1. © ISO Management Systems, www.iso.org/ims
VIEWPOINT
Hardly a day goes by than 2,6 million peo- While obviously necessary,
without the media ple. 1) each measure taken to ensure
reporting on the dif- food safety and to ensure
Efficient and har-
ficult negotiations against food-related illness-
monized measures
w i t h i n t h e Wo r l d es has potentially devastat-
to ensure safe and
Trade Organization ing impacts on the export-
adequate food sup-
(WTO) and the threat ing countries, especially from
ply chains and food
to international trade developing and poor regions
management are of
should there be no success- of the world.
by Raymond Saner and paramount importance to the
ful conclusion to the Doha The importance and poten-
Ricardo Guilherme citizens of all countries. For
Round. tial negative impact of food
example, the worldwide con-
The problem most often report- cerns linked to genetically safety measures is even high-
ed centers around market
access for agricultural prod-
ISO 22000’s modified organisms and plants,
avian flu or foot-and-mouth
er in developing countries,
since the share of agriculture
ucts from developing countries
that cannot pass the prohibi-
potential disease are examples of how
such concerns affect our dai-
in GDP, as well as with regard
to total population engaged in
tively high level of tariffs of the
industrialized countries. impact on ly lives.
To respond to such concerns,
agriculture, represents major
proportions in many of these
Many of the developing coun-
tries suffer from deep pover-
world trade safety measures have been
developed by different inter-
often very poor countries (see
Table 1).
ty. The only products they can
sell are agricultural products. in agricultural national organizations like the
Food and Agriculture Organ-
1) “The Sixth Framework
Programme – new research
Developed countries, on the
products ization (FAO), the World opportunities for SMEs ”, at
other hand, are justifiably wor- http://sme.cordis.lu/thematic/
Health Organization (WHO), home.cfm
ried about health risks due to the WTO and ISO. (as of 7 December 2005).
food poisoning and other food-
related illnesses. The situation
seems impossible to solve.
Country Share of Share of total
However, ISO 22000, Food agriculture population
safety management systems – Raymond Saner is Director of in GDP engaged in
Requirements for any organ- the Centre for Socio-Eco-Nomic agriculture
ization in the food chain, has Development (CSEND), an inde-
pendent, non-governmental Bangladesh 30,0 59,6
the potential to bridge some
of the gaps between the rich organization based in Geneva, India 27,0 56,8
importing and the poor would- Switzerland, specializing in capa-
city building, organizational Kenya 29,0 77,1
be exporting countries.
reform and institutional develop- Pakistan 26,0 52,6
ment, and of its research and
Food safety and Senegal 18,0 75,0
development branch, Diplomacy
international trade Dialogue. Developing countries (average) 26,3 50,4
To give an idea of the global
Ricardo Guilherme is associate
importance of the food and Table 1 – The importance of agriculture to wealth and employment
trade researcher at CSEND,
agriculture sector, we can note in developing countries.
specializing in trade law.
that the European food indus-
try alone represents a sector FAO, “ Agriculture, Trade and Food Security : Issues and Options in the
E-mail saner@csend.org
WTO Negotiations from the Perspective of Developing Countries ”,
valued at USD 700 billion dol- Web www.csend.org Geneva, 2000, Volume II (GDP data taken from World Bank, World
lars and employment for more Web www.diplomacydialogue.org Development Report, 1998/99).
ISO Management Systems – March-April 2006 5

2. © ISO Management Systems, www.iso.org/ims
VIEWPOINT
Impact of SPS measures – Kenya
As the European Union (EU) He went on to say, “ [It must
Trade Commissioner, Peter be] confusing for a third coun-
The widely publicized case of European Union (EU) restric-
Mandelson, has asserted, try to receive one of 25 dif-
tions on fish exports from Lake Victoria in Kenya in 1997
“…future challenges in trade ferent national certificates
gives us a glimpse of how hard food safety requirements
policy [will be] in the so-called for a product that is subject
and subsequent import restrictions can impact develop-
non-tariff barriers to trade, to to harmonized EU rules ”. He
ing countries.
which the question of stand- added : “…we must not allow
The region of Lake Victoria was responsible in 2001 for ards is crucial … If not man- our standards to be based on
over 95 % of all Kenyan fish landings (with Nile perch as aged with care, these meas- prejudice, or as a response to
the dominant species), having experienced a population ures can be impediments to pressure groups. The basis for
inflow around the lake border of more than 1,2 million trade which are difficult to them has to be sound scientif-
people in just two years. It is also worth noting that in the justify.” ic analysis .”
1980’s and 1990’s, Kenyan fishery was almost totally export-
oriented, mainly to the EU.
However, due to several concerns related to hygiene, salmo-
nella detection, pesticide residues and a cholera outbreak Standards and non-tariff barriers
in East Africa, the EU practically banned importation of
fresh fish from that region in 1997. This caused Nile perch
exports to fall from 14 143 tonnes in 1996 to 10 881 tonnes Standards and non-tariff barriers can prove quasi-insur-
in 1998, with export value dropping dramatically from USD mountable obstacles when practised against least devel-
43,9 million in 1996 to USD 29 million in 1998. oped countries and small island nations. The case of Jamai-
can pepper is an example of how difficult compliance with
sanitary and phytosanitary measures (SPS) can become.
ITC and Commonwealth Secretariat, “ Influencing and Meeting
International Standards – Challenges for Developing Countries ”, Jamaican hot pepper is a priority yield suitable for small
Geneva, 2003.
producers, and directed to both domestic and foreign mar-
kets such as the US, Canada and Mexico. However, exports
are currently lower than they were a decade ago.
Therefore, long-lasting food
safety problems may result in ISO 22000 has the Among other factors such as marketing and production
very negative impacts on the potential to bridge problems, food safety issues, like a gall midge infestation
economies of poor, developing in 1997, prompted the US to demand fumigation on all
some of the gaps
countries (see box, Impact of peppers exported from Jamaica, including bell and chili
between the rich and the
SPS measures – Kenya ). peppers (even though the gall midge pest had been only
poor countries detected in hot peppers).
The same holds true for strin-
gent food safety compliance Quick action was taken by the Jamaican government to
requirements – such as water the consumers while minimiz- solve the issue, but the comprehensive measures requested
treatment and fumigation ing negative impacts on food by the US meant only that production costs would increase
requirements, maximum res- producers whenever possible. for Jamaica. To make matters worse, the Jamaican Hot Pep-
idue limits of pesticides and Unfortunately, what is legiti- per Task Force and the US Animal and Plant Health Inspec-
technical requirements high- mate (food safety) is some- tion Services (APHIS) agreed, in 2002, on a 10-point SPS
er than those in international times mixed up with illegiti- system to remove the fumigation requirements
standards – imposed on poor- mate goals (protectionism of In the event, Jamaica did not implement the system, high-
er and smaller nations (see local food producers resulting lighting the considerable problems that US measures have
box, Standards and non-tariff in discrimination against for- caused to Jamaican exporters. As the World Bank says, while
barriers ). eign food producers). the Jamaican government has been proactive to respond
Ideally, food safety measures to the problem, pay-offs were close to zero and exports
should safeguard the lives of virtually crumbled.
Henson, Spencer, and Jaffee, Steve, “Jamaica’s Trade in Ethnic
Foods and Other Niche Products: The Impact of Food Safety and
Plant Health Standards”, World Bank, 2005.
6 ISO Management Systems – March-April 2006

3. © ISO Management Systems, www.iso.org/ims
VIEWPOINT
In conclusion, the EU Trade or recommendations, where Disparities are not limited to In fact, more has to be done
Commissioner underlined the they exist ” 3). transactions between devel- in terms of technical assist-
need for a continued push “ for oped and developing coun- ance and capacity building in
The Agreement defines the
harmonization of SPS prod- tries ; divergences abound even poorer countries, particular-
Codex Alimentarius Commis-
ucts and process requirements in North-North and South- ly under the Standards and
sion as the body responsible
through the establishment of South negotiations, corrobo- Trade Development Facility
for establishment of standards,
international rules.” 2) rating the dire need for har- (STDF)5), a joint initiative by
guidelines and recommenda-
monization and homogeneous FAO, World Organization for
tions related to food safety,
treatment of SPS measures in Animal Health (OIE), World
the international trading envi- Bank, WHO and WTO.
ronment.
In a meeting held 29-30 June
2005 4), the WTO Committee on
SPS Measures reported specific
examples of trade concerns
tha t r an ge d
Harmonization
from Austral-
The use of harmonized food food additives, veterinary drug ia’s import
safety measures between mem- and pesticide residues, contam- restrictions
ber countries of the WTO, inants, methods of analysis and on apples from New Zealand, ISO 22000 – a feasible
on the basis of international sampling, and codes and guide- the EU and the United States, alternative ?
standards developed by inter- lines of hygienic practice. to the EU’s private retailers’
national organizations, consti- EurepGap fruit and vegetable The importance of ISO to the
Members are able to employ current debate on food safety
tutes a main goal of the WTO restrictions against least devel-
more stringent levels of protec- is clear. ISO has a long-stand-
Agreement on the Application oped countries (LDC’s), or also
tion, provided there is sound ing and productive coopera-
of Sanitary and Phytosanitary to Japan’s import suspension
scientific justification and a tion with the Codex Alimen-
Measures ( SPS Agreement ). on heat-processed straw and
non-discriminatory assessment tarius Commission with more
The SPS Agreement attempts of risks. But the fact of the forage for feed due to a foot-
and-mouth disease outbreak than 300 ISO standards having
to regulate harmonization matter is that the SPS Agree-
when it comes to measures ment sometimes provides for in China.
2) Speech by Peter Mandelson at
applied to protect human, ambivalent flexibility in terms In the same meeting, China the Conference on EU Exports
and Sanitary and Phytosanitary
animal or plant life or health, of applicable food safety meas- asserted that the “volume of Measures, Brussels, 27 May 2005.
stating that, “to harmonize ures, thus causing several com- notifications of SPS meas- 3) WTO Agreement on the Applica-
sanitary and phytosanitary pliance problems especially in ures posed a significant prob- tion of Sanitary and Phytosanitary
measures on as wide a basis the case of developing coun- lem for developing countries”, Measures, Article 3.1 (excerpt).
as possible, members shall tries’ agricultural exports (see in contradiction with special 4) WTO Committee on Sanitary and
Phytosanitary Measures, summary of
base their sanitary or phy- box, Standards and non-tariff and differential treatment for the meeting held on 29-30 June 2005
tosanitary measures on inter- barriers). developing countries, and in (G/SPS/R/37/Rev.1), 18 August 2005.
national standards, guidelines particular LDC’s. 5) See www.standardsfacility.org.
ISO Management Systems – March-April 2006 7

4. © ISO Management Systems, www.iso.org/ims
VIEWPOINT
HACCP steps Equivalent
coverage
by ISO
been adopted by Codex in such By facilitating the implementa- 22000 ? trade and in access to export
areas as food products, water tion of HACCP guidelines and markets.
quality, chemistry and con- harmonizing otherwise diverse Hazard Analysis YES ISO 22000 could be the main
formity assessment 6). national regulations, the ISO
Critical Control YES conduit for SPS trade facili-
22000 standard might be able Point (CCP)
This historically tight cooper- tation, simplifying formalities
to respond to legitimate food Determination
ation between ISO and Codex connected with importation
safety requirements while at
means that proper harmoniza- CCP Limits YES and exportation, and allowing
the same time help reduce the
tion of food safety management developing countries to create
non-tariff barriers caused by Monitoring YES
systems may not be just a distant more employment, increase
the use of illegitimate (protec- of CCPs
ambition, but a viable objective domestic revenue and meet the
tionist) SPS measures. Corrective YES
after all under the international necessary poverty reduction
trade framework. ISO 22000 mirrors the HACCP Action Plan and millennium development
principles and facilitates their System YES goals in due course 8).
practical implementation on a Verification And given proper political will
Food safety problems step-by-step basis (see Table 2),
by member countries, official
may result in very striking a homogeneous balance Documentation YES
endorsement of ISO 22000
negative impacts on as a food safety standard for coun-
and other ISO standards by the
tries and private players alike. Table 2 – Comparison of HACCP and
the economies of poor, SPS Agreement, in cooperation
developing countries With its “ food chain/process- ISO 22000.
with ISO, national accreditation
driven ” approach, ISO 22000 authorities and the STDF initia-
ers, may play a crucial role in
treats food safety concerns in a tive, would finally enable effec-
the attainment of a basic food
Accordingly, at a July 2005 ses- holistic manner that efficiently
safety standard for producers tive WTO negotiations on the
sion of Codex, several govern- oversees the “ forest ” of safety
in developed and developing harmonization of standards.
mental delegations underlined requirements, while linking indi-
countries. It thus represents a This would ensure that the
the view that ISO’s activities in vidual processes to the whole
strategic step towards further food safety interests of most
providing harmonized interna- system and ensuring objective
harmonization of food safety countries do not conflict with
tional standards for adoption as measurement of results.
demands in the global arena. the capacity-building and mar-
national standards are impor-
This means that domestic food
tant, and that Codex should con- In other words, ISO 22000 would ket access needs of poorer
safety management systems
tinue its cooperation with ISO be able to moderate concerns nations. •
around the world could be sub-
in the relevant areas. The com- related to trade barrier negot-
ject to equivalent performance 6) WTO Committee on Sanitary
plementary character of ISO and iations and streamline capacity- and Phytosanitary Measures, state-
evaluations. At the same time,
Codex denoted the importance building efforts in developing ment by the representative of ISO
capacity-building efforts, instead
of an optimized coordination countries. If properly adopt- at the meeting of 29-30 June 2005
of aiming at costly bilateral (G/SPS/GEN/589), 11 July 2005.
between the two bodies 7). ed and implemented by coun-
compliance initiatives, could One may also mention the newly
tries, it would reflect universally published ISO/PAS 28000 specifi-
ISO 22000, published on be more easily implemented
accepted food safety require- cation or supply chain security
1 September 2005, solidifies a in an internationally accepted management systems as an addi-
ments, demanding fewer dis-
response to an increasingly manner, even if adjustments tional apparatus to foster smooth
parate efforts by countries and and coordinated flows of interna-
diverse mesh of domestic food to regional conditions are to be
producers on tight budgets. tional trade among countries.
safety regulations, without side- taken into account.
7) Codex Alimentarius Commission,
tracking from the wider scope With the potential for increased
Report of the Twenty-Eighth Ses-
of the ISO 9001:2000 quality transparency and traceability sion on 4-9 July 2005 (Alinorm
ISO 22000 – strategic step
management system standard measures, ISO 22000 is a use- 05/28/41), Rome, 2005.
and the Hazard Analysis and ISO 22000, covering HACCP ful tool to address the sensi- 8) See, for instance, Annex E of the
Draft Ministerial Text (Doha Work
Critical Control Point (HAC- principles, Codex application tive issue of SPS measures as
Programme – Preparations for the
CP) parameters adopted by steps and the main require- discriminatory or disguised Sixth Session) of the Ministerial
Codex. ments of private food retail- restrictions in international Conference, 2005.
8 ISO Management Systems – March-April 2006

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The Centre for Socio-Eco-Nomic Development (CSEND) aims at
promoting equitable, sustainable and integrated development through dialogue and
institutional learning.
Diplomacy Dialogue is a branch of the Centre for Socio-Eco-Nomic Development
(CSEND), a non-profit R&D organization based in Geneva, Switzerland since 1993.