Under the WTO-SPS agreement and the International Plant Protection Convention, countries have the right to establish their own phytosanitary import requirements. Many countries include prohibitions on the import of certain commodities on phytosanitary grounds within their import requirements to prevent the spread of pests and maintain food security. 

Import prohibitions and impacts on trade

Import controls are not uniformly applied to all countries and a commodity may be required to meet different requirements depending on its country of origin and the level of risk this represents. This means that a commodity might be prohibited from certain, but not all, countries. 

An import prohibition by it's very nature represents a restriction to trade, therefore it must be based on scientific principles and be technically justified. For phytosanitary purposes this technical justification is usually presented in the form of a pest risk analysis conducted in accordance with International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures.  

Export market access requests

A market access request is exactly what the name suggests. It is a request from the National Plant Protection Organisation (NPPO) of a country wishing to gain market access for a prohibited commodity to the NPPO of the country of import. It is a request for the prohibition not to be applied to goods originating in the country wishing to gain market access and that the goods are allowed access to what would otherwise be a prohibited market. If the request is successful it becomes the basis of a market access agreement between the two countries.