The SPS Agreement has a two-fold objective. It aims to both : (i) recognise the sovereign right of Members to provide the level of health protection they deem appropriate ; and (ii) ensure that SPS measures do not represent unnecessary, arbitrary, scientifically unjustifiable, or disguised restrictions on international trade. To meet this objective, countries have the right to set their own food safety and animal and plant health standards. At the same time, however, the SPS Agreement requires that such regulations be based on science, that they be applied only to the extent necessary to protect health, and that they not arbitrarily or unjustifiably discriminate between countries where identical or similar conditions prevail. Several mechanisms have been created to help WTO Members to implement the Agreement. Among these mechanisms those dealing with the transparency of SPS measures and the SPS Committee are, supported by the WTO Dispute Settlement Procedures, key pillars to a proper implementation of the Agreement. These mechanisms have been used throughout the last ten years. A non-negligible number of procedures has been developed, tested and improved aiming at helping Members in the implementation of the Agreement. The SPS Committee became the unavoidable forum for the discussion of questions dealing with food safety, animal health and/ or plant protection related to international trade. During its meetings, Members discuss specific trade concerns with their trading partners, thus avoiding numerous potential trade disputes. Last but not least, the Dispute Settlement Mechanism has been used several times to resolve conflicts that could not be sorted out bilaterally. The resolution of such conflicts ensured the application of trade law and helped clarifying several provisions of the Agreement. However, not everything is solved and several Members, in particular developing country members, face significant difficulties with the implementation of the Agreement. Although they are often due to technological and financial constrains, obsolete or non-existing infrastructures, absence of qualified experts or outdated SPS legislation, these difficulties still also illustrate a deficient knowledge and understanding of the Agreement in many of these countries. Therefore, strong cooperation and technical assistance are necessary, especially in a field where special and differential treatment is not easily applicable.