report of INTERNATIONAL PLANT PROTECTION CONVENTION (IPPC)

to the SPS Committee meeting on 3-5 November 2021

for the Period: 15 June 2021 - 1 October 2021

Communication from the IPPC secretariat

The following communication, received on 11 October 2021, is being circulated at the request of the International Plant Protection Convention secretariat (IPPC).

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1  THE COMMISSION ON PHYTOSANITARY MEASURES

1.1.  The Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (CPM) sixteenth session (CPM-16) is being planned to take place virtually and the CPM Bureau is requesting International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) contracting parties to endorse this decision, following FAO procedures to hold virtual governing body meetings.

1.1  CPM Bureau

1.2.  The CPM Bureau held two virtual meetings in August and September 2021 to advance the IPPC work plan of the IPPC community.

1.3.  In the August meeting, the CPM Bureau provided guidance on the ongoing preparations for the first meetings of the three newly established CPM Focus Groups (FGs) on Implementation of the IPPC Strategic Framework Development Agenda; Climate Change and Phytosanitary Issues; and Communication. It also addressed items on the adjustment of tasks for the CPM Focus Group on Sea Containers, the status of the terms of reference and rules of procedure of the Implementation and Capacity Development Committee (IC) as well as the introduction of the report on moving the Implementation Review and Support System (IRSS) to a more sustainable platform.

1.4.  The September meeting focused on receiving updates on the work done by the newly established CPM Focus Groups mentioned above and discussed the report on some follow-up action of the International Year of Plant Health legacies, particularly the establishment of an International Steering Committee of the International Day of Plant Health (IDPH ISC). The seventy-sixth session of the United Nations General Assembly is set to discuss the IDPH establishment by December 2021, which would then become a yearly recurrence for the IPPC community to celebrate.

1.2  IPPC Dispute Settlement Procedure

1.5.  Two sets of dispute settlement procedures (DSPs) under the IPPC were developed and adopted by the Interim Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (ICPM). The first version of the DSPs (1999) was adopted by the ICPM at its 2^nd Session in 1999. At that Session, the ICPM also mandated the further elaboration of certain aspects of the 1999 DSPs. As a result, at its 3^rd Session in 2001, the ICPM adopted specific procedures (2001 DSPs) set forth in Section F to N of Appendix XI to the Report of the 3^rd Session of the ICPM.