ACTIONS AIMED AT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE
WTO AGREEMENT
ON SANITARY AND PHYTOSANITARY MEASURES
INFORMATION SUBMITTED BY THE INTER-AMERICAN INSTITUTE
FOR COOPERATION ON AGRICULTURE (IICA)
The following communication, received on 19 June 2024, is being
circulated at the request of IICA.
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The observer organizations of the WTO
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Committee) are
invited to submit reports on the activities they have carried out to promote
the understanding and implementation of the Agreement on the Application of
Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Agreement). IICA would like to present
some of the actions and activities that it considers relevant to the work of
this Committee.
1 SUPPORT FOR MULTILATERAL FORa ASSOCIATED WITH SANITARY AND
PHYTOSANITARY MEASURES
1.1 Codex Alimentarius Colloquia
1.1. IICA, in collaboration with the United States Codex Office, the
FAO/WHO Coordinating Committee for Latin America and the Caribbean (CCLAC) and
the African Union's Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR),
continues to support its member countries in their active participation in the
Codex Alimentarius, through the implementation of an annual program of
colloquiums aimed at the CCLAC and the CCAFRICA countries and the United
States. In these colloquiums, both regions (43% of the Codex membership)
discuss and exchange opinions on the various agenda items of each of the
official Codex Alimentarius meetings. These meetings motivate and support
developing countries to enhance their active participation both individually
and regionally. The most recent colloquiums were:
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March 2024 -
preparation for the 17th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Committee
on Contaminants in Foods (CCCF17) (149 participants);
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9 April 2024 – 43rd
Session of the Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling (CCMAS 43)
(72 participants).
1.2. In addition, IICA supported the organization of three CCLAC regional
coordination meetings:
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17th
session of the Codex Committee on Contaminants in Food (54 participants);
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54th
Session of the Codex Committee in Food Additives (18 participants);
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43rd
Session of the Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling (24
participants).
1.3. In the framework of the Codex Initiative for the Americas and the
support of the US Codex Office, IICA supported the attendance of country
delegates from Latin America and the Caribbean to the following committee
meetings:
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Codex Committee
on Food Hygiene (CCFH – four country delegates);
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Codex Committee
on Food Additives (CCCF - three country delegates);
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Codex Committee on
Methods of Analysis and Sampling (CCMAS - five country delegates);
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Codex Committee
on Pesticide Residues (CCPR - four country delegates).
1.4. These events/activities provided an opportunity for delegates from
these two regions and the United States to analyse issues of common
interest and develop regional participation strategies prior to those Codex
Committee meetings.
1.2 Regional Coordination Session on WTO SPS matters
1.5. Adding to the regional efforts to strengthen capacities in the hemisphere
for the application of sanitary and phytosanitary measures and working in
collaboration with several of its members, IICA conducted in June 2024 its
Tenth Coordination Session on WTO SPS Committee Matters. The meeting
was hosted virtually with simultaneous interpretation for English and Spanish.
Considering the current prominent subjects under discussion in the WTO SPS
Committee, the coordination session addressed matters related to the Sixth
Review of the Operation and Application of the WTO SPS Agreement.
1.3 Inter-American Coordinating Group in Plant Health (GICSV) recent
activities
1.6. Since the constitution of the GICSV, IICA has exercized the technical
secretariat on a permanent basis and currently hosts its website. In recent years, it has maintained an intense
agenda and a work plan focused on institutional strengthening, coordination of
activities and attention to the main emerging phytosanitary issues. The most
relevant events and activities conducted during the period covered by this
report were:
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The establishment
of the "Phytosanitary Emergency Technical Group" for the exchange of
relevant information on pests and situation reports, such as FOC R4T, HLB,
Locust, fruit fly and Tuta absoluta.
Work is underway to establish training sessions in the phytosanitary field and
seminars in order to continue promoting the adoption of electronic
certification.
2 OTHER ACTIVITIES
2.1 2nd Cooperative Agreement IICA-FDA: Activities between
December 2023 and March 2024
2.1. The Cooperative Agreement is currently on its last fiscal year, and
the main focus of the efforts is on disseminating the "Growing Safe
Produce" (GSP) Programme, as well as continuing the webinar series. The
webinars are available on IICA's webpage for anyone interested in the topics
discussed (https://iica.int/en/press/events/produce-fsma-regulations-and-guidelines). This information is
available in English and Spanish. As for the GSP Programme, it can be found on
its webpage (https://pci.iica.int/) and is currently
available in Spanish and English.
2.1.1 In-person dissemination activities of the "Growing Safe Produce"
Programme
2.2. IICA participated in several in-person activities disseminating the "Growing
Safe Produce" Programme, as a training tool to improve the understanding
of the regulatory requirements of FSMA's Produce Safety Rule (PSR). The Produce
Safety Summits, organized by FDA's Division of Produce Safety (DPS), had the
participation of government authorities, private organizations, as well as
producers of each region:
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Lima and
Trujillo, Peru, in March 2024 - these activities had the participation of 136
and 141 attendees;
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Antigua,
Guatemala, also in March 2024 with 80 participants;
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Baja California,
Mexico, in April 2024, with 200 participants;
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Two workshops
took place in Michoacan and Jalisco, Mexico, in May with between 200 and 300
producers of berries.
2.3. There are activities planned for the remaining of the fiscal year,
including two in Peru, one on 30 May 2024 with the presentation of the platform
at a Growing Training Course and one on 31 May 2024 at the US Embassy with an
official launch for the country.
2.1.2 Virtual dissemination activities of the "Growing Safe Produce"
Programme
2.4. IICA has organized, in collaboration with PSA Trainers and Lead
Trainers, virtual meetings with producers to disseminate the "Growing Safe
Produce" Programme. These virtual events have already happened in Ecuador
in March 2024 with 31 participants of a Grower Training Course, Mexico on 9 May
2024 with around 150 technical specialists from State Plant Health Councils.
2.5. During these events, IICA technical specialists and PSA Trainers and
Lead Trainers present the Programme, the web platform and some of the materials
available, and help the participants register in the platform and provide some
examples of the training materials and how to access and download printable
materials. All of these events take place via Zoom and last about two hours.
2.6. Events took place on 23 May 2024 with producers from Ecuador, 30 May
2024 with SENASICA technical specialist from Mexico. On 7 June 2024, a launch
of the "World Food Safety Day" Programme will be held virtually for
Caribbean, English-speaking countries, where is expected to have around 150
government officials, producers and technical specialists from the different
countries.
2.1.3 Webinar series 2024
2.7. An important part of the Cooperative Agreements between IICA and FDA
has been the development of several webinar series addressing different
food-safety-related regulations from the regulator's as well as the industry's
point of view, both in general and specifics. All the webinars are coordinated
jointly by IICA and FDA's Latin America and the Caribbean Office (LAO) and have
the support of subject matter experts. In 2024, ten webinars will take place: the
first five already took place between February and May, and the remaining five
are happening between May and July:
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Update on
adjacent and nearby land use (February 2024), had 355 participants from 27 countries;
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Outbreak
prevention (March 2024), had 264 participants from 25 countries;
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Soil amendments
(April 2024), had 366 participants from 28 countries;
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Food labelling
(April 2024), had 550 participants from 36 countries;
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Preventive
controls for Human Food (16 May 2024), had 461 participants from 31 countries.
2.2 Greater Caribbean Safeguarding Initiative (GCSI) Cooperative
Agreement – USDA APHIS PPQ for mutual collaboration to strengthen offshore
safeguarding efforts in the Greater Caribbean Region Caribbean
2.2.1 Development of a Tuta absoluta
Committee of Experts Working Group and Incident Command System Action Committee
for the Caribbean by the Caribbean Plant Health Directors (CPHD) Forum
2.8. Under the GCSI Cooperative Agreement, IICA provided technical and
logistical support to establish a Unified Command Mechanism for Incident
Command Systems (ICS) for the Caribbean. members of the CPHD Forum from
National Plant Protection Organizations and Development Partners (including
IICA) completed FEMA ICS 100 and 200 courses as pre-requisite for attending the
regional workshop on Unified Command Mechanism for Incident Command Systems
(ICS). Based on the meeting, a framework for the command mechanism was drafted.
2.2.2 Capacity Building of National Emergency Response Systems in the
Greater Caribbean Region
2.9. Having a strong regional early warning safeguarding system is
critical for reducing the potential impact of pests that impact agriculture and
related sectors. Within this context, under the GCSI Cooperative Agreement,
capacity building tools are being developed to assist countries to strengthen
their emergency response systems and in addition, evaluate their preparedness
to respond to incursions by priority pests of importance to the Caribbean and
the United States. The development of the capacity building tools for the
priority pests are on-going and include fact sheets, presentations, and videos.
2.3 11th European Development Fund Programme titled "Support
to CARIFORUM States in furthering the implementation of their Economic
Partnership Agreement (EPA) commitments and in meaningfully reaping the
benefits of the Agreement" - Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Project
2.3.1 Strengthened SPS Regulatory Environment in CARIFORUM
2.10. In collaboration with the European Union and the Caribbean
Agricultural Health and Food Safety Agency (CAHFSA), under the 11th EDF
SPS Measures project, IICA hosted an advocacy workshop for the Regional
Agricultural Health and Food Safety (AHFS) Policy and Action Plan which was
endorsed by the Ministers of Agriculture of the Caribbean Region (April 2024).
Twenty senior professionals from ten countries attended the workshop. The
Policy Advocacy Workshop sought to:
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Sensitize policy
makers and other key AHFS stakeholders to the Regional AHFS Policy and Action
Plan and the National AHFS Policy Framework;
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Build the
capacity of decision makers and AHFS stakeholders in the principle and practice
of policy advocacy.
2.3.2 AHFS Leadership and Management Webinar Series: Strengthening
Coordination for SPS Compliance
2.11. Under the 11th EDF SPS Measures Project, IICA is
currently hosting an AHFS Leadership and Management Webinar Series:
Strengthening Coordination for SPS Compliance. The webinar series is being
facilitated by the University of Peace, Centre for Executive Education and
covers areas such as change management, collaborative working and information
and data management. The workshop targets middle and senior management
public sector professionals working within the SPS systems across 15 countries
in the Caribbean.
2.3.3 Food Safety Technical Assistance to Private Sector Companies along
three value chains
2.12. Under the 11th EDF SPS Measures Project, over the past
year direct technical assistance (training and technical guidance) in the areas
of food safety standards, HACCP and traceability was provided to eleven Small
and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) along three value chains: herbs and spices,
roots and tubers and coconut across eleven countries: Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas,
Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago. Across the 11 SMEs, 55 stakeholders
were trained and currently nine SMEs are being certified for GMP or HACCP.
2.3.4 Improving Fresh Produce Exports through Good Agricultural Practices
(GAP) Audit Training
2.13. Towards strengthening the competence of public and private sector
professionals in the area of GAP Auditing, an e-course and manual were
developed (2022-2023). The course covers the principles and practice of GAP auditing
and targets in the main extension and field officers, and producers. This
course was delivered for a second time through IICA's e-learning platform and
ran for eight weeks (March - April 2024); over 115 participants from 16
countries successfully completed the course. A total of 330 stakeholders have
now successfully completed the course.
2.3.5 Strengthening laboratory testing capacity for improved market access
in regional and international markets
2.14. Towards, strengthening AHFS laboratories in the Caribbean to conduct
tests required for regional and international trade four laboratories are
currently receiving support including Stichting Viskeuringsinstituut, Suriname,
Government Analytical Service, Barbados, Veterinary Services Division, Jamaica,
National Agricultural Diagnostics Facility, Saint Lucia. During the period May
– July 2024, support being received includes training in the following areas:
key tests required for export, Internal Quality Auditing for Internal
Conformity Assessment Bodies, ISO/IEC 17025:2017 General Requirements for Testing
and Calibration Laboratories, and equipment maintenance. Expert technical
guidance is also being provided. More than 30 professionals from the
laboratories are benefiting from the intervention.
2.3.6 Analysis, mapping, and remediation of cadmium hot spots in cocoa
growing areas, and capacity building of Master Trainers of Trinidad and Tobago)
2.15. In collaboration with the STDF/IICA Project Improving Capacity
Building and Knowledge Sharing to Support Management of Cadmium Levels in Cocoa
in Latin America and the Caribbean, the 11th EDF SPS Measures
Project is supporting Trinidad and Tobago to manage cadmium levels in cocoa.
This activity is being implemented in response to the introduction of EU
regulations that stipulate stringent maximum levels (MLs) for cadmium content
in chocolate and cocoa products imported into the European Union (EU) market.
Overall, the intervention supports knowledge sharing among four countries in
Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) towards developing a coordinated approach
for the mitigation of cadmium in cocoa and cocoa products.
2.16. With in this context, during the period January – May 2024, a
training programme on standardized methods and analysis of cadmium levels was
conducted with 15 key stakeholders trained in standardized terms, methods and
analysis of cadmium levels. In addition, a curriculum was developed for
training Master Trainers of cocoa extension service providers in agreed best
practices for mitigating cadmium contamination in cocoa and cocoa products from
hotspots, five Master Trainers trained from cocoa extension service providers
and communication products developed one manual and three Technical Bulletins
with appropriate best practices to mitigate/ remediate cadmium levels in cocoa
and cocoa products.
2.4 European Union Food Security Programme for the Caribbean: Sanitary
and Phytosanitary (SPS) Action - Addressing SPS Barriers to Agricultural and
Fishery Trade in the Caribbean
2.4.1 Addressing SPS Barriers to Agricultural and Fishery Trade in the
Caribbean
2.17. Towards meeting food and nutrition security targets in the Caribbean,
the European Union has launched a program to target some of the most pressing
bottlenecks to achieving a sustainable solution to food and nutrition security
in the region, including sustainable and climate-smart production processes of
locally produced food, efficient and reliable regional distribution mechanisms,
healthy consumption patterns, and resilient social protection structures. IICA
has been contracted to execute a project to improve food-processing
capabilities, to increase regional distribution (addressing sanitary and
phytosanitary (SPS) barriers and solutions to intra-regional trade of
agricultural and fisheries products, including on traceability and circular
economy processes). The project is in the pre-implementation phase which
includes the collection and analysis of baseline information. The project runs
for four years (2024-2028).
2.5 Promote leadership that enhances the strengthening and
transformation of agrifood systems and the collective action of countries
2.18. IICA Caribbean Specialist presented at the 10th Caribbean
Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality (CROSQ) Technical Barriers to
Trade, Information Management Systems and Enquiry Points (Tie) Committee
Meeting and Training on 25-27 March 2024, in Barbados. This presentation was made
on the WTO SPS Measures Agreement - WTO SPS Agreement main elements of the SPS Agreement,
factors impacting implementation of SPS measures in CARIFORUM countries, current
regional investments to assist CARIOFRUM countries to comply with SPS measures.
2.6 STDF Pilot Project (STDF/PG/682) – Voluntary Third Party Assurance
(vTPA)
2.6.1 GFSI Benchmarking Masterclass
2.19. This event saw the participation of 85 stakeholders including
regulators, inspectors from the Food Safety Department of BAHA, the Ministry of
Health and Wellness, and the Belize Bureau of Standards, SENASA Honduras, the secretariat
of Economic Development in Honduras, and the private sector. The masterclass
covered benchmarking requirements, GFSI-recognised Certification Programme
Owners, and related topics.
2.6.2 Workshop: "Promoting the Use of Third-Party Assurance" for
Public Sector and Food Business Operators (FBOs)
2.20. An in-person workshop was held in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, on 18-19 June
2024, featuring both face-to-face and hybrid sessions for 40 persons. The
workshop aimed to strengthen the relationship between the private sector
(grains, poultry, fresh produce, and shrimp aquaculture) and public sectors,
and to promote the use of vTPA programs in Central America. Presenters included
representatives from GFSI, local groups, Kiwa, and others. Additionally, a site
visit mocked an audit in a Honduran facility "Honduproduce" took
place to demonstrate the checklist process and foster mutual confidence between
the sectors.
For further information, please contact José H. Urdaz (jose.urdaz@iica.int).
Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on
Agriculture (IICA)
Agricultural Health and Food Safety
http://www.iica.int
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