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Standards & Technical Measures :TBT Agreement: India’s Perspective Standards & Technical Measures :TBT Agreement: India’s Perspective
Parminder BajajHead (International Relations & Technical Information Services Department)Bureau of Indian Standards
Objectives of WTO
To ensure Free, more transparent and more
predictable trade
Confidence in International Trade amongst the WTO member countries
Technical Barriers to Trade
WTO Agreements Rules for international trade being written
through various WTO Agreements Rules pertaining to Standards, Regulations and
Conformity Assessment for Trade in Goods are laid down inAgreement on Sanitary and Phyto Sanitary Measures (SPS)Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT)
TBT AGREEMENT
Applies to all products incl industrial and agricultural products
Voluntary standards & Technical regulations (mandatory stds)-notification to all members
Code of good practice for standards development
Product requirements in terms of performance rather than design or descriptive characteristics
Technical regulations of local governments below central govt to be similarly notified
SPS AGREEMENT
Allows members to set standards for safety of human, animal & plant health-scientific basis, apply to extent necessary
Harmonization with Codex Alimentarius Commission-higher stds based on risk assessment-risk of spread of pest/disease,
Equivalence-allows use of different stds & different inspection methods for same level of protection
What measures are subject to TBT provisions?
Technical Regulation
Standard
Mandatory Measures
Voluntary MeasuresVoluntary Measures
Conformity Assessment Procedure
Main Disciplines of the TBT Agreement
HarmonizationHarmonization
Avoidance of unnecessary obstacles to trade
Avoidance of unnecessary obstacles to trade
Non - DiscriminationNon - Discrimination
Art. 2.1,5.1.1
Non-Discrimination
OriginatingOriginating
Of national originOf national origin
National Treatment
From any other countryFrom any other country
Most-Favoured Nation (MFN)
Conditions no Less Favourable toAccess of Suppliers of Like Products
Conditions no Less Favourable toAccess of Suppliers of Like Products
Avoid unnecessary obstacles to trade
Standards/ Regulations/CAPs Must not be prepared, adopted or applied so as to
Create unnecessary obstacles to international trade
Standards/ Regulations/CAPs Must not be prepared, adopted or applied so as to
Create unnecessary obstacles to international trade
Art. 2.2,5.1.2
The Harmonization Principle
2 key requirements
Shall play a full part in the preparation by appropriate
international standardizing bodies of guides and recommendations for
Standards/ Regulations/CAPs
Shall play a full part in the preparation by appropriate
international standardizing bodies of guides and recommendations for
Standards/ Regulations/CAPs
Relevant guides or recommendations issued by international standardizing bodies shall be used as a basis for the
elaboration of Standards/ Regulations/CAPs
Relevant guides or recommendations issued by international standardizing bodies shall be used as a basis for the
elaboration of Standards/ Regulations/CAPs
The Harmonization Principle: Use of International Standards
Such guides or recommendations or relevant parts are inappropriate for the Members concerned
Such guides or recommendations or relevant parts are inappropriate for the Members concerned
Except
national security requirements
national security requirements
For, inter alia, such reasons as
prevention of deceptive practices
prevention of deceptive practices
protection of human health or safety
protection of human health or safety
protection of animal or plant life or health
protection of animal or plant life or health
protection of the environment
protection of the environment
fundamental climatic or other geographical factors
fundamental climatic or other geographical factors
fundamental technological problems
fundamental technological problems
fundamental infrastructural problems
fundamental infrastructural problems
International Standards
Set of Principles
Transparency Openness Impartiality & Consensus Effective & Relevance Coherence Development Dimension
TBT Agreement-Notification Conditions
Members must notify a measure when both sets of conditions apply
A relevant international
standard does not exist
The measure may have a significant effect on trade of other Members
The measure may have a significant effect on trade of other Members
OR
The measure is not in accordance with
the standard
When or at what stage to notify ?
Notifications at draft stages when amendments can still be introduced based on comments received.
For urgent reasons (safety, health, environment protection or national security), Notification must be made immediately upon adoption.
How much time is allowedfor comments
At least 60 days time for other Members to make comments in writing
Discuss these comments upon request Take into account these written
comments and the results of these discussions
Number of TBT Notifications per Member
7
14
8
7
6
11
10
9
10
2
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
1 2-5 6-10 11-20 21-30 31-50 51-100 101-200 201-300 >300
TBT Notifications by Country Group
29
35
51
81
4
32
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
Developedcountries
Developingcountries
LDCs
Notifying Members
Total Number of Members
Total Number of TBT Notifications
365460
794
648669
611
538581
794
638
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Functioning of Enquiry Points
Enquiry Points must respond to
reasonable enquiries and
provide relevant documents regarding:
Technical regulations, standards and conformity assessment procedures
Membership and participation in international and regional
standardizing bodies and conformity assessment systems / bilateral and
multilateral arrangements
Location of notices published
Location of other Enquiry Points
Responsibilities of Enquiry Point
Other Services that may be provided by Enquiry Point
Dissemination & Understanding of TBT related information
Preparing Country’s stand on TBT Notifications
Arranging Workshops/ Seminars for sensitizing other relevant agencies
Export Alert Service
BUREAU OF INDIAN STANDARDS
• National Standards Body of India
• Established 1947 – Indian Standards Institution (ISI) – registered as society - Statutory status since 1987 after enactment of BIS Act 1986
• Engaged in standards formulation, certification, testing and related activities including standards promotion & consumer education
• Representing India in ISO & IEC - participant in Codex work
INDIA FOREIGN TRADE – QUALITY REGULATION
FOR IMPORTS: Directorate General of Foreign Trade Relevant Regulatory Agency BIS for 109 Products
FOR EXPORTS: Export Inspection Council for about 1000 notified
products (Food, footwear, chemicals, engineering, leather, jute etc)
109 Products Food Colours & Food Additives Cement Gas Cylinders Electrical Appliances Infant Milk Products Pressure Stoves Steel Tubes Miners’ Safety Equipment Packaged Drinking Water and Natural Mineral Water Thermometers
Mandatory BIS Certification
India – Regulatory Agencies
IMPORTANT AGENCIES INVOLVED IN QUALITY REGULATION
– Directorate General of Health Services PFA– Ministry of Food Processing Industry FPO– Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion BIS & EC Acts– Directorate of Marketing and Inspection AGMARK– Department of Agriculture & CooperationPlant Quarantine– Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying MMPO – Department of Legal Metrology Weights & Measures Act – Bureau of Energy Efficiency Energy
Conservation Act– Chief Controller of Explosives Indian Explosives Act– Directorate General of Mines Safety Coal Mines
Regulations– Ministry for Road Transport CMVR– Central Pollution Control Board
Prevention of Food Adulteration Act 1954
Plant Quarantine (Regulation of Import into India) Order, 2003
Meat Food Product Order 1973
Milk And Milk Product Order 1992
Bureau Of Indian Standards Act, 1986
Standards On Weight And Measurement Act 1976
Livestock Importation Act 1898
AGMARK Act 1937
The Infant Milk Substitutes, Feeding Bottles and Infant Foods Act
Export (Quality Control and Inspection) Act, 1963
Essential Commodities Act
Indian Explosives Act
Energy Conservation Act, 2001
Some Acts/Regulations/Control orders
India
INDIANotification Authority & Enquiry Points
Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce- Notification Authority for India.
Bureau of Indian Standards -Designated TBT Enquiry Point by Ministry of Commerce
Ministry Of Health & Ministry of Agriculture- SPS Enquiry Points
Role of BIS as Enquiry Point
Answering Enquiries
Market Access Mandatory BIS Certification Acceptance of CE Marking Acceptance of IECCB Scheme Equivalence of Standards
Handling TBT Notifications
Examination of TBT Notifications Aspects to be considered:
Are these Notifications in accordance with International Standards ? Are the requirements trade restrictive ?Are they stricter than International Standards than necessary to meet the legitimate objectives of:
Protection of human health or safety Animal or Plant life or health Environment
Are these Scientifically Justified ?
Expectations from Industry & Stakeholders