WTOSlide 1 The WTO TBT Agreement ISO CASCO/DEVCO – BIS Regional Workshop on Certification and Conformity Assessment: Building Confidence for Developing.

WTO Slide 1

The WTO TBT Agreement

ISO CASCO/DEVCO – BIS Regional Workshop on Certification and Conformity Assessment: Building Confidence for Developing Countries

New Delhi, 6-7 December 2004

Erik Wijkström WTO Trade and Environment Division

[email protected]+41 22 7395729

WTO Slide 2

Avoid: unnecessary barriers to trade

Allow: regulatory autonomy (legitimate objectives)

Use: international standards!

WTO Slide 3

WTO Slide 4

≈ 40%

> 4%

Overall, import weighted tariff on industrial products

WTO Slide 5

%

20041947

tariffs

WTO Slide 6

%

20041947

?NTBs

tariffs

WTO Slide 7

GATT – WTO Trade Rounds

Year Place / name Subjects covered #

1947 Geneva Tariffs 23

1949 Annecy Tariffs 13

1951 Torquay Tariffs 38

1956 Geneva Tariffs 26

1960-1961

Geneva (Dillon Round)

Tariffs 26

1964-1967

Geneva (Kennedy Round)

Tariffs and anti-dumping measures

62

1973-1979

Geneva (Tokyo Round)

Tariffs, NTBs, “framework agreements”

102

1986-1994

Geneva (Uruguay Round)

Tariffs, NTBs, rules, services, IP, DSU, textiles, agriculture, creation of WTO, etc.

123

2001 - Geneva (DDA) (the above) + environment, + ?

148

Source: WTO

WTO Slide 8

TBT

SPS

WTO Slide 9

Principles of the TBT Agreement?

WTO Slide 10

“like product”

Non-discriminationMFN, NT…

WTO Slide 11

Non-discriminationMFN, NT…

WTO Slide 12

Unnecessary barriers to trade

?

WTO Slide 13

Unnecessary barriers to trade

WTO Slide 14

Balance between pursuing a regulatory policy objective (choice

of measure) and discouraging Members from adopting or

maintaining measures that unduly restrict trade

Unnecessary barriers to trade

WTO Slide 15

Use of relevant international standards

WTO Slide 16

Technical Regulations

Standards

Conformity Assessment Procedures

WTO Slide 17

Definition (Annex 1 of TBT Agreement)

3. Conformity assessment procedures

Any procedure used, directly or indirectly, to determine that relevant requirements in technical regulations or standards are fulfilled.

Explanatory note

Conformity assessment procedures include, inter alia, procedures for sampling, testing and inspection; evaluation, verification and assurance of conformity; registration, accreditation and approval as well as their combinations.

WTO Slide 18

TBT Committee work programme on CAP

Triennial Review: November 2003(G/TBT/12, paras 29-41)

“With a view to improving Members' implementation of Articles 5-9 of the Agreement and promoting a better understanding of Members’ conformity assessment

systems, the Committee agrees to the following work programme ...”

WTO Slide 19

Why?

WTO Slide 20

“renewed emphasis”

Not new: approaches discussed before

To do what?

TBT Committee work programme on CAP

SDoC Accreditation OtherSDoC Workshop21 March 2005 Special Meeting

29 June 2004

Workshopearly 2006

4th TR, end- 2006

WTO Slide 21

Summing up on CAP

Definition Principles

Work program(experiences with implementation)

WTO Slide 22

A word on how the TBT Committee works

WTO Slide 23

forum

WTO Slide 24

specific trade concerns

horizontal issues

technical assistance

“TBTTriennial Reviews”

(Article 15.4)

WTO Slide 25

“specific trade concerns”

Request explanation / clarification from Enquiry Point

Bilateral consultations

Raise issue at TBT Committee meeting

Request formal consultations (Dispute Settlement)

(Solution)

WTO Slide 26

approximately 120

WTO Slide 27

EC – Sardines (2002)

EC – Trade Description of Sardines (Peru)

(first TBT case)

WTO Slide 28

NTBs are growing in importance

Quality and safety key competitive factors today

TBT and SPS Agreements are relevant and important

Basic principles are familiar: MFN, NT, etc.

Work Programme CAP in 3rd TR

Summing up

Key in TBT: use of international standards

“renewed emphasis” on CAP

WTO Slide 29

DO NOT HESITATE TO CONTACT:

[email protected]

+41 22 7395729