WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.1 
10 March 2011 
 (11-1224) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures  
  
 
WTO SPS TECHNICAL ASSISTANC E ACTIVITIES IN 2011: 
GENERAL INFORMATION, SELECTION PROCESS AND APPLICATION FORM 
 
Note by the Secretariat
1 
 
Revision  
  
1. The Secretariat of the WTO plans to organi ze a number of specific technical assistance 
activities on the Agreement on the Application of  Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS 
Agreement) in 2011.  These activities include:  E-L earning courses, national SPS seminars, a thematic 
SPS workshop in Geneva, regional SPS wo rkshops and an advanced SPS course.
2  These activities 
will primarily focus on the provisions of the SPS Ag reement, implementation matters and the latest 
discussions taking place in the SPS Committee.3  The overall objective of the SPS technical assistance 
activities is to enhance the knowledge and expertis e of government officials from WTO developing 
country Members and Observers, so they can better understand and implem ent the SPS Agreement, 
benefit from its provisions, and strengthen their capac ity to engage in the work of the SPS Committee 
(for additional information on technical assistance activities related to the SPS Agreement, please 
consult the WTO website on http://www.wto.org/sps/ta ). 
2. This document provides detailed information about each SPS-specific WTO technical 
assistance activity planned for 2011, including info rmation on dates, venues, eligibility and selection 
criteria of participants, instructions for submissi on of applications, deadlines and pre-requisites when 
required.  
3. This document is structured according to th e different types of SPS-specific technical 
assistance activities provided by the WTO: 
• E-Learning Courses on the SPS Agreement 
• National SPS Seminars 
• Thematic SPS Workshop 
• Regional SPS Workshops 
• Advanced SPS Course and Follow-up Session 
                                                      
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 In addition to these SPS-specific technical assi stance activities, the WTO offers training courses 
where the SPS Agreement is taught, such as Introduction Courses on the WTO to Least-developed Countries 
(LDCs), Regional Trade Policy Courses, and Advanced Trade Policy Courses. 
3 The SPS Committee is scheduled to meet three times in 2011:  30 - 31 March;  29-30 June;  and 19-
20 October.  Informal meetings of the SPS Committee and other SPS-related workshops might be scheduled 
during the weeks when the SPS Committee meetings take place.  These dates are subject to change. G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.1 
Page 2  
 
  4. A chronological table with the dates and st eps for application for all the SPS-specific 
technical assistance activities in 2011 can be found in Annex I. 
5. The structure, content, target audience, pre -requisites, exercises and materials of these SPS-
specific activities will follow the WTO progressive learning strategy.
4  Therefore, each activity is 
identified according to a scale ranging from "Level 1" (the least advanced, introductory activities) to 
"Level 3" (the most advanced, in-depth training activities).  This measurement will, inter alia, assist 
making candidates aware of the expected level of th e activity before they apply, and facilitate the 
Secretariat's assessment of whether a candidate's pr ofile and experience match the level of the activity 
when carrying out the selection process.  This will u ltimately help ensure that the participants in a 
particular activity are able to most effectively fo llow and contribute to the discussions, and that they 
have an harmonized level of unde rstanding of the SPS Agreement.  Further information on the WTO 
progressive learning strategy and a table with the level of the SPS-specific technical assistance activities is in Annex II.  
I. E-LEARNING COURSES ON THE SPS AGREEMENT 
Level of this activity:  1 
   3  
6. The WTO offers on-line Internet courses on the SPS Agreement, so as to enable government 
officials from around the world to learn, through an  interactive tool, about the basic provisions and 
principles of the SPS Agreement, the work of the SPS Committee and the SPS disputes brought to the 
WTO Dispute Settlement Mechanism.  During the entir e course, participants receive personal tutoring 
from an assigned staff member of the WTO Secretariat who is responsible for clarifying and responding to any SPS-related ques tion.  While an introduction to the SPS Agreement is included in 
the E-Learning course "Introduction to the WTO", th is Internet course on the SPS Agreement is the 
most introductory-level training available specifically on the SPS Agreement. 
7. The course is available in all three WTO offici al languages (English, French and Spanish) and 
is divided into nine modules which must be comp leted within three months.  At the end of each 
module, participants are required to take a short on-line test.  The completion of these tests are 
required for the successful completion of the course. 
8. Successful completion of the E-Learning Course on the SPS Agreement is a compulsory
 pre-
requisite for participation in a number of other SPS technical assistance activities, such as the regional 
workshops and the advanced SPS course.  However,  successful completion of the E-Learning Course 
on the SPS Agreement does not guarantee  selection for other SPS-related training events.  
Government officials who have already successfu lly completed the E-Learning Course on the SPS 
Agreement, in any of the available languages, are not required to undertake it again.   
9. The WTO will offer E-learning courses on the SPS Agreement throughout the year. 
10. While the WTO E-learning material is freel y available in the WTO E-learning website, 
participants have to register and submit a nominat ion form in order to participate in a monitored 
course, access the module exams and obtain a WTO certificate. 
                                                      
4 The primary aim of the progressive learning strategy is to promote higher levels of learning and to 
encourage the development of particip ants' autonomy, with a view to building and sustaining the long-lasting 
human and institutional capacity of beneficiary countries to participate most effectively in the rules-based 
multilateral training system.  G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.1 
 Page 3 
 
 
  11. Government officials from WTO Members and Observers wishing to register for the  
E-Learning Course on the SPS Agreement must access the WTO E-Learning website (http://etraining.wto.org
).  The website has two forms which need to be filled-in and submitted: 
(a) on-line form:  available on http://etraining.wto.org  at "Online Courses".  This form 
needs to be completed on-line, and it will ge nerate a registration number that will be 
used in the "nomination form"; 
(b) nomination form:  the candidate should be confirmed by the responsible government 
authorities.  The nomination form is also available on http://etraining.wto.org  at 
"Online Courses".  The completed nomination form must be sent either by email (scanned) to elearning.registration@wto.org
 or by fax to +41 22 739 5191. 
12. Further information and instructions about the registration process for the E-Learning Course 
on the SPS Agreement can be  found on the website http://etraining.wto.org . 
II. NATIONAL SPS SEMINARS 
Level of this activity:  1    3 
13. WTO developing country Members and Observers  are entitled to request national seminars 
with a view to address specific training needs on th e SPS Agreement and its implementation.  In this 
regard, the programmes for national seminars ar e elaborated by the beneficiary country in 
consultation with the WTO Secretariat.  It is possi ble to address both the SPS and TBT Agreements in 
a single national seminar. 
14. To request a national seminar on the SPS Agreement, Members and Observers must submit a 
formal request according to the document TRTA Na tional Request Form (JOB(09)/55), also found in 
the WTO Biennial Technical Assistance and Training Plan 2010-2011 (WT/COMTD/W/170/Rev.1) 
and in Attachment II. 
15. The request must be submitted through the Member's or Observer's contact point to the WTO 
(e.g. mission in Geneva) and be addressed, with a cove r letter, to the Director of the WTO Institute for 
Training and Technical Co-operation (I TTC) by fax:  +41 22 739 57 64. 
16. Due to the increased number of requests received for national SPS seminars in recent years, 
the Secretariat encourages Members and Observers  to submit any request for national SPS seminars 
as early as possible, preferably before April, to en sure a proper coordination and preparation for these 
activities.5 
III. THEMATIC SPS WORKSHOP  
Level of this activity:  1    3  
17. The Secretariat will organize a special wo rkshop on SPS Coordination at National and 
Regional Levels, to be held in  Geneva, Switzerland.  The workshop will take place on Monday, 
17 October 2011.  The SPS informal and regular  meetings will be held on 18-20 October 2011. 
18. The objective of the workshop is to bring togeth er officials responsible for participation in 
and implementation of the SPS Agreement, th e FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission 
                                                      
5 While every effort will be made to accommoda te the requests of Members and Observers, the 
Secretariat cannot guarantee that it w ill have the necessary resources to pr ovide all requested national seminars 
during the year requested. G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.1 
Page 4  
 
  (Codex), the International Plant Protection Conve ntion (IPPC), and the World Organisation for 
Animal Health (OIE) for an in depth discussion, at a technical level, on best practices in coordination at national and regional levels: 
• Delegates to the SPS Committee will have th e opportunity to discuss how to improve 
coordination at the national and regional levels between their in volvement in the work of the 
Codex, IPPC, OIE, the SPS Committee and WTO more generally; 
• Representatives of the Codex, IPPC and OIE will be invited to share their experiences on 
coherence of national and regional positions at the standard-setting bodies and the SPS 
Committee; 
• The Standards and Trade Development Facility (STD F) will present the results of two studies:  
(i) Regional SPS Frameworks and Strategies in Africa ("http://www.standardsfacility.org/Files/Publi cations/STDF_Regional_ SPS_Stategies_in_Afri
ca.pdf ");  and (ii) Scoping Study on National SPS Coordination Mechanisms in Africa 
(ongoing work). 
19. The workshop is also open to participati on by all delegates from WTO Members and 
Observers attending the SPS Committee meeting in October 2011. 
20. The WTO, with the financial assistance of th e Doha Development Agenda Global Trust Fund 
(DDAGTF), will sponsor the participation of approx imately 50 government officials from developing 
country Members and Observers.  The Secretariat will select participants to be sponsored from 
applications received from capital-based officials holding direct responsibilities in the SPS area.  
Preference will be given to applications from l east-developed countries (LDCs), and from developing 
country Members and Observers that have not been sponsored to participate in a thematic workshop 
on the SPS Agreement in the recent past.  No more than one participant from each country will be 
selected. 
21. Government officials from WTO Members a nd Observers meeting the above-mentioned 
criteria and wishing to apply for the thematic workshop must complete the application form 
referenced in Attachment I in accordance with the instructions pr ovided in Annex III.  Please access 
the application form on the following link:  http://www.wto.org/english/tr atop_e/sps_e/application_e.doc
  
22. An economy-class round-trip air-ticket (excursion fare, if applicable),  daily subsistence 
allowance for the duration of the workshop and the SPS Committee meetings (from 17 to 
21 October 2011) and terminal expe nses will be provided to the select ed participants as of the opening 
day of the activity.  Other administrative arrangeme nts shall be communicated directly to the selected 
participants in advance to the course. 
IV. REGIONAL SPS WORKSHOPS 
Level of this activity:  1    3  
 
A. OVERVIEW  
23. The Secretariat of the WTO organizes regional workshops on the SPS Agreement with the 
purpose of making participants fully aware of th e WTO SPS Agreement, its implementation, and the 
possible implications at the regional and national levels.  These workshops are generally funded by 
the Doha Development Agenda  Global Trust Fund (DDAGTF).  G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.1 
 Page 5 
 
 
  24. The regional workshops also serve as an opportunity for government officials working with 
SPS matters in different developing countries to est ablish contact with their counterparts in other 
developing countries of the region, facilitating the ex change of information and the share of best 
practices related to the implementation of the SPS Agreement. 
25. Representatives from Codex, IPPC and OIE  actively participate as resource persons in these 
regional workshops, contributing with  their knowledge and experience in their areas of expertise.  In 
addition, the WTO may invite relevant regional or ganizations, international and regional development 
institutions and organizations, as well as other tec hnical assistance organiza tions and bilateral donors 
involved in SPS matters to inform the pa rticipants of their latest activities. 
B. SELECTION PROCESS  
26. The WTO Secretariat will carry out a selection process aimed at better utilizing the resources 
available by ensuring that only qualified and suitabl e candidates participate in the regional workshops.  
The Secretariat will consider applications from a ll eligible Members and Observers subject to the 
receipt of the candidacy within the deadline and th at the candidate meets the pre-requisites.  The 
Secretariat will endeavour to ensure an overall ba lance regarding participan ts' specializations and 
countries of origin. 
27. The targeted audience for these work shops are government officials: 
(a) holding direct responsibilities in the SPS area, i.e. SPS notification authority or 
enquiry point;  Codex, IPPC or OIE contact points;  officials from a relevant Ministry in charge of coordinating SPS matte rs and international trade;  and
 
(b) possessing a proven intermediate level of  understanding of the principles and 
structure of the WTO and the principles and provisions of the SPS Agreement. 
28. Government officials from WTO Members and Ob servers wishing to apply for participation 
in the regional workshops must complete the application form re ferenced in Attachment I in 
accordance with the instructions provided in Annex IV.  Please acce ss the application form on the 
following link:  http://www.wto.org/english/tr atop_e/sps_e/application_e.doc   
29. The Secretariat will inform Members' and Obser vers' contact points to the WTO (e.g. mission 
in Geneva) of the proposed selection of candidat es from their government before the final selection.  
30. Selected participants will receive from th e WTO an economy-class round-trip air-ticket 
(excursion fare, if applicable), full board services a nd facilities at the hotel where the activity is held 
(bed, breakfast, lunch, dinner and ground transport airport-hotel-airport).  The WTO will also provide the confirmed participants with 100. 00 Swiss Francs lump sum for their out of pocket expenses.  This 
amount will be provided during the two weeks after th e closure of the activity, via Western Union or 
bank transfer once the participant has returned to his/her home country.  In addition, when stopovers 
are mentioned in the air-tickets issued by the WT O, the participant will receive 300.00 Swiss Francs 
per stopover.  This amount will be provided during the two weeks after the closure of the activity 
only, via Western Union or bank transfer and once the participant has returned to his/her home 
country.  Other administrative arrangements will be communicated directly to the selected participants 
in advance of each activity.  
C. P
RE-REQUISITES FOR PARTICIPATION  
31. All candidates are required to have successfu lly completed the WTO E-Learning Course on 
the SPS Agreement by the time they submit their application.  See Section I regarding enrolment in G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.1 
Page 6  
 
  the E-Learning Course.  Applications from candida tes who have not successfully completed the  
E-Learning Course on the SPS Agreement will not be considered. 
D. R
EGIONAL SPS  WORKSHOPS IN 2011 
32. In accordance with the WTO Biennial Technical  Assistance and Training Plan 2010-2011 
(WT/COMTD/W/170), four regional workshops on the SPS Agreement will be organized in 2011: 
• Regional SPS Workshop for the Caribbean 
• Regional SPS Workshop for English-speaking Africa 
• Regional SPS Workshop for French-speaking Africa 
• Regional SPS Workshop for Arab and Middle East Countries. 
 
33. Specific information and instructions for ea ch of these four activities can be found in 
Annex IV. 
V. ADVANCED SPS COURSE AND FOLLOW-UP SESSION 
Level of this activity:  1     3 
A. OVERVIEW  
34. The 2011 Advanced SPS Course will be held  from 10 to 28 October 2011 in Geneva, 
Switzerland.  Due to the overwhelming amount of ap plications from all regions for the Advanced SPS 
Course in 2010, it will be held, once again, in English.   This course is an in-depth and "hands-on" 
training activity conceived to encourage the active in volvement of participants in SPS-related matters, 
ranging from addressing national implementation problem s to the identification of SPS-related market 
access difficulties and how to develop strategies to overcome these. 
35. The course comprises a series of sessions and practical exercises related to the 
implementation of the SPS Agreement.  The first week of the course includes sessions aimed at 
deepening participants' understanding of the SPS Agre ement.  In the second week, participants will 
attend the SPS Committee meetings, with a view to learning how the Committee works in practice, so 
as to become familiar with the rules and proce dures of the Committee and to participate in the 
discussions taking place there.  In the third week, pa rticipants will compare their experiences and will 
learn more about how to improve the implementa tion of specific provisions of the SPS Agreement, 
including the application of concepts and principles such as risk analysis, harmonization, equivalence, 
regionalization and transparency.  Dispute settle ment, technical assistance and cooperation, and 
special and differential treatment will also be a ddressed.  A number of external experts, including 
from Codex, IPPC and OIE, will participate in parts of the course. 
36. Each participant will be required to elaborate an action plan with the assistance of coaches.  
This plan should address at least one or tw o implementation and/or market access challenges 
encountered in their countries.  The implementati on of these action plans will be monitored through a 
periodic reporting process after the course. 
37. A follow-up session will be organized in June 2012,  where participants to the advanced SPS  
course will report on the implementation of their action plans.  G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.1 
 Page 7 
 
 
  B. SELECTION PROCESS  
38. The Secretariat will select a maximum of twen ty-five participants for the advanced SPS 
course.  The target audience for this course ar e government officials, in particular those: 
(a) holding direct responsibilities in SPS areas, e.g. specialists on food safety, animal 
health, plant protection or officials from a relevant Ministry in charge of coordinating 
SPS matters and international trade; 
(b) possessing a proven advance level of understandi ng of the provisions and structure of 
the WTO and the principles and provisions of the SPS Agreement;  and 
(c) fluent in oral and written English. 
39. Government officials from WTO Members and Ob servers wishing to apply for the advanced 
SPS course must complete the application form refere nced in Attachment I and follow the instructions 
provided in Annex V.  Please access the application form on the following link:  
http://www.wto.org/english/tr atop_e/sps_e/application_e.doc   
40. The Secretariat will inform Members' and Obser vers' contact points to the WTO (e.g. mission 
in Geneva) of the proposed selection of candidat es from their government before the final selection.  
41. Selected participants will receive an economy- class round-trip air-ticket (excursion fare, if 
applicable), daily subsistence allowance for the dur ation of the workshop only and terminal expenses 
at the applicable WTO rate.  These will be provided to the participant by the WTO during the activity.  
Other administrative arrangements will be communicat ed directly to the selected participants in 
advance to the course.  
C. PRE-REQUISITES FOR PARTICIPATION  
42. There are two pre-requisites for partic ipation in the advanced SPS course: 
(a) All candidates are required to have successfully completed the WTO E-Learning 
Course on the SPS Agreement by the time of their application.  See Section I regarding enrolment in the E-Learning C ourse.  Applications from candidates who 
have not successfully completed the E-Learning Course on the SPS Agreement will 
not be considered. 
(b) Before the start of the course, the selected participants will receive a questionnaire to 
assess the level of implementation of the SPS Agreement in their countries.  Completion and submission of the responses to the questionnaire is compulsory for participation in the course.  
  G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.1 
Page 8 ANNEX I 
SPS-Specific Technical Assistance Acti vities in 2011 – Chronological Table 
 
Activity Pre-requisites 
January 
February 
March 
April 
May 
June 
July 
August 
September 
October 
November 
December 
E-Learning Course on SPS 
(English, French and 
Spanish) Only for 
Government officials 
from WTO Members 
and Observers  
Courses available throughout the year° 
Regional SPS Workshop for 
the Caribbean E-Learning course 
on SPS* Applications accepted 
until  
10 June.  
Results  
of 
selection 
 Workshop 
week 
25/07      
2011 Advanced SPS Course  E-Learning course 
on SPS* 
 
Response to a pre-
course questionnaire  
Applications accep ted until 8 July.  Results  
of 
selection 
 Response to 
the 
questionnaire Course 
from  
10 to 28/10   
Workshop on National and 
Regional Coordination Only for government 
officials holding 
direct responsibilities 
in the SPS area  
Applications accep ted until 8 July. Results  
of 
selection 
  Workshop  
17 to 21/10   
Regional SPS Workshop for 
French-speaking Africa E-Learning course 
on SPS*  
Applications accep ted until 8  July.  Results  
of 
selection 
   Workshop 
week 7/11  
Regional SPS Workshop for 
English-speaking Africa E-Learning course 
on SPS*  
Applications accep ted until 8  July.  Results  
of 
selection 
   Workshop 
week 21/11   
   G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.1
 Page 9Activity Pre-requisites 
January 
February 
March 
April 
May 
June 
July 
August 
September 
October 
November 
December 
Regional SPS Workshop for 
Middle East and Arab 
Countries E-Learning course 
on SPS*  
Applications accep ted until 8  July.  Results  
of 
selection 
   Workshop 
week  28/11  
°Although the E-learning courses are available throughout the year, its completion mu st take place within three months of having  started the process.  
* All Candidates must have successfully completed the WTO E-Lear ning Course on the SPS Agreement by  the time of their applicati on.  Further information 
can be found in Section I of this document.  
 
 
  G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.1 
Page 10  
 
  ANNEX II 
 
Progressive Learning Strategy 
 
SPS-specific Technical Assi stance (TA) Activities 
 
 
1. In order to respond to the need for greater coherence and complementarity in WTO capacity-
building, the Institute for Training and Techni cal Cooperation (ITTC) has developed a progressive 
strategy to promote higher levels of learning an d to encourage the development of participants’ 
autonomy, with a view to building and sustaining the long-lasting human and institutional capacity of 
beneficiary countries to participate most effectiv ely in the rules-based multilateral training system. 
2. In this regard, two broad cate gories of participants in WT O capacity-building have been 
identified: 
(a) "Generalists"  are those government officials who will need a broad knowledge of 
the WTO to conduct their work, such as cap ital-based officials dealing with WTO 
issues or delegates posted to Geneva mi ssions with general responsibility for WTO 
affairs;  
(b) "Specialists"  are those government officials that will require in-depth knowledge in 
a specific area, such as those officials working on a specific issue in a particular 
Ministry in their capital (for example, those who are dealing with SPS issues). 
3. Following this strategy, each SPS-specific techni cal assistance activity has been categorized 
based on a scale of three training levels, ranging fro m "Level 1" (the least advanced, introductory 
activities) to "Level 3" (the most a dvanced, in-depth training activities). 
Progressive Learning Strategy 
Level SPS-specific TA Activity 
1 and 2 E-Learning Courses on the SPS Agreement1 
2 National SPS Seminars2 
2 Thematic SPS Workshop, in Geneva 
2 Regional SPS Workshops3 
3 Advanced SPS Course, in Geneva 
                                                      
1 While an introduction to the SPS Agreement is  included in the Level 1 E-Learning course 
"Introduction to the WTO", this Internet course on the SPS Agreement is the most introductory-level training 
available specifically on the SPS Agreement. 
2 National SPS seminars may have a lower (more introductory) or higher (in-depth, advance training) 
level, depending on the training needs identified by the requesting Member, and the level of knowledge and experience of the participants.  The Secretariat will ai m to tailor the structure and content of these seminars 
according to each specific request a nd through consultations  with the beneficiar y Member during the 
preparation phase of the seminar.   
3 The training provided in regional SPS workshops will, in general, be more advanced than the training 
given in national SPS seminars, as it will also focus on  regional challenges and co ordination matters.  In 
determining the level of each regional workshop, the Secretariat will take into account the level of 
implementation of the SPS Agreement by the participating countries (for inst ance, through participation in the 
SPS Committee, number of notifications , etc.), as well as the overall level amongst the selected candidates.  G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.1 
 Page 11 
 
 
  ANNEX III 
 
Thematic SPS Workshop in 2011 
 
 
Title of the activity Workshop on SPS Coordination at National and Regional Levels 
Dates 17 to 21 October 2011 
Venue Geneva, Switzerland 
Eligible WTO 
Members and 
Observers WTO least-developed and developing  country Members and Observers. 
 
Pre-requisites Only for government officials holding direct responsibilities in the SPS area. 
Preference will be given to applications from least-developed countries 
(LDCs), and from developing country Me mbers and Observers that have not 
been sponsored to participate in a th ematic workshop on the SPS Agreement 
in the recent past.  No more than one participant from each country will be 
selected. 
Fluent in either English, French or Spanish. 
Application Candidates must fill-in the application form in Attachment I, and send only 
Attachment I electronically  to:  spscommittee@wto.org  before 8 July 2011 . 
Please write the title of the activity for which you are applying in the "subject" 
field of your email. 
Incomplete forms or forms sent after the deadline will not be considered. 
Results of the 
selection Only selected candidates will be informed about the results of the selection by 
August 2011. 
Administrative and logistical information will be provided in due course to the 
selected candidates. 
Selected candidates will be required to  immediately provide their passport 
information, including number, place and date of issue, and date of expiry. 
 
  
 G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.1 
Page 12  
 
  ANNEX IV 
Regional SPS Workshops in 2011 
 
 
Title of the activity Regional SPS Workshop for the Caribbean ( co-organized with the Inter-
American Development Bank – IDB)  
Dates Week of 25 July 2011  
Venue Barbados (to be confirmed) 
Eligible WTO 
Members and 
Observers Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barb ados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, 
Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname , Trinidad and Tobago 
Pre-requisites Successful completion of the WTO E-Learning Course on the SPS 
Agreement. 
Candidates are required to have  succe ssfully completed the WTO E-Learning 
Course on the SPS Agreement by the time of their application.  Applications 
from candidates who have not successfully completed the E-Learning Course on the SPS Agreement will not be considered. 
Fluency in English. 
Application Candidates must fill-in the application form in Attachment I, and send only 
Attachment I electronically  to:  spscommittee@wto.org  before 
10 June 2011 . 
Please write the title of the activity for which you are applying in the "subject" 
field of your email. 
Incomplete forms or forms sent after the deadline will not be considered. 
Results of the 
selection Only selected candidates will be informed about the results of the selection by 
July 2011. 
Administrative and logistical information will be provided in due course to the 
selected candidates. 
Selected candidates will be required to  immediately provide their passport 
information, including number, place and date of issue, and date of expiry. 
 
  G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.1 
 Page 13 
 
 
   
Title of the activity Regional SPS Workshop for English-speaking Africa 
 
Dates Week of 21 November 2011 
Venue South Africa (to be confirmed) 
Eligible WTO 
Members and 
Observers Botswana, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, 
Libya, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sout h Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, 
Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe 
Pre-requisites Successful completion of the WTO E-Learning Course on the SPS 
Agreement. 
Candidates are required to have successfully completed the WTO E-Learning 
Course on the SPS Agreement by the time of their application.  Applications 
from candidates who have not successfully completed the E-Learning Course on the SPS Agreement will not be considered. 
Fluency in English. 
Application Candidates must fill-in the application form in Attachment I, and send only 
Attachment I electronically  to:  spscommittee@wto.org  before 8 July 2011 . 
Please write the title of the activity for which you are applying in the "subject" 
field of your email. 
Incomplete forms or forms sent after the deadline will not be considered. 
Results of the 
selection Only selected candidates will be informed about the results of the selection by 
August 2011. 
Administrative and logistical information will be provided in due course to the 
selected candidates. 
Selected candidates will be required to  immediately provide their passport 
information, including number, place and date of issue, and date of expiry. 
 
 G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.1 
Page 14  
 
   
Title of the activity Regional SPS Workshop for French-speaking Africa 
 
Dates Week of 07 November 2011  
Venue Mali (to be confirmed) 
Eligible WTO 
Members and 
Observers Algeria, Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, 
Central African Rep., Chad, Comoros, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Dem. Rep. of Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Sao Tome & Principe, Senegal, Togo, Tunisia 
 
Pre-requisites Successful completion of the WTO E-Learning Course on the SPS 
Agreement. 
Candidates are required to have successfully completed the WTO E-Learning 
Course on the SPS Agreement by the time of their application.  Applications from candidates who have not successfully completed the E-Learning Course on the SPS Agreement will not be considered. 
Fluency in French. 
Application Candidates must fill-in the application form in Attachment I, and send only 
Attachment I electronically  to:  spscommittee@wto.org  before 8 July 2011 . 
Please write the title of the activity for which you are applying in the "subject" 
field of your email. 
Incomplete forms or forms sent after the deadline will not be considered. 
Results of the 
selection Only selected candidates will be informed about the results of the selection by 
August 2011. 
Administrative and logistical information will be provided in due course to the 
selected candidates. 
Selected candidates will be required to  immediately provide their passport 
information, including number, place and date of issue, and date of expiry. 
 
 
  G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.1 
 Page 15 
 
 
   
Title of the activity Regional SPS Workshop for Arab and Middle East Countries 
 
Dates Week of 28 November 2011 
Venue Qatar (to be confirmed) 
Eligible WTO 
Members and 
Observers African Arab Countries:  Algeria, Djibouti, Egypt, Libya, Mauritania, 
Morocco, Sudan, Tunisia; Middle East Countries:   Kingdom of Bahrain, 
Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Syria, United Arab Emirates, Yemen 
Pre-requisites Successful completion of the WTO E-Learning Course on the SPS 
Agreement. 
Candidates are required to have successfully completed the WTO E-Learning 
Course on the SPS Agreement by the time of their application.  Applications 
from candidates who have not successfully completed the E-Learning Course on the SPS Agreement will not be considered. 
Fluency in English. 
Application Candidates must fill-in the application form in Attachment I, and send only 
Attachment I electronically  to:  spscommittee@wto.org  before 8 July 2011 . 
Please write the title of the activity for which you are applying in the "subject" 
field of your email. 
Incomplete forms or forms sent after the deadline will not be considered. 
Results of the 
selection Only selected candidates will be informed about the results of the selection by 
August 2011. 
Administrative and logistical information will be provided in due course to the 
selected candidates. 
Selected candidates will be required to  immediately provide their passport 
information, including number, place and date of issue, and date of expiry. 
 
 G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.1 
Page 16  
 
  ANNEX V 
2011 Advanced SPS Course 
 
 
Title of the activity 2011 Advanced SPS Course (in English) 
Dates 10 to 28 October 2011 
Venue Geneva, Switzerland 
Eligible WTO 
Members and 
Observers WTO least-developed and developing  country Members and Observers 
 
Pre-requisites Successful completion of the WTO E-Learning Course on the SPS 
Agreement. 
Candidates are required to have successfully completed the WTO E-Learning 
Course on the SPS Agreement by the time of their application.  Applications 
from candidates who have not successfully completed the E-Learning Course 
on the SPS Agreement will not be considered. 
Completion and submission of the res ponses to a pre-course questionnaire is 
compulsory for participation in the course. 
Fluent in oral and written English. 
Application Candidates must fill-in the application form in Attachment I, and send only 
Attachment I electronically  to:  spscommittee@wto.org  before 8 July 2011 . 
Please write the title of the activity for which you are applying in the "subject" 
field of your email. 
Incomplete forms or forms sent after the deadline will not be considered. 
Results of the 
selection Only selected candidates will be informed about the results of the selection by 
August 2011. 
Administrative and logistical information will be provided in due course to the 
selected candidates. 
Selected candidates will be required to  immediately provide their passport 
information, including number, place and date of issue, and date of expiry. 
 
 
  G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.1 
 Page 17 
 
 
  ATTACHMENT I 
 
The following form is for reference only;  to apply for an activity, please fill in the application form 
found on the following link:  http://www.wto.org/english/tr atop_e/sps_e/application_e.doc . 
 
 
 
APPLICATION FORM 
SPS TECHNICAL ASSI STANCE ACTIVITIES 
 
IMPORTANT INFORMATION! 
 
 In order to more accurately process your app lication, please fill in the application form 
electronically and save it as a word document   
 
 Please save the application form under your last name, in capitals, followed by your name (e.g. 
SMITH_john.doc)  
 
 Please write the title of the activity in the "subject" field of your email. 
 
 Please send the application form to: spscommittee@wto.org 
 
 The secretariat will inform Members' and Obser vers' contact points to the WTO (e.g. Mission 
in Geneva) of the proposed selection of candi dates from their government before the final 
selection.  
 
 Only government officials holding responsibilit y for the implementation of the SPS Agreement 
and fulfilling the pre-requisites will be considered. 
 
 All fields below must be completed. 
 
1.  ACTIVITY  
Please select only ONE  activity from the dropdown list for which you are applying.  Candidates 
wishing to apply for more than one SPS activity  in 2011 must fill-in one application form for each  
activity and submit them separately. (Click on the grey box to access the dropdown list)    
 
• National and Regional Coordination Workshop 
• 2011 Advanced SPS Course 
• Regional SPS Workshop for the Caribbean 
• Regional SPS Workshop for English-speaking Africa 
• Regional SPS Workshop for French-speaking Africa 
• Regional SPS Workshop for Arab and Middle East Countries  G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.1 
Page 18  
 
   
2. PERSONAL INFORMATION 
 
If selected, we will need to contact you by mail, fax and E-mail.  It is, therefore, indispensable to 
provide ALL the requested information.  If any contact  information is missing, your candidacy will not 
be considered.  
a) Names (fill-in your name exactly as it appears in your passport for the airline ticket) 
 
Family name: 
 
 First name: 
 
 Middle name: 
 
 
b) Work address and contact details:  (S treet, number, city, country, postal code) 
 
 
 Telephone (with country code and area code):   
Fax (with country code and area code):   
 
E-mail addresses (Indicate 2 different e-mails): 
1.  2.   
c) General personal information 
Nationality: 
 
 Date and place of birth: 
(dd/mm/yyyy)  
 Gender: 
 
 
d) Working language(s): 
 
 
e) Other language skills: (indicate your level – beginner, intermediate, advanced or fluent) 
1.  
2.  
3.  
 
 
3. HIGHER EDUCATION 
 
Name and location of 
institution: Dates (from – to): Title of Degree: Fields of study: 
    
    
     G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.1 
 Page 19 
 
 
   
4.  CURRENT POSITION AND FUNCTIONS   
a) Title of the post and present position :  
 
b) Name and address of organization:   
c) Name of department or division:  
 
d) Description of daily functions and responsibilities:   
 
 
e) Years in the post:  (from ... to ....)  
 
f) Name, title and contact details of your supervisor or department chief:    
g) Work related to the SPS Agreement - please indi cate your areas of responsibility and expertise 
directly related to the SPS Agreement:  
 
 
h) Description of the duties related to the SPS Agr eement that you will be in charge of upon return 
to your country:   
 
 
 
 
5. OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION 
 
a) Please indicate in which WTO-related training  activities (including the E-Learning Course on 
SPS) you have previously  participated  (indicate subject, date and duration): 
1.  
2.  
3.  
4.  G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.1 
Page 20  
 
   
I hereby certify that the statements and answer s presented above in this application form are 
complete and correct. If selected to par ticipate in a WTO activity, I commit to: 
 
 (1) conduct myself at all times in a manner compa tible with my status as a participant in a WTO 
training course and refrain from engaging in any activities incompatible with my status; 
 (2) spend full time on the work programme during the period of the activity.  
Electronic Signature of candidate:           
 
Place and date:                    
 
By typing in your name, you are agreeing to the terms outlined above. 
 
 
 
 
   The form is for reference only;  to apply for an activity, please fill in the application form found on 
the following link:  http://www.wto.org/english/trat op_e/sps_e/app lication_e.doc
. 
    G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.1 
 Page 21 
 
 
  ATTACHMENT II 
 
 JOB(09)/55  26 June 2009  
  
 
 
TRTA NATIONAL REQUEST FORM 
 
 
 Consistent with the demand driven nature of TRTA provided by the Secretariat, the attached 
form is designed to assist beneficiary countries, who would like to request a national technical 
assistance activity to be held in their country, in  providing more detailed and specific background 
information on the nature of the activity to be c onducted.  This includes precise information on the 
objectives set for the activity, the required levels of specificity of the presentations, the target 
audience, expected participants' knowledge of subject(s ) covered, etc.  Also, it would be useful for the 
Secretariat to understand how the activity fits in the beneficiaries' overall stra tegies and if and how it 
is based on a specific needs assessment.  This would allow the Secretariat to better tailor the technical 
assistance to the specific needs of the beneficiary, thus ensuring that expectations can be met.  
  To facilitate the process, the Secretariat stands  ready to provide support and can give detailed 
information on the technical assistance that has been  provided in beneficiary countries over the past 
two or three years.   The Secretariat would kindly request beneficiar ies of TRTA to complete this form and send it 
back as an attachment to the offi cial request.  All forms should be addressed to the Director of the 
Institute for Training and Technical Coopera tion and sent by fax to +41 22 739 57 64. 
   
_______________ G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.1 
Page 22  
 
  P
LEASE COMPLETE THIS FORM FOR EACH TRTA AND CAPACITY BUILDING ACTIVITY  
AND FORWARD IT WITH YOUR COVER LETTER TO : 
THE INSTITUTE FOR TRAINING AND TECHNICAL COOPERATION (ITTC)  – WTO  - GENEVA  
FAX: +41 22 739 57 64 
 
 
Government of ...  
Requesting governmental authority   
(Ministry, Permanent Mission):  
Contact person(s)  in capital 
responsible for the activity: Name:   
  
 
Address:   Email: 
 Tel: 
 
Fax:  
 
Mobile:  
Topic(s ) for the Activity: 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Academics  .......................................................... □ 
Accession  ............................................................ □ 
Agriculture  ........................................................... □ 
Competition Policy  .......................................... □ 
Customs Valuation  .......................................... □ 
Development Issues  ........................................ □ 
Dispute Settlement  ........................................... □ 
Environment  .................................................. □ 
General Capacity-Building  ................................ □ 
Government Procurement  ................................ □ 
IT / WTO Reference Centre  ............................. □ 
Non-Agricultural Market Access............................ □ 
Notifications .................................................... □ 
Outreach.......................................................... □ 
Regional Trade Agreements  .................. ............. □ 
Rules .................................................................... □ 
Sanitary and Phytosanitary  Measures ................ □ 
Services  ......................................................... □ 
Technical Barriers to Trad e  .............................. □ 
Trade Facilitation  ............................................ □ 
Trade Negotiation Skills/T echniques  ................. □ 
Trade Policies Review Mechanism  ................... □ 
Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights  □ 
Other ................................................................... □  G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.1 
 Page 23 
 
 
  Please indicate if any particular 
aspect of the chosen topic needs to 
be addressed in detail.  
Has this topic been covered by other 
TRTA providers?  
Justification :  Please indicate if this 
request is based, for example, on a 
needs assessment emanating from a 
Trade Policy Review, a Diagnostic 
Trade Integration Study (DTIS) under 
the Enhanced Integrated Framework 
(EIF) STDF, TF or any other relevant 
study or document.  If not, please 
provide reasons for the request:  
Objectives :  To enable us to tailor 
this activity to the needs of your 
country, please state the expected 
outcomes: 
  
Target audience : Government officials □  Journalists □ 
 
Civil society  □  Academics □ 
 Private sector  □   Others  □
   
Parliamentarians  □ 
 
Background/Expertise:  Please 
provide succinct information on the 
background and expertise of the 
participants.   
Resource persons:   Can national or 
other speakers/experts be involved in 
the activity?  
Proposed venue  and preferred dates 
for the activity:  
In which of the WTO official  language  
is the activity  to be conducted?  English  □ French □ Spanish  □ 
  G/SPS/GEN/997/Rev.1 
Page 24  
 
  List WTO National TRTA requests for 
the last two years: 
 
 
  
Any additional comments:  
 
 
__________