The WTO Agreements on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures

The WTO Agreements on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) and Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) & The role of food irradiation Josef Brodesser Food and Environmental Protection Section Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture A-1400 Vienna, Austria JOINT FAO/IAEA PROGRAMME of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture 1

World trade of agricultural products 9% ( 560 US$ Billions) Agricultural products Other products 91% JOINT FAO/IAEA PROGRAMME of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture 2

World trade & production by main product groups 0 Total merchandise Industry products 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Percentage increase per year Export rate Production rate Agricultural products Manufactures JOINT FAO/IAEA PROGRAMME of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture 3

JOINT FAO/IAEA PROGRAMME of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture 4

The World Trade Organization (WTO) F Is the only global international organization dealing with the rules of trade between nations. F At its heart are the WTO agreements, negotiated and signed by the bulk of the world’s trading nations and ratified in their Parliaments. JOINT FAO/IAEA PROGRAMME of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture 5

Functions of the WTO 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Administering WTO trade agreements Forum for trade negotiations Handling trade disputes Monitoring national trade policies Technical assistance and training for developing countries Cooperation with other international organizations JOINT FAO/IAEA PROGRAMME of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture 6

WTO Agreements F Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) F Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) JOINT FAO/IAEA PROGRAMME of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture 7

Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures are to protect against pests and diseases and to provide safe food JOINT FAO/IAEA PROGRAMME of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture 8

SPS F Acknowledges that governments have the right to take sanitary and phytosanitary measures necessary for the protection of human health. F It does not permit Member Governments to discriminate by applying different requirements to different countries where the same or similar conditions prevail, unless there is sufficient scientific justification for doing so. JOINT FAO/IAEA PROGRAMME of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture 9

TBT F Aims to ensure that technical regulations and standards, including packaging, marking and labeling requirements, and analytical procedures for assessing conformity with technical regulations and standards do not create unnecessary barriers to trade. JOINT FAO/IAEA PROGRAMME of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture 10

The SPS Agreement Recognizes relevant international standards, guidelines and recommendations of competent international organizations: Codex Alimentarius Commission (for food safety and human health) F International Plant Protection Convention (for plant health) F International Office of Epizootics (for animal health) F JOINT FAO/IAEA PROGRAMME of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture 11

Joint FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission Intergovernmental Body - 165 members, Objectives: F Ensure food is safe to eat F Facilitate international trade JOINT FAO/IAEA PROGRAMME of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture 12

Codex Alimmentarius Commission (CAC) Codex Alimentarius = Food Law F Food standards F Codes of practices F Recommendations JOINT FAO/IAEA PROGRAMME of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture 13

Food Hygiene and Safety Mayor activity of CAC Committees on: F Food Hygiene F Food Additives and Contaminants F Pesticides Residues F Residues of Veterinary Drugs JOINT FAO/IAEA PROGRAMME of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture 14

CODEX GENERAL STANDARD FOR IRRADIATED FOOD 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Scope General requirements for the process Hygiene of irradiated foods Technological requirements Re-irradiation Labelling JOINT FAO/IAEA PROGRAMME of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture 15

RECOMMENDED INTERNATIONAL CODE OF PRACTICE FOR THE OPERATION OF IRRADIATION FACILITIES USED FOR THE TREATMENT OF FOOD Introduction F Irradiation plants F Good radiation processing plants F Product and inventory control F Appendix A (dosimetry) F Appendix B (EXAMPLES of technological conditions for the irradiation of SOME individual food items. ) F JOINT FAO/IAEA PROGRAMME of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture 16

IPPC Guidelines for the Use of Irradiation as a Phytosanitary Treatment PLAN § Review by ICPM Standard Committee (May 2002) § Comments by member countries (June-September 2002) § New document revised by ICPM Standard Committee end year 2002) § Review and approval by the Plenary Session IPPC (April 2003) JOINT FAO/IAEA PROGRAMME of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture 17

Conclusion WTO and its Agreements on SPS and TBT are part of international efforts to liberalise the world trade in food and agricultural products. JOINT FAO/IAEA PROGRAMME of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture 18