The Agreement on the Application of Health and Plant Health Measures (SPS) is one of the WTO agreements negotiated during the Uruguay Round. It regulates the rights and obligations of WTO members with regard to food security, as well as rules on the protection of animals and plant protection products. It requires that SPS measures be applied only to the extent necessary to protect human, animal or plant life or health, based on scientific principles and not maintained without sufficient scientific evidence. Members are also required to ensure that their measures are not arbitrarily or unfairly discriminatory between other countries where conditions are the same or similar. The agreement also provides that SPS measures cannot be applied in a way that would constitute a disguised restriction on international trade. In addition, in the case of activities such as zoning, standards or grants, municipalities will also want to ensure that their measures comply, if necessary, with obligations to reflect on issues such as certain trade-related performance requirements, compensation requirements for expropriation or the creation of unnecessary or disguised barriers. Where these obligations may apply to the activities of a municipality, the relevant provisions are reviewed in detail in the corresponding sections of this guide. Canada participates in these agreements and negotiations for a simple reason: it is in Canada`s interest to do so. Benefits include: a clear and stable business environment; Security and improved access for Canadian exporters: protecting Canadian investors abroad; Access to better choices and better prices for Canadian consumers Increase productivity and efficiency for the Canadian economy. They contribute to a higher standard of living for Canadians, as well as for our trading and investment partners. International trade is very important to Canada`s open average economy. There`s enough evidence.
In 2016, Canada is the 12th and 9th largest exporter of goods in the world. Since the GATT came into force in 1948, world trade has increased nearly 260-fold compared to world imports.
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