Generic ePhyto National System Piloting in Sri Lanka

Implementation of Generic
ePhyto National System (GeNS) in Sri Lanka
MFM Rizwan | Assistant Director of Agriculture | ePhyto Project Manager
National Plant Quarantine Service
Department of Agriculture, Sri Lanka

Contents Outlining
Generic ePhyto National System
Phytosanitary Certificates
Electronic Phytosanitary Certificates (ePhytos)
National System vs Generic ePhyto National System
Implementation of GeNS in Sri Lanka
Future Trade Facilitation with GeNS
01
04
03
02
05

Phytosanitary Certificate (PSC)
What is a Phytosanitary Certificate?
 A phytosanitary certificate is a document, which states that the
material is free from quarantine and other injurious pests and that
the importation agrees to the plant import rules of the importing
country
 PSC is needed in the trade of plants and plant products for
preventing pests entering into countries
 An official paper document or its official electronic equivalent,
consistent with the model certificates of the IPPC, attesting that a
consignment meets phytosanitary import requirements [FAO,
1990; revised CPM, 2012]

Phytosanitary Certificate (PSC)…
 Phytosanitary certificate issued by any country should conform to the model appended to
International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC)
 ISPM 12 (Phytosanitary certificates) provides requirements for the content and format of
phytosanitary certificates
 This standard describes principles and guidelines to assist National Plant Protection
Organizations (NPPOs) with the preparation and issue of phytosanitary certificates for export
and re-export
 Provision for issuance of PSC certificates for exporting plant and plant products has provided by
the section 18 of the part 01 of the regulation in extraordinary gazette No. 165/2 on 1981/11/02
under Plant Quarantine Legislation
Requirements and legal background

 Highly manual paper works (Labor intensive) and Delay
 High cost for printing (Template / PSC)
 More time requirement to issue PSC or superseded PSC (replacements)
 Need more space and proper care for storing the duplicate copies
 Delivery time is high
 More chance for loss of certificates in exchange process
 Inclusion of unauthorized alterations or erasures
 Fake documents
Drawbacks of Paper based PSC (100,000 per annum)

Drawbacks of Paper based PSC (100,000 per annum)
Reasons for Non-compliance received
with PSC
No. of NC
received
01. Presence of Harmful Organism 07
02. Document Errors 01
03. Failure to comply with phytosanitary
requirements
01
04. Prohibited item 02
Total 11
Non-compliance Issues-2020 (NON EU Countries)
Reasons for Non-compliance
received with PSC
No. of NC
received
01. Document Errors 28
02. Presence of Harmful Organism 37
03. Non Compliance with Special
Requirements
02
04. Plant not included 09
Total 76
Non-compliance Issues-2019 & 2020 (EU
Countries)

Issuing of Fake PSC with the previously issued PSC numbers
Copy of original PSC issued by
NPPO, Sri Lanka to Canada
Fake PSC issued with same PSC
number to Iran

Deletion and Inclusion of information on original PSC
Copy of original PSC issued by
NPPO, Sri Lanka to Spain
Altered original PSC with
deletion and inclusion of data

Electronic Phytosanitary Certificate (ePhyto)
What is an ePhyto?
 ePhyto is short form for “electronic
phytosanitary certificate” which is the
electronic version of the information
contained in a phytosanitary certificate
(ISPM 12)
 IPPC has introduced the ePhyto as an
innovative solution to overcome the
drawbacks of paper based PSC
 Equivalent of a paper Phytosanitary
certificate and may be used if accepted by
the NPPO of the importing country
Moving into a
better
solution

The IPPC ePhyto Solution
 ePhyto solution is a project to facilitate the electronic exchange of phytosanitary
certificates between the NPPO of the countries which has been introduced by IPPC
 The project was initially funded from the STDF, augmented with resources from
Contracting parties and the World Bank
 Initially 13 countries were selected to pilot the ePhyto through HUB (10 developed
countries) and GeNS (03 developing countries )
 Fiji was added later to pilot the GeNS

What is an ePhyto?
NOT a paper
certificate
NOT a scanned
certificate

Business Process of PSCs and ePhytos
PAPER
ELECTRONIC

Process of ePhyto Exchanging in GeNS
The process of the consignee obtaining a certificate is dependent of each NPPO’s specific business process
A data set using XML for transmission securely and electronically between an exporting and an importing NPPO

Why ePhyto is Important to Sri Lanka?
 Speed up Information exchange
 Reduced cost
 Improved security option for data transfer and sharing
 Minimizes opportunities for fraud
 Easy to trace and troubleshoot the issues
 Creates opportunity to align with ‘Single Window’ initiatives

Hub | National System | Generic ePhyto National System | Har

The IPPC ePhyto Solution consists of three main elements)
A Generic ePhyto National System (GeNS): a
web-based system that can produce and
receive ePhytos, to allow countries that do not
have a national electronic system to produce,
send and receive ePhytos.
Harmonization:
the structure and transmission of ePhytos will
follow a harmonized format through the use of
standardized mapping, codes and lists.
A Central Server (Hub):
to facilitate the transfer of electronic
phytosanitary certificates between NPPOs,
either from and to their own national electronic
system or by using the generic system
National System:
is a country owned server and which can
produce and receive ePhytos

 Globally harmonized approach for electronic phytosanitary certification (ePhyto) in accordance
with an adopted International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM 12 - Phytosanitary
Certificates)
 Reduced potential for fraudulent certificates
 Reduced data entry and validation activities by National Plant Protection Organizations (NPPO)
improving efficiencies
 Improved security in the transmission of certificates when compared with paper certificates
 Improved efficiencies in arrival and clearance of plants and plant products at the point of entry
Benefits of a globally harmonized approach for ePhyto through an international hub

 Reduced delays in receiving replacement phytosanitary certificates when required
 Use of existing systems in facilitating electronic certification reduces development costs
 Avoids bilateral agreements required for direct NPPO to NPPO transfer of electronic certificates
 Potential to link with the World Customs Organization “Single Window” initiative and to
harmonize codes and processes

National Plant Quarantine Service, Department of Agriculture
2015
Global Country
Survey by IPPC
2015
Submission of
Readiness
Documents by
NPQS (NPPO)
2016
Sri Lanka confirmed
the participation as
the Pilot Country
2018
Cabinet Approval to
entering MoU for
issuing ePhytos
2018
Signing of MOU –
DAWE, Australia &
DOA, Sri Lanka:

 Project to facilitate the electronic exchange of phytosanitary certificates through
GeNS
 Initial funding from the STDF, augmented with resources from contracting parties
and the World Bank
 Everyone using a single harmonized set of rules and Simplified setup
 Allows developing and developed countries to participate regardless of
infrastructure capacity
The IPPC ePhyto Solution

Based on the Global Survey by IPPC
Pilot Countries with
National System
1. Argentina
2. Australia
3. Chile
4. New Zealand
5. USA
6. China
7. Ecuador
8. Kenya
9. Korea
10. Netherlands
Pilot Countries Using
GeNS
1. Ghana
2. Samoa
3. Sri Lanka
4. Fiji
Hub
GeNS
NS

 Sri Lanka joined with GeNS since 2016 as a pilot country
 17 Workstation were established (Funded by MTDI of Sri Lanka)
 Implementation of Generic ePhyto National System in Sri Lanka is being
 funded by Australian Government under the Knowledge and Linkages
 for an Inclusive Economy (KLIE) grant program of STDF project
 Specialist from AWE, Australia, IPPC and UNICC visited Sri Lanka to introduce the system (2016.12.11-2016.12.16)
 Piloting of UAT was started since 2016 and completed by 2019
 Identified malfunctions and enhancements of the GeNS software by NPPO Sri Lanka were directed to UNICC and
IPPC
 Implementing of Production stage was started from 01 November 2019
 Currently Sri Lanka is exchanging ePhytos with 06 countries
 Still enhancements of the software is on going
03.Production
Stage
02.Piloting of
the UAT Stage
01.Initiation of the
GeNS

Location Number of workstations
NPQS, Katunayake 02
PQS, Airport, Katunayake 06
PQS, Airport, Maththala 01
PQS, Seaport, Colombo 06
PQS, Seaport, Hambanthota 01
PQS, Airport, Jaffna 01
Total 17
PQS, Airport, Batticaloa 01
PQS, Airport, Rathmalana 01
Central Post Office, Colombo 01

01. Initiation process and piloting of UAT was completed
02. In present Production stage is being implemented
03. Project progress under 10 milestones

Ten milestones of Implementation of GeNS in Sri Lanka
1. Completion of Exporter Registration
2. Completion of Exporter Training Program
3. Completion of NPPO Officer Training Program
4. GeNS usages by Exporters in Sri Lanka
5. GeNS usages by NPPO Officers in Sri Lanka
6. Exchanging GeNS certificates with other countries
7. Evaluation of GeNS technical issues
8. Evaluation of GeNS for future upgrades
9. Completion of Benefit Analysis survey
10. ePhyto National Workshop in Sri Lanka

Milestones of Implementation of GeNS in Sri Lanka
MS Milestone Remarks progress
01 Completion of Exporter Registration 601(1200) were registered in GeNS 50%
02 Completion of Exporter Training Programs 687 (1500) company users are trained 45.8%
03 Completion of NPPO Officer Training
Programs on GeNS
No. of Officer Trainings -16(16)
No. of Refresher Training - 01(03)
No. of Officers Trained 111(120)
100%
33%
93%
04 GeNS usages by Exporters in Sri Lanka The all registered exporters in GeNS have
been using GeNS
05 GeNS usages by NPPO Officers in Sri Lanka 45 (50) At the PQS, BIA, Katunayake
29 (30) At the PQS, Seaport, Colombo
90%
96%
ePhytos issued so for
• Export - 7794
• Reexport - 20

Milestones of Implementation of GeNS in Sri Lanka
MS Milestone Remarks progress
06 ePhytos Exchanging countries via GeNS Send and Receive – (4)
Only sending to Australia
Only receiving from Uganda
New Zealand, USA,
Chile, Argentina
07 Evaluation of GeNS technical issues 39 (62) Bugs were Resolved in GeNS 62%
08 Evaluation of GeNS for future upgrades 42(82) enhancements completed. 51%
09 Completion of Benefit Analysis baseline
survey
Baseline survey
Mid-term survey on lessons learned
Follow up survey
• Completed
• on-going
• Yet to start
10 National Workshop Will be in September 2021

Global Usage of ePhyto
Currently 88 developed and developing countries are registered in the HUB including the 14 piloting countries

Future Trade Facilitation with GeNS
Gradually, reducing the Paper based Phytosanitary Certificates to zero
and completely transforming to the paperless ePhytos
Expecting to initiate the UAT with EU countries and so that near future
Sri Lanka will exchange ePhytos with EU countries
The IPPC ePhyto Solution to Sri Lanka

Thank You
MFM Rizwan | ADA / ePhyto Project Manager | National Plant Quarantine Service
Email: rizwan.doa@gmail.com | rizwan.mfm@doa.gov.lk

Generic ePhyto National System Piloting in Sri Lanka

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