Dispute avoidance and settlement towards 2020

Rome, Italy, 9 - 11 September 2015. The 12th meeting of the IPPC Subsidiary Body for Dispute Settlement (SBDS) was held at the FAO Headquarters in Rome and the chairpersonship of Ms Mennie Gerritsen-Wielard (Europe Region member). Members from Africa, Europe, North America, Latin and Caribbean America and the Pacific, met along with the IPPC Secretariat to discuss the status and progress made in the IPPC Dispute Avoidance and Settlement System (DASS).

Great focus was placed on the improvement of the IPPC DASS towards 2020 and how this could contribute to International Year of Plant Health in 2020 if it gets approved. The meeting concluded the SBDS should work on raising awareness of IPPC dispute avoidance options of the IPPC DASS by reaching out to NPPOs, RPPOs and Contact Points. It was agreed that IPPC contracting parties should be better informed about existing options available to avoid disputes. The SBDS have already started producing a new series of technical information to support this process and will be looking for extra-budgetary resources to support this awareness raising.

In addition, a new Vice-Chair was elected - Mr Luis Benavides, Latin and Caribbean America Region member.