Regional cooperation on sanitary and phytosanitary measures governance can serve as a key mechanism to increase both global and regional trade in Asia and the Pacific.
[Key Points]
- Sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures can play a major part in modern agriculture trade dynamics and can both function as trade barriers and catalysts.
- Through regional cooperation, developed nations should assist emerging economies to harmonize SPS measures with the global standards to close the developmental gap in Asia.
- Targeted empowerment programs can ensure smallholder farmers’ SPS standards adherence by decreasing compliance costs.