Bridges Trade BioRes • Volume 5 • Number 11 • 10th June 2005
ANIMAL HEALTH ORGANISATION LOOKS AT TRADE, BIOTECH STANDARDS
ANIMAL HEALTH ORGANISATION LOOKS AT TRADE, BIOTECH STANDARDS
At the 73rd General Session of the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), meeting from 22-27 May in Paris, France, OIE members heard presentations and adopted resolutions on genetically engineered animals and the relationship between the implementation of the organisation’s standards and international trade. OIE Standards have been recognised by the WTO’s Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Agreement) as the international organisation responsible for standard-setting related to animal health.
New focus on biotechnology
During discussions under the technical item on ‘Applications of genetic engineering for livestock and biotechnology products’, OIE Members widely supported the potential use of vaccines produced through genetic engineering as a tool for improving animal health, suggesting that there was a less negative public response to this use of biotechnology than to other uses. They stressed the importance of developing OIE standards in this field as a priority because potential benefits were high. Also discussed was the creation of cloned animals and the use of genetically engineered animals to produce medicines or chemicals (for example, an animal that is genetically engineered to make milk that contains insulin). While genetically engineered animals are subject to the OIE’s overall risk assessment standards, some Members raised concerns about the unique risks posed by these two types of engineering and the lack of standards for regulations that aim to address them.
OIE Members decided to create an Ad hoc Group on Biotechnology. They also asked the Secretariat to develop and adopt standards and guidelines for: research and use of vaccines for animals produced through biotechnology; animal health risks linked to cloning; exclusion of unapproved animals and products from the livestock population and segregation from the feed and food supply; and animals that have been genetically engineered to produce medicines or chemicals. In order to address these concerns, the OIE will convene a group of scientists to discuss the issues, draft a business plan and produce a document that the OIE’s elected specialist and regional Commissions could then adopt in coming years into a draft standard.
Developing countries look to standards to help trade
As a result of increasing adoption of OIE-based standards around the world, exporting countries have stepped up efforts to meet these standards to enhance market access. However, many exporters have expressed concerns regarding domestic implementation costs of stringent OIE standards. Importers, on the other hand, prefer strong standards to ensure domestic animal health and, because of the potential for animal diseases to spread to humans (called "zoonoses" as in the case of Mad Cow disease), human health. Based on a survey and report conducted prior to the meeting, some delegates suggested during the discussion on ‘Implementation of OIE standards in the framework of the SPS Agreement’ that domestic adoption of OIE standards could bring several benefits for both importing and exporting countries, including increased domestic animal health leading to decreased animal mortality, which in turn could alleviate human poverty in many developing nations. As well, human health can be improved as a result of fewer animal-borne diseases being transmitted to humans and because of the economic growth that may result from enhanced access to international markets for their animals and animal products when exporters adopt the standards.
Delegates decided in resolution No. XXVII to address the challenges and opportunities faced by developing countries adopting OIE standards to participate in international and regional trade, including through asking the OIE Secretariat to facilitate the capacity building of officials and take into account the "needs and specific circumstances in developing countries" in the development of standards. In addition, standardisation techniques such as inclusion in standards of descriptions of risk mitigation procedures to make animal products safe for trade and the establishment of a uniform format for standards to make understanding them easier was called for. Lastly, the resolution asked the OIE to request the WTO to consider observer status for regional organisations at the SPS Committee to represent countries that do not have the capacity or expertise to otherwise participate; and work with the WTO to study how to "take into account" OIE standards on animal welfare.
Measures relating to animal health and zoonoses, which are governed by OIE standards, accounted for 40 percent of concerns raised at the SPS Committee since it began work in 1995. The OIE is an intergovernmental organisation created in 1924 to provide information to ensure transparency regarding the global animal disease situation. Within its mandate under the WTO SPS Agreement, it also aims to safeguard world trade by publishing health standards for international trade in animals and animal products. As a leading scientific organisation, it also collects, analyses and disseminates veterinary scientific information, provides expertise and encourages international solidarity in the control of animal diseases and works to improve the legal framework and resources of national veterinary Services.
The background documents for the discussions on international trade and biotechnology are available at http://www.oie.int/delegatesite/sg/en_sg.htm
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