TBT - WTO
What is the TBT Agreement ?
The Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade:
The Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), one of the 29 legal texts constituting the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement, aims to ensure that technical regulations, standards, and conformity assessment procedures do not create unnecessary obstacles to trade.
The transparency provisions, in accordance with Article 10 of the TBT Agreement, stipulate that each Member shall establish an Enquiry Point capable of responding to all reasonable inquiries from other Members and of providing relevant documents concerning technical regulations, standards, and conformity assessment procedures.
In implementation of the TBT Agreement, which entered into force in 1995 with the establishment of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Algeria has designated a National TBT/WTO Enquiry Point under the authority of the Algerian Institute of Standardization (IANOR).
Main Responsibilities:
- To respond to inquiries from WTO Members and interested parties within those Members regarding standards, technical regulations, and conformity assessment procedures.
- To act as a liaison with foreign TBT/WTO Enquiry Points.
- To publish a semi-annual Algerian standardization program, informing stakeholders about Algerian technical regulations and standards under development.
The TBT Agreement
THE MEMBERS,
HAVING REGARD to the Uruguay Round of Multilateral Trade Negotiations;
DESIRING to further the objectives of GATT 1994;
RECOGNIZING the important contribution that international standards and conformity assessment systems can make in this regard by improving efficiency of production and facilitating the conduct of international trade;
DESIRING therefore to encourage the development of such international standards and conformity assessment systems;
DESIRING, however, to ensure that technical regulations and standards, including packaging, marking and labelling requirements, and procedures for assessment of conformity with technical regulations and standards do not create unnecessary obstacles to international trade;
RECOGNIZING that no country should be prevented from taking measures necessary to ensure the quality of its exports, or for the protection of human, animal or plant life or health, of the environment, or for the prevention of deceptive practices, at the levels it considers appropriate, subject to the requirement that they are not applied in a manner which would constitute a means of arbitrary or unjustifiable discrimination between countries where the same conditions prevail or a disguised restriction on international trade, and are otherwise in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement;
RECOGNIZING that no country should be prevented from taking measures necessary to the protection of its essential security interests.
RECOGNIZING the contribution which international standardization can make to the transfer of technology from developed to developing countries.
RECOGNIZING that developing countries may encounter special difficulties in the formulation and application of technical regulations, standards and procedures for assessment of conformity with technical regulations and standards, and desiring to assist them in their endeavours in this regard.
WTO Notification
Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) are measures implemented by governments to establish product requirements aimed at achieving public policy objectives, such as protecting human health and safety, safeguarding the environment, providing consumer information, or ensuring quality. These measures apply equally to domestically produced and imported goods.
The Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Agreement seeks to ensure that such measures—including technical regulations, standards, and testing and certification procedures—do not create unnecessary obstacles to international trade.