REPORT ON IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FUNCTIONING OF THE
COMMITTEE ON SANITARY AND PHYTOSANITARY MEASURES

REPORT TO THE COUNCIL FOR TRADE IN GOODS BY
THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE SPS COMMITTEE

1  INTRODUCTION

1.1.  The following report is being submitted by the Chairperson of the Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Committee), Mr Tayutic Mena Retana, under his own responsibility, at the request of the Chairperson of the Council for Trade in Goods (CTG).[1] The report was prepared with the assistance of the Secretariat.

1.2.  Following the CTG meeting on 30 June 2023, the Chairs of the CTG subsidiary bodies were requested to produce written reports, by the first week of November 2023, summarizing the discussions in their committees and describing the improvements they had agreed on.[2]

1.3.  A previous report was submitted in December 2022 on the "current functioning" of the SPS Committee in document G/L/1476 (G/SPS/65), by the former Chairperson Mr Tang-Kai Wang, also at the request of the CTG Chair. A full list of the previous reports submitted by the Chairs of CTG subsidiary bodies is available in _JOB/CTG/19/Rev.2. These reports were subsequently compiled by the Secretariat in a matrix (G/C/W/824/Rev.1), which describes the status of work prior to the discussions.

1.4.  Further to MC12, the SPS Committee began its dedicated discussions on the functioning of the SPS Committee in November 2022.[3] Several Members submitted written proposals on how to improve the functioning of the SPS Committee, and/or made suggestions in Committee meetings. On 9 March 2023, and following discussions and suggestions from Members at the CTG, the Chairperson of the CTG requested all Chairpersons of the subsidiary to organize discussions concerning the functioning of their respective body and taking into account the comparative matrix (JOB/CTG/24). This communication also noted that subsidiary bodies would be requested to submit a written report to the CTG describing the discussions held and improvements introduced for consideration at the last formal meeting of the CTG which was scheduled for 30 November 2023.

1.5.  This new report covers all improvements introduced in the SPS Committee since the conclusion of MC12 in June 2022, following extensive discussions by Members and with a view to better responding to their mandate and terms of reference. The report also contains information on the various meetings and discussions held on the written proposals and suggestions received.