Enhancing International Trade in Food Products

In cooperation with the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization, ADBI organized a four-day workshop in Tokyo, 9–12 December 2008, on World Trade Organization Agreements on Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Measures and Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT). Some 20 senior agriculture officials from 11 ADB developing member countries that are also members of the WTO, participated in this workshop. The main focus of the workshop was to foster better understanding and collaboration on WTO SPS and TBT Agreements as the basic framework for food safety regulations and for expansion of trade in agricultural products with special emphasis on food standard setting.

In particular, the participants discussed the dynamics of international food safety regulations, in relation to the WTO SPS and TBT Agreements and international standards, the impacts of food safety regulations and standards on cross-border trade, challenges and difficulties faced in their implementation, and shared country experiences in addressing them.

See more details about the conference.

Senior agriculture officials from 11 developing member countries participated in CBT's workshop on WTO SPS and TBT measures.