1. EAC SPS AGENDA David Wafula &Timothy Wesonga Agriculture and Food Security Department EAC Secretariat Trade Africa and Feed the Future Regional Conference Progress in Domestication of WTO Commitments under SPS in the EAC 11 th -12 th April, 2016 Arusha, Tanzania

2. Introduction Importance of SPS articulated in EAC documents- including the Treaty; EAC Development Strategy; EAC Common Market Protocol, EAC Customs Union, and EAC Food Security Action plan. Article 108 of the EAC Treaty, Article 38 of the Customs Union Protocol requires Partner States to co-operate in several areas including SPS measures in accordance with international best practice. Article 108 of the EAC Treaty, Article 38 of the Customs Union Protocol requires Partner States to co-operate in several areas including SPS measures in accordance with international best practice. Article 45(3) of the EAC Common Market Protocol calls for an effective regime of Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures, standards and technical regulations in the region. Article 45(3) of the EAC Common Market Protocol calls for an effective regime of Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures, standards and technical regulations in the region.

3. Rational of EAC SPS Initiative Rational of EAC SPS Initiative The harmonized regional sanitary and phytosanitary measures will improve the human health, animal health and plant health in all Partner States for the purposes of ensuring rational development of the agricultural sector and increase quality production to ensure food security and safety and free trade in agricultural products within the community and other trading partners; Other Driving Forces International and EAC instruments of Integration Tripartite Initiative Trade Agreements like EAC and US CAADP Malabo Declaration – Triple InterAfrican trade(BIAT)

4. THE EAC SPS instruments THE EAC SPS instruments Legal agreement – BroadLegal agreement – Broad cooperate in the harmonisation of plant health, animal health and food safety measures.cooperate in the harmonisation of plant health, animal health and food safety measures. Under going Ratification. Uganda and Rwanda have ratifiedUnder going Ratification. Uganda and Rwanda have ratified SPS Protocol Phytosanitary Measures Post harvest handling Measures for Aflatoxin control. Sanitary Measures(Mammals, birds, bees and their products Sanitary Measures(Fish and Fishery Products) Food and Feed Safety Measures SPS measures guide Implementation of SPS measures Legally binding Drafting to start EAC SPS Bill

5. Current Status Under going RatificationUnder going Ratification Rwanda and Uganda is through the ratification processRwanda and Uganda is through the ratification process It anticipated that by July 2016 the ratification process will be completedIt anticipated that by July 2016 the ratification process will be completed SPS Protocol Fish and Fishery Products measures finalized. The SOPs and IGs in place Phytosanitary, Mammals, Birds and Bees and Food Safety measures Instruments have completed but their SOPs and IGs are still are work in progress SPS measures Work on development of the EAC SPS Bill has been initiatedWork on development of the EAC SPS Bill has been initiated SPS Bill

6. Objectives of the EAC SPS Protocol Objectives of the EAC SPS Protocol Promote trade in food and agricultural commodities within the Community and between the Community and other trading partners Promote within the Community, the implementation of the principles on; Promote within the Community, the implementation of the principles on; harmonisation, equivalence, regionalisation, scientific justification, transparency; and risk assessment harmonisation, equivalence, regionalisation, scientific justification, transparency; and risk assessment in the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures; Strengthen cooperation and coordination of SPS measures and activities at national and regional levels EAC Protocol and WTO SPS Agreement – Similarity in fundamental principles of enhancing safe trade by protecting animal, plant and human. Similarity in fundamental principles of enhancing safe trade by protecting animal, plant and human.

7. EAC Governance Structures EAC Secretariat EAC Secretariat Regional SPS committee Regional SPS committee National SPS committee National SPS committee Key stakeholders including farmers and the private sector Key stakeholders including farmers and the private sector

8. EAC Partner States and US Cooperation Agreement on SPS In order to meet WTO Commitments on SPS Agreement Article 7 and Annex B The following interventions being addressed under EAC-US Agreement The Agreement States that Parties shall work together to develop and advance trade- facilitating initiatives of mutual interest relating to SPS measures 1. Implement appropriate training and capacity-building programs and information exchanges to further the EAC Partner States’ implementation of the WTO Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Agreement); 2. Build technical capacity in the EAC Partner States with respect to SPS measures, including through training and information exchange; 3. Seek to enhance the harmonization of SPS measures within the EAC on the basis of international standards, guidelines and recommendations;

9. EAC Partner States and US Cooperation Agreement on SPS 5. Enhance technical capacity in the EAC Partner States for the consistent implementation of science-based SPS measures ( transparency and evidence-based decision-making) 6. Support the EAC Partner States’ capacities for risk analysis, and for the mitigation and monitoring of risk in accordance with international standards, guidelines, and recommendations; 7. Improve the ability of EAC Partner States to participate in the work of relevant international standards setting bodies

10. Way forward Way forward Finalization and implementation of the SPS work plans Finalization and implementation of the SPS work plans Some work already on-going Some work already on-going