Core activities

Standard setting

The World Trade Organization (WTO) recognizes the IPPC as the sole convention for plant health under the Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) Agreement. The IPPC's Standards Committee and the IPPC Secretariat, through the Standard Setting Unit, support the Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (CPM), setting phytosanitary standards by engaging internationally recognized experts and partners to develop, adopt and promote standards, recommendations, diagnostic protocols and phytosanitary treatments to manage plant pests. The Standards Committee ensures that plant health standards are not only based on science and are technically robust, but that they are also practical and can be implemented in real situations.

International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPMs) – the international instruments in plant health — are benchmarks from which contracting parties draw similarities and harmonize their phytosanitary systems and legislation.

ISPMs are drafted by international experts and go through a transparent and inclusive standard setting process before they are adopted by the Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (CPM).

ISPMs promote global cooperation in trade in plants and plant products, help farmers, producers, and countries to mitigate costs associated with pest control or eradication, and reduce environmental damage from plant pests. They also contribute to achieving the United Nations 2030 Agenda by promoting sustainable agriculture for zero hunger and food security, protecting ecosystems and biodiversity from climate change impacts and facilitating economic and trade development.

Implementation and capacity development

Strengthening the technical capacity of national plant protection organizations (NPPOs) helps contracting parties to understand and and effectively apply the convention, ISPMs and CPM recommendations. The IPPC Secretariat gives NPPOs the capacity building framework and tools to carry out their functions, for instance in conducting pest risk analysis, pest surveillance and pest eradication.

The Implementation and Capacity Development Committee and the Implementation and Facilitation Unit at the IPPC Secretariat work together to provide technical assistance to contracting parties, particularly developing countries, to implement the convention, standards and CPM recommendations. The Committee works with international experts and partners to develop and implement capacity development materials, such as guides and e-learning courses, manage projects and develop tools such as the Phytosanitary Capacity Evaluations (PCE) aimed at supporting NPPOs to strengthen their national phytosanitary systems. All implementation and capacity development materials, including webinars, are freely available on the International Phytosanitary Portal for anyone from the phytosanitary community to consult.

The IPPC ePhyto Solution is another concrete example of supporting countries in implementing harmonized electronic phytosanitary certification for more cost-effective, efficient, faster and safer international trade in plants, plant products and other regulated articles.

Governance

The IPPC community has a multi-level governance structure that allows oversight at different stages of developing and implementing international phytosanitary measures against plant pests. At the helm of the IPPC community is the Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (CPM), the main governing body, responsible for promoting the implementation of the convention’s goal. The CPM is supported by the CPM Bureau, and subsidiary bodies which work closely with the units at the IPPC Secretariat towards achieving the objectives of the IPPC Strategic Framework.

Communication and partnerships

The IPPC Secretariat communicates and advocates to advance plant health globally so that the wider public understands and acts to prevent the negative consequences of plant pests. This involves informing, advocating and engaging key stakeholders including national governments, policy makers, donors, industries, academia, the media and the general public. The IPPC Communications Strategy 2023-2030 provides the roadmap to achieve this and supports in achieving the objectives of the IPPC Strategic Framework. Flagship global campaigns include the International Day of Plant Health on 12 May and the International Year of Plant Health in 2020.

The IPPC Secretariat builds strong partnerships with organizations that share common interests to help mainstream plant protection issues and policies in discussions on invasive alien species, biodiversity, climate change and sustainable development among others. The secretariat maintains strong links with regional plant protection organizations as well as with regional FAO offices to facilitate implementation of the IPPC, standards and CPM recommendations.