WTO Members Agree to Work Program on Boosting Implementation of SPS Agreement
World Trade Organization members agreed during the Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Committee Nov. 9-11 meeting "on the process for undertaking the work programme" to address challenges on the implementation of the Agreement on the Application of SPS Measures, the WTO said. The member countries committed to working together on assessing the impact of emerging challenges and trade concerns in applying the agreement. Challenges included population growth, climate change, new technologies, innovation, and pest and disease pressures. In June, WTO members adopted the SPS Ministerial Declaration, which mandated the establishment of the work program and reporting of the program's findings at the 13th Ministerial Conference, set to be held some time between December and March.
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The WTO said five thematic groups held discussions on themes outlined in this declaration over the past few weeks. The themes included "how to facilitate global food security and more sustainable food systems, how to support basing SPS measures on scientific evidence and principles and how to enhance safe, international trade in food, animals, plants and related products through the adaptation of SPS measures to regional conditions."