Standards and Trade
Development Facility (STDF)
A global partnership in SPS capacity building
and technical cooperation
Symposium on WTO Trade Facilitation for African Countries
Nairobi, 13-15 November
Context
• Outdated border clearance procedures and excessive
red-tape seen as a greater barrier to trade than tariffs
(WB, 2011).
• Increased transaction costs and time for border clearance,
which affects trade flows, competitiveness, foreign investment.
• Logistics Performance Indicators suggest that non-customs
authorities are the weak link in the chain (WB, 2012) .
• Move towards a more holistic, “whole of government”
approach to trade facilitation.
Sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) controls
and trade facilitation
• Agricultural, food and forestry products go through SPS
controls as part of the border release process.
• Legitimate right of countries to apply food safety, animal and
plant health measures to protect human, animal or plant life or
health.
• But regulations should be based on science, applied only to
the extent necessary and should not arbitrarily or unjustifiably
discriminate between countries where identical or similar
conditions prevail.
WTO Agreement on the Application of
Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures
Recognizing the
right to protect
human, animal and
plant life or health
Avoiding
unnecessary
barriers to trade
Interface between SPS and Customs
• In most developing countries, cooperation between SPS
authorities and customs is limited.
• Little awareness in SPS authorities of international efforts at
customs modernization.
• Implementing SPS controls is complex and requires particular
scientific and managerial capacity, and resources.
• Modernization of SPS authorities has generally lagged behind
customs.
Border management modernization focuses
attention on SPS weaknesses, including
• Duplication of tasks
• Excessive documentary requirements
• Inadequate use of IT systems
• Poor coordination
• Limited emphasis on risk management
• Incentive structure that encourages too many inspections,
tests, certificates and permits
Some evidence of new approaches
• Coordination between SPS authorities and customs
– Use of Authorized Economic Operators (Argentina, Mexico)
– Joint inspections (Costa Rica, Chile, Peru)
– Web-based zoosanitary / phytosanitary export certificates
• Single windows (e.g. Chile, Colombia, Jamaica, Azerbaijan)
• Regional initiatives and one-stop border posts (e.g. TransPacific Corridor in Central America)
Purpose of the STDF work
• Targeted at staff of SPS authorities, customs and other
border agencies in developing countries.
• To raise awareness about the need for improved
coordination among food safety, animal and plant health
authorities, customs and other border management
agencies.
• To identify key needs, opportunities and good practices to
effectively engage SPS authorities in developing countries
coordinated border management.
Key questions
• How are SPS authorities working with customs and other
border agencies (nationally and regionally)?
• What are the key drivers and challenges?
• What innovative approaches and tools are being used and
what are the experiences?
• What is the role of private sector, regional institutions and
development partners?
• What are the priorities for change?
Scope of work (2013)
• Joint research with regional institutions in Africa, Asia &
Pacific, and Latin America & Caribbean to identify and
analyse how SPS authorities are involved in CBM.
• Synthesis study documenting the experiences, lessons, good
practices and recommendations to enhance the role of SPS
authorities in CBM.
• Dissemination and discussions of the findings.
Thank you. For more information:
Standards and Trade Development
Facility
World Trade Organization
Centre William Rappard
Rue de Lausanne 154
CH-1211 Geneva
Switzerland
[email protected]
[email protected]
www.standardsfacility.org