Posted on Tue, 16 Jun 2026, 07:52

Deadline on Fri, 31 Jul 2026, 23:59

1. Background

The Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (CPM), at its twentieth session (CPM-20, 2026), approved the establishment of the new ePhyto Governing Body to provide strategic oversight and guidance for the implementation and future development of the ePhyto Solution.

The IPPC ePhyto Governing Body (EGB) reports to the CPM Bureau and is established to support the long-term sustainability, strategic development and implementation of the IPPC ePhyto Solution. The programme of work and Terms of Reference of the EGB are established for an initial five-year period and will be reviewed annually by the CPM Bureau. The EGB will serve as the main governance body responsible for defining priorities and guiding the implementation of the IPPC ePhyto roadmap, in line with its agreed functions and responsibilities. It will provide coordination, guidance and strategic advice to support the harmonized, secure and sustainable exchange of phytosanitary certificate data among contracting parties through the continued implementation and development of ePhyto.

The Terms of Reference (ToRs) for the Steering Group are available here.

2. Composition

The International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) Secretariat is soliciting nominations for the EGB. The membership will be skills and knowledge-based, with broad geographical and gender representation, and composed as follows:

• three to seven experts from NPPOs aiming for broad geographical representation (ideally one per FAO region) with extensive knowledge of phytosanitary certification processes.
• three to five experts with the collective required expertise listed below.
• no more than two Bureau members, selected by the Bureau; and
• one Implementation and Capacity Development Committee (IC) member, who the IC selects.

3. Specific expertise required

Members are required to have a good working level of English, as meetings and working documents of the EGB will be in English.

The following collective expertise will be used to determine membership of the EGB:

• Demonstrated experience in phytosanitary certification and verification processes at export and/or import level.
• Expert knowledge of, and work related to, the following International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPMs):
  • ISPM 12 Phytosanitary certificates.
  • ISPM 13 Guidelines for the notification of non-compliance and emergency action,
  • ISPM 7 Phytosanitary certification system,
  • expert knowledge of international standards related to phytosanitary trade regulations and practices,
• Experience working with national phytosanitary certification systems.
• Experience in ePhyto implementation and capacity development.
• Knowledge and experience in development and maintenance of service agreements, including financial accountability.
• Knowledge and experience in governing and managing the risks of global IT systems and the related technical service delivery.

4. Expected involvement of the IPPC ePhyto Governing Body (EGB) members

Nominating institutions are expected to ensure that nominated experts have sufficient time and institutional support to contribute effectively.

Members of the IPPC ePhyto Governing Body are expected to:

• Provide oversight of all activities related to the IPPC ePhyto Solution.
• Provide advice on the strategic direction of the IPPC ePhyto Solution.
• Identify, prepare for and support the implementation of technical changes, following the existing change management process.
• Regularly review the funding model and make recommendations to the CPM to achieve sustainable funding for the long-term operation, development and implementation of the IPPC ePhyto Solution.
• Identify barriers that impact financial contributions and propose solutions to overcome these.
• Identify and develop initiatives to strengthen the scaling, sustainability and interoperability of the IPPC ePhyto Solution.
• Monitor and advise, in collaboration with the IPPC Secretariat, on ePhyto implementation and funding status.
• Develop a framework for the implementation of the IPPC ePhyto Solution through strategic planning, communication, outreach and advocacy and related toolsets.
• Identify and propose options for implementation requirements of ePhyto-related ISPM(s).
• Promote a harmonized ePhyto implementation package, in coordination with the IPPC Secretariat, and support capacity development through standardized tools, practices, webinars and workshops across all FAO regions.
• Propose mechanisms to facilitate engagement and input from relevant stakeholders.
• Other related functions, as identified by the CPM and CPM Bureau.

The expected time commitment is moderate and may vary depending on activities and priorities. On average, members are expected to dedicate approximately one working day every two months, including participation in virtual meetings and intersessional contributions, as required.

5. Expected start date and duration

The programme of work and terms of reference shall be established for an initial five-year period and shall be reviewed annually by the CPM Bureau, based on the performance and results of the EGB. The Bureau may propose revisions to the terms of reference and composition of the EGB to address identified functional issues or emerging requirements.

6. Meetings

The EGB will meet at least every two months virtually. Additional or in-person meetings may be held, when necessary, subject to the availability of resources. Dates of the meetings are published on the IPP Calendar when determined.

• Offline collaboration tools and electronic feedback collection will be used to avoid any operational bottleneck derived from pending decisions.
• A majority of members will constitute the quorum to hold meetings. The EGB will endeavour to make decisions based on consensus between members and following the decision-making framework of the existing change management process.
• Where consensus cannot be reached, the meeting report shall record the different positions maintained, and the matter shall be referred to the Bureau and, where necessary, to the CPM for consideration.  

7. Instructions for submitting nominations

All nominations should be submitted by an IPPC Official Contact Point or a Regional Plant Protection Organization (RPPO) to the IPPC IFU ePhyto Team ([email protected]), with copies to [email protected] and [email protected], no later than 31 July 2026 at 12:00 PM (Rome time). The CPM Bureau will review the nominations and select the members.

Nominee details and summary of expertise form (here is the link to download the form) - all sections of the form should be completed. Applicants should provide clear and concise information on their qualifications, professional experience, competency areas, additional expertise, and language proficiency, demonstrating how they contribute to the collective expertise required within the EGB.

Completed and signed Statement of Commitment form - this should be read carefully by each nominee and then discussed with their employer. The form should be signed by the nominee and a senior person from the organization that employs the nominee and submitted with the nomination (as a scanned image file such as PDF). The file should be named as follows: COUNTRY_SURNAME_Firstname_commitment. The statement of commitment is available in English, French and Spanish.

The nominee’s Curriculum Vitae (CV) - an electronic copy of the nominee’s CV (as a word processing file such as MS Word) with the file named as follows: COUNTRY_SURNAME_Firstname_CV.