Members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) discussed proposals aimed at improving the implementation of the TBT Agreement. These projects had been submitted by countries as part of the current triennial review of the operation and implementation of the TBT Agreement, which seeks to define the Committee's next work cycle, from 2021 to 2024.
The proposals cover 81 specific business concerns (20 of which are new) that relate to environmental and labeling issues electrical and electronic equipment. Others concern a range of products including cosmetics, medical devices, chemicals and cryptography products, among others. They relate to labelling, testing and certification requirements, which could be considered burdensome or overly complicated, according to the WTO press release.
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, in the Meeting from 23 to 26 February 2021, several members stressed the difficulty of complying with current requirements, compounded by the lack of harmonized international standards. Members noted that certain country measures are costly, such as Saudi Arabia's restriction of hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment, which the country had implemented in response to an "urgent health issue" posed by non-compliant products. Members stressed that their concerns could be addressed or mitigated by applying international standards.
In addition to considering proposals and concerns as part of the ninth triennial review of the TBT Agreement, the next meeting of the TBT Committee was scheduled to take place from 1 to 3 June 2021. The review will be completed at the Committee's final meeting of the year, which will take place from 8 to 11 November 2021.
At the meeting, the TBT Committee also discussed the Twenty-sixth Annual Review of the Implementation and Operation of the TBT Agreement, which covered calendar year 2020. The review notes that, in 2020, The OTC Committee tested the eAgenda, an online collaboration platform that allowed members to present specific information and business concerns in real time. It enabled work to continue in a remote environment, improved transparency, and provided additional preparation time for meetings. Last year, 82 members submitted a record 3354 notifications of new or modified OTC measures. Most new notifications (61%) in that period were submitted by developing members.
The TBT Agreement, which entered into force on 1 January 1995, is one of the WTO's multilateral agreements dealing with trade in goods. As such, it is binding on all WTO members.
Aduana News is the first Argentine customs newspaper to launch its digital version. With 20 years of experience, its publications and initiatives aim to provide the most relevant knowledge on customs issues in order to contribute to safe trade in the region.
