WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/GEN/155
15 December 1999
(99-5434)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:  English
CASE STUDIES – ENQUIRY POINTS / NATIONAL NOTIFICATION AUTHORITIES
Presentation made by Thailand at the Special Meeting
of the SPS Committee on Transparency Provisions
held on 9 November 1999
Identification and establishment of an Enquiry Point/National Notification Authority1. In implementing transparency provisions of the SPS and TBT Agreements, the Government
of Thailand has designated the Thai Industrial Standards Institute (TISI) which is under the Ministryof Industry as Thailand WTO – SPS/TBT Enquiry Point as well as a National Notification Authority.
The rationale for this arrangement is twofold – firstly, TISI has represented Thailand as a national
member of the International Organization for Sta ndardization (ISO), including the ISO Information
Network (ISONET) which aims at coordinating a nd systematizing the exchange of information on
standards and standard-type documents, and secondly, TISI also acts as a regulatory authority in theareas of SPS measures and industrial products.  Ho wever, TISI works closely with the Ministry of
Commerce for the overall coordination and implementation of the Agreements.
Operation of an Enquiry Point
2. As an ISONET member, TISI has made every effort to align its working procedures regarding
the operation of information services with the ISONET Guide.  It stores a collection of Thai standards
as well as standards published by ISO/IEC members and other standard-related documents,
microfilms, microfiches and CD-ROMs.  It mainta ins computerized bibliographic databases on Thai
standards, technical regulations, SPS measures and conformity assessment procedures and is in the
process of developing access of these databases through the Internet.  Additionally, it provides
information on standards, technical regulations, SPS measures and conformity assessment procedures
to interested parties.  Responsibilities of TISI as Thailand WTO – SPT/TBT Enquiry Point are as
follows:
(a) answering enquiries relating to Thailand and foreign technical regulations, SPS
measures, standards and conformity assessment procedures
Upon receiving a request for information, an  official firstly scrutinizes whether a
query is within the technical competence of  TISI.  In cases where it is within the
scope of TISI, a response will be made to an enquirer, usually within 5 working days.In cases where it is outside the scope of TISI, a query will be forwarded to the
appropriate authority for direct response, while an acknowledgement of receipt of a
query will be delivered to an enquirer, together with the contact address of the
responsible authority.G/SPS/GEN/155
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(b) disseminating foreign notifications to local interested parties
Foreign notifications are downloaded from the WTO website and disseminated to
relevant authorities and local interested parties via either direct mail, faxes or e-mail.
Early warning facility consisting of selected products of interests to Thailand is also
provided through TISI website in order to alert Thai manufacturers and exporters.
(c) transmitting Thailand comments on other WTO Member's notifications and/or
requests for extension of commenting date to foreign Enquiry Points
In cases where comments from local interested parties are received, TISI prepares the
written statements in English and transmits them to relevant foreign Enquiry Points.
(d) transmitting foreign comments on Thailand notifications and/or requests for
extension of commenting date to relevant regulatory authorities
Upon receiving foreign comments on Thailand notifications and/or requests for
extension of commenting period, TISI forw ards them to the relevant regulatory
authorities, including following up with their consideration and responding to those
who made comments.
(e) arranging for English translation of full texts or summaries of Thailand
notifications
(f) providing full texts of notifications to enquirers
National Notification Authority
3. TISI establishes close liaison and cooperation with other regulatory authorities in order to
facilitate the exchange of information on proposed and adopted technical regulations.  In compliance
with provisions concerning notification procedur es, Thai Government departments and regulatory
authorities responsible for the administration and implementation of SPS/TBT measures have been
informed by TISI of their obligations under the Agreements.  Additionally, a national committee
comprising representatives from relevant organizations has been established for the purpose ofensuring the implementation and administration of the Agreement.  Main functions of a TISI as a
National Notification Authority include:
(a) coordinating with other regulatory authorities regarding their proposed new or
revised SPS measures/technical regulations
Every month, officials review proposed new or revised SPS measures and technical
regulations from different sources.  In addition, they coordinate with relevant
regulatory authorities to inform TISI as soon as the draft texts are finalized.
(b) notifying Thailand SPS measures/technical regulations
Upon receiving and scrutinizing draft SPS measures and technical regulations,
officials prepare notified texts and transmit them through the Permanent Mission of
Thailand to the WTO.
Up to October 1999, twenty SPS measures were notified by Thailand to WTO Secretariat.G/SPS/GEN/155
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Staff
4. Seven officials are assigned to the task of Thailand WTO – SPS/TBT Enquiry Point and
National Notification Authority.
Specific difficulties and problems concerning an Enquiry Point and notification procedures
5. A number of difficulties and problems were encountered in the operation of Thailand WTO –
SPS/TBT Enquiry Point and a National Notification Authority which may eventually result in an
unintentionally delay of notification.  The problems can be summarized as follows:
(a) Timing of notification
The regulatory authorities have the task to inform TISI as soon as the draft text of a
proposed or amended SPS measure is finalized.  However, as the legislation process
of technical regulations does not usually provide a public hearing period, it often
occurs that by the time an SPS measure is notified to the WTO Secretariat, it hasalready been adopted or entered into force.  Thailand is well aware of this obstacle
and various measures are presently being considered to minimize this problem.  In all
cases, when comments are received, they are usually taken into account and if they
are justifiable, amendments can be introduced to those adopted SPS measures.
(b) Untranslated documentation
Difficulties also often arise from the fact that full texts of notified SPS measures are
not always available in one of the WTO working languages.  These therefore create
further problems of translation.
(c) Delivery of documentation
Relevant documentation is sometimes delivered beyond the deadline of the comment
period and although requests for an extension of comment period are submitted to the
notifying Member countries, such postponement cannot be allowed due to legislative
constraints.
Proposals or suggestions
• Description of content of notified SPS measures should present, as much as possible,
the main contents of proposed or revised texts, allowing consideration by other
Members even in the absence of documentation.
• Cooperation and coordination among National Enquiry Points needs to be
strengthened to better the exchange of information.
• Seminars on the operation and implementation of the SPS Agreement should be
regularly held.G/SPS/GEN/155
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Contact address
Thai Industrial Standards Institute
(Thailand WTO – TBT/SPS Enquiry Point)
Ministry of IndustryRama VI Street
Bangkok 10400
Thailand
Tel:  (66 2) 245 7802, 202 3508, 202 3505
Fax:  (66 2) 246 4085, 247 8734, 247 8741
Website:  http://www.tisi.go.th
E-mail/Internet: thaistan@tisi.go.th
stdinfo@tisi.go.th
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