Keeping pace with new challenges and opportunities in trade

Trade is a vital part of the Canadian economy. In 2021, the country's 2-way trade in goods was valued at a record-high $1.53 trillion.

But now more than ever, factors like growing populations, advances in technology, climate change, environmental sustainability, new pests and emerging diseases present challenges and opportunities for the global trade of food, animals, and plants.

That is why Canada, with leadership from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), is making enhancements to a key agreement that supports international trade in today's world.

An agreement to protect health and promote trade

The World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (the "SPS Agreement") sets out basic rules for the trade of food, animals, and plants. It encourages WTO member countries to use international standards, guidelines, and recommendations, and allows them to set their own science-based standards as needed.

The goal of the SPS Agreement is for members to adopt science-based and risk-based measures that protect human, animal, and plant health, without creating unnecessary barriers to international trade. This way, Canada and its trading partners can protect their citizens and resources at home while supporting healthy economies.

For over 25 years, the SPS Agreement has played a big role in supporting the import and export of Canadian products. But a lot has changed since it came into effect in 1995, and work is being initiated to better understand the impacts of modern challenges.

Canadian leadership on the world stage

Trade ministers and senior officials from the 164 WTO members recently came together in June 2022 for negotiations at the 12th Ministerial Conference in Geneva, Switzerland. Ministerial Conferences typically take place every 2 years, and are the organization's highest decision-making body.

On the table for discussion was the Declaration for the 12th Ministerial Conference: Responding to Modern SPS Challenges (the SPS Declaration). The CFIA's WTO Agreements team played a key role in Canada's work to develop the SPS Declaration and advocate for its adoption. It highlights the ongoing benefits of the SPS Agreement while identifying new opportunities and pressures on global trade using science-based approaches.

Canada was an original champion among a group of co-sponsors that grew to over 90 countries supporting the adoption of the SPS Declaration in Geneva. In particular, the SPS Declaration directs members to work together on a programme aimed at identifying and managing new issues related to the global trade of food, animals, and plants.

Unprecedented outcomes for global trade

After a lengthy hiatus due to the pandemic, WTO members at the 12th Ministerial Conference seemed to be making up for lost time. Round-the-clock negotiations extended the conference by two days, resulting in unprecedented multilateral trade outcomes.

The "Geneva Package" covers important trade decisions in areas such as fisheries, responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, the current food security crisis, and WTO reform—not to mention the successful adoption of the SPS Declaration.

At a meeting of the WTO SPS Committee shortly afterwards, ambassadors and senior mission officials congratulated WTO SPS representatives on this achievement.

"The world has changed since the establishment of the SPS Agreement," said Martin Moen, the Deputy Permanent Representative of Canada to the WTO. "The principles and obligations of the SPS Agreement remain as relevant today as ever. With this declaration, Ministers have recognized these facts, and called on this Committee to examine how the implementation of the SPS Agreement can respond to the new and emerging challenges facing us all."

"This committee now has the opportunity to come together and collaborate on the work programme set out in the Declaration," he continued. "There is important work to be done, and I am pleased that discussions have already commenced on how to approach that work on a priority basis."

Key findings, actions taken and recommendations from the work programme will be reported at the next Ministerial Conference, which will be held no later than December 2023.

For Canada's part, CFIA experts in plant and animal health and food safety will join Global Affairs Canada, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Health Canada, and others to help establish and participate in the programme.

Learn more

• Members laud Ministerial Declaration addressing food safety, animal, plant health challenges (WTO.org)
• Minister Ng welcomes successful Twelfth Ministerial Conference in Geneva (Canada.ca)
• Canada and the WTO (international.gc.ca)
• Exporting food, plants, or animals

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