The World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Agreement) is an international agreement that regulates the measures governments can use to protect human, plant, and animal health while also ensuring that trade flows as smoothly as possible.

The agreement is crucial for maintaining global food safety standards and preventing the spread of diseases, pests, and contaminants. It covers a broad range of topics, including the use of pesticides, food additives, veterinary drugs, labeling requirements, and inspection processes.

As of 2021, the SPS Agreement has 164 signatories, which includes most of the world’s major trading nations. The agreement recognizes that countries have the right to protect their citizens from risks posed by imported products, but these measures cannot be used as an excuse to create unjustifiable barriers to trade.

The WTO conducts regular reviews of the implementation of the SPS Agreement, and disputes involving SPS measures are often brought to the WTO’s dispute resolution mechanism.

One of the key benefits of the SPS Agreement is that it provides a framework for resolving disputes related to food safety and animal and plant health. This allows countries to address trade disputes in a transparent and predictable manner, which ultimately helps to ensure that all countries can participate in the global trading system on equal footing.

Overall, the SPS Agreement is a vital component of the global trading system and plays a crucial role in promoting food safety and maintaining market access for agricultural products. As the world continues to grapple with new and emerging health risks, the SPS Agreement will continue to be an essential tool for regulating trade while protecting public health.