SPS Committee
thematic sESSION on innovative regulatory
approaches to facilitate safe trade
MONday 17 and tuesday 18 March
2025
WTO,
CENTRE WILLIAM RAPPARD, GENEVA
AND ZOOM
PROGRAMME[1]
1. The SPS Committee agreed to hold
a thematic session on innovative regulatory approaches to facilitate safe trade,
based on proposals submitted by Australia[2], India[3], Indonesia[4] and the United States[5] in the context of the Sixth Review of the Operation and Implementation of the SPS Agreement, and as a follow up to the November 2024 Thematic
Session on Emerging Risks and New Agricultural Technologies to Address Them.[6]
2. This thematic session will
provide Members with an opportunity to share experiences, best practices, and plans
to innovate their regulatory processes and practices by focussing on four topics:
a._
Addressing animal disease outbreaks: Regionalization,
including different concepts of regional conditions. Promoting a common understanding of regionalization, including
different concepts of regional conditions, as well as learning from the
experiences of International Standard Setting Bodies (ISSBs) and Members, to
identify and address the challenges faced by Members in relation to maintaining
safe trade while addressing animal disease outbreaks;
b._
Addressing phytosanitary
risks: Systems approaches. Identifying and discussing
challenges and opportunities, including those associated with systems approaches,
to minimize phytosanitary risks;
c._
Science-based approaches to
pesticide MRLs and veterinary drug residues in food: Highlighting the importance of science-based SPS measures and the practical
implementation challenges faced by Members when complying with maximum residue limit
(MRL)-related SPS measures; and
d._
Innovative regulatory
approaches for new technologies: Promoting
regulatory approaches for emerging technologies and presenting regulators with
an opportunity to discuss the application of such technologies in a real-world
environment.
3. The thematic session will be held
in Geneva, Switzerland, on Monday 17 and Tuesday 18 March 2025. The
thematic session can be attended in person or virtually via Zoom.
Interpretation will be provided in English, French, and Spanish.
MONDAY 17 MARCH
Opening remarks
Chairperson of the SPS Committee: Ms Cecilia Risolo
morning segment - Addressing
animal disease outbreaks: Regionalization, including different concepts of
regional conditions
·_
Brief overview of relevant SPS Committee work (SPS team)
Session 1 – Concepts and categorization of regional conditions
This
session will examine various concepts of regionalization in the animal health
area, including the classification of disease-free zones, areas, and
compartments. It aims to support the effective implementation of Article 6 of
the SPS Agreement concerning animal disease outbreaks, ultimately promoting
safer international trade in animal products.
·_
Regionalization: forms, regulatory gaps, challenges in effective
implementation [WOAH]
·_
Speakers suggested by Members
Followed by Q&A
Session 2 –Regulatory approaches on the recognition of
regional conditions
This
session aims to provide a platform to share experiences on the recognition of
regional conditions, including areas of low disease prevalence, as well as
experiences with other approaches to establish or maintain safe trade while
addressing animal disease outbreaks. This will facilitate Members'
understanding and application of regulatory approaches in this area.
·_
Speakers suggested by Members/STDF
Followed by Q&A
afternoon segment - Addressing
phytosanitary risks: Systems approaches
·_
Brief overview of relevant SPS Committee work (SPS team)
Session 1 – Overview
of systems approaches and their implementation in agriculture trade
This
session will present an overview of systems approaches, including their
components and contributions in addressing potential plant health risks arising
from regional and international trade of agriculture and horticulture produce.
Relevant international organizations and national/regional plant protection
organizations (NPPOs/RPPOs) will provide detailed presentations and share their
expertise.
·_
Presentations by [IPPC; FAO; NPPOs/RPPOs]
Followed by Q&A
Session 2 – Opportunities and challenges linked with systems
approaches to address phytosanitary risks
This
session will provide an opportunity to share experiences, reviews and lessons
learned regarding the challenges of implementing systems approaches or other
phytosanitary measures. This session will also explore ways to further support
the opportunities arising from the implementation of systems approaches,
including through the development of national policies and relevant implementation
mechanisms that are user friendly, economically viable, and available.
·_
Speakers suggested by Members
Followed by Q&A
Session 3 – Capacity Building Initiatives
This
session will discuss capacity building initiatives and programmes that will
enable Members to develop suitable and applicable systems approaches in line
with relevant phytosanitary standards and regulations. Discussions will also
explore how stakeholders may cooperate to enhance the application of systems
approaches in other areas of phytosanitary protection. This session will take
the form of an introductory presentation by a pertinent international
organization followed by a panel discussion.
·_
Presentations by [IPPC; FAO]
·_
Speakers suggested by Members [for a panel discussion]
Followed by Q&A
TUESDAY 18 MARCH
MORNING SEGMENT – Science-based approaches to pesticide MRLs and
veterinary drug residues in food
·_
Brief overview of relevant SPS Committee work (SPS Team)
Session 1 – Different approaches for setting pesticide
MRLs
This session will focus on various methodologies
adopted by Members in setting pesticide MRLs. It will also explore the use of Codex
MRLs as well as provisional pesticide MRLs, thus improving regulators' overall
understanding of science-based methodologies for setting MRLs.
·_
[Setting the scene (Codex)]
·_
Speakers suggested by Members
Followed
by Q&A
Session 2 – Different approaches for setting veterinary
drug MRLs
This session will focus on various methodologies
adopted by Members in setting veterinary drug MRLs. It will also explore the
use of Codex veterinary drug MRLs as well as provisional veterinary drug MRLs,
thus improving regulators' overall understanding of science-based methodologies
for setting MRLs.
·_
[Setting the scene (Codex)]
·_
Speakers suggested by Members
Followed
by Q&A
Session 3 – Compliance challenges: Members' experiences
and science-based approaches to facilitate safe trade
This session aims to encourage an exchange of
experiences , with a focus on the challenges faced by exporters in relation to
MRLs. These challenges include difficulties in complying with provisional MRLs
and the existence of multiple MRLs for the same product across different
Members. The session will explore both traditional and science-based ways to
address these issues.
·_
Speakers suggested by Members
Followed by Q&A
AFTERNOON SEGMENT – INNovative
regulatory approaches
for new technologies
This segment will consist
of Members' presentations on their regulatory approaches to new technologies. It
may also explore regulatory approaches that are or could be used to adopt technologies
discussed by the Committee in this session, or the June and November 2024 Thematic Sessions.
·_
Brief overview of relevant SPS Committee work (SPS team)
·_
Speakers suggested by Members
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.
[4] _G/SPS/W/365; _G/SPS/W/372; _G/SPS/W/373.
[6] The programme (_G/SPS/GEN/2253/Rev.1),
full video recording, presentations and other relevant information are
available on the dedicated
webpage.