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]
Revision
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 event is based on a proposal
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 lessons
learned 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 developing Members 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),
continuing in the afternoon from 15:00 to 18:00 (CET). Interpretation will be
provided in English, French, and Spanish. The thematic session can be attended virtually
with WTO credentials using this link.
4. The session will also be
livestreamed: https://youtube.com/live/C5GJ9J5tnXk?feature=share.
5. More information is available on the thematic session's dedicated
webpage https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/sps_e/sps_12112024_e/sps_12112024_e.htm.
Moderator: Ms Cecilia Risolo, Chairperson of
the SPS Committee
MORNING SESSION (10:00 – 13:00 CET)
Opening remarks
·_
Ms Cecilia Risolo, Chairperson of
the SPS Committee
Session 1 – Introduction to the Codex vTPA Guidelines
(40 mins)
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 CCFICS, First Assistant Secretary Exports and Veterinary Services Division,
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Australia. Enhancing food safety: The role of vTPA pogrammes in
modern food systems
·_
Dr Ryan Newkirk, Technical
officer, World Health Organization. vTPA programs, the WHO Global Strategy for Food
Safety, and considerations for low- and middle-income countries
Followed
by Q&A session
Session 2 – Members' experience in
implementing the Codex vTPA Guidelines (1h)
Members will share
experiences implementing the approach set down in the Codex vTPA Guidelines.
·_
Ms Patricia Bageine
Ejalu, Deputy Executive Director – Standards, Uganda National Bureau of Standards, Uganda. National standardization bodies in the EAC region and
their role in third party assurance
·_
Mr Duncan
Harris, Head of Trade Implementation, Food Standards Agency, United Kingdom.
vTPA in practice, UK experience
·_
Ms Jill
Dunlop, Lead Agricultural Marketing Specialist, Specialty Crops Inspection
Division, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), United States. An
overview of the USDA GAP program
Followed by Q&A session
Session 3 – Experiences and lessons learned from the
STDF pilot projects on the use of the Codex vTPA Guidelines (1h15)
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 in support of the
implementation of international standards and future STDF projects.
Panel discussion moderated
by Ms
Marlynne Hopper, Acting 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
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. Four presentations
will illustrate these subjects from various angles, followed by a panel
discussion.
·_
Dr Gabor Molnar, Industrial
Development Officer, Food Security and Food Systems Unit, UNIDO. UNIDO: vTPA capacity assessment tool and vTPA readiness checklist
·_
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.
Advances toward
assessment and use of vTPA data in national food control systems in Uganda and Rwanda
Panel discussion moderated by Dr Gabor Molnar, followed by Q&A session
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.
·_
Mr Quincy Lissaur,
Executive Director, SSAFE
·_
Dr Gabor Molnar, Industrial
Development Officer, UNIDO
·_
Mr Adam
Tchelezo, Country Director,
Sunripe Farms Ltd
(a Global GAP and HACCP certified company) and Sage Community Foundation
·_
Ms Philippa
Wiltshire, Head of
Operations, Red Tractor
Followed by Q&A session
Closing remarks
·_
Ms Cecilia Risolo, Chairperson of
the SPS Committee
__________
[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.