COLEACP facilitates the establishment and update of national regulated pest lists in African, Caribbean and Pacific countries

Rome, 15 April 2021. The Europe-Africa-Caribbean-Pacific Liaison Committee (COLEACP) is a Non-Governmental Organization established in 1973 by stakeholders in the international fruit and vegetable trade. In 2018, the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) Secretariat and COLEACP established a fruitful collaboration to join forces in developing the phytosanitary capacities of African, Caribbean and Pacific countries.

On April 15, COLEACP held its latest webinar in a series of virtual fora on sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) issues with National Plant Protection Organizations (NPPOs) from African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries. The webinar series is organized in the framework of the Fit For Market SPS program focused on the “establishment and update of regulated pest lists in ACP countries, their main implications and challenges”. Regulated pest lists are at the core of the Phytosanitary system in order to set requirements for imports and protect a territory from the entry of pests.

Ms Sarah Brunel, Implementation Facilitation Unit Deputy Lead said, “ISPM 19 guidelines on lists of regulated pests highlight the importance of establishing, updating and making regulated pest lists available.”

Representatives from regional organizations in West Africa, the Caribbean and individual country representatives outlined experiences and challenges they encountered in establishing and maintaining regulated pests lists. Participants engaged in a rich discussion on the importance of regulated pest lists and gave an example of how a team of national experts used such a list to help diffuse a trade dispute. Kenya and Ivory Coast shared details on guidance they follow for establishing their regulated pest lists.

If countries do not base their import requirements on a pest risk analysis conducted by national scientific experts, trade disputes can occur, as there is insufficient justification for their phytosanitary measures. An updated regulated pest list, developed through the pest risk analysis process , can help justify import requirements and provide exporting countries with information needed for the export certification process. This also helps improve trading partners understanding of why non-compliance notifications are sent, so they can learn how to prevent them.