Lesson 1: What is the IPPC?
Topic 2: Purpose, Scope, and Principles of the IPPC
The purpose, scope, and provisions of the IPPC provide a common plant-health framework for all participating nations. International cooperation is essential to secure effective action to slow or prevent the spread of pests. Members must observe IPPC principles when imposing or challenging phytosanitary measures or resolving disputes.
Objectives:
- Describe the purpose, scope, and provisions of the IPPC
- Describe the role of international cooperation in international trade
- Explain principles that contracting parties should follow when imposing or challenging phytosanitary measures
Purpose, Scope and Provisions of the IPPC
The purpose of the IPPC is to prevent the spread and introduction of pests and diseases of plants and plant products and to promote measures for their control.
Recall the plant health timeline you learned about in Lesson 1, Topic 1. In 1997, the IPPC scope was expanded so that it was in line with the WTO/SPS agreement and so that it allowed the IPPC to adopt international standards and concepts for phytosanitary measures. Let us take a closer look at some of the additional changes the IPPC went through to strengthen its organizational and standard-setting functions and its links with other organizations.
The 1997 updates to the IPPC included:
- Creation of a more precise set of definitions
- Possibility for the European Community to be a signatory
- Establishment of a Commission on Phytosanitary Measures
- Recognition of the IPPC Secretariat and the IPPC’s standard setting responsibilities
- Requirement of an official contact point for each contracting party
- Acknowledgement of pest-risk analysis (PRA) as the basis for technically justified measures
- Improvement in the format for phytosanitary certificates
- Possibility of electronic certification
- Improvement of the dispute-settlement mechanism
- Expansion of the information-sharing function
- Recognition of regulated non-quarantine pests
- Clarification in the relationship to other international agreements
- Clarification of the obligations for risk analysis, surveillance, and information sharing
International Cooperation and International Trade
International cooperation is critical for achieving the purpose of the Convention. The geographic ranges where pests can establish are not always the same as geopolitical boundaries, so countries might need to cooperate to prevent the introduction and spread of a pest from one country to another throughout the entire area where the pest can establish.
Recall the circumstances leading to the international convention on Phylloxera vasterix discussed in Lesson 1, Topic 1. Seven European countries were concerned about a grape pest that was accidentally introduced into France on infested grape vines that were imported from the USA. This pest had devastating economic impacts for the French wine industry. The incident prompted the creation of the first plant-health agreement. This is an excellent example of the roles of both international trade and international cooperation and how they influence pest introduction and spread. International trade was the vehicle for introducing P. vasterix into Europe, and international cooperation among countries likely to be affected was the vehicle for slowing or stopping its further spread.
The IPPC encourages contracting parties to cooperate in the exchange of information on pest occurrences and the spread of outbreaks. Parties should also cooperate in campaigns to fight serious pests where international action is needed. Additionally, it is important for contracting parties to cooperate by providing information for pest risk analyses, establishing Regional Plant Protection Organizations (RPPOs), developing standards, and cooperating with other international organizations on matters covered by the Convention.
IPPC Principles to Follow When Imposing and Challenging Measures
The Convention does not contain a separate section addressing principles; however, the obligations described in the Convention and the principles in ISPM 1, Principles of Plant Quarantine as Related to International Trade, when viewed together, provide guidance to contracting parties when imposing or challenging phytosanitary measures.
Next, you will see some examples of hypothetical measures applied to trading partners, and we will examine how these measures violate phytosanitary principles and obligations.
The IPPC has a broad mandate for plant protection that includes cultivated plants, plant products, natural flora, and the environment. International cooperation is fundamental to controlling the spread of plant pests and is strongly encouraged in many IPPC activities. When imposing or challenging measures, countries should consider the IPPC principles of necessity, transparency, technical justification, strength of measures (i.e., consistent with pest risk), least restrictive, and non-discrimination.
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