The World Trade Organization (WTO) announced that, on 17 September 2024, members had discussed the documents to be included in the report of the 6th Review of the Operation and Implementation of the WTO Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Agreement). Members aim to conclude the Review in March 2025, paving the way for the WTO to tackle new work and continue existing activities related to food safety and animal and plant health.
At a meeting of the SPS Committee, members discussed the revised version of the background document, the draft report of the 6th Review and the draft recommendations proposed by the WTO Secretariat based on discussions held between members during the review process. All relevant documents are available on the webpage dedicated to the review of the SPS Agreement.
Members were encouraged to submit written comments on the updated background document and a draft report of the 6th Review by 04 October 2024. Those delegations wishing to propose new language for the recommendations were advised to consult with other members and aim to make suggestions that could generate consensus.
Based on this feedback, the recommendations will be revised ahead of the next meeting of the SPS Committee in November. Members highlighted the work undertaken by the Secretariat as part of this process and expressed their willingness to continue discussions in pursuit of a consensus.
The process for the 6th Review was discussed and adopted by members at an SPS Committee meeting in November 2023. Proposals covering diverse topics such as modern challenges, regionalisation, technology, transparency and follow-up to the 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12) SPS Declaration work programme were discussed, establishing an extensive agenda for the Committee in 2024.
Members are required to review the operation and implementation of the SPS Agreement, as specified under Article 12.7 of the Agreement. The SPS Agreement was first reviewed three years after its entry into force in 1995. Subsequently, a decision adopted at the 4th Ministerial Conference in 2001 instructed the Committee to undertake this review at least once every four (4) years.
S&DT Declaration
The Chair of the SPS Committee, Cecilia Risolo of Argentina, provided an update on recent discussions regarding the Special & Differential Treatment (S&DT) Declaration adopted at the 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE) in February 2024.
She recalled that both the SPS and Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committees had been tasked with submitting reports on their work to the Committee on Trade and Development in Special Session, which will contribute to the overall report mandated by the Declaration.
Ms Risolo noted that following a meeting with the TBT Chair, it had been agreed that both reports would follow a similar structure to facilitate members' discussions. Once a draft of the SPS report is ready, it will be shared with the Committee for feedback before submission.
SPS@30
To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the SPS Agreement and the SPS Committee, the Secretariat announced a number of events to be held on the sidelines of the November 2024 Committee meeting. The Secretariat has launched a photo competition titled “SPS in Action” and a call for success stories on how the SPS Agreement and the SPS Committee have helped members to overcome an SPS obstacle or find the solution to a trade issue.
Members were also invited to attend an event on 14 November 2024 hosted by the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF), which is marking its 20th anniversary.