IPPC Formalizes Trade Facilitation Collaboration

Rome, Italy 7 June 2022 – The International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) and the Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation (the Alliance) have formalised a relationship engaged in transforming the cumbersome, paper-based phytosanitary certification procedures protecting international trade in plant and plant products.

IPPC Secretary Osama El Lissey noted that “The IPPC ePhyto Solution has always been intended to facilitate safe trade in plants and plant products for all Contracting Parties wishing to use the system, and the collaboration between the IPPC Secretariat and the Alliance is making that a reality.”

Both organizations signed the letter of intent during the first week of June formalizing the collaboration and laying the foundation to continue working together to expand the adoption of the IPPC ePhyto Solution. This powerful, targeted trade facilitation tool makes international commerce simpler, faster, and more cost-effective while simultaneously helping border controls strengthen plant protection regulations and consumer safety.

The IPPC ePhyto Solution enables a seamless, end-to-end electronic exchange, eliminating most of the overheads and the delays incurred by the paper trail. Countries may produce ePhytos and access the Hub directly if they already have a Single Window or through the web-based application, the Generic ePhyto National System (GeNS).

The IPPC ePhyto Solution now has 110 countries registered on the Hub and 68 exchanging ePhytos. As of 1 June 2022, more than two million ePhytos have been exchanged, with rapid growth over the past two years in particular.

The Alliance is supporting several developing and least developed countries (LDCs) in implementing the IPPC ePhyto Solution, replacing manual documentation with electronic phytosanitary certificates, or ePhytos, capable of exchange with a growing number of countries worldwide through the IPPC ePhyto Hub.

The public private partnership approach at the heart of every IPPC/Alliance project fosters collaboration between governments and enterprises.

For additional information on the IPPC ePhyto Solution, please visit: www.ephytoexchange.org