New IPPC Observatory Study to explore global phytosanitary impact of e-commerce
Posted on Fri, 23 Aug 2024, 12:30
E-commerce, or online trading of goods, has significantly increased over the past decade, presenting escalating challenges to phytosanitary systems globally. With e-commerce skyrocketing, the number of parcels shipped annually is expected to rise from 161 billion in 2022 to an estimated 256 billion by 2027. Some of these parcels may include plants, plant products, and regulated articles that can introduce and spread pests, posing significant threats to global agriculture and ecosystems.
To address these challenges, the Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (CPM) adopted a recommendation in 2014 on managing internet trade in plants and regulated articles. This was followed by the publication of the IPPC E-commerce Guide in 2023, aimed at managing pest risks associated with goods purchased online and distributed via postal and courier services. The IPPC Strategic Framework 2020-2030 further prioritizes these efforts by highlighting the management of e-commerce and postal and courier pathways as a Development Agenda Item (DAI). Watch this video to find out more about how countries can manage the risks posed by e-commerce.
The IPPC Secretariat has just launched an IPPC Observatory E-commerce Study to evaluate the implementation of the CPM recommendation on e-commerce by Contracting Parties and establish a baseline for monitoring the global evolution of e-commerce management strategies by national plant protection organizations (NPPOs).
The survey, which is administered under the framework of the IPPC Observatory, is designed to collect comprehensive data on regulatory and non-regulatory frameworks, the implementation of phytosanitary measures, and the monitoring of e-commerce activities.
The survey, with timings and instructions on how to complete it, has been sent to all IPPC Official Contact Points. If any IPPC Contact points have questions about the survey they are very welcome to reach out to the IPPC Secretariat ([email protected]). Contracting parties also have the opportunity to discuss the IPPC Observatory E-commerce Study during the IPPC Regional Workshops taking place in August and September.
The findings of the IPPC Observatory E-commerce Study will be shared with the IPPC community in 2025 and the results will guide the IPPC Secretariat in developing a workplan to offer additional support to national plant protection organizations (NPPOs) on this very important topic.
As emphasized by Osama El-Lissy, IPPC Secretary “All countries are encouraged to complete this survey. There are no right or wrong answers and global representation is critical to ensure that the results of this study reflect global e-commerce challenges and successes faced by the phytosanitary community”.
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