OIE standard-setting procedures - Focus on the Terrestrial & Aquatic Codes SPS workshop Geneva 17 October 2011 Dr Sarah Kahn Head International Trade Dept.

OIE standard-setting procedures- Focus on the Terrestrial & Aquatic Codes

SPS workshop Geneva 17 October 2011

Dr Sarah KahnHead International Trade Dept.

[email protected]

OIE standard setting procedure

Transparent

Democratic

Well-established

Science based

Rapid & responsive Member participation

International

collaboration

Standard- Standard- setting: the setting: the OIE CodesOIE Codes

Topic

SpecialistCommissions

Scientific review

Advice of experts or other Advice of experts or other Specialist CommissionsSpecialist Commissions

Draft text

ASSEMBLY

DELEGATES

Adoption

DelegatesCommissions

Experts

12

OIE INTERNATIONALSTANDARD

World Assembly:

National Delegates 178 Members

Comments

• DG convenes independent experts to draft texts

– many are drawn from Reference Centres

– attention to geographic balance.

• Examination of draft texts by Specialist Commissions and

Working Groups, as appropriate

• Two-year cycle / 4 occasions for Member comments

• Formal adoption of standards by the World Assembly, usually

based on consensus (or 2/3 majority).

Well established process

• Standards are based on and regularly updated with latest scientific

information

• Collaboration between Code Commissions (Terrestrial and Aquatic)

and other Specialist Commissions

• Network of OIE 265 Reference Centres

• Expert groups - internationally recognised experts, geographic

balance

• .

Science-based

• All standards adopted through the established formal process

• Member comments are addressed by Specialist Commissions

and the decisions and rationale are published in Commission

reports (on the OIE website).

• Two-year cycle - 4 occasions for Member comments

• Work plans of Commissions published and adopted annually

• Opportunity for debate at General Session (report reviewed at

meeting and adopted within one month after the GS).

Transparency

• Routine cycle: 2 years

– more rapid in an urgent situation, to protect health.

• Standards are regularly updated, based on relevant new

scientific information

• Commissions meet twice per year (total of 4 weeks for

Terrestrial Code), to review Member comments and

revise/finalise texts

• Expert meetings on ‘ad hoc’ basis

Rapid and responsive

• Official agreements with FAO and WHO, and with

more than 60 other international organisations

• Coordination within the ‘3 sisters’ – participation in

meetings, sharing reports etc.

• Through the Animal Production Food Safety Working

Group, collaboration at strategic level with Codex

– proposal for joint standards development in future.

International collaboration

• Delegates are the most frequently source of requests

for the development or revision of standards

• Delegates/the World Assembly elect Commission

Members and adopt the reports of the Specialist

Commissions, including their work programs

• Delegates are asked to endorse the DG’s proposals on

membership of permanent working groups.

Member Country participation

• The National Delegate as a Member of the World Assembly of

Delegates is centrally involved in

– adoption of standards (by consensus or vote)

– nominating experts, Reference Laboratories and Collaborating Centres,

(which are frequent participants in expert groups)

• The OIE recommends nomination of 7 Focal points to help

Delegates to meet the OIE obligations

– the OIE provides seminars (at least one per region each 2 years) to the

nominated focal points – and to new Delegates.

Member Country participation

All Members have the same opportunity to participate

in the development and adoption of standards:

‘One Member, One Vote’For further information:

http://www.oie.int/fileadmin/Home/eng/Internationa_Standard_Setting/docs/pdf/A_OIE_procedures_stand___recom_2011.pdf

Democratic

OIE standard setting procedure Transparent

Democratic

Well-established

Science based

Rapid & responsive Member participation

International

collaboration