WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/GC/48
24 September 2001
(01-4528)
General Council
Special Session on Implementation
ACTIONS TO INCREASE PARTICIPATION OF DEVELOPING COUNTRY
MEMBERS IN THE WORK OF RELEVANT INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD SETTING ORGANIZATIONS
Information from International Organizations
Report of the Director-General
1. You will recall that you had requested that I "explore with relevant international
standard-setting organizations and relevant intergovernmental organizations financial and technicalmechanisms to assist the participation of developing countries in standard-setting activities" and that I
"coordinate efforts with the relevant international standard-setting organizations to identify SPS and
TBT-related technical assistance needs and how best to address these, taking into consideration the
importance of bilateral and regional technical assistance in this regard"
1.  I have previously reported to
you regarding our consultations with the standard-setting organizations as well as with financialinstitutions
2.  This report is with respect to the information received from a number of relevant
international standard-setting bodies and intergovernmental organizations, financial and technical
mechanisms on their actions to increase participation of developing county Members in international
standards development and their related technical assistance activities.
BIPM (Bureau International des Poids et des Mesures)
2. In October 1999, a BIPM/MRA for measurement standards and calibrations was signed by
national metrology institutes of industrialized countries.  At the same time, a new category of
membership (Associates of the General Conference of Weights and Measures) was created for
developing countries and economies in transition.  The associate states and economies would be
entitled to participate in the MRA at a minimal cost.
FAO and FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius
3. The FAO has currently put forward a number of initiatives aimed at assisting developing
countries to upgrade their standards-setting systems and ensuring that FAO/WHO CodexAlimentarius standards and guidelines reflect their needs and concerns.  Twenty-six projects
(e.g. national and regional workshops, expert consultations and other technical cooperation projects)
were funded and carried out in 2000-2001 for Sub-Saharan, Mediterranean, Latin American,
Caribbean, Baltic, Central, East and South East Asian countries.  It has recently announced new
initiatives (including the provision of a US$98 million trust fund) to improve food safety and qualityfacilities in least developed countries, as well as to assist these countries in establishing the
infrastructure needed to participate more actively in international standards activities and to comply
with Codex standards.  At the 24th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, it was recognized
that many countries face financial and resource constraints to participate in Codex Activities.  A draft
                                                     
1 WT/GC/M/59, Minutes of Meeting of 18 October 2000.
2 WT/GC/42, 45 and 46/Rev.1.WT/GC/48
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strategic framework, a proposed medium term pl an for 2003-2007 and the Chairperson's action plan
were discussed.  Proposals were made to promote training and technical assistance programmes, to
encourage holding meetings in, or co-hosting meetings with, developing countries, as well as to
establish a FAO/WHO trust fund to support developi ng countries' participation in Codex work.
IAF (International Accreditation Forum)
4. IAF has developed different programmes to assist emerging accreditation bodies in
developing countries.  A joint ILAC-IAF Committee for Development Support has been established
and an MoU has been signed with ISO and UNIDO to provide assistance to these bodies.  At least
once a year, training sessions are organized to assist developing accreditation bodies.  In 2001,
US$19,000 has been allocated to assist them.  Besides monitoring its assistance to ensure that needsof less developed bodies are met, IAF coordinates the provision of assistance from its advanced
members to less advanced ones.  Recently, a survey has been carried out to identify developing
countries' needs in the accreditation field.
IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission)
5. The IEC, recognizing the problems faced by developing countries in active participation in
international standards development, has launched an Affiliate Country Programme targeting newly
industrializing nations.  The Programme includes the following objectives:  (i) to assist these nations
to develop the infrastructure and knowledge needed to become IEC members;  (ii) to offer a means ofparticipation without the financial burden of membership;  (iii) to encourage participation through the
use of electronic means;  and (iv) to create an "Aff iliate Country Forum" to facilitate participation and
to provide technical assistance.  The Forum would assist these countries to identify the specific
IEC areas of work which are of interest to them, to develop common views and to convey their views
to relevant IEC technical committees.  The exchange of information and views will be done through awebsite, which is to be created.  Regular awareness-raising seminars and specially-tailored events are
organized to increase the knowledge on IEC standa rds, how to use them and participate in their
development.
ILAC (International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation)
6. Besides technical assistance activities conducted through its regional bodies (e.g. APEC,
Southern Africa and Latin America), lately, ILAC has established a Working Group to examine its
role in providing assistance to developing countries (both members and non-members).  It will work
closely with a similar group in IAF and, wherever appropriate, joint activities will be organized.
Recent ILAC projects include the following:  (i) joint project between UNIDO/ILAC/ISO to provide
pre-peer evaluations for laboratory accreditation bodies in selected developing countries considered tobe at a reasonably advanced stage of development and likely to be successful candidates for
participation in the ILAC/MRA in the foreseeable fu ture.  The project identifies weaknesses in the
candidate bodies and the problems they face in implementing relevant international guides and
standards, as well as to seek solutions;  (ii) co-sponsor the UNDP/ESCWA/AIDMO Expert Group
Meeting on Accreditation in the Arab region and to provide assistance needed;  (iii) a joint seminarwith IAF focusing on the needs and problems of developing countries with respect to participation in
MRAs.
ISO (International Organization for Standardization)
7. A programme for developing countries was recently launched as a result of an initiative of the
ISO Technical Management Board, aimed at seeking ways to enhance participation of these countries
in ISO work, in particular to participate by means of IT tools.  A Task Force has been set up to study
the possible mechanisms to increase the representation of developing countries in ISO technical
bodies, and a survey is to be conducted to identify the reasons for non-participation.  In 2000,WT/GC/48
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24 regional training seminars were carried out on topics such as quality and environmental
management standards, capacity building for standardization and conformity assessment.  In
2001-2003, programmes will focus on the following:  (i) identification of standardization needs in
developing countries;  (ii) preparation of deve lopment manuals;  (iii) training through regional or
national seminars;  (iv) training on technical committee secretariat functions;  (v) participation inmeetings through the provision of financial assistance;  (vi) assistance in developing international
standards needed;  (vii) assistance in documentation and information systems (including the use of IT
tools);  and (vi) promotion of international standards.  In collaboration with UNCTAD and other
agencies a project is being carried out in the Mediterranean Basin and Horn of Africa developing
countries to upgrade standards information services of their standards bodies and to promote the use
of information technologies.  A website has been recreated within the framework of the Forum on
Standards Action in the Global Market containing a database of standards-related technical assistanceactivities to enhance coordination among donors.
OIML (International Organization for Legal Metrology)
8. OIML recognizes that the importance of metrol ogy providing services to industry, to upgrade
quality, certification and conformity assessment activities is not well known among technical
assistance operators and governments.  At present, many developing countries lack the resources to
develop these infrastructures.  A questionnaire has been prepared in the OIML aimed at identifying
the needs of developing countries in this field.
UNCTAD (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development)
9. UNCTAD is carrying out a number of TBT-related projects in developing countries.  Besides
the Mediterranean 2000 Project (coordinating with the ISO and funded by Italy), the "Standards and
Trade" project (funded by Canada) examines the potential trade effects of environmental and health-related standards and regulations and identifies policies to avoid their negative trade effects on exports
from developing countries.  This project, targetin g South Asia, Central America and Southern Africa,
also aims at strengthening developing countries' cap acities to deal with standards issues.  Another
project (funded by UNDP) is to prepare training materials and to conduct workshops to increase
awareness of developing countries in international standards
 and to enhance their participation in the
development of these standards.  
UN/ESCAP (Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific)
10. ESCAP recognizes the financial and technical problems faced by developing countries, in
particular LDCs and Pacific island countries, to pa rticipate in international standard-setting activities.
A regional forum for standardization similar to that  of the UN/ECE could be useful.  ESCAP has been
involved in projects to coordinate training and exchange of experience in the areas of standardization.
Main needs of the region have been identified as relating to the implementation and certification of
ISO 9000 and 14000 quality and environmental management standards, as well as the provision of
calibration services for inspection, measuring and test equipments used by industry.  In collaboration
with other agencies in the region, ESCAP carries ou t projects related to technology transfer to SMEs
in SMQC (standardization, metrology and quality control) areas.
UNIDO (United Nations Industrial Development Organization)
11. UNIDO provides a wide range of TBT-related technical assistance activities to developing
countries through its Integrated Programme Approach to Technical Assistance in Accreditation,
Certification, Standardization and Metrology.  The aim is to establish national quality systems and
upgrade capacity in standards and metrology to better serve industry entering into the global market.
In 1998-2000, UNIDO identified around 40 TBT-re lated macro-programmes (involving around
US$50,000,000) for African (50.8%), Arab (33.9%), As ian (6.61%), Eastern European (5.53%) andWT/GC/48
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Latin American (3.09%) countries.  To address the needs on standardization, the following activities
are involved:  (i) to set up and upgrade national and regional standardizing bodies (e.g. physical and
human resources, cost-effectiveness management practices and capacities);  (ii) to assist cooperation
among standardizing bodies at the regional and international levels (e.g. to establish partnerships
among national bodies to improve information exch ange and to obtain membership in regional or
international institutions);  and (iii) to raise awareness of the latest standards and technical regulations,
in particular those developed in international fo ra.  In the area of conformity assessment, UNIDO
assists developing countries to establish or upgrade national certification and testing facilities, as well
as accreditation bodies aimed at gaining international recognition.  It also assists the upgrading of
metrology laboratory facilities and calibration services.
The World Bank
12. The World Bank's involvement in carrying out TBT-related projects in developing countries
includes capacity building and upgrading of standards infrastructure.  In 1999, project funding related
to support standard infrastructure (e.g. in Turkey, Ghana and Cape Verde) totaled US$ 419.2 million.
Activities included assisting the establishment and upgrading of metrology, calibration, testinglaboratory, certification and accreditation systems to better serve domestic industry and to gain
acceptance in other countries, as well as to increase the awareness of quality control and adoption of
international standards to assist private sector participation in trade.  Lately, it has launched a project
in Sub-Saharan Africa (funded by the United States and in partnership with the African Economic
Research Consortium) to develop country-specific action plans for South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya,Uganda and Mozambique on trade facilitation, standards and market access.  The project includes the
identification of infrastructure and capacity building needs in both the public and private sectors in
order to increase access to markets, abilities to meet health, safety and environmental standards as
well as WTO obligations.  A "Standard Access Africa" network is to be established to disseminate
information on standards and regulations critical to development and trade obligations.
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