Pre-CPM 11 Training: Categorization of commodities according to their pest risk - ISPM 32

The IPPC Secretariat held a pre-CPM 11 training session on the Categorization of commodities according to their pest risk - International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM) 32 - on 3 April 2016 in Rome, Italy. The training was attended by 95 participants, including representatives from contracting parties, RPPOs and international organizations, who actively contributed to the exercises and discussions held. The training session was held in English, while discussion was facilitated in English, French, Spanish, Russian and Arabic.

The Secretariat introduced ISPM 32 as a key standard for international trade facilitation. Despite the importance of this international standard for international trade, the 2013 Implementation Review and Support System (IRSS) survey data indicated a low level of its implementation by contracting parties. The Secretariat encouraged better implementation of the ISPM 32, particularly since there is evidence that a number of countries still require the issuance of phytosanitary certificates for products listed in the standard which have no phytosanitary risk (Category 1).

Mrs. Maria Inés Ares of the Seed Association of Americas (SAA), gave an overview of the experience of the Comite Regional de Sanidad Vegetal del Cono Sur (COSAVE) in harmonizing phytosanitary measures based on pest risk associated with commodities. The result of COSAVE s work formed the basis for the development of ISPM 32. Mrs Ares summarized principal elements of ISPM 32, and emphasised how implementation of the standard would help national plant protection organizations (NPPOs) of importing countries when setting import requirements. She highlighted how this categorization helps in identifying whether further pest risk analysis is required and if phytosanitary certification is needed.

The feedback received on the constraints in implementing ISPM 32 included:

• awareness raising is necessary on ISPM 32 at the regional level as well as within contracting parties NPPOs and national stakeholders (importers, exporters, customs, etc.);
• better communication is needed between NPPOs of trading countries in order to avoid unnecessary phytosanitary certification and to decrease the workload of NPPOs;
• capacity development is crucial for institutionalization of PRA systems in a range of countries to justify when import requirements are really needed; - further clarity on ISPM 32 could be provided through guidance, including sharing of contracting parties case studies and best practices; and
• contracting parties legislation needs to implement ISPM 32 and to avoid unnecessary trade barriers.

As a concluding remark, participants of the training session recommended that contracting parties place more emphasis on improving the implementation of ISPM 32.

All presentations of the pre-CPM training side session will be made available on the www.phytosanitary.info website.