1. Why Notify? Dr Paul Vitolovich, Trade & Market Access Division, DAFF

2. Why Notify?
The notification process is not costly or time intensive, nor is it difficult to implement.
There are costs that accrue when notifications are not forthcoming.
Notification allow compliance with transparency obligations, which in turn supports and enhances international trade.

3. What are the benefits of notifications?
From an exporting perspective
Notifications assist in understanding the SPS regime of trading partners.
Notifications provide a valuable opportunity to influence/comment on import measures before their adoption.
Notifications facilitate the development of international trade through providing greater certainty and increased confidence levels.

4. What are the benefits of notifications?
From an importing perspective
Notification leads to a greater understanding of a country’s SPS requirements.
Because of this greater understanding, importing authorities should have less risk to manage at the border.
Notifications assists in creating greater certainty of trade for importers and their suppliers.
Issuance of notifications assists importing authorities comply with the Transparency provisions of the SPS Agreement.

5. What are the costs of non-notification?
Who faces additional costs:
Importers.
Importing authorities.
Consumers.
Exporters.
Exporting Authorities.

6. Summary Notification is not a complex process.
There are clear advantages that accrue to importing and exporting countries and international trade when notifications are made.
There are obvious costs to importers, importing authorities, consumers, exporters and exporting authorities when notifications are not forthcoming.