SPS Committee
thematic sESSION ON MONITORING THE USE OF INTERNATIONAL
STANDARDS: IMPLEMENTATION OF THE Codex Principles and Guidelines
for the Assessment and use of Voluntary Third-Party
Assurance Programmes (CXG 93-2021)
TUESday, 12 NOVEMBER 2024
WTO,
CENTRE WILLIAM RAPPARD, GENEVA
AND ZOOM
PROGRAMME[1]
1. The SPS Committee is holding a
Thematic Session on Monitoring the Use of International Standards, specifically
looking at the implementation of the _Principles and Guidelines for the Assessment and Use of Voluntary
Third-Party Assurance Programmes developed by
the Codex Committee on Food Import and Export Inspection and Certification
Systems (CCFICS) (the Codex vTPA Guidelines, reference CXG 93-2021). This thematic session is based
on a proposal submitted by Belize[2] in the context of the Sixth Review of the Operation and Implementation of the SPS Agreement.
2. The thematic session will
explore:
a._
different approaches to implement the Codex vTPA Guidelines and allow
for the sharing of experiences and identification of lessons learned. This will
include discussions on and learning from three pilot projects supported by the Standards and Trade Development
Facility (STDF) on the use of vTPA
programmes: a project in West Africa led by the United Nations Industrial
Development Organization (UNIDO); a project in Central America led by the Inter-American Institute for
Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA); and one in East Africa led by Land O'Lakes Venture 37;
b._
tools, such as the UNIDO/STDF vTPA programme assessment tool, data sharing and other strategies that support the assessment and/or
use of third-party assurance programmes by regulators; and
c._
opportunities for capacity building and up-scaling to assist more
developing countries to use the Codex vTPA Guidelines, including to enhance
their risk-based inspection and auditing frameworks.
3. The thematic session will be held
in Geneva, Switzerland, on Tuesday, 12 November 2024, from 10:00 to 13:00 (CET),
and continuing in the afternoon at 15:00 (CET). The thematic session can be
attended in person or virtually via Zoom. Interpretation will be provided in
English, French, and Spanish.
4. More information, including the Zoom registration link, is available
on https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/sps_e/sps_12112024_e/sps_12112024_e.htm.
MORNING SESSION (10:00 – 13:00
CET)
Opening remarks
Chairperson of the SPS Committee: Ms Cecilia Risolo
Session 1 – Introduction to the Codex VtTPA Guidelines (40
minutes)
This
first session will provide an overview of the Codex vTPA Guidelines and allow
for international organizations to share their views on how the vTPA programmes
can impact production and trade patterns, and contribute to improved food
safety outcomes.
·_
Mr Tom Black, Chairperson of the Codex Committee on Food Import and Export Inspection and Certification
Systems (CCFICS), First Assistant Secretary Exports and Veterinary Services Division,
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Australia. [Title of
presentation]
·_
Dr Ryan Newkirk, Technical officer, World Health Organization. Expected
contribution of vTPA programme approach to WHO Food Safety Strategy
Followed
by Q&A session and discussion
Session 2 – Members' experience in implementing the Codex
vTPA Guidelines (1h15)
Members will share experiences
implementing the approach set down in the Codex vTPA Guidelines.
·_
Ms Patricia
Ejalu,
Deputy Executive Director, Uganda
National Bureau of Standards, Uganda. Experiences with the use of the Codex vTPA Guidelines
in Uganda
·_
Mr Mike O'
Neill,
Head of Codex Policy and Strategy, Food
Standards Agency, United Kingdom. [Title
of presentation]
·_
Ms Jill
Dunlop,
[Title], Specialty
Crops Inspection Division, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing
Service (AMS),
United States. US experiences promoting use of Good Agricultural Practices
by small-scale farmers in order to increase their marketing opportunities
Followed
by Q&A session and discussion
Session 3 – Experiences and lessons learned from the
STDF pilot projects on the use of the Codex
vTPA Guidelines (1h)
In a panel
discussion, Members involved in three STDF regional pilot projects on the use
of vTPA programmes[3] will share experiences
and lessons learned including learning to support the implementation of
international standards and future STDF projects.
Panel discussion moderated by Ms
Marlynne Hopper, Deputy Head, STDF.
·_
Dr Mirian
Bueno Almendarez, Technical Director of Food Safety, Technical Directorate
of Agri-Food Safety, Servicio Nacional de Sanidad e
Inocuidad Agroalimentaria, Honduras.
·_
Mr Mahmoud Camara, Codex Contact
Point and Senior Officer, National Food Safety Agency, Mali.
·_
Ms Antoinette
Mbabazi,
Acting Head of Registration, Licensing and Enforcement Department, Rwanda Inspectorate, Competition and Consumer Protection
Authority, Rwanda.
·_
Mr Paul
Omanyi,
Assistant Commissioner Fisheries Quality Assurance and Safety/National Project
Coordinator, Department of Fisheries Resources, Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries, Uganda.
·_
Mr Kenrick
Witty,
Deputy Technical Director SPS Enquiry Point, Belize
Agricultural Health Authority, Belize.
Followed
by Q&A session and discussion
AFTERNOON SESSION (15:00 – 18:00
CET)
Session 4 – Capacity building initiatives (1h30)
The
session will discuss available tools to support the use of vTPA programmes and
explore capacity building opportunities in support of risk-based approaches in
national food control systems. A presentation will introduce the UNIDO/STDF vTPA capacity
assessment tool and the UNIDO vTPA readiness checklist, followed by a
panel discussion.
·_
Dr Gabor Molnar, Industrial Development Officer, UNIDO. UNIDO: vTPA capacity assessment
tool and vTPA readiness checklist
Panel discussion
moderated by Dr Gabor Molnar
·_
Dr Jose H.
Urdaz,
Manager Agricultural Health, Safety and Agrifood Quality Programme, IICA. Experiences and Lessons
Learnt as Implementing Partner to STDF Project STDF/PG/682
·_
Dr Romina
Zanabria Eyzaguirre, Food Inspection Agency, Canada. Canada's Establishment Risk Assessment Tool
·_
Mr Johnson
Ssubi,
Technical Project Coordinator, Land O'Lakes Venture 37 [Title of presentation]
Followed
by Q&A session and discussion
Session 5 – Next steps: scaling up public-private
partnerships to address gaps (1h30)
In the form of
a panel discussion, this session will explore how public-private partnerships (PPPs)
can help address some of the gaps identified though the STDF pilot projects on
the use of vTPA programmes.
Panel discussion moderated by
Mr Mike O' Neill, Head of Codex Policy and Strategy, Food
Standards Agency, United Kingdom.
·_
Ms Delilah
Cabb Ayala,
Former Technical Director SPS Enquiry Point, Belize
Agricultural Health Authority, Belize
·_
Ms Anne Gerardi, Senior
Project Manager, Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI)
·_
Mr Quincy Lissaur,
Executive Director, Safe and Secure Approaches in Field (SSAFE)
·_
Dr Gabor Molnar, Industrial Development Officer, UNIDO
·_
Mr Adam
Tchelezo,
[Title], Sunripe Farms Ltd (a Global GAP and
HACCP certified company)
·_
Ms Philippa
Wiltshire TBC,
Head of Operations, Red Tractor, United Kingdom
Followed
by Q&A session and discussion
Closing remarks
Chairperson of the SPS Committee: Ms Cecilia Risolo
__________
[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.