France has contributing EUR 50,000 (approximately CHF 58,000) to the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF) in 2017 to help developing countries comply with international food safety, animal and plant health standards and therefore access agricultural markets more easily.
The donation will help developing and least-developed countries improve their sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) capacity. France has contributed approximately EUR 17 million (CHF 20 million) to WTO trust funds over the past 17 years.
Finland is contributing EUR 1.7 million (approximately CHF 2 million) to this STDF.
Lithuania contributed EUR 26,000 (approximately CHF 30,000) to help developing and least-developed countries participate effectively in global trade. This donation to the WTO’s Doha Development Agenda Global Trust Fund will finance training workshops for officials in Geneva and elsewhere to help them better understand and implement WTO agreements and to take part in trade negotiations. Since the creation of the fund in 2001, over 2,500 workshops have been organized.
About Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF):
The STDF is a global coordination platform that brings together leading trade, health and agriculture experts worldwide to share knowledge, tools and good practice and strengthen the effectiveness of SPS technical assistance provided to developing countries.
The STDF also provides support and funding for the development and implementation of collaborative and innovative projects that promote compliance with international SPS requirements. The STDF is housed and managed by the WTO.
The Facility was formally launched in July 2014 by WTO Director-General Roberto Azevêdo and became operational in November 2014, when members adopted the Protocol of Amendment to insert the TFA into Annex 1A of the WTO Agreement.
The TFAF helps developing countries and LDCs to assess their specific needs for implementing the Trade Facilitation Agreement and to identify possible development partners to help them meet those needs.
