Responsible for:

United States Official World Trade Organization (WTO) Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Enquiry Point and Notification Authority Office. Lead agency on development of U.S. Government positions in SPS matters and activities related to SPS domestic and foreign notifications and enquiries to the WTO.

INTERNATIONAL TRADE AGREEMENTS AND OTHER TRADE-RELATED ACTIVITIES

• Participate in the WTO and NAFTA SPS/TBT Committees and other trade-related Committees: Participate as member of multi-agency U.S. Delegations to the World Trade Organization Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (WTO SPS Committee) and Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade (WTO TBT Committee), NAFTA SPS/TBT Committees, FTA, FTAAs and other trade related activities to ensure US influence, and to promote consistency among WTO member countries in the application of the SPS Agreements related to safety measures (standards and controls) pertaining to foods moving in international commerce.

TRADE CAPACITY BUILDING

• Strengthen Scientific Collaboration With Foreign Governments: Promote Scientific/Technical Exchanges with Appropriate Foreign Countries – Advocate scientific collaboration with appropriate foreign governments and international organizations to enhance the scientific foundation and information base and enforcement decisions of U.S. food and agriculture WTO trading partners. To foster and enhance the ability of foreign governments to base regulatory decisions on sound science.

INTERNATIONAL HARMONIZATION

• Strengthen Participation in Codex:  Participate in key committees of the Codex Alimentarius, through improved coordination with the U.S. Codex office, and other U.S. regulatory and trade agencies, in order to elaborate and promote development of science-based, international food safety standards.
• Participate in other standard setting bodies to enhance the development of consistent, transparent, food safety standards and import requirements.

EDUCATIONAL POWERPOINT PRESENTATIONS

• Developed to promote a better understanding of the obligations set forth in the SPS Agreement, Transparency Provisions, international standards setting organizations, the TBT Agreement related to food and agricultural products, and foster a better understanding of U.S. and foreign countries domestic policy.