Top WTO experts at DoC’s pioneering export barriers confab opening in Colombo today

• ‘Sanitary and Phytosanitary measures are trade barrier for us’: Rishad
• Department of Commerce flying in Geneva experts for Lankan officials and private sector
• WTO experts to present SPS updates for Sri Lanka 
• ‘Colombo SPS work first began in Sept 2014’: Rishad
• 22% of exports are agricultural

Two leading experts from Geneva are now in Colombo for today’s (20 February) pioneering session by Department of Commerce to work on one of the most technically demanding barriers for Lankan exporters, called by global trade as Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures-in simpler terms, ‘quarantining and technical barriers’.

Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen under whose direction work began on Sri Lanka’s SPS measures way back in September 2014 in Colombo with WTO (joined by with 16 leading Lankan export firms), expressed his satisfaction on the latest WTO Colombo session during his discussion with top officials on 16 February at the Ministry. “Such a highly technical process should not be an obstacle or barrier to the keen Lankan exporters but we should take advantage of it. The 20 February session could show us how to do this,” stressed Minister Bathiudeen.

The WTO experts from Geneva joining the 20 February session are its Trade and Environment Counsellor Erik Wijkstrom and its Economic Affairs Officer Roshan Khan. 

From left: Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen, WTO Economic Affairs Officer Roshan Khan and WTO Trade and Environment Counsellor Erik Wijkstrom

The agricultural exports of a country, is the sector greatly impacted by SPS. Around 22% of Sri Lanka’s annual exports are agricultural, at $ 2.5 billion. 

With increasing trade among WTO members, comes growing health concerns about goods crossing their borders. As a result use of SPS is increasing. It has been two decades since SPS was introduced to global trade (by WTO in 1995) and sections of global trade stress that there is a tendency of SPS becoming a non-tariff barrier (NTB) and a hidden protection from competition, in international trade. 

The February 20 Colombo session is not targeted only at Lankan exporters but also aimed at Sri Lankan officials and other experts involved in SPS measures for export products. The session is expected to assist participants towards a close scrutiny of the measures and how to adopt them.

Time to time the WTO Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures conveys to relevant Sri Lankan authority (eg: Health Ministry) of any new product added to SPS schedule. Among many such products added lately and notified to Sri Lanka are milk and milk products, salt, carbonated beverages (for sugar levels), food colouring and additives, GMOs (soya, corn, fresh tomato, beet-sugar etc) and even labelling of food.