International Animal Trade Flashcards
Why are trade controls important?
- Key to preventing exoticc animal diseass from entering country leading to:
- Economic impacts from dx and other hazards
*Animla health, human health and public health risks
Define Exotic diseases
- Diseases that are known to occur elsewhere and may be
endemic, new, or emerging outside the country or region
of interest (e.g. UK, Europe) - Country of interest is currently considered disease-free
Define Endemci dx?
- Diseases caused by a pathogen that circulates routinely (all the time or seasonally) in a given population
Who is responsible for trade controls?
- International organisations
- national Veterinary services -> DEFRA (APHA)
Describe international organisations’s role?
- World Trade Organization (WTO) : oversees how trade rules are applied by countries and monitors countries’ trade policies)
- World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH): provides the international standards for trade in animals and animal products)
Describe DEFRA role?
- Surveillance, notification of national animal health situation
- Sanitary certification of animals and animal products intended for
trade - (Practicing UK vets/farmers will interact with APHA, generally not DEFRA directly)
What is the WTO and what does it do?
An intergovernmental* organization that oversees the application of multilateral** trade rules and agreements and:
■ Monitors national trade policies of member countries (to improve transparency)
■ Acts as a forum for multilateral trade negotiations
■ Facilitates dispute settlements
■ Offers technical assistance to countries
What are some of the WTO agreements
Agreement on the Application of Sanitary* and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) Agreement on Technical
Barriers to Trade (TBT)
What are the objectives of the SPS agreement ?
What SPS measures emphasize the WTO principles
- Transparency
- Scientific risk assessment
SMS Measures Protect:
Describe the TBT agreement
Countries’ objectives that relate to non sanitary barriers to trade e.g. environmental protection, consumer interest, NUTRITION & ANIMAL WELFARE
The SPS and TBT respectively recognize a countrie’s right to : ?
- protect human, animal,
plant life or health (SPS) - and fulfil legitimate nonsanitary objectives (TBT)
A trade regulation/ legislation could consits of two components :
- One falling under the SPS Agreement
- Another falling under the TBT Agreement
How does WTO maintain transparency?
- Regular review of countries’ trade policies
- Compilation and publication of facilitatory / restrictive measures on different themes
- Countries MUST NOTIFY their trade measures and laws to WTO and make them PUBLIC
The WTO says trade measures should be based on international standards or on risk asessment -> who provides this?
The WOAH -> develops STANDARDS & provides guidance doing RISK ASSESSMENTS for animals and animal products
What are ALL the recognised standards under the WTO SPS agreement?
- WOAH -> Animal health
- International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) -> Plant health
- Codex Alimentarius -> Food safety
What Happens if a sountry adopts a trade policy or takes an action that other countries see as breajing the WTO agreements or not living up to obligations?
- WTO Standard process for resolving trade concerns
> First step – discussion/request clarification then formal dispute settlement
through WTO mechanism - WOAH Mediation
> Voluntary process to find a mutually agreed compromise through bilateral
discussion and by application of the relevant WOAH Standards
> Science based - Communication is through the country’s competent authority e.g. for the
UK is Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra)
What are regional trade agreements and bilateral trade agreements?
Reciprocal preferential agreements between two or more partners
What must these bilat trade agreements abide by?
- Authorized under WTO
- subject to a set of rules
- Required to notify WTO
What do these regional/ bilat trade agreements do ?
- Promote trade and commerce by eliminating / reducing trade barriers such as tariffs, import quotas, and export restraints between trade partners (e.g. UK and EU)
What might be a pro and a con of regional/ bilat trade agreements?
easier to put in place but may complicate clarity of international landscape for trade ?
Describe who the WOAH is?
An intergovernmental organisation created to prevent the spread of animal diseases throughout the world
*Five regional commissions, specialist technical commissions
*The WOAH delegate / representative for each country
Who is usually the WOAH delegate/ representative & what do they do?
- is normally the Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO) of the member country
- negotiates/agrees international veterinary
standards on behalf of their country
