TC23-10

The Follow-up Session of the SPS Transparency Champions Course will provide participants with an opportunity to report on the progress and results of their action plans including the lessons learned, and reflect on strategies to maintain the successes going forward. The aim is to gain a better understanding of the impact of the course on the implementation of SPS transparency provisions in participants' countries. The Follow-up Session will also reinforce participants' knowledge of the transparency provisions of the SPS Agreement and online transparency tools such as the ePing SPS&TBT Platform. This will ensure that participants have a clear understanding of the relevant obligations, recommendations and associated tools, and are able to effectively apply this knowledge for the benefit of their countries and region.

The Follow-up Session will take place in Geneva from 13 to 15 June 2023. It will include presentations from the participants as well as the WTO Secretariat, interactive exercises, and discussion on the SPS transparency framework in participants' countries based on their experiences with the implementation of action plans. The Follow-up Session builds on two previous segments of the course: (i) the first week held in Geneva from 3 to 7 October 2022 which enhanced participants' knowledge of the transparency provisions of the SPS Agreement; and (ii) virtual sessions held from 19 October to 23 November 2022 during which participants worked on the elaboration of action plans and were invited to virtually attend the November 2022 SPS Committee meetings.