Posted on Wed, 04 Mar 2026, 14:07

Deadline on Tue, 14 Apr 2026, 23:59

The International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) Secretariat is soliciting nominations for appropriately qualified experts to take part in the Expert Working Group (EWG) for the revision of ISPM 12 (Phytosanitary certificates).

The purpose of this revision is to enhance implementation of, and compliance with, ISPM 12 by promoting harmonized phytosanitary certification practices and to facilitate the transition to electronic certification. The revision further aims to ensure that phytosanitary certificates issued in paper and electronic form are harmonized and compliant with ISPM 12, and that security mechanisms are in place to avoid fraudulence, in support of the international trade of plants, plant products and regulated articles.

For more information, please review Specification 79 - Revision of ISPM 12 (Phytosanitary certificates).

Nominations are due by 14 April 2026.

Tentative date and place of the meeting: Experts should be available to attend the face-to-face meeting, which is tentatively scheduled from 19-23 October 2026 in Greece.

The group will operate in English language (without interpretation), so experts should have a strong working knowledge of English.

1. Specific expertise required

Members with collective knowledge of, and experience in, phytosanitary regulation and certification related to the import, export and re-export of regulated articles.

2. Tasks

The tasks that need to be performed by the EWG are described in the Specification 79 - Revision of ISPM 12 (Phytosanitary certificates).

For more information on the roles of EWG participants, you may refer to section 6.2 of the IPPC Procedure Manual for Standard Setting (2024-2025).

3. Instructions for making nominations

Nominations may be submitted both by e-mail and via the online form no later than 14 April 2026.

NPPOs’ and RPPOs’ nominations will be accepted from contracting parties, national or regional plant protection organizations (NPPOs or RPPOs) through their respective NPPO or RPPO official IPPC Contact Point.

Self-nominations may be submitted by e-mail only and must be supported by an accompanying letter from the respective IPPC Official Contact Point of their country or region.

A nomination should only be made if the nominee has agreed to their nomination, is available for the meeting dates as posted on the IPPC calendar and can allocate appropriate time to the tasks as outlined in the IPPC statement of commitment. Each nomination must be accompanied by:

1. Completed nominee details and summary of expertise form;

2. Completed and signed IPPC statement of commitment;

3. The nominee's Curriculum Vitae (CV); and

4. For self-nominations only: An accompanying letter from the respective IPPC Official Contact Point.

3.1 Online Submission form

Link: online submission form for IPPC Official Contact Points (login required).

The online submission form should be completed no later than 14 April 2026. It allows you to work offline as well. After completing the form, a confirmation email will be sent to the specified email address with the completed form attached.

3.2 Nominations by e-mail

Submissions should be sent to the IPPC Secretariat by e-mail at [email protected] (with Descartes.Koumba@fao.org and [email protected] in cc) no later than 14 April 2026.

The subject line of the e-mail should read: “Name of the nominating country or RPPO – 2026-03 – IPPC Call for Experts – Expert Working Group – Revision of ISPM 12 (Phytosanitary certificates)”.

For further information about this call, please contact [email protected] and [email protected].