Last month, China notified the World Trade Organization (WTO) Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Committee of the issuance of four draft national standards for public comment. These standards have the potential to impact U.S. dairy exports to China.

The WTO SPS Committee is tasked with monitoring the process of international harmonization and the use of international standards, guidelines and recommendations by WTO member countries. It also monitors the implementation of the WTO SPS Agreement. WTO members can raise concerns with the committee about national standards developed by other WTO members that may conflict with the SPS Agreement’s requirements.

WTO member countries can submit comments on the draft standards to WTO by August 2. IDFA plans to submit its comments through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and welcomes feedback from member companies on the specific impact these draft standards would have on U.S. dairy exports to China.

USDA has published unofficial translations of each draft standard:

• Maximum Levels of Mycotoxins
• Evaporated and Condensed Milk
• Processed Cheese
• Cheese

For more information, contact John Allan, IDFA vice president, regulatory affairs and international standards, at jallan@idfa.org, or Beth Hughes, IDFA senior director of international trade, at bhughes@idfa.org.