RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE G/SPS/W/5 3
4April 1996
ORGANIZATION(96-1239)
Original: Spanish Committee onSanitary and
Phytosanitary Measures
STATEMENT MADE BYARGENTINA ATTHE MEETING
OF20-21 MARCH 1996
Guidelines toSupplement theSPSCommittee 's1996 Programme ofWork
Itissuggested thatthefollowing should betaken intoaccount asmeasures toimplement the
provisions ofArticle 12oftheAgreement:
- Encourage countries withbilateral disagreements about theinterpretation oftheirrights and
obligations under theSPSAgreement tousetheCommittee, whenever possible, asaforum
forconsultation onanddisclosure ofthese situations, rather thanusethedispute settlement
provisions. Thepractice oftransparency andconsultation insuchsituations could serve as
amechanismforunderstandingtheapproachesused,assessingthereasonsthereforandbecoming
uniformly acquainted withtheissues thatareofoutstanding interest toMembers inthecontext
oftheinterpretation andimplementation oftheAgreement;
- Include asaregular itemontheCommittee 'sagenda the"counter-notification ofmeasures
orpractices thatcanberegarded asinconsistent with theAgreement andwhich affect
WTO Members";
- Make alistofthose Members which haveriskassessment units (RAUs);
- Compile acatalogue ofriskassessments developed andapplied;
- Consideration bytheCommittee ofrelevant practical cases oftheapplication ofArticle 4of
theAgreement thattheMembers involved arewilling tosubmit voluntarily totheCommittee;
- Publish aYearbook oftraining activities onAgreement-related topics thatarecarried outor
coordinated bycompetent international orregional bodies, together withtherecommendations
emanating from suchactivities.