Regionalisation

What is "regionalisation"?

Regionalisation is a concept where an area of a country is recognised as pest or disease-free or with low pest or disease prevalence.

Regionalisation allows trade from such areas even if the health status in the rest of the country is not favourable.

General conditions

Countries should:

• Adapt sanitary or phytosanitary measures to the characteristics of the area where the product originated and to which it is destined;
• Recognise the concepts of pest- or disease-free areas and areas of low pest or disease prevalence;
• Provide evidence that areas on a country's territory are pest or disease-free or of low pest or disease prevalence, and allow the importing country to inspect, test and carry out other relevant procedures.

The WTO Agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Agreement) defines "Regionalisation" and the general conditions that govern it.

Guidelines

The WTO/SPS Committee has adopted non-binding guidelines to help recognise pest- and disease-free areas or areas of low pest or disease prevalence.

They show the information needed for the recognition of regionalisation and the administrative steps an importing/exporting country must take.

Benefits of regionalisation

• Helps mitigate negative trade effects caused by sanitary or phytosanitary measures;
• Developing countries can export from a regionalised area, although the health status may not be favourable in most of their territory;
• Gives export opportunities to countries with little chance to do so to countries with a higher sanitary or phytosanitary level.

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