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What is the WTO Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Agreement)?

The WTO Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Agreement) is an international treaty that sets rules for food safety and animal and plant life and health standards. It aims to balance the right of WTO Members to protect human, animal, and plant health and life, with the need to avoid unnecessary barriers to trade.

 Key features of the SPS Agreement include:

  • Scientific basis: Requires regulations to be based on science and applied only to the extent necessary;
  • International standards: Encourages the use of international standards, but allows for higher (stricter) standards if justified;
  • Risk assessment: Promotes the use of risk assessment to justify SPS measures;
  • Transparency: Requires the notification of new or amended measures and provides mechanisms for information exchange among WTO Members; and
  • Dispute settlement: Offers a framework for resolving disputes related to SPS measures.

By promoting transparency, scientific justification, and international cooperation, the SPS Agreement seeks to ensure fair and open trade, while safeguarding human, animal, and/or plant life and health.