WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/GEN/794 
8 August 2007 
 (07-3360) 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures   
  
 
 
PROGRAMME FOR WORKSHOP ON TRANSPARENCY 
 
Note by the Secretariat
1 
 
 1. The Secretariat of the World Trade Organization is organizing a special workshop on the 
transparency provisions of the Agreement on the A pplication of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures 
(SPS Agreement), to be held in Geneva, Switz erland, on Monday, 15 October 2007 and in the 
morning on Tuesday, 16 October 2007.  The workshop will be followed by informal and formal 
meetings of the SPS Committee, lasting until Frid ay, 19 October.  Representatives of Members, 
Observers and Observer Organizations are all invite d to participate in the transparency workshop as 
well as the subsequent meetings of the Committee. 
2. The purpose of the workshop is to enhance the implementation of transparency obligations 
and to identify best practices for drawing benefits from a transparent system.
  Given the focus of this 
workshop, the Secretariat encourages in particular  the participation of officials from Members' SPS 
Enquiry Points and National Notification Author ities as well as other relevant SPS officials. 
3. As a preparatory step for the workshop, the Secretariat circulated a Questionnaire on the 
Operation of SPS Enquiry Points and Nationa l Notification Authorities in December 2006 
(G/SPS/W/103/Rev.2) and issued an Analysis of  the 58 replies to the Questionnaire in June 2006 
(G/SPS/GEN/751/Rev.1).  The individual replies wh ich have been submitted electronically, including 
those that have arrived after the preparation of the Analysis, are available on the WTO Members' 
website (under WTO resources). 
4. The workshop programme (attached ) was prepared in light of the discussions and inputs in 
the context of the Second Review of the Opera tion and Implementation of  the SPS Agreement, the 
transparency agenda item of the Committee, the re sults of the above-mentioned Questionnaire as well 
as comments from Members.  Following a general introduction and a demonstration of the newly-
launched SPS Information Management System by the Secretariat, the participants will mainly be 
working in break-out sessions.  The objective will be to identify concrete actio ns, which can be taken 
at the national and international le vel, to enhance the use and useful ness of transparency provisions. 
5. One of the specific areas for discussion during the workshop and the subsequent meeting of 
the SPS Committee will be the Committee's Re commended Procedures for Implementing the 
Transparency Obligations of the SPS Agreement (G /SPS/7/Rev.2).  Delegations wishing to provide 
any specific proposals regarding a revision of these Procedures should submit them to the WTO (email: serra.ayral@wto.org) by 10 September at th e latest, to allow enough time for reflection by 
Members and for any relevant preparations by the Secretariat. 
                                                     
 
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/794 
Page 2  
 
  6. For further enquiries on the workshop, please c ontact Mr. Robson Fernandes (tel:  +41 22 739 
6437;  fax:  +41 22 739-5760,  e-mail:  robson.ferna ndes@wto.org) or Ms. Serra Ayral (tel: +41 22 
739 5465;  fax:  +41 22 739 5760;  e-mail:  serra.ayral@wto.org).  G/SPS/GEN/794 
 Page 3 
 
 
  WORKSHOP ON TRANSPARENCY 
 
PROGRAMME 
 
Monday, 15 October 2007 
 
 
09.30 – 09.45   Opening remarks by the Chair  09.45 – 10.15   General introduction – WTO Secretariat 
     
- overview of transparency provisions in the SPS Agreement as well as of 
relevant Committee Decisions / Ministerial Decisions 
   - statistical analysis of SPS notifications    - indication of existing reference materials/tools 
 
10.15 – 10.45 Demonstration of the SPS Information Management System – WTO 
Secretariat 
 10.45 – 11.15  Coffee break 
 
 11.15 - 13.00 What it takes to be transpar ent and to benefit from a transparent system 
Break-out session with four groups 
 
  Discussion based on an indicative list of issues compiled by the Secretariat in 
light of Members' inputs.  Topics to cover include: 
    
   (1) What it takes to be transparent 
- possible notification of new or  changed measures conforming to 
international standards - provision of HS codes in notifications 
   - availability of full texts of proposed regulations / translations 
   - length of comment period in notifications 
   - provision of  interval between publication and entry into force of measures    - submission of Revisions / Addenda    - inter-agency coordination and oversight of notification process 
   - structure of Enquiry Points / NNAs and training/retention of its staff 
   - securing continued funding for office overseeing notifications  
    (2) What it takes to benefit from a transparent system    - access to full texts/transla tions of proposed regulations 
   - management and assessment of  incoming notifications    - circulation of notifications of interest to relevant stakeholders 
- public and private sector coordination and consultation 
   - contacts with other Members 
- interagency coordination and oversight  of comments on not ifications of 
concern;  
  - awareness of tools and options rel ated to the SPS Agreement / Committee 
decisions / WTO Secretariat 
 
13.00 – 14.30  Lunch break     14.30 – 15.00 How to manage and bene fit from incoming/outgoing notifications G/SPS/GEN/794 
Page 4  
 
    Presentation by Ms. Antonieta Urrutia, Head of Enquiry Point / National 
Notification Authority, Agriculture and Livestock Service, Ministry of Agriculture, Chile 
 15.00 – 16.20 Reporting on break-out sessions by rapporteurs followed by general 
discussion  
 16.20 – 16.40  Coffee break  16.40 – 18.00 Identifying concrete actions  to enhance the use and usefulness of 
transparency provisions 
  Break–out session with four groups  
  Possible actions could be groupe d under the following headings: 
 
   (1) What could be do ne at the Committee level? 
    (2) What could the Secretariat do?     (3) What could be done at the national level?  
   (4) What could be done at  the bilateral/plurilateral level? 
    (5) What could be done at the regional level?     (6) What could the relevant standard-setting agencies do? 
    
 
Tuesday, 16 October 2007 
 
10.00 - 11.00 Reporting on break-out sessions by rapporteurs   
11.00 – 13.00 General discussion and wrap up 
  (Two additional one-hour sessions will be organized during the course of the week of 15 October for 
demonstrating the SPS Information Management System.) 
 
 
__________