Download Pacific Plant Protection Organisation Meeting 2001

SECRETARIAT OF THE PACIFIC PLANT PROTECTION ORGANISATION
12th Meeting of the Pacific Plant Protection Organisation Executive Committee
(8th – 10th December, 2010. Auckland, New Zealand)
Agenda No:13
Final report on PACER Regional Trade Facilitation Program
Issue
Quarantine is one of the important non tariff barriers to trade and many Pacific Island
Countries (PIC’s) are finding it difficult to trade in the open global market as they need to
meet international standards. The global standards are based on WTO rules and regulations,
thus the need for PIC’s to build their capacity to produce, maintain quality of their products
and trade globally using international standards.
Background
The funding provided by the Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations (PACER) by
Australia and New Zealand was an important source of assistance to build the capacities of
PIC’s. SPC also has maintained closer working relations with all member countries
quarantine services which has been appreciated by them. The PACER agreement also
provides the opportunity for PIC’s to trade with Australia and New Zealand as well as trading
among themselves.
The quarantine component is intended to increase the capacity development of private sector,
and public sector to understand biosecurity requirements of importing countries and ensure
export commodities meet these requirements as well as ensuring that all imports are safe to
import through a thorough scientific risk assessment process conducted and appropriate risk
mitigation measures are applied.
Hence a centre for import-export biosecurity technical support (“IMPEXTEK”) was
established to enhance capacity of PIC quarantine (biosecurity) services to conduct
technically rigorous import risk analysis and development of technically sound import
conditions which are consistent with global norms and do not threaten national biosecurity
(ie, public health, animal and plant health, environment and food security). This was
measured by the successful market access submissions for FIC commodities by extending the
capacity of FICs to structure acceptable applications for access to destination markets,
conduct of import risk analysis for proposed imports and import specifications and the market
access technical plans for research and development, data analysis, market access
submissions for commodity exports to specific destinations
An increase in the range and volume of commodities gaining market access and traded was
recorded. The number of private and public sector officials trained, provision of basic and
necessary equipment and tools to facilitate trade and ensure trading occurred increased and
provided
The objectives were not fully achieved as the PICs technical capacity to uptake and remain
competitive in the international trade requires continued assistance and supervision. SPC has
long term commitment to advise and assist PIC’s improve their capacity in biosecurity and
trade facilitation. The PIC’s also referred to as Forum Island States (FICs) are Cook Islands,
Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua
New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
Assistance was however rendered to non FICs through sharing of information, training
courses, workshops and in-country technical assistance
Suggested recommendation for consideration by the PPPO Exco-12.
1. SPC continues to assist and improve PICTs capacity to meet WTO SPS requirements
with trading partners countries
2. PICT’s endeavor to improve their trading capacities and seek National government,
Bilateral and Multilateral assistance for capacity building in Plant Protection and
Phytosanitary measures