1. Understanding the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC)
The IPPC Secretariat
With the financial support of the STDF project 401
Phytosanitary Capacity Evaluation (PCE) facilitators training

2. Outline
Definition and Purpose
Core Activities
NPPO - IPPC Relationship

3. What is the IPPC?
A multilateral treaty for international cooperation in plant protection contracting parties as of 2016.
The global instrument for harmonization of phytosanitary measures in commerce and the environment
The phytosanitary standard-setting organization named in the WTO-SPS Agreement

4. IPPC revisions
The Convention was deposited with the Director- General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) since its adoption in 1951.
The Convention was revised in 1997 to align with the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures.
The New Revised Text of the IPPC came into force in

5. Revised text of the IPPC
Article 1: Purpose and Responsibility
To secure common and effective action to prevent the spread and introduction of pests of plants and plant products and to promote appropriate measures for their control, the contracting parties undertake to adopt the legislative, technical and administrative measures specified in this Convention and in supplementary agreements.

6. What are the strengths of the text of the Convention?
Clear obligations, rights and responsibilities.
111 shall/ 1 must/ 7 should/ 34 may.
Clear identification of an organization as the NPPO and of its roles.
Recognition of regional plant protection organizations.
A single model of certificate established as an Annex to the Convention.
Promotes cooperation among contracting parties.

7. IPPC – Protecting plant resources
Four strategic objectives:
Protect sustainable agriculture and enhance global food security through the prevention of pest spread.
Protect the environment, forests and biodiversity from plant pests.
Facilitate economic and trade development through the promotion of harmonized scientifically based phytosanitary measures.
Develop phytosanitary capacity for members to accomplish first three objectives.
The IPPC Strategic Framework was developed with 4 main objectives that define the IPPC’s role to protect plant resources from the risks associated with pests to take care of:
Global food security: protect sustainable agriculture and crops through the prevention of pest introduction and spread.
Protect the environment: preserve natural ecosystems, forests and biodiversity from plant pests.
Facilitate safe international trade and economic development: facilitate economic and trade development through the promotion of harmonized scientifically based phytosanitary measures.
Develop Capacity: provide phytosanitary capacity development resources/materials and training for members to accomplish the preceding three objectives.
Parties who are actively involved with the IPPC not only support each other and open doors to market access, they also help shape the international standards that support the 4 objectives outlined under the IPPC Strategic Framework.

8. IPPC – Protecting plant resources
Four core activities:
1. Standard setting
2. Reporting obligations
3. Dispute settlement
4. Capacity development
The IPPC actively engages in these four core activities with its members to help meet the four objectives outlined in it’s strategic framework.
Standard Setting:
IPPC members play a key role in the development of standards. The International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPMs) adopted by the IPPC strengthen the common efforts of contracting parties to protect plant resources worldwide.
National Reporting Obligations:
The IPPC facilitates information exchange among contracting parties through the International Phytosanitary Portal ( where information can be found and uploaded by the IPPC official contact point.
Dispute Settlement:
The IPPC provides a neutral forum for conciliation on technical issues and can also provide non-binding dispute settlement process.
- parties first consult bilaterally with the aim of resolving the problem
- if further action is needed, parties have other alternatives which may include the establishment of an IPPC Expert Panel
Capacity Building:
The IPPC is dedicated to helping all its contracting parties design a strategy to effectively and sustainably increase their national phytosanitary capacity.
IPPC assists in the implementation of standards and the strengthening of NPPOs through the use of the Phytosanitary Capacity Evaluation tool.
Capacity development resources and e-learning programs can be found on the Phytosanitary Resources page at

9. 1. Standard setting
IPPC Standard Setting Process

10. 1. Standard setting
Ways to participate in the standard setting activities
Submitting a topic
Providing comments during consultations
Reading compiled comments and understanding SC responses to them
Nominating experts
Reading SC reports and
discussing issues with SC members
Participating in the DP Expert Consultations
Submitting discussion papers
In which stages of the Standard Setting process can NPPOs participate?
All stages:
Submitting topics
Does this really need global harmonization?
Is there another way to get guidance?
Is this a global priority?
(see criteria for topics in the submission form, page 136 of the PM ANNEX 3: Submission form for topics for IPPC Standards
Draft a specification for the topic and make sure to lay out the scope you think should be covered and state the tasks that need to be taken by the experts to develop a good standards
2. At CPM, adjusting the List of topics
This is where the decisions are made, don’t let topics be added that you don’t think are needed.
Make sure not all topics are the same high priority
3. Submitting comments on the draft specification
This is the blue print for a standard, if this is not right the standard will not be either. Very important step, get the blue print right!!!
4. Nominating an expert for the technical panels (TPs) and expert working groups (EWG)
Encourage your experts to prepare a detailed CV and nomination form and submit
Submit a discussion paper for an EWG or TP meeting expressing your point of view and outlining your technical concerns
5. Submitting comments on the draft ISPM
Think about what really matters, don’t waste time on small edits but focus on the big picture issues
6. Submitting substantial concerns comments, if any, on the draft ISPM
Focus on what changed since the previous consultation, look at how the SC dealt with the comments by reading the SC-7 May report. For PTs and DPs, study the SC responses to comments- all on the IPP
7. Adoption of the draft ISPM
Have you identified the SC members in your region?
SC info and SC membership list available on IPP:
What is Member Consultation (MC) for draft ISPMs?
Opportunity for IPPC members to review and comment on draft ISPMs
Comments submitted by the IPPC Contact Point
Via the OCS on or before November 30th
Lasts 150 days: July 1st to November 30th
(FYI)
And for Submitting comments (via OCS):
NPPOs should review the comments submitted and decide which ones to submit
- Some stakeholders may have their own views on the topic based on their situation and mandate, but the NPPO has a ‘global’ view and wide expertise and should make efforts to consult stakeholders in their country (other goverment departments, industry, grower groups etc. )
NPPOs should take all viewpoints into consideration when making decisions.

11. 2. Reporting Obligations
Contracting parties’ obligations:
IPPC Official Contact Point
Description of the national plant protection organization
Points of entry with restrictions
Phytosanitary restrictions, requirements and prohibitions
Official Pest Reports

12. 2. Reporting obligations
Contracting parties’ obligations:
Pest status
Rational for phytosanitary requirements
List of regulated pests
Non-compliance
Emergency actions

13. 3. Dispute settlement
Governments have the sovereign right to dispute the phytosanitary measures that they believe are unjustified.
The SPS Agreement, like other WTO agreements, establishes both rights and obligations on governments. The basic right recognized by the SPS Agreement is that governments have the right to restrict international trade when it is necessary to protect human, animal or plant health. This means that health protection takes priority over trade.
Trade disputes between contracting parties may arise due to a number of reasons:
Gaining or maintaining market access
Interpretation and application of the:
IPPC
ISPMs
Phytosanitary measures
strength
type
use or misuse of measures.
New or revised phytosanitary measures.

14. 3. Dispute settlement
IPPC dispute avoidance and dispute settlement system (DASS):
Provides a flexible informal forum for dispute avoidance.
Formal Dispute Settlement to be used as a “last resort” if dispute avoidance has failed and is designed to solve technical phytosanitary problems.
Dispute avoidance - measures to prevent the occurrence of a formal dispute:
Actions that can be taken to avoid a dispute
Informal processes and many options
Dispute settlement - dispute resolution:
The “last resort” if dispute avoidance options have failed

15. 4. Capacity development Activities: Technical assistance
Legislation and policy advice
Project development and management
Workshops and trainings
Development of IPPC technical resources
Phytosanitary Resources page
Policy Advice: FAO inputs, Technical and legal
Project Development: project formulation, capacity assessments, strategic planning
Training: development of training materials, technical delivery of training

16. Phytosanitary resources page www.phytosanitary.info

17. Achieving the aims of the IPPC - Structure
Partners
Governance
Regional Plant Protection Organizations
Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (CPM)
182 contracting parties as of 2016
IPPC Secretariat hosted and provided by FAO
Convention on Biological Diversity
CPM Bureau - 7 Regional Representatives
Strategic Planning Group (SPG) and Finance Committee (FC)
Standards Committee (SC)
Subsidiary Body for Dispute Settlement (SBDS)
Capacity Development Committee
Technical panels, Expert Working Groups, The Strategic Planning Group (SPG), Workshops, technical consultations to deliver CPM decisions and to plan strategically.

18. Achieving the aims of the IPPC
Contracting parties establish National Plant Protection Organizations (NPPOs) as the sole national authority for plant health.
Regional Plant Protection Organizations (RPPOs) assist their regions to implement the IPPC and its International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPMs).

19. Benefits to contracting parties
Increased efficacy in preventing the introduction and spread of pests
Consistency with the WTO SPS Agreement
Most major trading partners and WTO members are contracting parties to the IPPC
Increased credibility of national phytosanitary systems for trading partners

20. Benefits to contracting parties
Direct and active input into processes of global harmonization, particularly in the development of ISPMs
Opportunities to interact with other international agreements related to trade and environment (e.g. WTO SPS Agreement, CBD, CITES)

21. IPPC Secretariat Viale delle Terme di Caracalla Rome, Italy Tel: (+39) Website:

22. Looking at the Convention Text
In groups of 3, review the Convention text and discuss the following questions:

23. Exercise 1: Responsibilities of the NPPO
Review Article IV: identify and discuss difficulties that you face in the implementation of any of these responsibilities

24. Exercise 2: Contracting Parties
Imagine your country is not a contracting party to the IPPC: What would be the consequences?