• The Mauritian Experience with the Implementation of the SPS Agreement from the Indian Ocean perspective

With the accession of Mauritius to the WTO, Mauritius found itself being party and committed to a whole range of agreements, decisions and understandings, including the SPS Agreement. Being a net food importer, we are aware of the fact that SPS measures imposed by our trading partners should not represent disguised trade barriers, should be scientifically based and be established on the basis of an appropriate risk assessment. Regarding our export, we are fully cognizant that the most promising option to maintain and expand our agricultural and food exports is to become able to respond to the exigencies which are emerging in our target markets by providing high quality and safe products. Our main concern at that time was how to ensure that consumers of our country are being supplied with food that is safe to eat while at the same time ensuring that strict health and safety regulations are not being used as an excuse for protecting domestic producers. With the globalisation process trade is expanding and Mauritius is having to address various policy issues such as strengthening out national and regional capacity to conduct risk analysis and increasing our participation in international standards development.