Regional Plant Protection Organizations

The International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) is an international plant health treaty with the purpose of securing common and effective action to prevent the introduction and spread of pests of plants and plant products, and to promote appropriate measures for their control. The Convention governed by the Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (CPM) has185 contracting parties and 10 regional plant protection organizations (RPPOs).

Article IX of the IPPC states that contracting parties undertake to cooperate with one another in establishing regional plant protection organizations in appropriate areas.

The Secretary of the Commission convenes regular Technical Consultation of RPPO representatives to promote the development and use of relevant international standards for phytosanitary measures and encourage inter-regional cooperation in advocating harmonized phytosanitary measures for controlling plant pests and in preventing their spread and/or introduction.

RPPOs function as the coordinating bodies in the areas covered and, where appropriate participate in various activities such as gathering and disseminating information to achieve the objectives of the Convention. Where appropriate RPPOs also, cooperate with the Secretary in achieving the objectives of the Convention and with the Secretary and the Commission in developing international standards.

In addition to being a forum for RPPOs to consult as a group, the Technical Consultation among Reginal Plant Protection Organizations can foster regional representatives under the IPPC to contribute to Commission on Phytosanitary Measures work on focus groups, steering committees, and subsidiary body committees. Also, some contracting parties to the IPPC belong to more than one RPPO and each RPPO has its own activities and programme.

The 10 RPPOs are:

• Asia & Pacific Plant Protection Commission (APPPC)
• Caribbean Agricultural Health and Food Safety Agency (CAHFSA)
• Comité de Sanidad Vegetal del Cono Sur (COSAVE)
• Comunidad Andina (CAN)
• European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization (EPPO)
• Inter-African Phytosanitary Council (IAPSC)
• Near East Plant Protection Organization (NEPPO)
• North American Plant Protection Organization (NAPPO)
• International Regional Organization for Plant and Animal Health (OIRSA)
• Pacific Plant Protection Organization (PPPO)

The responsibilities of RPPOs in Article IX identify RPPO collaboration as an important role in the cooperative endeavour to implement the IPPC.

Nomination forms for Official Contact Points of RPPOs are available here.

TC-RPPO Terms of Reference is posted below

TC-RPPO meeting reports and documents of are available here.

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