OIE standards : main objectives and mandates, SPS agreement, obligation and ethics in trade

1. Dr. Caroline Planté OIE Sub-regional Representation in Brussels OIE standards : main objectives and mandates, SPS agreement, obligation and ethics in trade

2. Presentation of the OIE

3. SOME KEY FACTS • Established in 1924: 172 Members in 2008 • Intergovernmental Organisation – predates the UN • 5 Permanent OIE Regional Representations: Bamako (Mali), Buenos Aires (Argentina), Tokyo (Japan), Sofia (Bulgaria) and Beirut (Lebanon) • 4 OIE Sub-Regional Offices: Bangkok (Thailand), Gaborone (Botswana), Panama, Brussels (Belgium) • 5 OIE Regional Commissions: Africa, Americas, Asia-Pacific, Europe and MiddleEast 51 13 29 28 51

4. Cattle from India to Brazil via Antwerp Rinderpest 1920 and OIE 1924

5. OIE MANDATE Historical: ‘To prevent animal diseases from spreading around the world’ The 4th Strategic Plan 2006/2010 extends the OIE’s global mandate to: ‘The improvement of animal health all around the world’

6. ANIMAL HEALTH INFORMATION OIE OBJECTIVES to ensure transparency in the global animal disease and zoonosis situation to collect, analyse and disseminate scientific veterinary information

7. ACTIVITIES OF VETERINARY SERVICES OIE OBJECTIVES to provide expertise and encourage international solidarity in the control of animal diseases to improve the legal framework and resources of national Veterinary Services

8. OIE OBJECTIVES INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS to safeguard world trade by publishing health standards for international trade in animals and animal products (within its WTO/SPS mandate) to provide a better guarantee of food of animal origin and to promote animal welfare through a science-based approach

9. OIE INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS • Section 1.2, 1.3, 1.4 Terr. Code / Section 1.3, 1.4, 1.5 Aquatic Code : Obligations and ethics in international trade - General obligations - Certification proceduresRisk analysis Import/Export procedures

10. SPS Agreement

11. SPS AGREEMENT WTO : established 1st January 1995152 countriesSanitary and Phytosanitary Agreement :http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/sps_e/sps_e.htm Avoiding unnecessary barriers to trade The right to protect human, animal or plant life or health

12. SPS AGREEMENT Key provisions of the SPS Agreement 1- Non discrimination 2- Scientific justification - Harmonisation - Risk assessment - Consistency - Least trade restrictiveness 3- Equivalence 4- Regionalisation 5- Transparency 6- Technical ssistance/special treatment 7- Control, inspection and approval procedures

13. SPS AGREEMENT SPS Measures Definition – Annex A => A measure taken to protect - Human or animal health FROM risks arrising from additives, contaminants, toxins or disease organisms in food, drink, feedstuff - Human life FROM plant- or animal-carried diseases - Animal or plant life FROM pests, diseases, disease-causing organisms - A country FROM other damage caused by entry, establishment or spread of pests

14. SPS AGREEMENT Scientific justification Based on scientific principles Applied only to the extent necessary to protect human, animal or plant life or health (least trade restrictive) Not maintained without sufficient scientific evidence Except as provided for in Art 5.7 Art 2.2 Members shall ensure that any SPS measure is:

15. WTO SPS Agreement recognises OIE as a reference organisation for international standards (3 sisters) OIE and SPS food safety CODEX plant healthIPPC animal healthOIE 16

16. SPS Agreement strongly encourage that health measure be based on international standard, guidelines and recommendations, where they exist => OIE Codes and Manuals If no standards exist or decision of importing country for higher level of protection (stronger measures) => scientific justification is necessary=> obligation to conduct risk analysis (according to provisions laid down in OIE Code) OIE and SPS Role and responsability of OIE in the frame of SPS Agreement (Terr. Code, art 1.3.1.2)

17. Obligation and ethics in international trade

18. Factors taken into account • Consideration of animal health situationin the exporting, transit and importing countries • Requirements: • - No exclusion of pathogens or animal diseases which are present within the territory of the importing countrywhich are not subject to any official control programme. • No higher measure than those applied within the importing country • No requirement for non OIE listed diseases/pathogens (unless significant risk for importing country => risk analysis)

19. Factors taken into account • Information from exporting country • Notification/reporting requirements(prompt and comprehensive information) • Effectiveness of the systems for animal disease surveillance and ability to apply measure to control and prevent relevant diseases • Structure and authority of VS

20. Factors taken into account • Capacity to control the establishment & application of animalhealth measures and certification activities • =>Official procedures for authorisation of official veterinarians - Definition of function and duties - Conditions for possible suspension of the appointment - Relevant instructions and training • Monitoring of activities of certifying veterinarians • => Assurance of integrity and impartiality

21. from Article 1.3.4.1. The purpose of evaluation may be: -to assist a national authority in the decision-making process regarding priorities for its own VS (self-evaluation) -to assist the process ofrisk analysis in international trade… to which official sanitary and/or zoosanitary controls apply. Factors taken into account Evaluation of VS : legal basis (Code) (Chapters 1.3.3 / 1.3.4)

22. from Article 1.3.3.3 “Members should recognise the right of another Member to undertake, or request it to undertake, an evaluation of its VS where the initiating Member is an actual or prospective importer, and where the evaluation is to be a component of a risk analysis process which is to be used to determine sanitary measures to be applied to trade.” Factors taken into account

23. Factors taken into account Evaluation of VS : process => OIE-PVS tool designed to conduct the evaluation of VS in accordance to the provisions of the Ter. Code • Self evaluation performed by internal and/or OIE experts=> improve performance • Evaluation relevant to bilateral negotiations between trading countries • => determine trade opportunities/sanitary measures

24. Conclusion

25. World organisation for animal health 12 rue de prony 75017 Paris, France Tel: 33 (0)1 44 15 18 88 – Fax: 33 (0)1 42 67 09 87 Email: oie@oie.int http://www.oie.int