Theme 1: Existing standards and standard-setting bodies

The approach taken by the IPPC in managing risks related to the introduction of new organisms (either by deliberate introduction or accidently associated with other products) into a country is to place the responsibility on the importing country to determine what risks it may face and what measures (if any) it requires to manage these risks. This is normally based on a risk assessment specific to the importing country's circumstances.  The requirements are communicated to the exporting country and then it has the responsibility to ensure that the importing countries requirements are complied with.  Normally the exporting country issues a phytosanitary certificate related to each shipment attesting to the fact that the importing countries requirements have been met.

The Protocol seems to place much more responsibility on the exporting country to assess the risks and set the risk management conditions. 

I think the issue of responsibility could be usefully explored in this forum.