Lesson 4: IPPC Bodies Involved in the Standard Setting Process

Topic 3: Standards Committee and its SC-7, Technical Panels, and Expert Working Groups

Standards are drafted by groups of technical experts. The Standards Committee oversees the work of technical experts and approves standards to be sent to Commission on Phytosanitary Measures for adoption.

Objectives of the standards committee:

  • Identify existing Technical Panels
  • Describe the role and composition of Expert Working Groups and Technical Panels in drafting ISPMs
  • Describe the composition, function, and relationship between the Standards Committee and the SC‑7
  • Describe the role of the SC and the SC‑7 in overseeing the development and review of standards
Standard Setting Bodies

As previously discussed, the Commission on Phytosanitary Measures, or CPM, is the governing body of the IPPC, which exists to promote implementation of the Convention’s objectives. One of the subsidiary bodies of the CPM is the Standards Committee (SC) which exists primarily to prepare ISPMs for adoption by the CPM. The SC’s role involves oversight of the standard-development process, and oversight, review, and revision of standards that are drafted by subject matter experts. These groups include expert working groups (single standards) and technical panels (multiple standards in a particular area of expertise). There are five technical panels that draft standards related to fruit flies, forestry, treatments, diagnostic protocols, and the glossary. The SC-7 is a working group of the SC that reviews comments from members on draft standards.

The Commission on Phytosanitary Measures is the governing body of the IPPC. The IPPC Secretariat ensures that the decisions made by the CPM are carried out. The Standards Committee (SC) prepares the drafted standards created by the technical experts of the SC-7. Once the standards are complete, they move to the CPM for adoption and publication.

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