The IPPC Focus Group Meeting on Criteria for Upcoming Call for Phytosanitary Issues Held in Rome

The IPPC Focus Group (FG) met on Monday 9 October 2017 at FAO Headquarters in Rome, Italy, to develop criteria for a call for topics: Standard Setting and Implementation. The meeting was chaired by Mr Corné Van Alphen, the CPM Bureau Member, and attended by the representatives from the Standards Committee (SC) and the Implementation Capacity Development Committee (IC) of the IPPC CPM, as well as from the Standard Setting Unit (SSU) and the Implementation Facilitation Unit (IFU) of the IPPC Secretariat.

The purpose of conducting this call in one effort is to help create closer collaboration between these two subsidiary bodies of SC and IC in the development of standards and guidance materials. The concept of a joint call for topics came from a decision by CPM - 11 (2016) that this combined call be made with diligent review and inputs from the SC and the IC. It was decided during CPM-12 (2017) that the call for topics for standards would be delayed in order accommodate the SC/IC s development of these criteria and for the FG to discuss and propose a process for this call.

The FG was tasked with drafting the criteria and a proposal for the process for the call, and developing guidance for contracting parties on how to submit issues, considering these newly developed criteria and the IPPC Framework for Standards and Implementation. FG meeting participants developed a title and proposed a process and criteria for the call. They also suggested the composition of a Task Force that will be tasked to review call submissions and develop recommendations for the SC and IC.

The outcomes of the FG meeting were presented to the IPPC Strategic Planning Group (SPG) October 2017. The SPG considered the outcomes of the FG and requested the FG chair to consider the points raised at the SPG. The outcomes of the FG work incorporating the SPG decisions will be presented to the SC (November), CPM Bureau and IC (December 2017).