engage in trade. 
STDF 13:  Development of a Strategy and Action Plan for Selected African Regions to Enhance 
Public and Private Sector Capacity in Meeting Sanitary Standards for International Trade of 
Livestock and Livestock Products 
 
6. The OIE, in collaboration with the FAO, the World Bank and the OIE African Regional 
Representation, is planning to undertake a project to  develop regional strategi es to enhance African 
veterinary services' and other stakeholders' ca pabilities to export livestock and livestock products.  
The project contains the following steps: 
• A field review of current capacity in setti ng and implementing modernized veterinary 
services, compliant with sanitary standards fo r international trade according to the SPS 
Agreement, in selected African Regional Economic Commissions (RECs), with particular emphasis on public-private collaboration; 
• A desk review to summarize new initiatives on the strengthening of veterinary services, 
including public-private partnership in the enforcement of sanitary standards; 
• Preparation of draft regional strategies fo r strengthening public and private capacity to 
enhance export trade of livestock products, and protect health of domestic livestock 
resources and public health; 
• Policy level workshops in each of two regions, to discuss these strategies; 
• Preparation of country-specific pilot project s including improvements and modernization of 
veterinary services and public-priva te partnerships in each of the two selected zones;  and 
• Preparation of a toolkit for scaling up SPS animal health standards implementation, 
including training modules etc. 
7. One of the pilot countries chosen will be an A frican country having identified animal health 
issues as a priority action area w ithin the Integrated Framework process.  Implementation of the 
project should begin in 2005 after the submis sion of an implementation plan by OIE. 
STDF 38:  Agricultural Health and Food Safety  Laboratory Needs Assessment for CARICOM 
Countries 
 
8. A project preparation grant has been approve d for the CARICOM Secretariat to prepare a 
project to assess the agricultural health and food saf ety laboratory needs of countries in the region.  
The grant will be used to assist the CARICOM Secr etariat in the design of a project to strengthen 
existing regional laboratory capacity and to avoid dup lication of resources at national level.  The grant 
is currently on hold while the CARICOM Secret ariat put in place the necessary arrangements to 
undertake the project preparation. 
STDF 62:  Cameroon Standards Training  
 
9. A project preparation grant has been approve d by the STDF Working Group to assist the 
government of Cameroon in the preparation of a project on the basis of technical assistance needs identified in document G/SPS/GEN/401.  As a prel iminary step, the consultant will use the FAO 
developed "Guidelines to Assess Capacity Building  Needs in Official Food Control Systems" to 
undertake an evaluation of the food control system in Cameroon from which the need for and design G/SPS/GEN/572 
Page 8  
 
 of a project will be established.  A project propo sal should be submitted in time for the September 
STDF Working Group.  
STDF 67:  Malawi SPS compliance and diversification in groundnut and paprika production 
 
10. From the Integrated Framework Diagnostic Trad e Integration Study (DTIS) of Malawi, it is 
clear that agricultural diversification into groundn ut and paprika is constrained by issues of post-
harvest practices, in particular aflatoxin contamination.  To address this issue, a project preparation grant has been approved by the STDF Working Gr oup.  Discussions are on-going with FAO on terms 
of reference for the project. 
STDF 68: Assistance to SAARC Secretar iat on regional SPS co-operation  
 11. A project preparation grant has been approved by the STDF Working Group to develop a 
grant proposal to support regional SPS cooperati on among SAARC countries.  The project idea 
stemmed from the DTIS of Nepal which highlighted  the dependence of Nepalese agri-food exporters 
to the Indian market and the necessity for regiona l co-operation on SPS issues.  The project will build 
on work already undertaken by the FAO on harmoni zation of national food standards with Codex 
standards.  Discussions are on-going with national au thorities in India over term s of reference for the 
project. 
STDF 63:  Project Preparation Grant for Benin 
 
12. The International Institute for Tropical Agricu lture (IITA) (part of the Consultative Group on 
International Agricultural Research) submitted a numbe r of project grant applications to the March 
STDF Working Group meeting.  Two of the project app lications were considered of interest, but in 
need of revision before funding co uld be approved.  To assist in the reformulation of these project 
proposals, a consultant has been recruited to work with IITA.  The consultant will also use the FAO 
developed "Guidelines to Assess Capacity Building  Needs in Official Food Control Systems" to 
undertake an evaluation of the food control system in Benin.   
STDF 61, 64, 65, 66 and 69:  Project prepara tion grants in Cambodia, Djibouti, Guinea, 
Mozambique and Yemen   
13. Based on the analysis of DTIS presented in document G/SPS/GEN/545, and with a view to 
ensuring synergies between the Integrated Fr amework and the STDF, the STDF Working Group 
approved project preparation grants for five LDCs  at its March 2005 meeting.   Terms of Reference 
and consultants have been recruited for all countr ies, with the exception of Yemen - for which the 
Terms of Reference are being finalized.  Work is on-going in Cambodia, Djibouti, Guinea and Mozambique.  In Guinea and Mozambique, the prepar ation activities are building on work undertaken 
on SPS costs of compliance in the tropical fruit sector  carried out by UNCTAD.  In all countries, the 
Terms of Reference explicitly require co-ordina tion with on-going and fu ture donor funded activities 
and contact with the local Integrated Framework contact points.   
B. ON-GOING
 ACTIVITIES 
STDF 14:  OIE veterinary capacity evaluation project 
 
14. The project is developing a specific diagnostic tool capable of evaluating the capacity of 
national veterinary services to meet internationa l zoosanitary obligations in an efficient and 
sustainable manner.  The instrument will measure ca pacities of various countries through an inventory 
of the functions and resources available to comply with zoosanitary obligations according to the OIE 
standards.  Progress has been made in the implemen tation of this project.  The OIE has developed the  G/SPS/GEN/572 
 Page 9 
 
 
 tool in both English and Spanish la nguage versions and app lied it to pilot countries in the Americas.  
The OIE will now apply the evaluation tool to p ilot countries in Africa and then make any necessary 
amendments to the tool.  One of the pilot Afri can countries chosen will be a country that has 
identified animal health as a priority action area within the Integrated Framework process.  A number 
of organizations have already expressed interest in applying the tool elsewhere in the world. 
STDF 20:  Country-based plans for SPS-related development 
 
15. The goal of the project is to facilitate SPS cap acity building in both the private and public 
sectors.  The goal will be achieved by making ava ilable a planning methodology responsive to 
economic objectives and which encourages a coopera tive relationship between donors and private and 
public sector stakeholders in recipient countries.  Th e project will demonstrate an integrated approach 
to planning and executing SPS capacity-building, with special emphasis on enhancement of export market access for agricultural, food, fishery, ho rticulture and forest products of developing 
economies.  The project was tendered on a restric tive basis and Agra CEAS appointed to undertake 
the project.  The methodology prepared by the contractor is currently being reviewed and fieldwork 
implementation is scheduled to begin in Septem ber 2005 in Uganda and Peru.  The project is 
scheduled to finish in 2006. 
STDF 19:  Model arrangements for SPS stakeho lder involvement at the national level 
 
16. The project aims to improve SPS-related info rmation flow, as well as information sharing 
between the public and private sectors, with positive spin-offs for market acce ss.  The wider objective 
of this project is to improve the capacity of stakeholders in the public and private sectors of 
developing countries to work in an international trading system that applies demanding standards in 
the area of food safety and animal and plant health .  This improvement in institutional capacity should 
translate into an improvement in export perform ance.  The project was tendered and a consultancy 
company, Abt Associates, was appointed.  Project implementation began in ear ly 2005 with fieldwork 
in Paraguay and Sri Lanka.  The project  is scheduled to finish in 2006. 
STDF 9:  Model Programme for Developing Food St andards within a Risk Analysis Framework  
 
17. This project aims to increase the capacity of lo w income countries in the Asian region to use 
risk analysis techniques to develop their own food st andards;  to participate in the Codex standard-
setting process;  and to understand and comply w ith, in the development of these standards, 
international obligations under the relevant WTO ag reements.  This project will provide a model for 
implementation of this programme in  other regions of the world.  The project is partly funded by the 
STDF and partly funded from FAO sources.  Implementation was delayed by administrative issues and is expected to begin in the second half of 2005.   
STDF 10:  International Portal on Food Safety, Animal and Plant Health project 
 
18. This project builds on existing work by the F AO on the International Portal on Food Safety, 
Animal and Plant Health.  The portal is a powerfu l source of information on international standards 
and of national legislation and regul ations on food safety, animal and plant health.  The aim of this 
project is to extend the country coverage of the Po rtal on a pilot basis to one least-developed country 
(Uganda) and one middle income deve loping country (Turkey).  The project will be partly funded by 
the STDF and partly funded from FAO sources.  After a delay while administrative issues were 
resolved, implementation began in early 2005.  Fu rther fieldwork is planned for the second half of 
2005 in Uganda.   G/SPS/GEN/572 
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 STDF 15:  Expanding SPS Capacities at National and Regional Levels 
 
19. The project has been revised so as to develop a training programme for delegates to the OIE 
and to deliver this training throug h the regional offices of the OIE.  After development of the training 
syllabus, a first pilot workshop was held in April 2005.  The training programme will now be initiated 
back-to-back with two WTO regional workshops planned for late 2005 (for Francophone African 
countries and for ASEAN countries) and further activ ities are scheduled in 2006.  The aim of the 
project is to ensure greater coordination at the re gional level between STDF partners both in regular 
activities and in the delivery of technical assistance.   
STDF 5:  STDF Database 
 
20. In the final quarter of 2003, a database on SPS technical assistance was established.  The 
database can be consulted at http ://stdfdb.wto.org.  The objective of  the database is to provide an 
overview of planned and delivered SPS-related technical assistance;  to assist coordination between 
the partner institutions of the STDF;  to enable  information sharing betw een institutions thereby 
creating opportunities to identify gaps and exploit synergies;  and to minimize and/or avoid 
duplication in the provision of technical assistance.  A further data collection exercise is scheduled for 
July 2005.   
STDF website 
 
21. A website for the STDF has been established at www.standardsfacility.org
.  In addition to 
information on the STDF and how to apply, each of th e partner organizations has made available their 
training materials on SPS-related standards.  The we bsite is being updated a nd further materials will 
be added in 2005 as part of the co-ordination function of the STDF.  The website is being 
progressively made available in Fren ch and Spanish language versions. 
__________