sixth Review of the Operation and
Implementation of the Agreement
on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures
DRAFT report
of the committee
Note by the Secretariat[1]
BACKGROUND
Article
12.7 of the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures
(the SPS Agreement) provides that "[t]he Committee shall review
the operation and implementation of this Agreement three years after the date
of entry into force of the WTO Agreement, and thereafter as the need arises."
A first review was completed in March 1999.[2]
At the Fourth Ministerial Conference, Ministers instructed the Committee to
review the operation and implementation of the SPS Agreement at least once
every four years.[3] The Fifth Review of
the Operation and Implementation of the SPS Agreement (the Fifth Review)
was completed, and the corresponding report adopted ad referendum in July 2020.[4]
At
its November 2023 meeting, the Committee adopted a proposed process to
undertake the Sixth Review of the Operation and Implementation of the
SPS Agreement (the Sixth Review).[5]
In accordance with this process, this draft report of the Sixth Review is for
Members' consideration. Members are invited to submit written comments on this
draft by 4 October 2024.
The
draft report of the Sixth Review is comprised of two parts:
·_
Part A – Sixth Review Discussions – containing, by key topics[6],
information on Sixth Review proposals, related discussions and thematic
sessions, as well as recommendations for further work. [Note: recommendations will be added at a later
stage.] Part A also outlines previous Committee decisions,
guidelines, and recommendations that Members were invited to review or update
as part of the Sixth Review.
·_
Part
B – Committee work
during the review period – containing information regarding the Committee's main areas of work from
1 January 2020 to 31 December 2024. [Note: Part B
will based on the draft background document, which was initially circulated as _G/SPS/GEN/2223 on 8 May 2024 and subsequently reviewed. Part B will
be added to the report at a later stage.]
Table of
contents
Page
PART A – SIXTH REVIEW
DISCUSSIONS. 3
1 Introduction.. 3
2 Proposals And Recommendations. 3
2.1 Addressing modern challenges and
emerging risks. 3
2.2 Cooperation with ISSBs and observer
organizations. 4
2.3 Regionalization. 5
2.4 Technical assistance / S&DT. 5
2.5 Technology / IT tools. 6
2.6 Transparency / Notification Procedures. 7
2.7 Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) 8
2.8 Facility registration. 9
2.9 Systems approach. 9
3 Committee decisions, guidelines, and
recommendations to be periodically reviewed or updated. 9
_3.1 Procedure to Monitor the Process of
International Harmonization
(G/SPS/11/Rev.1 and G/SPS/40) 9
_3.2 Consistency – Guidelines to Further
the Practical Implementation of Article 5.5
(G/SPS/15) 10
_3.3 Procedure to Enhance
Transparency of Special and Differential Treatment in Favour of Developing
Country Members (G/SPS/33/Rev.1) 10
_3.4 Recommended Procedure to Encourage and Facilitate
the Resolution of Specific
SPS issues among Members in Accordance with Article 12.2 (G/SPS/61) 11
_3.5 Collection of Available Tools and Resources
in relation to SPS Approval Procedures (G/SPS/67) 11
_3.6 Collection of Resources to Facilitate
Implementation of National SPS Coordination Mechanisms (G/SPS/GEN/1850/Rev.1) 11
Annex I: List of topics and proposals. 12
[1] This document has been prepared under the Secretariat's own
responsibility and is without prejudice to the positions of Members or to their
rights and obligations under the WTO.
[4] _G/SPS/64 and _G/SPS/64/Add.1.
[6] As identified in the most recent revision of document _G/SPS/GEN/2194.