The World Trade Organization (WTO) members adopted the Sixth Review of the Operation and Implementation of the WTO Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Agreement) during the SPS Committee meeting on March 19-20, 2025. The meeting also highlighted a record number of SPS notifications from developing economies in 2024, with 60 trade concerns addressed, including six new issues.
Under Article 12.7 of the SPS Agreement, members must review the Agreement’s operation and implementation periodically. The first review occurred three years after the Agreement’s implementation in 1995. A Decision from the Fourth WTO Ministerial Conference in 2001 mandated the Committee to conduct such reviews at least every four years.
The final report of the Sixth Review includes a set of recommendations aimed at guiding the future work of the SPS Committee. Key recommendations are as follows:
- Establishment of a Transparency Working Group: The group, with an initial two-year mandate, will focus on improving SPS notifications, enhancing the ePing SPS&TBT Platform, facilitating access to translations, and tracking the incorporation of comments.
- Mentoring Program: This initiative will assist developing economies in engaging with SPS issues and improving the transparency of their SPS regulations.
- Ongoing Collaboration: The SPS Committee will continue its cooperation with the Codex Alimentarius Commission, the International Plant Protection Convention, and the World Organisation for Animal Health, with the Committee serving as a central hub for information exchange.
- Thematic Sessions: The Committee plans to hold further dialogues and sessions on a variety of topics, including modern challenges, emerging risks, innovative regulatory approaches, digital tools, maximum residue limits, and the process for listing export facilities for agricultural and food products.
Cecilia Risolo, Chair of the SPS Committee (Argentina), emphasized that the final report is well-balanced, incorporating diverse ideas shared by members throughout the review process.
Record SPS Notifications from Developing Economies
The Committee also discussed the 2024 WTO SPS transparency report, which revealed a record-high number of SPS notifications from developing economies, which accounted for approximately 75% of all notifications. Among these, least-developed countries (LDCs) achieved a historic milestone, contributing 24% of the total notifications. Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi, and Rwanda were among the top 10 regular notifiers in 2024.
30th Anniversary Publication: SPS Committee Success Stories
In celebration of the 30th anniversary of the SPS Agreement and its Committee, a new publication was released, featuring success stories from the Committee’s work. These stories highlight the Committee’s role in resolving trade tensions, offering guidance, and promoting engagement on SPS matters among members over the years.
Thematic Sessions on Innovative Regulatory Approaches
The Committee organized a thematic session on innovative regulatory approaches to facilitate safe trade from March 17-18. This session covered topics such as establishing and recognizing pest- and disease-free areas, the use of integrated measures to manage phytosanitary risks (known as the “systems approach”), and setting limits for pesticide and veterinary drug residues in food. The discussions also explored how regulations could support the adoption of new technologies to manage SPS risks, reduce costs, and enhance trade safety.
Additionally, the Committee agreed to hold two new thematic sessions in 2025: one on antimicrobial resistance in June and another on how to facilitate safe trade through efficient import controls using modern IT tools, such as facility registration, in November.
Technical Assistance and Cooperation
The WTO Secretariat presented an overview of the planned SPS technical assistance activities for 2025. Japan also provided an update on the technical assistance it has extended to developing economies in relation to SPS-related measures.
Specific Trade Concerns
During the meeting, members raised 60 specific trade concerns (STCs), six of which were new. The new STCs covered topics such as delays in approval processes for market access, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), and animal diseases like African swine fever and bird flu. Ongoing concerns included EU measures on pesticides, contaminants, endocrine disruptors, and veterinary medicinal products. A significant number of concerns also involved delays or lack of transparency in approval processes. A detailed list of the STCs discussed is available.
As of early 2025, nearly 60% of all STCs raised in the SPS Committee have been resolved or partially resolved, reflecting the ongoing efforts to address trade barriers and improve transparency in SPS measures.
