. /.RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/TBT/2/Add.32/Rev.1
12 October 2000
(00-4190)
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:  English
IMPLEMENTATION AND ADMINISTRATION OF THE AGREEMENT
ON TECHNICAL BARRIERS TO TRADE
Revision
The following Statement under Article 15, paragraph 2 of the Agreement has been received
from the delegation of Bulgaria.
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1. In accordance with Article 15.2 of the WTO Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT)
and considering the decision of the TBT Committee of 14 July 1995 concerning the Statement on
Implementation and Administration as contained in document G/TBT/1/Rev.6 of 6 May 1999, I have
the honour to transmit the following information co ncerning the measures taken by the Republic of
Bulgaria to ensure the implementation of the Agreement.
2. The basic law in accordance with which the Republic of Bulgaria approved and formally
undertook the obligations of the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade, is the Law on ratification
of the Protocol for the accession of the Republic of Bulgaria to the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing
the World Trade Organization and the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade
Organization.  The Law was accepted by the National Assembly on 24 October 1996 and published
by Decree of the President No. 380 of 29 October 1996 in State Gazette No. 93 of 1 November 1996.The date of entry into force of the TBT Agreement for the Republic of Bulgaria is 1 December 1996.
3. The implementation and administration of the TBT Agreement is also based on the:
− Law on National Standardization of 4 June 1999 (published in State Gazette No. 55 of 18
June 1999), which regulates the voluntary application of standards;  establishes a NationalConsultative Council for Standardization and lays down new procedures and rules for the
implementation of European and international standards;
− Law on Technical Requirements to Products of 17 September 1999 (State Gazette No. 86 of
1 October 1999), which regulates the procedure for defining technical requirements toproducts which are subject to being placed on the market and/or put into service; the
obligations of persons who place products on the market and/or put them into service;  the
procedure for defining the rights and obligations of persons who carry out conformity
assessment of products to the essential requirements;  the technical surveillance as regards thecompliance with technical requirements, rules and norms on the design and safe operation of
high-risk equipment in the phases of its design, production, import, installation, maintenance,
repair and operation;
− Law on Measurements of 9 April 1998 (State Gazette No. 45 of 21 April 1998. amended SG
No. 55 of 18 June 1999), which ensures the unity, traceability and accuracy of measurements
of physical quantities, the management and the inspection of measurement related activities.G/TBT/2/Add.32/Rev.1
Page 2
4. The obligation of relevant national authorities to meet the requirements on notification
procedures of the TBT Agreement is contained in Regulation of the Council of Ministers No. 307 of
27 December 1996 on the coordination and implementation of obligations arising from the
membership of the Republic of Bulgaria to the WTO.  According to the same Regulation, the
responsibility for the implementation and administration of the TBT Agreement lies with the StateAgency) for Standardization and Metrology, while the coordinating functions lie with the Ministry of
Economy.
5. The Enquiry Point foreseen in Articles 10 of the Agreement has been established at the State
Agency for Standardization and Metrology.
6. The address, telephone and fax numbers of the Enquiry Point are as follows:
State Agency for Standardization and Metrology
21, 6
th September Street
1000 Sofia
Bulgaria
Tel: +359 2 981 44.51
Fax: +359 2 986 17.07Email: csm@techno-link.com
Contact: Ms. Violetta Veleva
7. The Enquiry point is fully operational and performs notifications and information exchange as
foreseen in Article 10 of the TBT Agreement.
8. Work proceeding on draft standards, as well as their references after approval, are announced
in the official Bulletin of the State Agency for Standardization and Metrology.  The texts of the
adopted new technical regulations are published in the State Gazette.
9. The expected length of time for presentation of comments in writing on draft technical
regulations, standards or conformity assessment procedures by other WTO Members is 60 days, withexception for certain cases (depending on urgency consideration) where this period could be extended
or reduced.
10. Activities related to national standardization, metrology, testing and certification, national
enquiry point on TBT are performed by the State Agency for Standardization and Metrology (SASM),
which is the main body for standardization matters in Bulgaria.  The statute of the Agency was
adopted by Regulation of the Council of Ministers No. 269 of 30 December 1999 on the
reorganization of the Committee for Standardization and Metrology into State Agency.  The Agencyis a full member of ISO, IEC and affiliated member of CEN/CENELEC.  SASM has accepted the
Code of Good Practice for the Preparation, Adopt ion and Application of Standards under Annex 3 of
the TBT Agreement.
11. The Bulgarian Accreditation Service, established by Regulation of the Council of Ministers
No. 228 of 13 October 1998 and reorganized as an Executive Agency (a separate legal entity underthe Ministry of Economy) with Regulation of the Council of Ministers No. 270 of 30 December 1999,
is the national organ in charge for the accreditation of laboratories for testing and calibration,
certification bodies of products, quality systems and personnel.
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