Risk assessment
Risk assessment: members of the WTO may apply food safety, animal health and plant health regulations to their international trade, but they must not use them to discriminate arbitrarily or unjustifiably between members in similar conditions. The WTO Agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures sets out rules for achieving this. It encourages members to harmonize measures and to base them on international standards, guidelines and recommendations where these are available. If members wish to maintain higher standards, they must carry out risk assessments. A risk assessment can be an evaluation of the likelihood of the introduction or spread of a pest or disease in the light of the sanitary and phytosanitary measures applied. It can also be an evaluation of the potential for adverse effects on human or animal health arising from the presence of additives, contaminants, toxins or disease-causing organisms in food, beverages or feedstuffs. Risk assessment must take into account available scientific evidence, relevant processes and production methods, relevant inspection, sampling and testing methods, prevalence of specific diseases or pests, existence of pest- or disease-free areas, relevant ecological and environmental conditions, and quarantine or other treatment. An assessment of the economic factors involved is also required with the objective of minimizing negative trade effects if measures are taken. This is balanced by a consideration of the damage to production if a disease enters the country, the cost of control and eradication and the cost-effectiveness of possible alternative measures. See also acceptable level of risk and sanitary and phytosanitary measures.
Source: http://ctrc.sice.oas.org/trc/WTO/Documents/Dictionary%20of%20trade%20%20policy%20terms.pdf
Web site to visit: http://ctrc.sice.oas.org
Author of the text: W. Goode
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