Page 255 - Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)

10. An exporting Party shall provide timely and appropriate 4. The Parties are encouraged to share information and the
information to relevant Parties through the contact points experiences of their cooperation activities with other Parties at the
designated under Article 5.15 (Contact Points and Competent Committee on Goods.
Authorities) or already established communication channels of
the Parties, where there is a significant change in animal or plant
health status or food safety issues in that exporting Party that may Article 5.14: Technical Consultation
affect trade.
1. Where a Party considers that a sanitary or phytosanitary measure
11. An importing Party shall provide timely and appropriate is affecting its trade with another Party, it may, through the contact
information to relevant Parties through the contact points points designated under Article 5.15 (Contact Points and
designated under Article 5.15 (Contact Points and Competent Competent Authorities) or already established communication
Authorities) or already established communication channels of channels, request a detailed explanation of the sanitary or
the Parties, where there is: phytosanitary measure. The other Party shall respond promptly
to any request for such explanation.
(a) significant or recurring sanitary or phytosanitary non-
compliance associated with exported consignments 2. A Party may request to hold technical consultations with another
identified by the importing Party; or Party in an attempt to resolve any concerns on specific issues
arising from the application of the sanitary or phytosanitary
(b) a sanitary or phytosanitary measure adopted provisionally measure. The requested Party shall respond promptly to any
against or affecting the export of another Party considered reasonable request for such consultation. The consulting Parties
necessary to protect human, animal or plant life or health shall make every effort to reach a mutually satisfactory resolution.
within the importing Party.
3. Where a Party requests technical consultations, these shall take
12. An exporting Party shall, to the extent possible and as promptly place within 30 days of the receipt of the request, unless
as possible, provide information to the importing Party if the otherwise agreed. Such consultation should aim to resolve the
exporting Party identifies that an export consignment that may be matter within 180 days of the date of the request, or a time frame
associated with a significant sanitary or phytosanitary risk has agreed by the consulting Parties.
been exported.
4. The technical consultations may be conducted via
teleconference, videoconference, or through any other means
Article 5.13: Cooperation and Capacity Building agreed by the consulting Parties.

1. The Parties shall explore opportunities for further cooperation
among the Parties, including capacity building, technical Article 5.15: Contact Points and Competent Authorities
assistance, collaboration, and information exchange, on sanitary
and phytosanitary matters of mutual interest, consistent with this 1. Each Party shall, within 30 days of the date of entry into force of
Chapter, subject to the availability of appropriate resources. this Agreement for that Party:

2. Any two or more Parties may cooperate on any matter, including (a) designate one or more contact points to facilitate
sector specific proposals, of mutual interest under this Chapter. communication on matters covered under this Chapter;

3. In undertaking cooperation activities, the Parties shall endeavour (b) notify the other Parties of the contact details of that contact
to coordinate with bilateral, regional, or multilateral work point or those contact points; and
programmes, with the objective of avoiding unnecessary
duplication and maximising the use of resources. (c) when more than one contact point is designated, specify a
contact point that serves as the focal point to respond to

5-10 5-11