WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/W/103/Rev.1
15 September 2003
(03-4815)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures
QUESTIONNAIRE ON THE OPERATION OF SPS ENQUIRY POINTS AND
NATIONAL NOTIFICATION AUTHORITIES
Note by the Secretariat1
Revision
1. This questionnaire was first submitted to Members during the Special Meeting of the SPS
Committee on Transparency Provisions held in 1999.  It  has been revised by the Secretariat and is
being circulated to collect updated information from Members on the operation of their Enquiry
Points and National Notification Authorities.
2. Members are therefore requested to fill in the attached questionnaire.  Any additional
information relevant to the matter at issue is also welcome.  To receive an electronic version of the
questionnaire, please send an e-mail to Irma.Bracco@wto.org with the words "Enquiry Point
Questionnaire" in the subject line.
3. Please return the completed questionnaire by Monday, 20 October 2003  to Maria Perez-
Esteve,  Agriculture and Commodities Division, World Trade Organization, Centre William Rappard,
Rue de Lausanne 154, 1211 Geneva 21;  Fax:  +41 22 739 5760;  E-mail:  maria.perez-
esteve.wto.org).
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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/W/103/Rev.1
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QUESTIONNAIRE ON THE OPERATION OF SPS ENQUIRY POINTS AND
NATIONAL NOTIFICATION AUTHORITIES
Contact Details
Please provide the contact details of the SPS Enquiry Point  in your country.
Name
Address
Telephone
Fax
E-Mail
Web-site
Please provide the contact details of the National Notification Authority  in your country.
Name
Address
Telephone
Fax
E-Mail
Web-site
G/SPS/W/103/Rev.1
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Enquiry Point and National Notification Authority
1.  Are SPS Enquiry Point and National Notification Authority two separate agencies?
Yes [   ]            No [   ]
- If yes, how do they co-ordinate?
Staff and equipment – Enquiry Point2.  Please indicate how many officials serve the Enquiry Point and describe their functions.
3.  What equipment does the Enquiry Point use?
Telephone [   ] Fax [   ] Computer [   ]
4. If the Enquiry Point has computer faci lities, which of the following are used?
Word processor [   ]
Database [   ]
Internet (www) [   ]     Address:
e-mail [    ]     Address:
Other [   ]     Please specify:G/SPS/W/103/Rev.1
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Staff and equipment –National Notification Authority
5.  Please indicate how many officials serve the National Notification Authority and describe their
functions.
6.  What equipment does the National Notification Authority use?
Telephone [   ] Fax [   ] Computer [   ]
7.  If the National Notification Authority has computer facilities, which of the following are used?
Word processor [   ]
Database [   ]     Please specify:
Internet (www) [   ]     Address:
e-mail [    ]     Address:
Other [   ]     Please specify:
Handling requests for full text of proposed and adopted regulations
8.  Who handles requests for full texts of proposed regulations (draft regulations)?
Enquiry Point [   ] Notification Authority [   ]
9.  Do you have a complete inventory of your country's proposed and adopted sanitary and
phytosanitary regulations?
Yes, at the Enquiry Point [   ]      Yes, at the Notification Authority [   ] No [   ]G/SPS/W/103/Rev.1
Page 5
10.  Do you have copies of the full texts of your country's proposed and adopted sanitary and
phytosanitary regulations?
Yes, at the Enquiry Point [   ]      Yes, at the Notification Authority [   ] No [   ]
- If not, how do you obtain texts when they are requested?  How long does it usually take?
11.  In case your country's language is not one of the WTO's working languages (English, French and
Spanish), is the Enquiry Point/Notification Authority able to provide summaries of the sanitary and
phytosanitary regulations in one of these languages?
Yes, the Enquiry Point [   ] Yes, the No tification Authority [   ] No  [   ]
Handling other requests for information
12.  Are questions addressed to the Enquiry Point (e.g. about control and inspection procedures,
quarantine treatment, risk assessment, bilateral and multilateral agreements etc.) answered  directly  by
the Enquiry Point?
Yes [   ] No [   ]
- If yes, please give a brief explanation of the procedure followed by the Enquiry Point.
- If not, please give a brief explanation of th e procedure followed by the Enquiry Point and
identify the authorities dealing with those questions.
G/SPS/W/103/Rev.1
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13.  How long does it normally take to respond to questions?
Inter-agency communication and co-ordination
14.  Does the Enquiry Point have regular contact with officials in the relevant ministries/agencies (for
example agriculture, health and trade ministries, veterinary office, plant protection office, etc.)?
Yes [   ] No [   ]
- If yes, how often? With whom (at what leve l)? What type of information does the Enquiry
Point provide/receive?
15.  Does the National Notification Authority have regular contact with officials in the relevantministries/agencies (for example agriculture, health and trade ministries, veterinary office, plant
protection office, etc.)?
Yes [   ] No [   ]
- If yes, how often? With whom (at what level)? What type of information does the National
Notification Authority provide/receive?
SPS documents/committee meetings
16.  Does the Enquiry Point receive other Members' SPS notifications?
Yes [   ] No [   ]
- If yes, how (fax, email, etc.)?
G/SPS/W/103/Rev.1
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17.  Does the Enquiry Point receive copies of other SPS Committee documents?
Yes [   ] No [   ]
- If yes, how?
18.  Does the Enquiry Point regularly follow the work of the SPS Committee?
Yes [   ] No [   ]
- If yes, how?
19.  Does the Enquiry Point have regular contact with other WTO Members' Enquiry Points?
Yes [   ] No [   ]
- For what purpose?
20.  Do the Enquiry Point and the National Notification Authority have a copy of the WTO Handbook
on  How to Apply the Transparency Provisions of the SPS Agreement?
Yes [   ] No [   ]
- If yes, has it been useful?  For what purpose?  Please specify.
G/SPS/W/103/Rev.1
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Other services
21. Does the Enquiry Point provide information about other  countries' import requirements to
interested domestic producers/exporters?
Yes [   ] Yes, when requested [   ] No [   ]
- If yes, please specify.
22.  Does the Enquiry Point provide information about your national  import requirements to
interested producers/importers/exporters?
Yes [   ] Yes, when requested [   ] No [   ]
- If yes, please specify.
23.  Does the Enquiry Point provide any other services? (For example serving as contact point for
Codex, OIE, IPPC, etc.)
Yes [   ] No [   ]
- If yes, please explain.
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Information exchange
24.  Is the Enquiry Point regularly informed of th e development of international standards by Codex,
OIE and IPPC?
Yes [   ] No [   ]
- If yes, how?
Comments/Suggestions25.  Do you have any other comments about the operation of an Enquiry Point, or suggestions for
those who are to establish an Enquiry Point?
26.  Do you have any other comments about the operation of a National Notification Authority, orsuggestions for those who are to establish a National Notification Authority?
G/SPS/W/103/Rev.1
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Technical assistance
27.  Would you be willing to provide technical assistance to Enquiry Points?
Yes, to least-developed countries [   ]    Yes, to other developing countries [   ]    No  [   ]
- If yes, in what form?
28.  Would you be willing to provide technical assistance to National Notification Authorities?
Yes, to least-developed countries [   ]    Yes, to other developing countries [   ]    No  [   ]
- If yes, in what form?
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