Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF)

1. Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF) A global partnership in SPS capacity building and technical cooperation Symposium on WTO Trade Facilitation for African Countries Nairobi, 13-15 November

2. Context • Outdated border clearance procedures and excessive red-tape seen as a greater barrier to trade than tariffs (WB, 2011). • Increased transaction costs and time for border clearance, which affects trade flows, competitiveness, foreign investment. • Logistics Performance Indicators suggest that non-customs authorities are the weak link in the chain (WB, 2012) . • Move towards a more holistic, “whole of government” approach to trade facilitation.

3. Sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) controls and trade facilitation • Agricultural, food and forestry products go through SPS controls as part of the border release process. • Legitimate right of countries to apply food safety, animal and plant health measures to protect human, animal or plant life or health. • But regulations should be based on science, applied only to the extent necessary and should not arbitrarily or unjustifiably discriminate between countries where identical or similar conditions prevail.

4. WTO Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Recognizing theright to protect human, animal and plant life or health Avoiding unnecessary barriers to trade

5. Interface between SPS and Customs • In most developing countries, cooperation between SPS authorities and customs is limited. • Little awareness in SPS authorities of international efforts at customs modernization. • Implementing SPS controls is complex and requires particular scientific and managerial capacity, and resources. • Modernization of SPS authorities has generally lagged behind customs.

6. Border management modernization focuses attention on SPS weaknesses, including • Duplication of tasks • Excessive documentary requirements • Inadequate use of IT systems • Poor coordination • Limited emphasis on risk management • Incentive structure that encourages too many inspections, tests, certificates and permits

7. Some evidence of new approaches • Coordination between SPS authorities and customs • Use of Authorized Economic Operators (Argentina, Mexico) • Joint inspections (Costa Rica, Chile, Peru) • Web-based zoosanitary / phytosanitary export certificates • Single windows (e.g. Chile, Colombia, Jamaica, Azerbaijan) • Regional initiatives and one-stop border posts (e.g. Trans-Pacific Corridor in Central America)

8. Purpose of the STDF work • Targeted at staff of SPS authorities, customs and other border agencies in developing countries. • To raise awareness about the need for improved coordination among food safety, animal and plant health authorities, customs and other border management agencies. • To identify key needs, opportunities and good practices to effectively engage SPS authorities in developing countries coordinated border management.

9. Key questions • How are SPS authorities working with customs and other border agencies (nationally and regionally)? • What are the key drivers and challenges? • What innovative approaches and tools are being used and what are the experiences? • What is the role of private sector, regional institutions and development partners? • What are the priorities for change?

10. Scope of work (2013) • Joint research with regional institutions in Africa, Asia & Pacific, and Latin America & Caribbean to identify and analyse how SPS authorities are involved in CBM. • Synthesis study documenting the experiences, lessons, good practices and recommendations to enhance the role of SPS authorities in CBM. • Dissemination and discussions of the findings.

11. Thank you. For more information: Standards and Trade Development Facility World Trade Organization Centre William Rappard Rue de Lausanne 154 CH-1211 Geneva Switzerland STDFSecretariat@wto.org Pablo.Jenkins@wto.org www.standardsfacility.org