History of the IPPC

1881

Phylloxera vasatrix Convention becomes the first international agreement for plant protection

1889

Berne Convention

1929

International Convention for the Protection of Plants (Rome)

1950

Hague Conference between FAO and the Government of the Netherlands

1951

FAO adopts the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC)

April 1952

IPPC comes into force, superseding all international plant protection agreements

1976

First amendments to the Convention are undertaken

1979

Technical Barriers to Trade Agreement is implemented under the GATT

1979

Revised text of the amended IPPC is approved

1989

GATT Uruguay Round identifies the IPPC as a standard setting organization for the SPS Agreement

1989

First Technical Consultation of Regional Plant Protection Organizations (RPPOs)

1989

Technical Consultation recommends the formation of an IPPC Secretariat within FAO

1991

Amendments of 1979 come into force

May 1991

Expert Consultation on Harmonization of Plant Quarantine Principles for Trade

1992

IPPC Secretariat becomes functional in FAO - begins standard-setting program

1993

FAO Conference adopts interim phytosanitary standard setting procedures for the IPPC

May 1994

First meeting of the Committee of Experts on Phytosanitary Measures (CEPM)

Jan 1995

Uruguay round of GATT comes into force for most countries

1995

IPPC members request revision of the Convention; FAO solicits comments from Members

Sep 1995

7th Technical Consultation of RPPOs suggests points for revision of text

1995

FAO Conference approves first 3 international standards for phytosanitary measures (ISPMs)

1996

IPPC Expert Consultation draws up first draft of the New Revised Text

1996

8th Technical Consultation of RPPOs offers additional proposals to draft revised text

1997

FAO organizes government consultation on draft revision

1997

Revised text is completed by a working group formed under the FAO Committee on Agriculture

1997

African Expert Consultation on the revision

1997

Draft revised text is submitted to FAO Council and is approved with suggested interim measures

1997

FAO Committee on Constitutional and Legal Matters (CCLM) recommends actions for Conference

1997

29th FAO Conference unanimously adopts New Revised Text of the IPPC with interim measures

1998

New Revised Text circulated to members for acceptance or adherence

1998

First meeting of the Interim Commission for Phytosanitary Measures (ICPM)

2 October 2005

Entry into force of the New Revised Text of the IPPC (1997)

April 2006

First meeting of the Commission for Phytosanitary Measures (CPM)

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1997 revision of the IPPC

The New Revised Text of the IPPC was approved in 1997. Revision was undertaken to reflect contemporary phytosanitary concepts and the role of the IPPC in relation to the Uruguay Round Agreements of the World Trade Organization, particularly the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (the SPS Agreement).

In particular, the SPS Agreement identifies the IPPC as the organization providing international standards for measures implemented by governments to protect their plant resources from harmful pests (phytosanitary measures), while ensuring that phytosanitary measures are technically justified and are not used as unjustified barriers to international trade.

Although the IPPC has strong implications for international trade, it has international cooperation for plant protection as its focus. Many forms of cooperation fall within the scope of the Convention. Its application to plants is not limited only to the protection of cultivated plants or direct damage from pests. The scope of the Convention extends to the protection of cultivated and natural flora as well as plant products, and includes both direct and indirect damage by pests.

The New Revised Text of the IPPC (1997) emphasizes cooperation and the exchange of information toward the objective of global harmonization. In addition to describing national plant protection responsibilities, it also addresses important elements of international cooperation for the protection of plant health and the establishment and use of International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPMs).

A major objective of the revision was to improve effectiveness in implementation. In this regard, FAO has established a Secretariat for the IPPC in the Plant Protection Service, Plant Production and Protection Division, Agriculture Department. The IPPC Secretariat work programme is broadly focused in 3 major areas:

• The development of international standards for phytosanitary measures (ISPMs);
• The exchange of official information in terms of obligations under the IPPC;
• Capacity building and technical assistance to facilitate the implementation of the IPPC.

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