WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/TBT/2/Add.72
23 January 2003
(03-0368)
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:  English
IMPLEMENTATION AND ADMINISTRATION OF THE AGREEMENT
ON TECHNICAL BARRIERS TO TRADE
Communication from Israel
Addendum
The following statement under Article 15.2 of the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade
has been received from Israel.
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1. Pursuant to Article 15.2 of the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade, the Government of
Israel submits to the TBT Committee the detail s of the measures taken in respect of the
implementation and administration of the Agreement.
2. The legal basis for the establishment of standards (voluntary and mandatory) in Israel is the
Standards Law of 1953, amended in January 1998 and January 2000.
3. According to the amendment of 1998, the goals of the law were redefined to ensure the
following:
(a) public health
(b) public safety
(c) environmental protection
(d) protection of consumers  by providing them with information if the standard is the
only source of such information
(e) compatibility and interchangeability
4. According to the additional amendment of January 2000, when establishing a standard, the
Standard Institute of Israel will, in general, adopt international standards in use in developed
countries.
5. When different standards exist in various developed countries, the Standards Institute of Israel
may establish a standard by choosing one of the alternatives that exist.
6. In special circumstances, when due to unique conditions in Israel, the Standard Institute of
Israel may change some standards, while explaining the reasons for the changes and deviations.G/TBT/2/Add.72
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7.  Israeli standards are prepared by the Standards Institute of Israel, through technical
committees involving all sectors of the economy. Each technical committee is comprised of
representatives of manufacturers, consumers, government ministries, the Chamber of Commerce and
other interested parties. Consultation on work undertaken in the technical committees is made by
sending the draft for review to all members of appropriate central and technical committees. Israeli
standards declared by the Standard Institute are voluntary.
8. Publication is made after delivering the final version to the members of the relevant
committees involved, including central and technical committees, and to several interested institutes,
in the official Gazette.
9. In addition, information on all publications are available on the website of the Standard
Institute of Israel -  www.sii.org. il  and in the official Gazette.
10. The  Minister of Industry and Trade has the authority to proclaim a standard as official
(mandatory) under circumstances pursuant to the Standards Law as mentioned in Article 1 above. TheCommissioner of Standardization has the authority to hold public consultations concerning the
intended change in the status of the standard. The interested parties have 28 days to send written
responses to the Commissioner of Standardization. This period may be extended upon request of one
or more of the interested parties.
11. When questions, comments or reservations are raised, the Commissioner of Standardization
invites all the relevant parties to discuss the matter, after which a decision is taken regarding the
proclamation of the standard as official.
12. The enquiry points notified under Article 10 of the Agreement are as follows:
TBT notifications :
Commmissioner of Standardization
Ministry of Industry and Trade
Mazeh st. 76
Tel-Aviv   65789
 IsraelTel: 972-3-7101587
Fax: 972-3-7101585
Email: bernadette@moit.gov.il
All other topics :
Director, International Agreement Division
Foreign Trade Administration
Ministry of Industry and Trade
30 Agron St.
Jerusalem  Israel
Tel: 972-2-6220316Fax: 972-2-6243005G/TBT/2/Add.72
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13. Government Ministries, such as the Ministri es of Health, Communications and Agriculture
also prepare technical regulations within their scope of their authority. Depending on the type of
product, enforcement of a technical regulation or a mandatory standard is under the authority of the
Ministry of Industry and Trade or under the authority of an other relevant Ministry.
14. Questions regarding technical regulations can also be addressed to the Commissioner of
Standardization.
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