WORLD TRADE G/SPS/W/88
3March 1998
ORGANIZATION(98-0844)
Original: English Committee onSanitary andPhytosanitary Measures
PRELIMINARY OUTLINE OFISSUES FOR CONSIDERATION BY
THE COMMITTEE ASPART OFTHE TRIENNIAL REVIEW
OFTHE SPSAGREEMENT
Submission bytheUnited States
Thefollowing communication wasreceived bytheUnited States on26February 1998.
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Introduction
1. TheSPSAgreement isacritical component oftheimportant advances thatweremade during
theUruguay Round inestablishing arules-based system tosupport international trade inagricultural
products. TheAgreement affirms Members 'responsibilities, andfullyprotects theirrights, toprotect
human, animal andplant lifeandhealth. Infulfilling these responsibilities, Members haveagreed
thattheirsanitary andphytosanitary measures willbebased, interalia,onscientific principles and
scientific evidence. Thisreliance onscience iscritical inachieving Members 'desire toprevent the
useofwhatarealleged tobehealth regulations forprotectionist purposes. Maintaining transparent,
science-based regulatory procedures alsohelps tosustain public confidence intheobjectivity and
reliability ofMembers 'public health regimes.
2. Theprinciples incorporated intheAgreement arebalanced andsound. Since itsentry into
force three years ago,however, implementation ofimportant procedural andsubstantive provisions
hasattimes beeninconsistent. Thereview process provides animportant opportunity fortheSPS
Committee toevaluate theimplementation problems thathaveemerged andtopropose practical steps
thatMembers maytakeinorder tofullyachieve theircommon objectives fortheAgreement.
Notification Procedures
3. Thenotification procedures setoutinAnnex BoftheSPSAgreement haveproven tobe
extremely useful inhelping Members toidentify and,inmany cases, resolve potential trade problems
associatedwiththeapplicationofnewSPSmeasures.However,implementationofspecificcommitments
hasfallen short ofthemark insome areas, suchastheobligations under Annex Btodesignate national
notification authorities andenquiry points.
4. Inaddition, Members 'experience todatewiththenotification procedures hasrevealed anumber
ofprocedural andtechnical difficulties. Some oftheseimportant issues werebrought totheCommittee 's
attention in1997 (e.g.inG/SPS/GEN/37 andG/SPS/GEN/41).G/SPS/W/88
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- TheCommittee should review implementation ofthenotification provisions todateand,
asappropriate, make practical recommendations forensuring thatthese provisions
arefullyandeffectively implemented.
Transparency
5. Open andtransparent decision-making procedures arenotonlyimportant incomplying with
Article 7andAnnex B.They alsomake important contributions toMembers 'efforts tocomply with
other provisions oftheSPSAgreement. Forexample, advance publication, consideration ofpublic
comments, peerreview, andadherence tonotification obligations canallhelptoensure that:regulators
areaware ofallavailable scientific evidence relating toproposed SPSmeasures; protectionist trade
restrictions arenotdisguised ashealth measures; decisions onthe"appropriate levelofprotection"
areinaccord withrelevant provisions oftheAgreement; andthepublic isaware ofthebases for
regulatory decisions andremains confident intheobjectivity andreliability oftheregulatory system
asawhole.
6. Inviewoftheimportant contributions thatregulatory transparency canmake totheachievement
ofMembers 'goals under theSPSAgreement:
- TheCommittee should analyze therelationships between transparency andMembers '
othercommitments andobjectives under theAgreement. TheCommittee 'sobservations
orrecommendations mayassist Members intaking practical stepswhich canfacilitate
adherence totheirobligations under theAgreement.
7. Theprinciple ofregulatory transparency isfullyconsistent withtheprinciple ofmaintaining
anobjective, scientific basis forsanitary andphytosanitary measures. Asnoted above, improved
transparency caninfactcontribute toMembers 'efforts toensure thattheirmeasures arebased onscience
andappropriate riskassessment. Atthesame time, theneedforimproved transparency mustnotbe
interpretedasdiminishingtheimportanceofensuringthatSPSmeasuresarebasedonscientificprinciples,
scientific evidence andriskassessment.
Activities ofInternational Standards-Setting Organizations
8. TheSPSAgreement reflects Members 'desire toexpand theuseofappropriate international
standards, guidelines andrecommendations, andincludes specific commitments inthisarea. The
Committeeshouldcontinuetoexplorepracticalmeansforfacilitatingimplementationoftheseprovisions.
TheCommittee 'sobservations orrecommendations inthisareacould helpMembers toensure that
theirparticipation intheactivities ofinternational standards-setting organizations isconsistent with
theirWTOcommitmentsandgoals,andthatsuchparticipationstrengthensthecomplementaryrelationship
thatMembers envisaged between these organizations andtheSPSAgreement.
9. Itisimportanttoensurethatinternationalstandards,guidelinesandrecommendationsarebroadly
representative ofscientific consensus throughout theWTO membership. Asisrecognized inArticle 3.4
oftheAgreement, thisrequires thatWTO Members actively participate, tothegreatest extent possible,
inthedeliberations oftherelevant international standards-setting organizations. Inaddition, itis
important thatsuchparticipation result inthebroadest possible consensus onthescientific basis for
eachstandard thatisadopted bythose organizations.
- TheCommittee should assess Members 'experience todateinimplementing Article 3.4
and,ifappropriate, make recommendations thatmayfacilitate progress inthisarea.G/SPS/W/88
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- TheCommittee should alsoreview therelationship between theprocess ofconsensus
building intheinternational standards-setting organizations andMembers 'interest
inharmonizing international SPSstandards, asenvisaged intheAgreement.
10. Progress toward harmonizing international standards alsorequires thatWTO Members and
theircitizens beabletoclearly understand theissues being addressed ininternational standards-setting
organizations andtheprocedures bywhich theresulting standards aredeveloped.
- TheCommittee should review therelationship oftransparency ininternational
standards-setting activities tothegoals oftheSPSAgreement, andassess whether any
improvements intransparency might beappropriate anduseful.
11. Asnoted above, theneedforimproved transparency mustnotbeinterpreted asdiminishing
theimportanceofensuringthatinternationalstandards,likenationalSPSmeasures,arebasedonscientific
principles andscientific evidence.
Facilitating Resolution ofTrade Problems
12. Members 'interests arebestserved when theAgreement contributes tothequick andefficient
resolution ofrealorpotential trade problems. Under Article 12.2, theCommittee isrequired to
"encourage andfacilitate adhocconsultations ornegotiations among Members onspecific sanitary
orphytosanitary issues."
- TheCommittee should consider howitmaybestcomply withitsmandate tofacilitate
theresolution ofSPS-related trade problems.
Technical Assistance
13. TherealizationofMembers'goalsundertheSPSAgreement-includingtheprotectionofhuman,
animal andplant health, thefacilitation ofinternational trade insafeagricultural andfoodproducts,
andtheharmonization ofinternational standards inawaythatdoesnotrequire Members tochange
theirappropriate levelofprotection ofhuman, animal orplant lifeorhealth -willdepend toagreat
extent oncontinued progress inimproving thequality andeffectiveness ofregulatory regimes throughout
themembership, andparticularly inthedeveloping countries. Many Members areparticipating in
ongoing work onregulatory reform insome multilateral andregional fora,including theOECD and
APEC.Membersarealsoparticipatinginrelevanttechnicalcooperationandassistanceprogramsthrough
awiderange ofbilateral andmultilateral channels. Specific needs mayvaryaccording toeachMember 's
individual circumstances.
- TheCommittee should review theusefulness andaccessibility ofrelevant information,
andassess whether improvements inthedistribution ofthatinformation, including
through broader useofnewtechnologies, could facilitate implementation ofMembers '
commitments under theAgreement.
- TheCommittee should request thatdeveloping country Members identify specific
provisions oftheAgreement where theymayexperience difficulties infulfilling their
commitments andwhere technical cooperation andassistance mayhelptoaddress those
difficulties.G/SPS/W/88
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- TheCommittee should review therange ofrelevant international technical cooperation
andassistance efforts, assess theextent towhich those efforts arecoordinated and
effective, andidentify anyareas inwhich there appears tobeageneral need(i.e.
applicable toawiderange ofMembers) forfurther work.
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