Sixth REVIEW OF THE OPERATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE AGREEMENT
ON THE APPLICATION OF SANITARY AND PHYTOSANITARY MEASURES

Transparency in SPS Notifications

proposal from india

The following proposal, received on 16 April 2024, is being circulated at the request of the delegation of India.

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1  BACKGROUND

1.1.  Transparency is essential for the implementation of the SPS Agreement and addressing potential trade barriers. However, the absence of translation of the notified measures is a major obstacle to transparency.

1.2.  We recall that this issue has been highlighted by several Members and many solutions have been discussed.[1] We also acknowledge the work done by the Secretariat in organizing workshops and facilitating means of sharing translations.[2]

2  PROPOSAL

2.1.  Against the backdrop of the concerns raised above, and in light of all the discussions that have taken place thus far, we urge the WTO Membership to address challenges caused by translation barriers in a collaborative manner. In this regard, the following proposals are made:

a._         A Thematic Session where the Secretariat updates Members on all the steps taken in this regard and Members share their experience regarding unofficial sharing of translations or through supplements to notifications;

b._         Explore the IT solutions for obtaining the translations given technological advancements;

c._         Members provide an additional period for comments beyond sixty days where the notified measure is not in a WTO language;

d._         Secretariat provides a service for translation of notified measures at the request of a Member.

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