Working Group on Equivalence
Brugge, BE, 2003-09-01/05
The SPS Agreement of the WTO describes the obligation of Members to accept phytosanitary measures of other Members as equivalent, if these measures achieve the same level of protection as their own measures. The SPS Committee has formally encouraged the standard-setting organisations to produce guidelines on equivalence. Therefore, the Fifth Session of the ICPM recommended the development of a standard on equivalence to be a priority for the 2003 working programme.
An IPPC working group, consisting of 9 experts from all over the world, met in Brugge (Belgium) from September 1 till 5, 2003 to develop a draft standard on the application of equivalence of phytosanitary measures in international trade. The Belgian Department of Plant Protection of the Federal Government for public health, safety of the food chain and environment acted as a local organizer. A standard was drafted, describing the general principles and specific requirements for the application of the concept of equivalence in international trade. Moreover, a bilateral procedure for determining the equivalence of phytosanitary measures was drafted. After further e-mail consultation among the members of the working group, a draft will be submitted to the Standards Committee.
The Belgian Department of Plant Protection organised a very interesting and enjoyable visit to a company producing ornamental Laurel plants. The adaptations in the cultivation of these plants were shown and discussed, as well as their trade within and outside the EU.
Participants
Steward: John Hedley (New Zealand), hedleyj@maf.govt.nz
IPPC Secretariat contact: Jane Chard (IPPC), jane.chard@sasa.gsi.gov.uk
Local organiser: Ilse Pittomvils (Belgium), ilse.pittomvils@health.fgov.be
Nico Horn (Netherlands), n.m.horn@minlnv.nl
John Greifer(USA), John.K.Greifer@aphis.usda.gov
Diana Guillen (Argentina), dguillen@dnpresinavimo.gov.ar
Carol Thomas(Jamaica), cythomas@moa.gov.jm
Motoi Sakamura (Japan), motoi_sakamura@nm.maff.go.jp
Khunying Prapaisri Pitakpaivan (Thailand), prapais@doa.go.th