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

THEMATIC SESSION ON DIGITAL TOOLS

SUbmission from NORWAY

The following submission, received on 19 April 2024, is being circulated at the request of the delegation of Norway.

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1.  Norway expressed support to the initiative on digital tools already during the March meeting. We would like to suggest the following topics for the Thematic Session on the topic of digital tools to be held prior to the June 2024 meeting of the WTO SPS Committee:

(a)_  The work on electronic certificates in international organisations such as IPPC, Codex and WOAH, and analysis from OECD;

(b)_  The use of electronic certificates (paperless trade facilitation) – experiences learned, barriers and future developments;

(c)_  Future possibilities related to new technologies such as Artificial Intelligence.

2.  Norway would like to reiterate our interest in contributing with national experiences concerning the topic of electronic health certificates if this fits into the overall programme of the thematic session.

3.  The Norwegian Food Safety Authority (NFSA) has developed a flexible paperless trade facilitation solution to accommodate for different system with different trading partners. NFSA has also developed a solution to exchange health certificates with a secure pdf-version, in response to those trading partners in need of a transitional solution until a e-cert system is in place. Norway would like to present these solutions and experiences to the SPS Committee for further discussions and elaborations in June.

4.  We believe that a flexible paperless trade facilitation is beneficial for trade, for partners and authorities responsible for issuing health certificates. Providing for a highly flexible electronic exchange of health certificates allows for many countries a more efficient and effective use of time and resources to facilitate trade.

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