At the invitation of the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) Secretary, the WCO Secretary General delivered a keynote speech on the importance of closer cooperation between Customs and phytosanitary agencies in relation to trade facilitation during the 12th Session of the Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (CPM-12) held in Incheon, South Korea on 05 April.
After the welcome speech the Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Minister addressed the representatives of national plant quarantine authorities of over 112 countries about the timeliness of the annual theme of IPPC "Plant Health and Trade Facilitation" as the WTO TFA incorporating the provision of border agency cooperation, had entered in force on 22 February. He added that Customs and Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) agencies were working side by side to ensure connectivity at borders.
The WCO Secretary General underscored the importance of the IPPC in protecting the world's plant resources from pests and facilitating safe trade in plants and plant products as well as helping to raise awareness on trade facilitation and the need to work with the WCO, among other stakeholders.