WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/GEN/595 
7 October 2005 
 (05-4527) 
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.  The partner agenci es of the STDF are:  the Food and Agriculture 
Organization (FAO), the World Organization for Anim al Health (OIE), the World Bank, the World 
Health Organization (WHO) and the World Trade Organization (WTO). 
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. 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 and a link to the database on 
SPS technical activities. 
September 2005 meetings 
 
4. Meetings of the Policy Committee and the Working Group of the Standards and Trade 
Development Facility (STDF) took place on 6 a nd 7 September 2005 at the offices of the World 
Health Organization. 
 
                                                      
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. G/SPS/GEN/595 
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 5. The Policy Committee meeting included representa tives of the partner agencies of the STDF  
and WTO Members having contributed funds to th e STDF (Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, 
Italy, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom).  A rotating mechanism for the representation of all 
stakeholders, including both donors and beneficiaries, in STDF bodies was agreed. 
6. The Working Group meeting considered a total of  39 applications for funding.  Of these 
applications, a total of five projects and seven project  preparation grants were approved.  In addition, 
the Working Group considered favourably a further seven projects and project preparation grants 
subject to certain amendments or clarifications.  An updated overview of the status of implementation 
of STDF project grants is provided in Table 1 and of project preparation grants in Table 2.   
7. The next meeting of the STDF Working Group is planned for 3 February 2006.  The deadline 
for the receipt of applications for consideration at  this meeting is 15 December 2005.  Applications 
received after that date will be considered at the following meeting of the Working Group.  G/SPS/GEN/595 
 Page 3 
 
 
 Table 1:  Status of implementation of STDF project grants 
  
Project title Implementation status Project 
budget 
STDF 62:  Cameroon Project approved in September 2005.  The project results 
from a project preparation grant.  The aim of the project is to 
reactivate a national committee on  food safety and provide 
training for key stakeholders in  the public and private sector 
in Cameroon.  Contract and project terms of reference are currently being elaborated.  Implementation expected in 
2006. $422,000 
STDF 64:  Djibouti Project approved in September 2005.  The project emanates 
from a project preparation grant.  The aim of the project is to 
facilitate livestock trade from Djibouti.  The project will be 
focused around training for both the private and public 
sector in SPS issues in veteri nary area.  Contract currently 
being elaborated.  Implementation expected in 2006. $560,000 
STDF 65:  Support to compliance 
with official and commercial standards in the fruit and 
vegetable sector in Guinea
 Project approved in September 2005.  The project is focused 
on assisting the public and private sector in Guinea in training to meet official a nd commercial standards for fruit 
and vegetable exports.  Contract and project terms of 
reference currently being el aborated.  Implementation 
expected in 2006. $600,000 
STDF 79:  Quality information 
on SPS issues - a pre requisite for 
capacity building Project approved in September 2005.  The project is a one-
off activity to improve the sharing of information on official 
standards (including the supporting scientific evaluations) developed by the three international standards-setting  
bodies referred to in the SPS Agreement through the 
medium of the International Portal on Food Safety, Animal and Plant Health.  The project will be implemented by the 
FAO in collaboration with Codex, OIE and the IPPC.  The 
project will improve the sustainability of core resources for the Portal.  Implementation is expected to commence in the 
final quarter of 2005. $470,000 
STDF 89:  International Plant 
Health Risk Analysis Workshop Project approved in September 2005.  The aim of the project 
is to provide funding for 29 developing and least-developed 
country officials to attend a workshop on pest risk analysis 
to be held in Canada on 24-28 October 2005.  The aim of the workshop is to strengthen expertise in and capacity to apply 
IPPC’s standards for PRA (ISPMs No. 2, 11 and 21, in 
particular) with a view to harmonizing methods for their implementation internationally.
  Project will be completed 
by the end first quarter of 2006. $147,000 
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 began in July 2005. $150,000 G/SPS/GEN/595 
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 Project title Implementation status Project 
budget 
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.  Training 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 p ilot-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 in the second half of 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.  Database on SPS technical 
assistance has been established at http://stdfdb.wto.org.  
Data collection exercises to ok place in July 2004 and 
another is planned in July 2005.  Data covers years 2001-2003. $73,474 
  
Total Project Grants  $3,819,416  G/SPS/GEN/595 
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 Table 2:  Status of implementation of STDF project preparation grants 
 
Project title Implementation status Project 
budget 
STDF 88:  Nepal SPS training project 
preparation grant Approved in September 2005.  Consultant to be 
contracted.  Preparation activities will focus on 
evaluating the training need s of Nepal's SPS control 
authorities and designing a training programme 
which responds to those needs. $20,000  
STDF 100:  Project preparation grant for 
Cape Verde Approved in September 2005.  Consultant to be 
contracted.  Fieldwork to be focused on applying 
the FAO/WHO developed "Guidelines to Assess 
Capacity Building Needs in Official Food Control Systems" and designing a project on the basis of 
findings.   $20,000 
STDF 101:  Eritrea project preparation 
grant Approved in September 2005.  Consultant to be 
contracted.  Fieldwork to be focused on applying the FAO/WHO developed "Guidelines to Assess 
Capacity Building Needs in Official Food Control 
Systems" and designing a project on the basis of findings. $20,000 
STDF 102:  Project preparation grant for 
Mali  Approved in September 2005.  Consultant to be 
contracted.  Preparation activities should be focused 
on project design in the fruit and vegetable sector which will support current initiatives. $20,000 
STDF 103:  Project preparation grant for 
Rwanda Approved in September 2005.  Consultant to be 
contracted.  Preparation activities should be focused 
on project design in the fruit and vegetable sector 
which will support current initiatives. $20,000 
STDF 105:  Project preparation grant on 
compartmentalization Approved in September 2005.  A concept project to 
design, if possible, a demonstration project on how to apply the concept of compartmentalization.   
Terms of reference to be elaborated by WTO and 
OIE in 2006. $20,000 
STDF 38:  Agricultural Health and Food 
Safety Laboratory Needs Assessment for 
CARICOM Countries Approved in September 2004. Implementation 
currently delayed, although contract signed with 
CARICOM to begin implementation.  $20,000 
STDF 62:  Project preparation grant in 
Cameroon  Approved in September 2004.  Consultant 
contracted.  Fieldwork on-going and concentrated on application of FAO/WHO developed 
"Guidelines to Assess Capacity Building Needs in 
Official Food Control Syst ems".  Grant application 
presented in August 2005. $20,000 
STDF 67: Project preparation grant on 
aflatoxin in Malawi and Zambia 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.  
Resubmitted to expand country coverage to Zambia 
in September 2005. $30,000 G/SPS/GEN/595 
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 Project title Implementation status Project 
budget 
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 concentrated on application of 
FAO/WHO developed "Guidelines to Assess Capacity Building Needs in Official Food Control 
Systems".  Grant applications presented in August 
2005. $20,000 
STDF 61:  Project preparation grant in 
Cambodia  Approved in March 2005. Consultant contracted.  
Fieldwork undertaken in Cambodia.  Grant 
application presented in July 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 
presented in August 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.  Grant application presented in 
August 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.  Grant application presented in 
August 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.  
Fieldwork scheduled to start in October.  $20,000 
  
Total Project preparation grants  $330,000 
 
 
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