1 Collaboration between the 3 Sisters and the SPS Committee Dr Sarah Kahn Director, International Trade Department, OIE SPS Workshop 26 October 2009 Geneva

2 Standard setting work of the OIE Current collaboration The way forward Outline

3 175 Members (September 2009) Americas: 28 – Africa: 51 – Europe: 53 – Middle-East: 12 – Asia:

4 Standards, guidelines and recommendations specifically recognised in the SPS Agreement as the references for international trade The 3 Sisters & the SPS Agreement food safety CODEX animal health including zoonosis OIE plant health IPPC

5 OIE standards & trade concerns Food safety 28% Plant health 27% Other concerns 5% Animal health and zoonoses 40% Source: SPECIFIC TRADE CONCERNS, World Trade Organization, Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures, G/SPS/GEN/204/Rev.9, 5 February 2009 Trade concerns by subject ( )

6 OIE Specialist Commissions and Standards Biological Standards Commission "Laboratories Commission" Terrestrial Animal Health Standards Commission "Code Commission" Aquatic Animal Health Standards Commission "Aquatic Animals Commission"

7 OIE INTERNATIONAL STANDARD REQUEST Specialist Commissions Review Advice of experts or other Specialist Commissions Draft text World Assembly Delegates Adoption World Assembly, Commissions, Delegates 1 2 Comments Standard setting in the OIE

8 World Assembly of Delegates Open and democratic procedure One member, one vote Partner organisations & stakeholders Broad-based participation and consensus

9 Members are responsible for standard setting OIE Members are responsible for setting and adoption of international standards and participate actively in the standard setting process Requests for standards, review of standards and other advice also come to the OIE from the SPS Committee.

10 OIE attends SPS Committee meetings and associated activities (workshops, informal meetings, etc.) and provides regular updates on relevant activities. Representatives of the SPS Secretariat regularly attend the OIE General Assembly and other relevant meetings and activities of the OIE. On request of the SPS Committee, the OIE provides advice on specific issues relating to international trade, most recently covering: regionalisation, compartmentalisation, SPS capacity building, dispute mediation, influenza H1N1. SPS Committee and the OIE

11 The OIE is a founding member of the STDF, which provides capacity building activities to help WTO Members apply international standards. With the other two sisters, the OIE regularly participates in capacity building, SPS workshops and related activities of the STDF secretariat. The OIE has conducted several important STDF projects (eg 13, 14, 15, 79 etc). SPS Committee and the OIE (cont.)

12 The respective Secretariats consult several times a year on relevant work, e.g. on regionalisation, compartmentalisation, equivalence, recognition of disease free status, dispute mediation, approaches towards alien invasive species and capacity building activities for Members Representatives of the OIE and IPPC Secretariats and relevant experts are invited to key meetings and expert groups to provide advice on their experience in various areas of standard setting. PAN-SPSO project in Africa OIE-IPPC cooperation

13 Whole food chain approach to food safety through a direct link between the OIE and the CAC The OIE and CAC maintains close collaboration to prevent duplication & overlap and to address gaps Animal Production Food Safety Working Group (APFSWG, established 2002) participation of highest level experts from Codex, FAO, WHO and OIE Member representatives. an advisory body whose task is to provide guidance and strengthen OIEs activities in animal production food safety and further develop collaboration and synergies with the CAC. currently developing a discussion paper on the OIEs future standard setting priorities in the field of APFS. OIE-CAC cooperation

14 Senior representatives of the Codex Secretariat, including the Past President, and relevant experts participate in OIE WGs, committees and ad hoc Groups, including on: APFSWG (chaired by a CAC past president) Animal identification & traceability (currently on hold) Salmonellosis in poultry Animal feeding Aquatic animal feed. OIE-CAC cooperation (cont.)

15 OIE participates actively in CAC work, including CAC General Assembly and relevant Committees and groups on: General principles; Meat hygiene; Animal feeding; Food import and export inspection & certification systems; Antimicrobials and veterinary drug residues; Salmonella and campylobacter in poultry. OIE has proposed to establish a framework for the elaboration of joint OIE-CAC standards in relevant study of common interests currently under consideration between the OIE, FAO and WHO and to be the subject of a discussion paper for the CCGP. OIE-CAC cooperation (cont.)

16 More relevant and trade-facilitating international standards. - more ways to encourage developing countries to participate in standard-setting activities. An EC grant is already used for participation from developing countries in ad hoc Groups. - develop veterinary scientific community in developing countries (ie: Laboratory twinning project) in order to be able to participate in standards setting negotiation. The way forward

17 Regional workshops and strategies Improving veterinary governance through PVS evaluation, strengthening veterinary legislation, gap analysis and investment New approach replacing reliance on national disease freedom zoning, compartmentalisation commodity-based trade The way forward

18 Good governance of VS PVS, Gap Analysis, Legislation missions Capacity building STDF projects and SPS seminars OIE Focal Points Training; Increase capacities of regional offices Laboratory twinning project Standard setting participation Support for attendance by experts from developing countries (EC grants) Expertise from developing countries through laboratory twinning project Mediation process New collaboration with SPS committee Input from SPS committees on OIE standards setting process Conclusion

19 SPS/OIE measures are a global public good Alleviation of Poverty Safe and Abundant Animal Production Market Access Public Health (zoonoses) Food Safety

20 World organisation for animal health 12 rue de prony Paris, France Tel: 33 (0) – Fax: 33 (0)