The Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary (植物检疫的) Measures concerns the application of food safety and animal and plant health regulations. It recognizes governments’ rights to take sanitary and pbytosanitary measures but stip ulates that they must be based on science, should be applied only to the extent necessary to protect human, animal or plant life or health and should not arbitrarily or unjustifiabiy discriminate between members where identical or similar conditions prevail. Members are encouraged to base their measures on international standards, guidelines and recommendations where they exist.