Fifth REVIEW OF THE AGREEMENT ON PRESHIPMENT INSPECTION

Report by the Chairperson

1.        Article 6 of the WTO Agreement on Preshipment Inspection (PSI Agreement) states that:

         "At the end of the second year from the date of entry into force of the WTO Agreement and every three years thereafter, the Ministerial Conference shall review the provisions, implementation and operation of this Agreement, taking into account the objectives thereof and experience gained in its operation.  As a result of such review, the Ministerial Conference may amend the provisions of the Agreement".

2.        The Committee has conducted four prior reviews of the PSI Agreement which were concluded, respectively, in March 1999 (G/L/300), October 2006 (G/L/809), October 2014 (G/L/1081), and April 2018 (G/L/1236).

3.        In advance of the Fifth Review of the PSI Agreement, the Secretariat, at the request of the Chairperson, prepared a background note (G/VAL/W/363) to assist Members in considering matters in the context of the review

4.        At its meeting of 19 October 2020, the Committee launched the Fifth Review of the PSI Agreement. The Chairperson offered to hold consultations with interested delegations, and invited any Member, should they so wish, to provide written submissions in connection with the review. No written submissions were received. Statements made by Members at the Committee meetings of 19 October 2020, 27 May 2021, and 25 October 2021 are reflected in the minutes of the meetings (G/VAL/M/70, G/VAL/M/71, and G/VAL/M/72^[1]).

5.        The Fifth Review of the PSI Agreement was concluded at the meeting of the Committee on 25 October 2021.