Page 246 - Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)

(d) strengthen cooperation, communication, and consultation
among the Parties in the field of sanitary and phytosanitary
measures; and

(e) encourage the Parties’ participation in the development
and adoption of international standards, guidelines, and
recommendations.

Article 5.3: Scope

This Chapter shall apply to all sanitary and phytosanitary measures of
the Parties, which may, directly or indirectly, affect trade among the
Parties.

Article 5.4: General Provision

Each Party affirms its rights and obligations with respect to each other
Party under the SPS Agreement.

Article 5.5: Equivalence

1. The Parties shall strengthen cooperation on equivalence in
accordance with the SPS Agreement while taking into account the
relevant decisions of the WTO Committee on Sanitary and
Phytosanitary Measures (hereinafter referred to as “WTO SPS
Committee” in this Chapter) and international standards,
guidelines, and recommendations.

2. An importing Party shall recognise the equivalence of a sanitary
or phytosanitary measure if an exporting Party objectively
demonstrates to the importing Party that the exporting Party’s
measure achieves the same level of protection as the importing
Party’s measure, or that the exporting Party’s measure has the
same effect in achieving the objective as the importing Party’s
measure.

3. In determining the equivalence of a sanitary or phytosanitary
measure, the importing Party shall take into account available
knowledge, information, and experience, as well as the regulatory
competence, of the exporting Party.

4. A Party shall, upon request, enter into consultation with the aim
of achieving bilateral recognition arrangements on the

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