SPS Online
Basic Definition
SPS Agreement Background
- WTO: An Historical Perspective
- Emergence of an SPS Regime
SPS Agreement Principles
- Basic Rights
- Harmonization
- Risk Assessment
- Setting the Appropriate Level of Protection
- Regionalization
- Equivalence
- Transparency
- Dispute Settlement
Conclusions
International Standards
Standards Development
International Standard Setting Organizations
Desk Reference
Glossary
Related Organziations

SPS Agreement Principles

Transparency

Under the SPS Agreement, countries are required to make their rulemaking process transparent. This means:
  • providing advance notification to WTO members of new proposed phytosanitary measures which may affect trade;
  • making available the scientific basis for specific phytosanitary regulations to interested parties upon request.
(Transparency includes)...
  • including documentation on the appropriate level of protection selected; and
  • providing countries an opportunity to comment on its proposed rules before they are implemented (60-day comment period expected).
An exception to this advance notification rule exists for emergency disease or pest situations.

The intended effect the transparency provisions in the SPS Agreement is greater openness among WTO members in the rule making process. Like other provisions in the SPS Agreement, the transparency rule is intended to compel regulatory officials to ensure that their SPS measures are based on relevant scientific evidence and are consistent with previous risk management decisions. Advance notification of rules is intended to give affected parties, both domestic and foreign, an opportunity to provide relevant information on proposed rule changes and to anticipate and adjust to any regulatory actions which may affect trade.