SPS Online.
Risk Analysis Overview
Overview.
risk Assessment.
Risk Management.
Risk Communication.
Review.
In-Depth Interpretation of Risk Assessment.
What is Risk Assessment.
What Risk Assessment Do & What They Not Do.
Conducting a Good Risk Assessmnet.
Overview.
Precise Statement.
Imprecise Statement.
Imprecise Statement.
Review.
International Guidelines for Risk Analysis.
Guidelines Relative to Plant Protection & Quarantine.
Guidelines Relative to Veterinary Services.
Overview.
Definition of a Region.
Benchmark Risk Levels.
Compliance with WTO Requirments.
Example - Background of South Africa.
Glossary.

In-Depth Interpretation of Risk Assessment

What is Risk Assessment?

*First review the above information under Risk Analysis Overview.

Risk assessment is one of the key methods used to determine whether an animal or plant commodity can be approved for importation into the United States or to other countries. In addition to assessing risk factors associated with the export area, the commodity itself, and the commodity's area of destination, the SPS Agreement (covered in Modules One and Two) stipulates that in assessing the risk to animal or plant life or health and determining the measures to be applied for achieving the appropriate level of sanitary and phytosanitary protection from such risk, WTO members must take into account relevant economic factors.

The relevant economic factors include:

  • The potential damage due to loss of production or sales in the event of the entry, establishment or spread of a pest or disease;
  • The costs of control and eradication in the territory of the importing Member (of the WTO); and
  • The relative cost-effectiveness of alternative approaches in limiting risks.

In assessing risk and determining measures, WTO members shall ensure that SPS measures are not more trade-restrictive than required to achieve their appropriate level of sanitary or phytosanitary protection, taking into account technical and economic feasibility (SPS Agreement Article 5.6).