Managing Global compliance in Agricultural

Exports

Dr. Tamanna Chaturvedi

Consultant
Indian Institute of Foreign Trade
Compliance with buyer ‘s requirements
 Managing Global compliance in Exports

Tamanna Chaturvedi
Consultant
Indian Institute of Foreign Trade
% tar
iff s s
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1947 2009
 Visiting EU review team may reconsider Alphonso embargo
Jayashree Bhosale, ET Bureau Sep 8, 2014, 06.09AM IST

A three-member delegation of the European Union Food and Veterinary Office is

currently touring India to audit export facilities in the country on the government's
request, raising hopes among traders that the EU may review the ban that it had
imposed on Alphonso mangoes, among other products, till December 2015.

The EU had imposed a ban on India's premium Alphonso mangoes and eggplant,
bitter gourd, snake gourd and the taro plant from May 1, saying that it had found
contamination of fruit fly and other quarantine pests.

"On the request of the government of India, an EU team visited the centre for
perishable cargo complex at the international airport in Mumbai, two pack houses
of private traders in Vashi and one facility being set up by the Maharashtra
government,“
Increasing number of EU RASFF
alerts
Colorant – Sudan I - IV (Chillies)
EU food scandals

• Melamine in Chinese milk

products
• Lead in Chinese toys
• Nutricia baby food
• Growth hormones in meat
production
• BSE
• Foot and Mouth disease
• Bird flue
• Dioxin in chicken, animal feed
• Salmonella in chicken
• Shigella bacteria in shrimps
• Contaminated nile perch
Incompatible SPS Standards: case of Milk Production in India
 List of Non tariff barriers

• Technical regulation
• Certification requirements
• Prohibition
• Labeling
• Packaging
• Food additives
• Heavy metals
• Mycotoxins
• Contaminants
• Pesticide Residues
• Identification and Marking
• Rules of Origin
• Technical Compliance
• Social Compliance
• Technological
Compliance
• Financial Compliance
• Quality Compliance
• Environmental
compliance
Arena of International Standards
ISO 9000 Quality The standards provide guidance and tools for companies and
management organizations who want to ensure that their products and services
consistently meet customer’s requirements, and that quality is
consistently improved.

ISO 22000 Food safety ISO has developed a series of standards for food safety
management management systems that can be used by any organization in the
food supply chain. Specific prerequisites for food manufacturing,
farming etc. Traceability in the feed and food chain.

ISO 3166 International The purpose of ISO 3166 is to define internationally recognised
Standard for country codes of letters and/or numbers that we can use when we refer to
codes and codes for countries and subdivisions. For example ID-RI is the Riau
their subdivisions province of Indonesia and NG-RI is the Rivers province in
Nigeria.

ISO 26000 Social Standard This provides guidance on how businesses and organizations can
operate in a socially responsible way. This means acting in an
ethical and transparent way that contributes to the health and
welfare of society
ISO 50001 Energy This provides a framework of requirements for
management organizations to (i) Develop a policy for more efficient use
of energy (ii) Fix targets and objectives to meet the policy
(iii) Use data to better understand and make decisions
about energy use (iv) Review how well the policy works,
and continually improve energy management.

ISO 14001 Environmental world’s most recognized framework. Addresses not only
Management the environmental aspects of an organization’s processes,
Systems (EMS) but also those of its products ansd services

ISO 31000 Risk management It cannot be used for certification purposes, but does
provide guidance for internal or external audit
programmes. Organizations using it can compare their risk
management practices with an internationally recognised
benchmark, providing sound principles for effective
management and corporate governance.

ISO/IEC 27001 Information Using this family of standards will help your organization
security manage the security of assets such as financial
management information, intellectual property, employee details or
information entrusted to you by third parties.
ISO Water usage Provide guidelines for the assessment, improvement and
24510:2007 management of service activities for drinking water and
wastewater systems. They can help water authorities and
operators meet the expectations of consumers and the
principles of sustainable development. A standard for
crisis management of water utilities is underway.
 Two Way Dilemma

How can you ensure strict health &

How do you ensure that the country’s
safety regulations are not being used
consumers are being supplied
as an excuse for protecting
food safe to eat?
domestic producers?

WTO Agreement on Sanitary and Phyto Sanitary Measures

WTO Agreement on Sanitary and Phyto Sanitary Measures
 SPS or TBT ?
SPS Measures
 human or animal health from
food-borne risks
 human health from animal- or
plant-carried diseases
 animals and plants from pests
or diseases
 examples:
 pesticide residues
 food additives
TBT Measures
 human disease control
(unless it’s food safety)
 nutritional claims
 food packaging and quality
examples:
 labelling (unless related
to food safety)
 pesticide handling
 seat belts
 Key Provisions of SPS
Agreement

1. Non-discrimination
2. Scientific justification
• harmonization
• risk assessment
• consistency
• least trade-restrictiveness
3. Equivalence
4. Regionalization
5. Transparency
6. Technical assistance/special treatment
7. Control, inspection and approval procedures
SPS consists of 14 articles.
 Scientific justification
Article 2.2

based on scientific principles

Member
s shall applied only to the extent
ensure necessary to protect human,
animal or plant life or health
that any
(least trade restrictive)
SPS
measure not maintained without
is: sufficient scientific evidence

except as provided for in Article 5.7

Case 2
 Non-discrimination
Article 2.3

No unjustifiable discrimination
– between Members with similar conditions
– between own territory and other Members

SPS permits Members to impose different sanitary and

phytosanitary requirements on food, animal or plant
products sources from different countries, provided that
they "do not arbitrarily or unjustifiably discriminate
between countries where identical or similar conditions
prevail".
Maximum levels for Aflatoxins in spices in various developed
countries
 Harmonization
Article 3

Standard-setting
organizations

food safety animal health plant health

CODEX OIE IPPC

Codex = Joint FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission

OIE = World Organization for Animal Health
IPPC = International Plant Protection Convention (FAO)
Member Countries are encouraged to use
International standards.

It allows countries to set their own

standards

On what Scientific
basis?? Justification
To what Should be applied only to
extent??? the extent necessary to
protect
Equal
Non
Treatment??
Discrimination
Comparison of CODEX level with Country standards for Fruits
GRAPES CODEX U.S.A. EU JAPAN CANADA AUSTRALIA NEW ZEALAND
AZINPHOS-METHYL 1.0 5.0 1.0   5.0 2.0 2.0
ALPHA-
CYPERMETHRIN 0.5   0.5 2.0 0.5 0.05  
BENALAXYL 0.2   0.2   0.1 0.5 0.5
CARBARYL 5.0 10.0 3.0 1.0 5.0 5.0 3.0
CHLOROTHALONIL 0.5   3.0 0.5 0.1 10.0 5.0
CHLORPYRIFOS 0.5   0.5 1.0 0.1 1.0 1.0
DIMETHOATE 1.0 1.0 0.02   0.1 5.0 2.0
DITHIANON 3.0       0.1 2.0 2.0
ENDOSULFAN 1.0 2.0 0.5   1.0 2.0 2.0
FENARIMOL 0.3 0.2 0.3 1.0 0.1 0.1 0.1
IPRODIONE 10.0 60.0 10.0 25.0 5.0 20.0 10.0
MALDISON 8.0 8.0 0.5 8.0 8.0 8.0 8.0
METALAXYL 1.0 2.0 1.0   1.0 1.0 2.0
MYCLOBUTANIL 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.2
PERMETHRIN 2.0   0.05 5.0 2.0   0.5
PROCYMIDONE 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0 1.0 2.0 5.0
TRIADIMENOL 2.0 1.0 2.0 0.5 0.1 0.5  

Better off than CODEX More stringent than CODEX Case 3

 Discrepancies in the action taken across same EU country
Sr. RASFF Country Reason Type of control by EU
No Date for
RASFF
1 08/06/201 Austria 0.124 Distribution restricted to notifying
0 country
2 21/05/201 Slovak 0.174 Product to be re dispatched
0 Republic
3 01/06/201 Slovenia 0.19 Product on the market. Reinforced
0 checking
4 25/05/201 Lithuania 0.20 Withdrawal from the market
0
5 08/06/201 Lithuania 0.21 No stock left
0
6 01/06/201 Slovenia 0.24 Product on the market. Reinforced
0 checking
7 07/07/201 Czech 0.24 Product already consumed
0 Republic
8 07/07/201 Czech 0.24
0 Republic
9 18/05/20 Lithuania 0.24 Distribution restricted to
10 notifying country
 Kiwi Green”- success story of IPM in New
Zealand

• The detection of spray residues on New Zealand kiwifruit, was essentially

being used as a trade barrier in some European markets. The New
Zealand Kiwifruit Marketing Board (NZKMB) responded in 1991 by
developing a pest management strategy that would enable the
production of fruit with no detectable residues. This IPM program, called
`KiwiGreen' focused on pest management and agrochemical issues, was
launched in 1992.

• KiwiGreen' is an example of the successful development and

implementation of an IPM program across an entire fruit industry.
`KiwiGreen' consists of a documented and audited program of
pest control measures that can only be applied in response to a
demonstrable need. It was an important precursor to later
developments when this program was broadened to encompass all the
principles of IFP that became a major component within a broader GAP
program called the ZESPRI™ System.

• This system was the basis of the EurepGAP implementation program in

 Nouyaku-navi- Concept of Navigation
System for Appropriate Pesticide Use
in Japan

• In the Nouyaku-navi, the goal is to enable farmers to prevent

pesticide misapplication due to carelessness and to
automatically register the application records by automatic
recognition of the agrochemicals using bar-codes (Japanese
Article Number codes) and/or RFID (Radio Frequency
Identification: Wireless IC) tags attached to the agrochemical
containers.

• A judgment server system has been developed

(hereinafter referred to as the Nouyaku-navi judgment
server) which determines in advance the propriety of
pesticide use, together with a system for preparing
appropriate plans or guidelines on pesticide application and
pest control which can easily and precisely create such plans. An
on-site warning system has been developed which uses
 Article 4: Equivalence

If the exporting country objectively

demonstrates that its measures achieve the
same ALOP as the importing country

Members shall
Accept SPS measures of other Members as equivalent
 Disease free areas Article 6

• Adaptation of SPS measures to regional conditions, including pest-

or disease- free areas, differing climatic conditions & different pest or
diseases or food safety conditions so as to lead to the development/imposition
of different SPS requirements

• Exporter to demonstrate (reasonable access to be given for

inspection/testing)
Traceability Requirements
The General EC Requirements on Traceability
 Application for Agricultural
Methodological Analysis" (AFAMA):
Success story of Traceability System in
Japan

• Japanese government, local governments and the Japan

Agricultural Cooperatives (JA) have been promoting the
development and practical application of food traceability
systems (FTS) as national projects.

• The "Virtually Identified Produce System" (VIPS) is the basic

scheme of FTS, where ID numbers are given to food products and
printed on their labels or packages. Farmers input in the
production data about their products to an Internet-accessible
database.
• Consumers who purchase these products can browse a product's
data by going to the VIPS Website and entering the product's ID.
Based on the VIPS, a practical information disclosure system
called "SEICA" for fruit and vegetable products was developed
and opened to the public in 2002
 Transparency
Article 7 & Annex B

establish an Enquiry Point

Members shall AND
designate a Notification Authority

notify other Members of new or changed

SPS regulations when

no international standard exists regulation may

OR AND have significant
the new regulation is different effect on trade
than the international standard
 When to notify?

When modifications are

Regular measures still possible
(draft text)

Allow
Allow60
60day
daycomment
commentperiod!!
period!!

Emergency measures IMMEDIATELY!!

 Transparency timeline

Min.
9. Entry into force of the regulation
6 months 8. Publication of the regulation

7. Adoption of the regulation

6. End of comment period

Min. 5. Receive & discuss comments

60 days
4. Draft text upon request (or website)

3. Notification to other Members

...Time...

2. Publication of a notice

1. Drafting of the regulation

Module for recording comments on notifications by clients.
 Food Quality and Standards Service (ESNS)
Food and Nutrition Division-GAP Activities

Information sharing-FFV Quality a

Safety Database

http://www.fao.org/es/esn/food/foodandfood_fruits_en.stm
 International Labeling for Floriculture:
MPS

Milieu Project Sierteelt (Floriculture

Environmental Project”
• MPS- Florimark production
• MPS- Socially qualified
• MPS-GAP
• MPS-ABC
• MPS-Quality
• MPS-Quali Tree
MPS- Florimark production

MPS-A (environmental certification)

MPS-GAP (retail certification)

MPS-Socially qualified (for social aspects)

MPS-Quality (quality care certificate)

 Fair Flowers Fair Plants Label

• Fair Flowers Fair Plants (FFP) is the first international consumer label for
sustain ably cultivated flowers and plants. The label was launched in 2005.

• FFP label are currently available to consumers in the following countries:

Germany, France, Sweden, the United Kingdom and Netherlands.

• The objective of FFP is to improve social issues such as labour conditions

in the flower production, as well as improvement of the environmental
performance.

• Traceability is a key requirement and every link in the chain must

participate in FFP in order to guarantee the FFP requirements, from
producer to trader to retailer.
All you wanted to know about Quality requirements in Dutch Auction Centers

http://www.vbn.nl
Strict Packaging requirement
 If you are using Wood as
packaging material
Debarking :WPM must be free from bark with the exception of any number of individual pieces of bark if they
are either less than 3 cm in width (regardless of the length) or, if greater than 3 cm in width, of not more than
50 cm2 in area.

Treatment :WPM entering the EU must have been treated with one of the following approved methods:

Heat Treatment (HT) that achieves a minimum wood core temperature of 56°C for a minimum of 30 minutes.
Kiln-drying (KD), chemical pressure impregnation (CPI), or other treatments may be considered HT treatments
as long as they meet the HT specifications.

Fumigation with Methyl Bromide (MB) in alignment with ISPM No. 15 requirements. In any case, minimum
temperature should not be less than 10°C and the minimum exposure time should be 24 hours.
 Strict Labeling Requirements

• A large amount of information has to be provided on the label

in both English & Chinese.
• The establishment number should be printed on the inner poly
liner, poly bag, or vacuum bag.
• In the case of Alcohol & Pre-packaged food
– Labeling should be in Chinese.
– Specific font sizes have to be maintained.
• In the case of milk & milk products
– Labeling should be in Chinese.
– Specific background colors have also been mentioned.
Few examples….
Let’s see what Pakistan has to
ask for?
www.ipfsaph.org
 Trade impact on SPS: role of public and private standards
Individual Firm Standards Collective National standards Collective International Standards

• Nature's Choice • Assured Food Standards GlobalGAP

(Tesco) (UK) • International Food
• Filières Qualité • British Retail Consortium Standard
• (Carrefour) – version • Global Standard • Safe Quality Food (SQF)
applied in multiple • Freedom Food (UK) 1000/ 2000
• countries • Qualitat Sicherheit (QS) • Marine Stewardship
• Field-to-Fork (Marks • Assured Combinable Crops Council (MSC)
& Spencer) Scheme (UK) • Forest Stewardship
• Filière Controlleé • Sachsens Ahrenwort Council (FSC)
(Auchan) –version Sachsen
applied in multiple • Qualitatslammfleisch
countries • QC Emilia Romagna
• P.Q.C. (Percorso • Stichting Streekproduction
Qualità Conad) • Vlaams Brabant
• Albert Heijn BV: AH
Excellent
II. Environmental Compliance in
International Trade
 Commodity impact

LONDON: The taste of some of the world's finest wines is

changing as global warming alters the way grapes mature.
Grapes such as pinot noir, merlot and chardonnay are now
growing more quickly, subtly changing the compounds produced
as they ripen and the synchronisation between maximum
flavour and the ratio of sugar to acid.

An increasing number of vineyards are thus struggling to identify

the perfect moment for picking the grape . The optimal flavour
moment may occur earlier too - but not as much - leaving a gap
between the ideal sugar-to-acid ratio and the ideal flavour.
Grapes may also ripen too fast to accumulate flavour or colour.
 Food Miles

Food transported across the world burns up a lot of

fossil fuel and contributes to global warming →
consumers are becoming conscious and need to
know nr. of miles from food to plate → shorter
shipping distance becomes a competitive advantage

• www.organiclinker.com/food-miles.cfm (food mile

calculator)
 Water Footprint : caution for Indian Rose
exporters
• Over the years, many EU companies have made water issues an
integrated part of their corporate policies and committed themselves to
reduce the use of water in their own processes, as well as in processes
taking place in their supply chains. The Water Footprint is an indicator
that allows consumers, companies or countries to measure their
freshwater use and can as such be used as a starting point for the
development of water strategies.

• Large European multinationals are developing guidelines for measuring

their water footprint and for the implementation of actions in order to
reduce the use of water. These actions of European companies often take
place within the framework of their Corporate Social Responsibility
(CSR) policies
 Environmental branding: case of
Nike

• Nike Considered Design is a sustainable line of shoes introduced by

Nike, Inc.
• The line utilizes materials found primarily within 200 miles (320 km) of
the Nike factory which reduces the energy used for transportation,
diminishing the resulting climate change impact.
• The manufacturing process reduces solvent use by more than 80%
compared with Nike’s typical products.
• The leather comes from a tannery that recycles wastewater to ensure
toxins are kept out of the environment, and it is colored using
vegetable-based dyes.
• Hemp and polyester are used to make the shoe's woven upper and
shoelaces.
• The mid-sole is cut to lock into the outer sole, reducing the need for
toxic adhesives.
• The shoe's outer sole includes rubber made from recycled factory
rubber waste
III. Social Standards
What is the Fairtrade label?

www.fairtrade.org.uk
 Estimation of Trade Impact of SPS standards

1. Increased cost of compliance due to

variation in standards across the export
markets;

2. Considering the poor awareness level and

lack of government support towards
dissemination of such information, the
possibility of import detention in the
export markets increases;

3. Variation in stringency levels across

markets results into the loss of trade
opportunities in almost all of these
markets on account of one reason or the
other.
Case 7
ow can you strike well?
 Revisiting Implementation issues in WTO
SPS agreement

• Lack of Scientific Increased

Justification export
• Deviation of country rejections
standards with CODEX
• Lack of Harmonisation Increased
trade loss
within export markets
• Discrepancy in the
treatment Trade
• Violation of Regionalisation diversion
• Violation of Transparency
• Emergence of private
standards
What beyond WTO can an RTA possible
discuss about SPS?
What beyond WTO can an RTA possible
discuss about SPS?

• Adoption of International standards

• Harmonization of regional standards in order to reduce cost

associated with diversity in standards: EU RTAs

• New or harmonized standards being applied to products in the

market.

• Recognition of one another’s conformity assessment procedures as

equivalent: e.g US RTAs [US RTAs normally include establishment of
committee charged with addressing SPS measures that creates a
problem]…….Since the implementation of SAFTA, Singapore now
recognizes Australian conformity assessment procedures
 ………what more????
• Providing information additional to that is desired in a typical WTO SPS notification.

• Different regulatory requirements across markets creates barriers to trade for safe goods.
RTA provisions aimed at harmonization or equivalence can create a market place wherein
safe food can move freely within the RTA signed countries.

• Certified safe food can be negotiated for lower tariffs within an RTA.

• An RTA can develop a common brand for producing safe goods. e.g Mercosur for
cosmetics, perfumes, medicinal products, bicycles, toys etc. (by mutually accepting
common permitted substances, mutually accepted best practices guidelines in the
manufacturing process and formation of strict enforcement bodies.

• Creation of produce track back system: case of Thailand-Australia RTA: helps to deliver
regional public goods by making it possible to rapidly identify and isolate the source of
contamination or disease in the supply chain.
• SPS dispute settlement through RTA dispute settlement mechanism.

• RTAs can include sectoral harmonization of standards if not all.

• Recognition of “accredited exporter” : SAFTA’s sectoral annex of horticultural

goods establishes the concept of “accredited exporter” defined as “an exporter of
the scheduled horticultural goods who has demonstrated to its regulatory
authority that it possesses the necessary technical capabilities, management
competence, facilities, equipment and production systems required to meet the
mandatory requirements of the importing Party”.

• Australia and Singapore have agreed that Australia will minimize import control,
inspection and approval procedures where orchids shipped by Singaporean
accredited exporters are accompanied by the required certificates and reports.
• Relaxation of sampling procedures
• Technical Assistance..regular feature of EU RTAs.
 Strategies for better SPS
compliance

• Promotion of safer food in China: Different labels are used for

“green” food, “organic” food and “pollution-free” food. “Green”
food is supposed to be non-polluted, safe, nutritious, and
grown in a sustainable (e.g. minimal energy consumption)
manner. Food meeting these standards can use an authentication
symbol issued by one of 38 branches of the Green Food
Development Centre.
• Guangzhou has implemented a Food Quality Reassurance
project.
• In 2001 Shanghai introduced “Standards for Safe and
Hygienic High-Quality Vegetables” covering seed and land
selection, fertilizer and pesticide use and quality monitoring.
 Efforts made in Thailand

Codex compliance strategy for locals in Thailand

• The “Pesticide Safe” vegetable program, run by the
Department of Agriculture, involved inspection and
crop testing. Farmers could still use pesticides and
mineral fertilizers but products had to contain
pesticide residues lower than the maximum level set
by Codex Alimentarius
• The “Hygienic Vegetables” program is promoted by
the Medical Sciences Department. This places
responsibility on the packer for sourcing vegetables
with safe pesticide residue levels.
• Thailand has now developed the “Q Mark” with the
objective of consolidating the various codes that
presently exist. The system of Q standards covers
different steps of the supply chain. Q GAP is for farm-
level certification; Q-GMP is for packing plants; while
QFood Safety (Q-GAP plus Q-GMP) is for packers
 Efforts made in Malaysia

• Malaysia has introduced a commodity branding programme

called “Malaysia’s Best.”
• This is an umbrella brand for the country’s horticultural
products that guarantees quality and safety in accordance
with Malaysian Standards and the Malaysian Good
Agricultural Practice System.
• It was initiated for carambola, papaya, pineapple, mango
and watermelon, but is to be extended to all other
commodities. All farmers can apply to be certified although,
initially, most certified farmers are contracted to the
Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA) for
delivery to supermarkets.
 Efforts made in Indonesia

• In Indonesia, the Government has also

responded to a lack of quality incentives in the
marketing system by introducing commodity
and location-specific certification systems.
• Prima III is the lowest standard, with produce
required to meet MRLs. Prima II incorporates
Prima III and quality attributes. Prima I broadly
complies with EurepGAP standards.
 Kiwi Green”- success story of IPM in New
Zealand

• The detection of spray residues on New Zealand kiwifruit, was essentially

being used as a trade barrier in some European markets. The New
Zealand Kiwifruit Marketing Board (NZKMB) responded in 1991 by
developing a pest management strategy that would enable the
production of fruit with no detectable residues. This IPM program, called
`KiwiGreen' focused on pest management and agrochemical issues, was
launched in 1992.

• KiwiGreen' is an example of the successful development and

implementation of an IPM program across an entire fruit
industry. This program was broadened to encompass all the
principles of IFP that became a major component within a
broader GAP program called the ZESPRI™ System.
 Nouyaku-navi- Concept of Navigation
System for Appropriate Pesticide Use
in Japan

• In the Nouyaku-navi, the goal is to enable farmers to prevent

pesticide misapplication due to carelessness and to
automatically register the application records by automatic
recognition of the agrochemicals using bar-codes (Japanese
Article Number codes) and/or RFID (Radio Frequency
Identification: Wireless IC) tags attached to the agrochemical
containers.

• A judgment server system has been developed (hereinafter

referred to as the Nouyaku-navi judgment server) which
determines in advance the propriety of pesticide use, together
with a system for preparing appropriate plans or guidelines on
pesticide application and pest control which can easily and
precisely create such plans. An on-site warning system has been
developed which uses barcodes or RFID to give farmers warning
Recommendations arising out of implementing issues

• Harmonisation of regulations at the regional level taking account of CAC, OIE and
IPPC principles, guidelines, and recommendations

• Capacity building in standard formulation procedure and risk assessment;

• Strengthening of infrastructure for SPS requirements (Inspection, Testing,

Certification, Method Validation, Equivalence Mutual Recognition of Laboratory
Services SPS related Information and Biotechnology etc);

• Development of human resources for Import/ Export Inspection, Certification,

Accreditation, and Food Analysis;

• Member countries are urged to develop and establish information database for the
exchange of information and make resource sharing for such network

Standard and Trade development facility

 STDF: a joint initiative….

Food &Agriculture
Organization
Standard and Trade
development facility World Trade
Organization

World Organization for

Animal Health World Health
Organisation

World Bank
 Key areas of STDF work

Information exchange &

Development of SPS guidance materials, awareness raising
tools, etc.

Project development Project grants

 Project Preparation Grants
• Project preparation grants (PPGs) aim to help overcome constraints faced by
developing countries in the articulation of their SPS needs and are a key mechanism
in mobilizing resources outside the STDF e.g. from a bilateral donor, through the
Enhanced Integrated Framework, etc
• Grant funds up to approximately US$30,000
 Project Grants

• Grant financing up to normally a maximum of US$600,000 in STDF funding

for projects which address SPS capacity building.

• No minimum limit applies on the size of the projects funded, but projects
should preferably be in the range of US$150,000 and US$600,000 in size.

• Regional projects (i.e. with two or more applicants in different countries) are
particularly encouraged.

Applicants from UMICs must additionally demonstrate that the project will
have positive spill-over effects for other LDCs, OLICs and/or LMICs, e.g.
through innovative or demonstration projects.
 When can you apply for funding under STDF?
The Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF) provides grants for
projects that seek to:

• Enhance capacity to meet official or commercial requirements in the sanitary and

phytosanitary field and so facilitate market access;
• Better protect human and animal health and plants against disease and pest hazards
related to cross border trade.
• Projects should have a duration of two years or less.

Theme 1: SPS capacity evaluation and planning tools, including the need
for and implications of international standards and their application.

Theme 2: Capacity building for public and private organizations, notably

with respect to market access.

Theme 3: Information sharing on standards and co-ordination of technical

co-operation activities.
 Are you eligible for grants under STDF?

• Public sector entities with responsibility for SPS measures or

policy either in their own right or in cooperation with the
private sector.

• Private sector entities and/or partnerships: legally registered

farmers' and/or professional service provider
organizations/Legally registered industry associations;

• STDF partners (FAO, OIE, the World Bank, WHO and WTO)

• Non-profit non-governmental organizations (NGOs) with

expertise in the SPS area operating in developing countries
 How can you apply for funding under
STDF?

• Proposals for funding are solicited through notifications on the

STDF website (http://www.standardsfacility.org),

• Partners and donors may also circulate announcements

through their own websites and through their on-going
communications with beneficiaries.

• The WTO provides regular announcements of calls for

proposals through communications to the SPS Committee.
Special effort is made to stimulate applications from LDCs.
Examples of regional SPS work areas in Asia

• Established monitoring / surveillance programmes for specific

pests / diseases
• Mutual recognition of testing / conformity assessment
procedures
• Streamlined diagnostic capacity / accreditation (UNIDO with
part funding from STDF launched a web portal with complete
guidance towards laboratory accredition.)
• Developed regional standards (where appropriate)
• Established joint training programmes (inspection,
traceability, certification, risk assessment, lab practices,
HACCP techniques)
• Coordinated SPS-related assistance : creation of national
database of SPS projects by individual countries to enhance
co-ordination)
• Transparency (monitor notifications)
Emerging areas under STDF: Synergies between SPS
and trade facilitation

• Strengthen linkages with the recently established Trade

Facilitation Facility (TFF) in the World Bank,

• Explore possibilities to participate in trade facilitation

partnerships and networks, such as the Global Facilitation
Partnership for Transport and Trade,

• Make an inventory of the SPS elements in existing trade

facilitation capacity building programmes, and funding
possibilities (in collaboration with the World Bank).
For more information:
Standards and Trade
Development Facility (STDF)

World Trade Organization

Centre William Rappard
Rue de Lausanne 154
CH-1211 Geneva
Switzerland
STDFSecretariat@wto.org
melvin.spreij@wto.org
www.standardsfacility.org
SPS Information Management
System http://spsims/

102
 SPS-related Information Sources

• WTO SPS Gateway: http://www.wto.org/sps

• WTO SPS Information Management System (SPS IMS):
http://spsims.wto.org
• WTO Disputes by Agreement
– http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/dispu_e/dispu_ag
reements_index_e.htm?id=A19
• Standards and Trade Development Facility
– http://www.standardsfacility.org/en/index.htm
Internet adresses
• www.eurep.org (EUREPGAP)
• www.globalgap.org (GLOBALGAP)
• www.brc.org.uk (BRC)
• www.codexalimentarius.net
• http://eur-lex.europa.eu (EU legislation)
• http://exporthelp.europa.eu (EU Export Helpdesk)
• www.foodlaw.rdg.ac.uk/label (UK regulations guide)
• www.cbi.nl/accessguide
• www.sa-intl.org (Social Accountability International)
• www.iso.ch (International Standards Organisation
• www.flo-cert.net (FLO Fair Trade Label Certification)
• www.intracen.org/ep (ITC Packaging resource)
• http://ec.europa.eu/sanco_pesticides/public/index.cfm (Pesticide
Residue Level Database)
Tamanna Chaturvedi
tchaturvedi@iift.ac.in
+91-11-26967558

Thankyou