Let’s Talk Food Safety

In this video series, WTO staff talk about trade topics in everyday language, using examples and metaphors to bring these concepts to life. Episodes will be added over the course of the year. Watch the videos, share them and spread the word on social networks using #LetsTalkTrade.

The WTO Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (the “SPS Agreement”) allows governments to define product requirements for imported food to protect the health of consumers. To avoid that food safety issues are being used as a pretext to shield producers from foreign competition, governments are encouraged to base their trade-restrictive measures on science and to follow internationally recognized food safety standards.
 
Christiane Wolff and Arti Gobind Daswani from the Agriculture and Commodities Division of the WTO explain how the SPS Agreement is applied to address trade-related issues early on and ease tensions before they develop into full-blown trade conflicts.

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