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Structure of the Facility

The partners which jointly established the Facility (FAO, OIE, World Bank, WHO and WTO) are members. Representatives of donors currently contributing funds to the STDF and representatives of developing countries are also members of the Facility. The Facility consists of three main bodies:

1. The Policy Committee consists of high level representatives of the partners and, donors currently contributing funds to the STDF and developing countries. The Policy Committee:

   • Sets policy guidelines and provides policy oversight on the overall direction of the Facility;

   • Provides guidance on programmes and the Facility's work agenda;

   • Evaluates reports on progress of the Facility;

   • Oversees efforts by the Working Group in the co-ordination of SPS-related technical co-operation and the dissemination of best practice in this regard; and

   • Seeks to develop a broader financial basis for the Facility through outreach to donors.
     
     

2. The Working Group consists of technical level representatives of the partners, donors currently contributing funds to the STDF and developing countries, and includes participation by the Secretariats of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex) and the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC). Responsibilities of the Working Group include:

   • Preparation of work programmes, including staffing requirements;

   • Exchange of experiences by partners, donors and developing countries in relation to the provision and implementation of SPS-related technical co-operation;

   • Guiding the development of resources for co-ordination and dissemination of best practice, including data-bases, training materials, capacity evaluation tools, etc.;

   • Review and approval of applications for funding;

   • Support to fund raising activities;

   • Appointing advisory committees for special purposes; and

   • Preparation of reports on progress for the Policy Committee.
     
     

3. The STDF Secretariat, under the overall responsibility of the Policy Committee, the direct responsibility of the Working Group and the administrative responsibility of the WTO:

   • Maintains close contacts with multilateral, regional and bilateral SPS-related co-operation programmes - in particular the Integrated Framework and Aid for Trade Initiatives.

   • Collects information and assists reporting on technical co-operation activities of bilateral and multilateral donors and developing countries, updates the joint WTO/OECD Trade Capacity Building Database on technical co-operation with respect to SPS activities and reports annually on SPS-related technical co-operation flows;

   • Assembles, analyses and disseminates information, capacity evaluation assessments and training materials arising from projects, as well as experience gained therein;

   • Organization of regional consultations between donors, beneficiaries and regional organizations on technical co-operation priorities and funding mechanisms and commissioning of research on SPS-related aid effectiveness;

   • In collaboration with the Working Group, identifies and disseminates good practice in the request, provision and receipt of SPS-related technical co-operation;

   • Helps in identifying possible projects in the area of food safety, animal and plant health for funding;

   • Conducts reviews of applications for funding and keeps records of applications received and projects approved for funding;

   • Assists in identifying additional sources of funding for the Facility;

   • Provides administrative assistance to the Policy Committee and the Working Group in the preparation of meetings, and performs the function of Secretary at these meetings;

   • Assumes responsibility for the accounting and financial tasks needed to administer STDF funding;

   • Liaises with interested donors and organizes informal consultations wherever possible, such as under the framework of the Organization of Economic Co-operation and Development's Development Assistance Committee or partner's donor networks;

   • At the request of the Working Group, organizes meetings and workshops of an informative and consultative nature, for instance with representatives of the private sector, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working in the field of SPS capacity building, and consumer organizations; and

   • Prepares annual reports on the achievements and finances of the Facility, oversees work programmes and performs other duties as required by the Policy Committee or Working Group.
     

 

Site Last Updated on February, 2008