Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS)

The objectives of the subject “Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS)” are the following:

1. To know how to identify and distinguish the non-tariff sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures in Foreign Trade (Import, Export)
2. To know how to act against a sanitary or phytosanitary measure (SPS) implanted by a country
3. To evaluate the possible impact they may have on product exports

Description - Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS)

In foreign trade, the sanitary and phytosanitary measures (SPS) are all the non-tariff technical measures aimed at the protection of people, animals, forests and plant life.

These sanitary and phytosanitary measures seek to protect against the risks of contaminating the products, toxins or additives in food products.

1. They also seek to protect the lives of people from possible diseases related to the intake of animals or vegetables.
2. They can also protect the spread of pests or biodiversity.

The sanitary and phytosanitary measures are controlled by the customs of the country of destination

The main sanitary and phytosanitary measures (SPS) are the following:

1. Prohibitions or restrictions of imports for sanitary and phytosanitary reasons
   1. Temporary geographic prohibitions for sanitary and phytosanitary reasons
   2. Geographical restrictions on eligibility
   3. Systems approach (applies two or more independent sanitary and phytosanitary measures to a specific product)
   4. Special authorization requirement for sanitary and phytosanitary reasons
   5. Registration requirements for importers
   6. Other prohibitions/restrictions of imports for sanitary and phytosanitary reasons
2. Tolerance limits for residues and restricted use of substances
   1. Residue tolerance limits or contamination by certain substances (not microbiological). Maximum residue limits (MRL)
   2. Restricted use of certain substances in food and feed
3. Labeling, marking and packaging requirements
   1. Labeling requirements
   2. Marking requirements on packaging (food safety)
   3. Packing and packaging requirements
4. Hygienic requirements (final product or productive process).
   1. Microbiological criteria of the final product
   2. Hygienic practices during production
   3. Other Hygienic requirements,
5. Treatment for elimination of plant and animal pests and disease-causing organisms in the final product
   1. Cold/heat treatment
   2. Irradiation
   3. Fumigation
   4. Other treatments
6. Other requirements on production or post-production processes
   1. Plant-growth processes
   2. Animal-raising or catching processes
   3. Food and feed processing
   4. Storage and transport conditions
   5. Other requirements
7. Conformity assessment related to the Sanitary and Phytosanitary measures
   1. Product registration requirements
   2. Test or compliance requirement
   3. Requirement of certification in accordance with a precise standard
   4. Inspection requirement in the country of the importer
   5. Traceability requirements (production, processing, distribution)
   6. Origin of materials or parts
   7. Historical of the elaboration process
   8. Distribution and location of products after delivery
   9. Other traceability requirements
   10. Quarantine requirements

The World Trade Organisation member states: Albania, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Eswatini (Swaziland), European Union, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyz Republic, Laos, Latvia, Lesotho, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of the Congo, Russian Federation, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Tajikistan, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe

1. Countries in process of accession to the World Trade Organization: Afghanistan, Algeria, Andorra, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Belarus, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Comoros, Curacao, Ethiopia, Equatorial Guinea, Holy See, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Uzbekistan, Syria, São Tomé and Príncipe, Serbia, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, East Timor, Yemen
2. Government with observer status: Turkmenistan
3. Non-member country: North Korea