UNNExT Workshop on Implementation of

e-SPS and Automation for Agriculture

Trade Facilitation

1-3 November 2016

Bangkok, Thailand

Country Assessment for the ePhyto Solution

Workshop on implementation of e-SPS certification systems

1-3 November 2016 Bangkok, Thailand

Shane Sela, ePhyto Project Manager, IPPC Secretariat

Overview of the presentation

Background

Strategy for implementing ePhyto in developing countries

The preparedness workshops

General outcomes from the workshops

Lessons learned

Phytosanitary certificates in trade

• In December 2015, the ePhyto Steering Group undertook a survey of IPPC members to identify their readiness for ePhyto implementation

• 80 (of 182) member countries reported • 5 million certificates issued for export

consignments

• 7.5 million certificates received for imported consignments

Examples of volumes of certificates

Implementation of ePhyto

• Have undertaken business process analyses (BPA) to implement their current systems

• Technical changes to connect to hub

Countries with national systems

• Implementing the GeNS

• Have not undertaken BPA

• IPPC working with the ePhyto Steering Group to identify tools to assist with the BPA

Countries without national systems

Implementing the pilot of ePhyto

Broad survey of countries to

determine best fit

Review country preparedness with

the shortlisted countries

Country establishes work plan to implement

Country completes process changes

necessary to implement

IPPC pilot Evaluate pilot/tools

Move to full implementation

Getting to the pilot

• Preparedness survey completed in January 2016 • Self-assessment of

• Trade volume • Technical capacity • Legislative and resource infrastructure • Management commitment

• 80 responses assessed by the ePhyto Steering Group • Recommendation for 10-15 countries to initially

participate • Majority being those with existing national ePhyto systems

Identification of countries to pilot the ePhyto Solution

Countries selected for the pilot represent countries in varying states of readiness to implement including: • Varying trade volumes from very large numbers of transactions (i.e. in

the millions) to smaller numbers (thousands) • Countries with differing balance of trade • Some national systems limited to one-way transactions • Varying legislative authorities to issue or receive ePhytos • Some may require substantive time to complete legislative or

regulatory changes • Several countries reported infrastructure challenges including

challenges in internet access or lack of sufficient hardware

The pilot should provide a good test of varying capacities Countries selected for the pilot have trade with other countries

proposed to participate

Initial selection of pilot countries

National systems using the HUB

• Australia

• Chile

• China

• Kenya

• Korea

• The Netherlands

• New Zealand

• USA

Generic System using the HUB

• Samoa

• Sri Lanka

• Ghana

• Ecuador

• Egypt

• Guatemala

• Senegal

Final selection to be based on country readiness

Country preparedness workshops

Four workshops focussed on countries implementing GeNS • Sri Lanka: 6-10 June 2016 • Samoa: 22-26 August 2016 • Ecuador: 5-9 September 2016 • Ghana: 24-28 October 2016

Objectives • Ensure NPPO is prepared to participate in the ePhyto Solution • Establish a country work plan for implementation • Assist the country in undertaking an assessment of its business

processes to identify changes required to support ePhyto Solution • Infra-structure and resources • Legislative and policy • Capacity building and technical

Review ePhyto project plan with NPPO

Review the overall objectives of the project • The components: Hub & GeNS • The tools to support implementation • Development of a business plan – financing strategy • Timelines

Review details of the pilot • Validation of Hub and GeNS operation • Evaluation of training tools • Benefit evaluation

Discussion on country objectives • Stakeholders • Challenges

Discussion on the work plan needed to implement ePhyto in the country

Establishing NPPO work plan

Provide guidance on: • Benefit assessment and realisation

• Various benefits identified at the project level • Validation of the specific benefits to a developing countr

• Stakeholder engagement • Change assessment

• Process mapping of certification procedures • Identification of potential areas of change and implications

• Risk management • Identification of risks to implementation

• Developing the country project team

Work with the NPPO to utilize work plan templates

Key elements of preparedness evaluation

What legislative changes required to support implementation

What infrastructure is required Identification of the key stakeholders and how

should they be engaged • Both internal and external

Identification of funding required to implement the system and potential sources?

How to obtain corporate support for implementation

Key elements of preparedness evaluation

• How to conduct a business readiness assessment and provide to the IPPC Secretariat

• Define processes of communication

• Identify processes for training

• Both changes in business operation and technical training

• Potential avenues for cost recovery

• Processes for undertaking a cost-benefit analysis

Outcomes

In country project teams established • Provide ongoing two-way communication

Process mapping: • Certification processes mostly reliant on paper documents

• Anticipate significant changes in processes related to registration of clients, application for certification and issuance of certificates, import clearance (in particular linkages to Customs)

• Reduced manual activities of filling out, storing and retrieving paperwork

• Reduced need for clients to visit NPPO offices

• Greater control of certification information

Outcomes

• Some countries perceived that they had sufficient infrastructure to implement ePhyto while others felt they would require additional hardware and/or staff

• Difficult to accurately estimate requirements until system operation is established

• Some countries are taking a phased in approach to implementation

Outcomes

Stakeholders were generally aware of ePhyto developments and supportive but detailed consultations on implementation had not been initiated

Countries had systems for cost recovery but changes may be required to support implementation depending on local and system operating costs

Outcomes

Countries required varying legislative/regulatory changes to address business modernisation (fee increases, recognition of electronic documents as equivalent to paper, etc.)

Countries have varying technical capacities and depending on the complexity of the system, will need to identify scope and extent of training

Countries noted that they faced challenges with internet quality and speeds • System to be designed to support use in poor quality internet

environments

Ecuador has developed a national system and will be likely ready to implement with a national system using the HUB

Next steps

Countries continue to refine the work plan based upon updates from the IPPC

Once GeNS is built revisit country to validate readiness

Establish on-boarding process with countries prior to pilot

Work with experts to develop business process support tools

Lessons learned

Positives • An initial opportunity to establish a dialogue on

implementation • Opportunity for countries to understand the overall

path and challenges to implementation (i.e. legislative alignment, cost recovery, etc.)

• Countries have begun to establish a work plan • Some countries have initiated infrastructure and

resource changes • Countries have begun to evaluate country benefits • Initial discussions with stakeholders indicate support

Lessons learned

Challenges

• Workshop too early to provide sufficient information to allow countries to effectively assess business changes

• More work is needed to develop a tool that could be used independently by countries to assist with preparedness

• Need to work with experts to further develop appropriate tools for developing countries

Lessons learned

The preparedness workshops have provided

• An opportunity to discuss key implementation issues including business process analysis

• To establish a process between IPPC and the country to ensure implementation is efficient

Capacity of the IPPC to provide ongoing support to individual countries throughout ePhyto implementation is limited

Shane Sela IPPC Secretariat

shane.sela@fao.org