G/TBT/GEN/274  
 
20 November 2019  
(19-7904) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade    
 
 
TRANSPARENCY  
FOLLOW UP TO 8TH TRIENNIAL REVIEW RE COMMENDATIONS  
This document contains the statement made by the WTO Secretariat  at the TBT Committee meeting  
of 13-15 November 2019 under Agenda Item 3.  
 
 
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1.  I would like to provide an update regarding a number of follow up actions, which the Secretariat 
has undertaken in relation to specific transparency -related recommendations of the Triennial 
Review:  
2.  First, an update in relation to Enquiry Points:  One of the recommendations of the Eighth Triennial 
Review was for Members to verify the contact information of their Enquiry Points as contained in the 
TBT IMS and either inform the Secretariat that the information is correct or provide the Secretariat 
with updat ed information.  
3.  With a view to facilitating this validation process, the Secretariat has been reaching out to Enquiry 
Points via email as well in the context of technical assistance activities. As of today, we have received 
updates from a total of 117 Memb ers. We will continue to track progress and report back at the next 
meeting on this point. In the meantime, we invite Members to follow up with the Secretariat if they 
have not already done so.  Enquiry Point information can be found on the TBT Information 
Managements System ( TBTIMS ) 
4.  Second, an update on the availability of final texts on websites:  Another recommendation of the 
Triennial Review was for Members to provide the Secretariat wi th up-to-date information on websites 
where adopted final texts of their regulations can be found. To date, 22 Members have responded 
to a call by the Secretariat for the provision of this information. Once again, we will continue the 
compilation efforts a nd report back at the next meeting.  
5.  Third, an update on ePing:  We now have over 8,300 registered users on ePing, around 45% from 
governments and the rest from private bodies, non -governmental organizations, academia, regional 
and international organization s. 
6.  At the conclusion of the Eighth Triennial Review, Members agreed to exchange information on 
the use of ePing  by Enquiry Points and the private sector. During the transparency thematic session 
held in June 2019,  ePing was identified as a useful tool for tracking notified regulations, for domestic 
stakeholder engagement and for international information exchange among Enquiry Points.1  
7.  Since then, the Secretariat has been working on a series of enhancements to ePi ng in light of 
feedback and comments received. The new version, launched this week, includes a more dynamic 
homepage and further facilitates the sharing and tracking of additional information on notifications, 
such as comments, translations and full texts.  Some of these changes were presented during an 
ePing walk in session which took place Wednesday, 13 November.  
                                                
1 G/TBT/GEN/265  and JOB/TBT/273/Rev.5 . G/TBT/GEN/274  
 
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  8.  One of the recommendations of the Eighth Triennial Review was for Members to disseminate 
their official comments on specific notifications as wel l as substantive replies on a voluntary basis, 
possibly via ePing. We would like to inform delegations that it is currently possible for Members' TBT 
Enquiry Points or Notifications Authorities to do so using ePing's international information sharing 
forum . But what they need to first do is register on ePing and request enhanced admin rights. Up to 
date, TBT officials from 79 Members have been granted admin rights on ePing upon their request.  
9.  Members interested in further information on ePing  are invited to contact the Secretariat.   
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