Sanitary and Phytosanitary measures are taken to protect against risks linked to food safety, animal health and plant protection or to prevent or limit damage within the territory of a Member from the entry, establishment and spread of pests. Assistance provided in one of these categories would fall under the heading of SPS. (Note that if assistance does not fall under the definition found in annex A of the SPS Agreement, it will be listed under the TBT technical assistance activities).

Description

SPS assistance covers the areas of food safety, animal and plant health. More specifically, food safety covers assistance focusing on the protection of human life and health from food borne risks arising from additives, contaminants, toxins, or disease-causing organisms in foods and beverages; Plant health covers assistance focusing on the protection of plant life or health from risks arising from entry, establishment or spread of pests and diseases. Animal health covers assistance focussing on the protection of animal life or health from risks arising from the entry, establishment or spread of diseases and from additives, contaminants, toxins, disease-causing organisms in feedstuffs; and assistance to prevent the entry, establishment or spread of pests that might damage the territory of the Member. e.g. alien invasive species

Reference to WTO mandate

Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures, Article 9. Decision on Implementation-related Issues and Concerns, paras. 3.6 and 5.4.

Examples of typical activities

Training and assistance in adapting domestic legislation to international standards and commercial market requirements. Support in understanding and use of risk assessment methodologies. Strengthening of public administration's capacity in the food safety, animal health and plant health area. Establishment and maintenance of disease and pest databases. Support to improve institutional capacity to engage in market access negotiations related to food safety, animal health and plant health. Support for participation in the work of standard setting organizations.