The main objective of SPS technical assistance and training
activities undertaken by the WTO Secretariat is to increase
participants' awareness of their rights and obligations under the
SPS Agreement and its implications for national policymaking.
SPS technical assistance and training activities typically include
presentations on the basic provisions of the SPS Agreement,
including the transparency provisions on implementation problems
and specific trade concerns, as well as on WTO dispute
settlement. There may also be specific focus on issues such
as risk analysis and equivalence. Regional training
activities also include presentations of the work undertaken by the
three standard-setting organizations referenced in the SPS
Agreement (Codex, OIE and IPPC). The programme and
presentations of these technical assistance activities are adapted
to take into account the level of familiarity with the SPS
Agreement of the participants, the level of development of the
countries, and any specific concerns relating to the implementation
of the Agreement in order to meet and respond to individual
national/regional needs.
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