WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/GEN/891 
8 December 2008 
 ( 08-6019 ) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures  
  
 
RESEARCH AND RESEARCHERS ON PRIVATE STANDARDS 
 
Note by the Secretariat
1 
  
 Attached is a list of organizations that, accordi ng to publicly available information , are active 
in research on the effects of private standards.  This  list has been prepared by the Standards and Trade 
Development Facility (STDF) to help Members iden tify studies or organizations that may assist them 
in determining the effects of SPS-related private st andards on trade and development, particularly in 
the context of the questionnaire circulated as doc ument G/SPS/W/232.  This list is for information 
only.  The Secretariat is in no way responsible for the work undertaken by these organizations and 
does not endorse the organizations or their work.   The Secretariat is eager to receive additiona l information on other organizations active in 
research on this topic.  Members are invite d to submit additional information at:   
STDFSecretariat@wto.org
.  On the basis of the information received, the list overleaf will be updated.  
Members may consult the list at http://www.standardsfacility.org . 
                                                      
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.   
  G/SPS/GEN/891 
Page 2 ATTACHMENT 
  
I. INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS RESEARCHING THE IMPACT OF PRIVATE STANDARDS  
Organization Researchers Examples of Research Work 
FAO 
 Pascal Liu 
Trade and Markets Division 
pascal.liu@fao.org  
 Allan Hrushka 
FAO Regional Office for Latin 
America and the Caribbean Allan.Hruska@fao.org
 
  A Practical Manual for Producers and Exporters from As ia:  Regulations, Standards and Certification for 
Agricultural Exports;  2007;  available at:  http://www.fao.org/docrep/010/ag130e/ag130e00.htm
 
A Practical Manual for Producers and Exporters from East  Africa:  Regulations, Standards and Certification 
for Agricultural Exports;  2006;  available in English at:  
http://www.fao.org/docrep/010/a0791e/a0791e00.htm  
A Qualitative Assessment of Standards a nd Certification Schemes Applicable to 
Aquaculture in the Asia–Pacific Region;  2007;  available in English at:  
http://www.fao.org/docrep/ 010/ai388e/ai388e00.htm  
Private Standards in the United States and European Un ion Markets for Fruit and Vegetables:  Implications 
for Developing Countries;  2007;  available in English at:  
http://www.fao.org/docrep/010/a1245e/a1245e00.htm  
Food Safety Certification;  2006, available in English at: 
ftp://ftp.fao.org/docre p/fao/008/ag067e/ag067e00.pdf  
International 
Trade Centre S. K. Gujadhur 
Senior Adviser on Standards 
and Quality Management quality@intracen.org
  
 EQ86:  Directory of Marks and Labels Related to Food  Safety, Environmental Integrity and Social Equity 
EQ85:   An Introduction to ISO 22000 - Food Safety Management 
HB17:  ISO 22000 Food Safety Management System s - An easy-to-use checklist for small businesses - Are 
you ready? 
Documents available from ITC website:  http://www.intracen.org/eqm/   
   G/SPS/GEN/891
 Page 3Organization Researchers Examples of Research Work 
OECD Linda Fulponi 
Senior Economist  
Directorate for Trade and  
Agriculture  
linda.fulponi@oecd.org  Private Voluntary Standards and Developing Count ry Market Access:  Preliminary Results;  
G/SPS/GEN/763  
Final Report on Private Standards and the Shaping of the Agro-Food System;  
AGR/CA/APM(2006)9/FINAL;  31 July 2006;  available in English and French at:   http://www.olis.oecd.org/olis/2006doc.nsf/linkto/agr-ca-apm(2006)9-final
. 
Private Standard Schemes and Developing Country Access to Global Value Chains:  Challenges and 
Opportunities Emerging from four Case Studies;  AGR/CA/APM(2006)20/FINAL;  5 October 2007;  
available in English and French at:   
http://www.olis.oecd.org/olis/2006doc .nsf/linkto/agr-ca-apm(2006)20-final . 
Market Access and Private Standards:  Case Study of the Chilean Fruit Markets;  
AGR/CA/APM(2005)27/FINAL;  16 October 2007;  av ailable in English and French at:   
http://www.olis.oecd.org/olis/2005doc .nsf/linkto/agr-ca-apm(2005)27-final . 
Market Access and Private Standards:  Case Study of the Peruvian Fruit and Vegetable Markets;  
AGR/CA/APM(2006)23/FINAL;  10 September 2007;  av ailable in English and French at:   
http://www.olis.oecd.org/olis/2006doc .nsf/linkto/agr-ca-apm(2006)23-final . 
Market Access and Private Standards:  Case Study of the Ghana Fruit Markets; 
AGR/CA/APM(2006)22/FINAL;  12 September 2007;  av ailable in English and French at:   
http://www.olis.oecd.org/olis/2006doc .nsf/linkto/agr-ca-apm(2006)22-final . 
Market Access and Private Standards:  Case Study of the South African Fruit Market;  
AGR/CA/APM(2005)28/FINAL;  12 September 2007;  available in English and French at:  
http://www.olis.oecd.org/olis/2005doc .nsf/linkto/agr-ca-apm(2005)28-final  
UNCTAD Ulrich Hoffmann 
Chief, Trade and Sustainable 
Development Section Ulrich.Hoffmann@unctad.org
 Typology of Global Standards;  G/SPS/GEN/760 
Private Sector Standards and Developing Country Ex ports of Fresh Fruit and Vegetables;  G/SPS/GEN/761 
&Corr.1 
Copies of the reports below can be downloaded at http://www.unctad.org/trade_env/documentsPUBLI.asp : 
Private-Sector Standards and National Schemes for Good Agricultural Practices:  Implications for Exports 
of Fresh Fruit and Vegetables from sub-Saharan Afri ca:  Experiences of Ghana, Kenya, and Uganda.  
Symbol:  UNCTAD/DITC/TED/2007/13.  Date:  April 2008;  available in English.    
  G/SPS/GEN/891 
Page 4 Organization Researchers Examples of Research Work 
  Challenges and Opportunities Arising from Privat e Standards on Food Safety and Environment for 
Exporters of Fresh Fruit and Vegetables in Asia:  Experiences of Malaysia, Thailand and Viet Nam.  
Symbol:  UNCTAD/DITC/TED/2007/6.  Date :  Feb 2008;  available in English. 
The Implications of Private-Sector Standards for Good Agricultural Practices:  Exploring Options to 
Facilitate Market Access for Developing-country Expor ters of Fruit and Vegetables:  Experiences of 
Argentina, Brazil and Costa Rica.  Symbol:  UNCTAD/ DITC/TED/2007/2.  Date:  Nov 2007;  available in 
English. 
Food Safety and Environmental Requirements in Export Markets - Friend or Foe for Producers of Fruit and 
Vegetables in Asian Developing Countries?  Symbo l:  UNCTAD/DITC/TED/2006/8.  Date:  Aug 2007;  
available in English. 
Requisitos Ambientales, Competitividad Internacional y Acceso a Mercados en América Central, Cuba y la 
República Dominicana:  Contexto internacional y experi encias nacionales, con referencia especial a los 
productos agrícolas.  Symbol:  UNCTAD/DITC/TED/2006/ 1.  Date:  May 2007;  available in Spanish 
UNIDO private.standards@unido.org  The United Nations Indutrial Development Organization (UNIDO) recently initiated a project to develop an 
inventory of private standards relevant to selected  manufacturing sectors together with a producer’s 
guidebook.  The focus is on private standards in genera l, rather than just in the area of food products.  For 
more details see:  http://www.unido.org/index.php?id=5815  
World Bank Steven Jaffee 
Lead Economist 
sjaffee@worldbank.org  
John Lamb 
Agribusiness Specialist 
jlamb@worldbank.org  Information on the World Bank's project on "Challenges and Opportunities Associated with International 
Agro-Food Standards", including ten country case studies,  industrialized country buyer surveys and other 
information is available (in English) at:   http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/T OPICS/TRADE/0,,contentMDK:20334931~menuPK:63
4021~pagePK:148956~piPK:21661 8~theSitePK:239071,00.html  
 
  
   G/SPS/GEN/891
 Page 5II. OTHER ORGANIZATIONS RESEARCHING THE IMPACT OF PRIVATE STANDARDS  
Organization Researchers Examples of Research Work 
Africa Observer 
Network Dr. Johannes Kern   
Africa Observer, Ambassador for Smallholders in 
Developing Countries  johannes.kern@africa-
observer.info  
or 
info@africa-observer.info  
  The Africa Observer project started in 2007.  It receives support from the UK Department for 
International Development (DFID) the Germ an Society for Technical Cooperation (GTZ) 
GlobalGAP, the Netherlands Foreign Ministry, DFPT South Africa;  and SMH projects Ltd., UK.  
The aim of the project is to incorporate differe nt stakeholder views and experience related to 
GlobalGAP implementation in smallholder agriculture  worldwide;  and to consider options for the 
next revision of the GlobalGAP standa rd.  Topics for consideration include: 
• GlobalGAP Control Points and Compliance Criteria; 
• GlobalGAP General Regulations – especially cer tification options 1, 2 and possibly further 
options relevant to producer groups; 
• The Quality Management System requirements of option 2 certification. 
A Smallholder Task Force has also been establishe d.  Members of the Taskforce include:  Ruth 
Nyaga, Kenya, Managing Director of AfriCert;  Kevin Maart, South Africa, Development Co-
ordinator for emerging farmers at the Deciduous Fruit Producers’ Trust (DFPT);  Babacar Samb, 
Senegal, Managing Director of Bioscope;  Kofi Biney, Ghana, GTZ Technical Advisor;  Dr. Andrew Graffham, UK, Natural Resources Institu te (NRI);  and  Steve Homer, UK, Managing 
Director of SMH projects Limited. 
Further information available at:  http://www.africa-observer.info
 
Agrifoodstandards.net 
 http://www.agrifoodstandards
.net. The Agrifoodstandards.net website contains u seful sources on small-scale producers and standards 
in agrifood supply chains, including  the "Fresh Insights and Fresh Perspectives" series (in English):  
http://www.agrifoodstandards.net  
ComMark Trust Jennifer Rathebe 
jennifer@commark.org  
 ComMark Trust runs a Private Standards Innovation Fund to assists Southern African agri-business 
firms meet private standards.  ComMark runs an Innovation Fund awards grants to regional 
producer groups, private firms, industry associations and agencies to assist them to overcome 
specific certification or standards issues that prevent them from supplying high-value, formal 
markets such as international and regional supe rmarket chains.  ComMark is also organizing 
workshops looking at policy questi ons related to private standards.  For more information see: 
http://www.commark.org/   
  G/SPS/GEN/891 
Page 6 Organization Researchers Examples of Research Work 
ISEAL http://www.isealalliance.org/  
info@isealalliance.org  The International Social and Environmental Accr editation and Labelling (ISEAL) Alliance seeks to 
define and codify best practice for the design and implementation of social and environmental 
standards systems.  The ISEAL Alliance is an open membership association for international social 
and environmental standard-setti ng and conformity assessment organisations that seek to meet 
objective criteria for credible operating practices.  ISEAL member organisations are committed to implementing programs that comply with intern ationally-accepted criteria; that do not act as 
technical barriers to trade; and that focus on b est social and environmental production practices.  
ISEAL also undertakes capacity building and conducts research. 
Leuven Centre for Global Governance http://ghumweb2.ghum.kuleu
ven.ac.be/ggs/index.html  
 The Leuven Centre for Global Governance Studies is  an interdisciplinary research centre of the 
Humanities and Social Sciences.  It carries out and supports interdisciplinary research on topics 
related to globalization, governance processes and mu ltilateralism.  One of its particular focus is on 
trade and sustainable development. 
Pesticides Initiative Programme (PIP ) Morag Webb   
Capacity Building Officer 
and Policy Analyst http://www.coleacp.org
 
 PIP is publishing a survey of ACP exporter compliance,  in particular with commercial standards.  A 
total of 102 companies have been interviewed,  across 10 ACP countries.  More information 
available at:the PiP website:  http://www.coleacp.org/FO_Intern et/pip/Default.asp?ai_Language=1
 
Trade Standards 
Practitioners Network  TSPNsecretariat@gtz.de  The mission of the Trade Standards Practitioners Network (TSPN) is to improve the effectiveness 
of initiatives that support developing country capacity  and participation in the implementation of 
trade-related social, environment and sanitary/p hytosanitary standards and related measures 
through information sharing, policy research and cap acity building.  In doing so, the TSPN seeks to 
foster more sustainable, competitive, and equita ble developing country supply chains by improving 
their ability to respond to different commercial, safety, social and environmental requirements. 
Funding for TSPN has been provided by the Worl d Bank's Development Grant Council to enable 
the creation of a Secretariat for the Trade Standard s Practitioners Network.  The Secretariat will be 
hosted by GTZ.  
The Trade Standards Practitioners Network website  contains information on standards-related 
projects, as well as on standards schemes on di fferent issues and products (in English): 
http://www.tradestandards.org . 
 
__________