The Sanitary and Phytosanitary Agreement of the World Trade Organization

This chapter examines the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Agreement) within the World Trade Organization (WTO). Designed to balance trade liberalization with the protection of human, animal and plant health, the SPS Agreement sets principles for justifying health-related trade measures through scientific evidence while avoiding arbitrary or unjustifiable discrimination. Key elements include harmonization of national measures with international standards, provisions for risk assessment and transparency requirements. The agreement provides flexibility for WTO members to establish their own health protection levels, provided measures are scientifically justified and proportional. The chapter also discusses the procedural guarantees required for adopting SPS measures, including transparency and timely communication, which ensure fairness and regulatory coherence. It concludes by stressing the role of the SPS Agreement in global food safety governance, illustrating its complexity and its importance in managing trade and public health interests within a multilateral framework.