. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/GEN/691 
10 April 2006 
 (06-1667) 
Committee on Sanitary and  
Phytosanitary Measures Original:   Spanish 
 
 
 
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SPS AGREEMENT 
Information for the Workshop on 31 March 2006  
Communication from the Dominican Republic  
 
 The following communication, received on 30 Marc h 2006, is being circulated at the request 
of the delegation of the Dominican Republic.  
_______________ 
 
 
1. In preparation for the workshop on the implem entation of the SPS Agreement, participants 
were asked to provide replies to the following questions.  
1. How regularly do representatives of your country participate in meetings of the SPS 
Committee? 
 
2. Since the SPS initiative for countries of the Am ericas sponsored by the IICA and the Steering 
Group, the Dominican Republic has participated in almost all the meetings.  
2. Who usually participates from your country  (Capital-based experts or Geneva-based 
trade representatives)?  
 
3.  We have a permanent mission in Geneva, and at home we have technical staff in each of the 
SPS subcommittees in the various agencies involved in this Committee, such as the Ministry of 
Agriculture, the General Directorate for Livestock,  the Ministries of Public Health, Industry and 
Trade, and Foreign Affairs.  
 
3.  What information do you receive regardi ng meetings of the SPS Committee and how do 
you receive this information?   
 
4.  In the majority of cases, information is received through the Permanent Mission in Geneva, 
the IICA and  the SPS Committee. 
 
4.  Does your country have a national SPS Committee? 
 
5.  Yes, we have a national SPS Committee.  
5.  How do your exporters find out about your trading partners' new SPS requirements? 
 
6.  All notifications to sectors affected by WTO SPS measures are disseminated through the 
Ministry of Agriculture and the General Directorate for Livestock.  G/SPS/GEN/691 
Page 2  
 
   
6.  What national mechanisms can be create d to ensure the stakeholders in your country 
are informed in a timely manner of new SPS requirements so that the SPS requirements of 
trading partners can be evaluated and so that the views of relevant stakeholders can be taken into account when responding to SPS notifications? 
 7.  Notifications are sent for information purpo ses to all organized groups through the National 
Council for Agriculture, which is responsible for trade matters.  
7.  In establishing such mechanisms, how can Members identify the relevant domestic 
stakeholders and promote effective interaction among those stakeholders that can be sustained 
over time?   
8.  Through the meetings of the Committee on SPS measures.  
 
8.  How can information about SPS requirements  be transmitted to groups outside of 
capital?  
9.  Through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the case of outbound information, and by the 
Ministry of Agriculture and the General Directorate for Livestock for groups inside the country.  9.  Has there been any national planning on how to implement the SPS Agreement in your 
country? If so, was this planning developed using a particular methodology ? 
 10.  We have a plan to strengthen institutions in  order to help compliance with the SPS measures. 
 10.  How does your country identify its technical assistance needs?  
 
11.  On numerous occasions there have been di agnoses within the three areas of plant health, 
animal health and food safety, as well as assessment  of the plant and animal health capacity of the 
Dominican Republic with the support of the FAO,  the IICA, OIRSA, APHIS/USDA, the Professional 
and Technical Consultants Association (PATCA) a nd national and internati onal consultancies.  
 11.  What has been your country's experience in both the request and the supply of SPS-
related technical assistance?   
12.  We have had a good record of participati on in SPS-related courses and workshops given by 
the WTO. 
 
12.  How can technical assistance supply and de mand be most effectively matched, priority 
areas identified and duplication of donor efforts avoided?   
 
13.  We are planning meetings with internati onal donor organizations to request technical 
assistance in line with the priorities identified in the different institutions with a view to taking fuller 
advantage of this assistance.  
__________