RESTRICTED  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/ACC/SAU/58 
17 March 2004 
 (04-1176) 
Working Party on the Accession 
of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Original:   English 
 
 
 
ACCESSION OF THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA 
 
Submission from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia  
 
Check-list of Illustrative TBT Isssues 
  
 The following submission, dated 15 March 2004, is being circulated at the request of the 
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. 
 
 
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 WT/ACC/SAU/58 
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Checklist of Illustrative TBT Issues 
 
 Commitments (by the time of accession )  Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Replies 
1. Standstill:  the introduction of new 
standards, technical regulations and 
conformity assessment procedures should 
be fully compatible with the TBT Agreement  All SASO standards and technical 
regulations and conformity assessment 
procedures including new ones are 
compatible with TBT Agreement. 
2. Submission of Statement on 
Implementation  A statement of implementation will be 
submitted by the time of accession. 
3. Establishment and operation of a single 
Contact Point for Information ("inquiry point").   SASO has established a single Contact 
Point for Information ("inquiry point") for the TBT Agreement. Reference: Part Four of Technical 
Directive. 
4. Identification of authority responsible for 
notifications, publications and other 
internal procedures to ensure transparency obligations are met on an ongoing basis:   
 (a) Identification of publication where 
notices of proposed technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures will appear; 
  Notices will be published for proposed 
technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures in the Saudi official gazette “Om-Al Qura”, and/or a periodical 
issued by SASO. 
Reference: Item 4/5/1 of Part Two of Technical Directive. 
 (b) Identification of authority 
responsible for making notifications to the WTO;  Ministry of Trade and Industry is 
responsible for making notifications to the WTO. 
 (c) Guidance/law to ensure regulatory 
authorities afford non-discriminatory consideration of 
comments in the preparation of a 
final regulation;  SASO Technical Directive assures non-
discriminatory consideration of comments in the preparation of a final regulation. 
Reference: Items 3/3/4 and 4/6/3 of Part 
Two of Technical Directive. 
 (d) Guidance/law to ensure regulatory 
authorities allow a reasonable period of time between the final publication of a technical regulation and conformity 
assessment procedure and its entry 
into force so that suppliers can adapt;  SASO Technical Directive gives a 
reasonable period of time between the final publication of a technical regulation and conformity assessment procedures and its entry into force. 
Reference: Item 4/8 of Part Two of 
Technical Directive.  
 (e) Publication and notification of 
work programme for standards and non-governmental conformity assessment procedures, including 
publication of notices of draft 
standards and an opportunity for public comment.  SASO agrees to act according to the Code 
of Good Practice issued by ISO, work programme will be published in the periodical issued by SASO, and on SASO’s 
web site. 
Reference: Item 2/1 of Part Two of Technical Directive.  WT/ACC/SAU/58 
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  Commitments (by the time of accession )  Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Replies 
5. Development and Application of 
Technical Regulations and Conformity Assessment Procedures: Existence of legal and/or administrative underpinnings (or reasonable measures as appropriate) to 
ensure ongoing compliance with 
provisions of the agreement concerning, in particular:   
 (a) non-discrimination with respect 
to the treatment of products;   SASO Technical Directive assures non-
discrimination with respect to the treatment of products; Reference: Item 2/3 of Part Two of 
Technical Directive and Item 2 of Part 
Three of Technical Directive. 
 (b) the prohibition of unnecessary 
obstacles to international trade and the consideration of less trade-restrictive alternatives to fulfilling legitimate objectives;   SASO Technical Directive assures the 
prohibition of unnecessary obstacles to international trade and the consideration of less trade-restrictive alternatives to fulfilling legitimate objectives; Reference: Item 2/4 of Part Two of 
Technical Directive. 
 (c) the ongoing review of technical 
regulations to ensure they are appropriate to achieve the desired legitimate objective;   SASO carries out ongoing review of 
technical regulations to ensure they are appropriate to achieve legitimate objectives; Reference: Item 4/9 of Part Two of Technical Directive. 
 (d) the consideration of appropriate 
international standards, guides and recommendations as a basis 
for technical regulations and 
conformity assessment procedures;   SASO considers appropriate international 
standards, guides and recommendations as a basis for technical regulations and 
conformity assessment procedures. 
Reference:  Items 3/1 and 4/1 of Part Two of Technical Directive. 
 (e) the consideration of equivalent 
technical regulations of other Members; 
  SASO considers equivalent technical 
regulations of other members; unless these technical regulations are ineffective or 
inappropriate for achieving the intended, 
legitimate objectives. Reference: Item 4/3 of Part Two of Technical Directive. 
 (f) the acceptance of the results of 
conformity assessment procedures conducted by bodies 
in an exporting Member country; 
  SASO confirm the acceptance of the results 
of conformity assessment procedures conducted by bodies in an exporting 
Member country; provided that Saudi 
Arabian National deviations are taken into account. Reference: Item 2 of Part Three of Technical Directive. WT/ACC/SAU/58 
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  Commitments (by the time of accession )  Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Replies 
 (g) non-discriminatory and cost-
based fee structure.   SASO confirms the adoption of non-
discriminatory and cost-based fee structure. Reference: Item 2 of Part Three of Technical Directive. 
6.  Development and Application of 
Standards and Conformity Assessment Procedures: 
Existence of legal and/or 
administrative underpinnings (or "reasonable measures" as appropriate) to ensure ongoing compliance with provisions of the agreement concerning, in 
particular:   
 (a) non-discrimination with respect 
to the treatment of products;  SASO Technical Directive assures non-
discrimination with respect to the treatment of products; Reference: Item 2/3 of Part Two of Technical Directive. 
 (b) the prohibition of unnecessary 
obstacles to international trade;   SASO Technical Directive considers the 
prohibition of unnecessary obstacles to 
international trade; 
Reference: Item 2/4 of Part Two of Technical Directive. 
 (c) the consideration of appropriate 
international standards, guides and recommendations as a basis for standards;  SASO Technical Directive considers the 
appropriate international standards, guides and recommendations as a basis for Saudi standards; 
Reference: Item 3/1 of Part Two of 
Technical Directive. 
 (d) non-discriminatory and cost-
based fee structure.  SASO confirms the adoption of non-
discriminatory and cost-based fee structure. Reference: Item 2 of Part Three of Technical Directive. 
1. Standstill:  the introduction of new 
standards, animal health regulations and food safety regulations shall conform to SPS Agreement principles.  Standstill is being followed by Saudi 
Arabia. 
2. Establishment and operation of a single 
Contact Point for Information ("inquiry point").  Ministry of Commerce & Industry is the 
Enquiry Point, vide, Article 2 of Saudi SPS Law. 
3. Transparency: notification and access to 
documentation:   
 (a) identification of authority 
responsible for making 
notifications to the WTO and 
ensuring transparency obligations are met on an ongoing basis;  Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Riyadh, 
Saudi Arabia.  WT/ACC/SAU/58 
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  Commitments (by the time of accession )  Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Replies 
 (b) establish guidance or law 
requiring publication of proposed measures at an early stage for comment;  Article 7 of Saudi SPS Regulations fulfills 
this commitment. 
 (c) provision in law or 
administrative procedure to provide copies of proposed 
measures to WTO Members; and  Article 7 of Saudi SPS Regulations fulfills 
this commitment. 
 (d) require in law or administrative 
procedure, a reasonable period of 
time for comment from Members and the public, and establishment of a process to take comments into account without 
discrimination;  Article 7 of Saudi SPS Regulations meets 
this commitment. 
4. Necessity: measures are applied only to 
the extent necessary to protect human, 
animal or plant health.  Article 2.2 of Saudi SPS Regulations meets 
this commitment. 
5. Regulations Based on Science: 
regulations governing animal and plant health and food safety shall be based on scientific evidence.  Articles 2.2, 3.3 and 5.2 of Saudi SPS 
Regulations fulfills this commitment. 
6. Harmonization: to the extent possible, 
members shall follow international standards, guidelines, and 
recommendations in establishing SPS 
measures.  Article 3 of Saudi SPS Regulations fulfills 
this commitment. 
7. Equivalence: members shall recognize 
different measures that achieve the same level of protection.  Article 4 of Saudi SPS Regulations fulfills 
this commitment. 
8. Risk Assessment:  developing scientific 
evidence and conducting risk assessments to ensure that measures are based on science and applied only to the extent 
necessary to protect health.  Articles 5.1, 5.2 and 5.3 of Saudi SPS 
Regulations fulfill this commitment. 
9. Regional conditions:  measures take into 
account the regional characteristics both 
of the areas from which products originate and the areas for which they are destined.  Article 6 of Saudi SPS Regulations fulfills 
this commitment. 
10
. Non-discrimination:  measures do not 
arbitrarily or unjustifiably discriminate between different members or between domestic and foreign suppliers.  Article 2.3 of Saudi SPS Regulations meets 
this commitment. 
11. Control, inspection and approval 
procedures: ensure that procedures, 
including systems for approval of the use 
of additives or for establishing tolerances for contaminants in foods, beverages or feedstuffs comply with the Agreement.  Article 8 of Saudi SPS Regulations meets 
this commitment. 
 
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