Aquatic animal health and international trade

摘要

The World Trade Organization (WTO) is the intergovernmental organisation with the legal power to encourage adherence to international standards and mediate trade disputes. The WTO, with the signing of the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Agreement), recognises the OIE as the reference standard-setting organisation for animal health and zoonoses. To assist with the implementation of the SPS Agreement and facilitate trade, the WTO has created the SPS Committee. In addition, the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF), founded by the OIE, the WTO, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Bank and the World Health Organization, provides a mechanism for donors to coordinate support of projects aimed at improving Members' capacity to meet the obligations of WTO membership.Good governance and the credibility of national Veterinary Services are essential components in safe trade, and are ultimately demonstrated when importing countries accept official health certification provided by exporting countries. The responsibilityfor aquatic animal health may rest fully or partially with Veterinary Services, or other governmental agencies may have this role. Regardless of the involvement of veterinarians in Aquatic Animal Health Services (AAHS), it is clear that OIE standards canbe implemented effectively and health certification accepted internationally only if AAHS can demonstrate their effectiveness and credibility in a transparent manner. This is the global good offered to countries entering the OIE Performance of Veterinary Services (PVS) Pathway, i.e. a transparent means of demonstrating the steps taken towards sustainable improvement of a country's compliance with the OIE standards on the quality of the Veterinary Services or the AAHS. Ultimately, the biggest challengefor the international community is to create the incentives and generate the political will for strengthening Veterinary Services and AAHS and providing for the universal recognition and application of the established international sanitary standards and, through this, fair and safe trade.