World Trade Organizations Trade-Related Technical Barriers Agreement
The World Trade Organizations Trade-Related Technical Barriers Agreement (TRTBA) was adopted at the Marrakesh Conference in April 1994 and entered into force on 1 January 1995. It is one of five general agreements under the auspices of the WTO. The TRTBA provides a framework for cooperation and mutual understanding between counties in order to facilitate the flow of goods and services between them.
The agreement covers two main areas: technical barriers to trade, including product standards and conformity assessment procedures, and dispute settlement. Under the agreement, countries agree to cooperate in the development of international standards to facilitate trade. Countries are also required to notify each other of any proposed technical regulations and to provide test procedures or allow access to testing facilities.
The agreement provides for the involvement of relevant industry organizations in the development of standards and for the notification of technical regulations to other countries. It also provides for dispute settlement through WTO panel decisions, including the establishment of panels to resolve disputes over industrial standards.
The agreement aims to ensure that imported goods, subject to technical regulations and standards, are not subject to unreasonable, arbitrary or discriminatory measures. The TRTBA focuses on the elimination of unreasonable and discriminatory technical trade barriers, such as product and process requirements and conformity assessment procedures. Technical regulations should be based on the principles of transparency, non-discrimination and good governance.
More specifically, the agreement establishes a Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade which monitors implementation of the TRTBA and disseminates information on national measures, reviews evidence of technical difficulties caused by such measures and proposes solutions. This committee also evaluates notifications of proposed technical regulations and provides a forum for responding to complaints.
The TRTBA provides a framework for cooperation among countries and helps to ensure that trade is not unnecessarily hindered by technical requirements. By establishing international standards, countries can trade more effectively with each other and reduce the costs associated with product and process requirements. The agreement also encourages governments to involve industry in the formulation of technical regulations, helps to ensure that these are non-discriminatory, promotes cooperation and provides a forum for dispute settlement.
