The sanitary and phytosanitary measures chapter of CUSMA reinforces and builds upon provisions that are contained in the original NAFTA, as well as in the WTO SPS Agreement. The outcome maintains the parties' sovereign right to protect human, animal or plant life or health, and requires that any SPS measure be science-based and not applied in a manner that would constitute an unnecessary barrier to trade.
The modernized SPS chapter in CUSMA will support trade in agriculture, fisheries and forestry products through a number of measures, including enhanced rules on import checks, audits, equivalents, regionalization, transparency, science and risk analysis. In particular, I would note that in the SPS chapter, the parties established a new technical consultation mechanism to address issues related to SPS measures with a view to resolving those issues through technical consultations between the parties' competent authorities. This mechanism would ensure that technical discussions take place in lieu of an issue being brought to a formal dispute settlement.
There's more I could say, but I'll leave it at that.