STDF: Expert view: How ePhyto is changing trade, one certificate at a time

World Trade Organization - WTO & Standards and Trade Development Facility - STDF

Expert view: How ePhyto is changing trade, one certificate at a time

The Head of the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF), Ms Marlynne Hopper, discusses how ePhyto certificates helped turn paper-based plant health certification into a fast, secure and scalable global digital trade solution.

Ms Marlynne Hopper, The Head of the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF)

Why does electronic certification matter for global trade?

In a world where connectivity matters more than ever, governments and businesses are looking for better ways to move goods across borders, more quickly and more efficiently. Every printed, couriered and manually checked certificate adds time, cost and risk to cross-border trade. Electronic certification helps agri-food goods cross borders more quickly, more securely and more efficiently, benefitting the private sector and governments.

What exactly is a phytosanitary certificate?

It is essentially the “passport” for plants and plant products. It proves that goods, such as fruit, vegetables, seeds, grains and other agricultural products, meet the plant health requirements of importing countries and can be traded safely.

What problem was the ePhyto Solution created to solve?

Before the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) ePhyto Solution, most countries used paper processes, which created delays and duplication, and also increased the risk of errors and fraud. Countries that wanted to exchange certificates electronically had to establish bilateral arrangements with each trading partner, which was both time-consuming and costly.

This approach also increased the likelihood of different, incompatible systems that could not communicate with one another. The IPPC ePhyto Solution addressed these challenges by creating a single global exchange platform that enables countries to send and receive certificates securely and efficiently.

What role did the STDF play? 

The STDF helped turn the idea into reality. With just over US$ 1 million in funding, the STDF backed the pilot that was launched in 2016 and implemented by the IPPC at the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The goal was practical and ambitious: replace paper phytosanitary certificates with digital ones that could work for all countries, including developing economies.

Why was the ePhyto model different?

It was built to scale from the start. Instead of requiring every country to build a complex national system or negotiate one-to-one arrangements with each trading partner, the IPPC ePhyto Solution offered a shared global hub and a ready-to-use system. International standards were the starting point. The International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures No. 12 governed the content, format and use of ePhytos while the United Nations Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business (UN/CEFACT) eCert standards ensured interoperability so that countries with different systems and levels of digital capacity could exchange their certificates securely and seamlessly across borders.

Did the impact continue after the STDF pilot ended?

Yes. That is one of the biggest success stories and a powerful illustration of the STDF's catalytic role in scaling sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) innovations. Partners including the FAO, the Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation (GATF), TradeMark Africa, the International Seed Federation and others have taken the work further, helping countries embed ePhyto into national reforms and showing that digital certification brings benefits far beyond cutting red tape.

Are there environmental benefits as well?

Yes. Reducing reliance on paper certificates and courier shipments also reduces emissions. Recent analysis by the GATF estimates that each ePhyto certificate saves around 8.4 kg of CO₂. Globally, that adds up to more than 60,000 tonnes of avoided emissions, equivalent to millions of trees planted.

Can you share a practical example of the impact at the country level?

Morocco became one of the first countries in Africa to adopt digital phytosanitary certification with trading partners in 2020, supported by the GATF. The results were striking: certification processing time fell by 82%, exporters saved US$ 283 per container and annual savings reached approximately US$ 43 million. 

What does this mean in practice for officials and traders?

Certificates can now be issued and transmitted online in minutes, replacing slower paper-based processes that often created delays and extra costs for traders. The result is a faster, smoother and more reliable certification process for everyone involved. The feedback from countries using the system has been very positive. For instance, Hajar Battahi of Morocco’s National Office for Food Safety has shared how much more efficient phytosanitary certification became after adopting ePhyto, cutting administrative costs for the government.

How big is ePhyto today?

The system has expanded well beyond its pilot phase. Today, 150 countries are connected to the ePhyto Hub and 102 are actively exchanging ePhytos. In 2025 alone, around 3.5 million electronic certificates were exchanged globally.

What are the business benefits?

The gains are concrete: fewer delays, lower costs, less fraud and fewer administrative bottlenecks. Analysis by the FAO and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development shows that exporters can save up to US$ 200,000 per year by adopting ePhyto. In Zambia, clearance times for certain products fell from a period of five to seven days to less than 24 hours. GATF estimates also point to significant additional benefits: document processing times in Senegal are projected to fall by 39%, in Fiji they are expected to decrease by 56%, and exporters in Ecuador stand to save more than US$ 6 million annually through ePhyto.

Did ePhyto prove useful during COVID-19?

Yes. When paper-based processes were disrupted, electronic certification helped keep trade moving across borders. According to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), it helped avert an estimated 33% drop in trade for some processed products, showing that ePhyto was not just a technical upgrade but a tool in ensuring resilience.

Is this only about plant products?

Not anymore. The success of ePhyto has opened the door to digital certification in other areas, including animal health and food safety. With STDF financing, the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture is working with governments in Latin America and the Caribbean and the private sector to pilot electronic veterinary certificates for the safe trade of animals and animal products.

What is the bigger lesson from ePhyto?

One of the key lessons from ePhyto is that relatively small pilots can have global impact when they are designed to deliver scalable and inclusive results, and when the benefits are clearly measured. ePhyto shows that digital trade reform is not just about technology. It is about trust, standards, cooperation and making trade work better for everyone.

What does this experience say about the STDF’s broader approach to trade and development?

It reflects what the STDF is trying to achieve through its Strategy 2025-2030: supporting innovative, scalable and inclusive solutions that help developing countries facilitate safe trade. The STDF's ePhyto project shows how relatively small catalytic investments can unlock broader reforms, strengthen public-private partnerships and mobilize investments that deliver global impacts.

Read the full story: https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/devel_e/a4t_e/cssta4t-stdf_e.htm