G/TBT/W/784  
 
6 February 2024  
(24-0944) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original: English  
 
  
STANDARDS:  
CODE OF GOOD PRACTICE FOR THE PREPARATION,  
ADOPTION AND APPLICATION OF STANDARDS  
TENTH TRIENNIAL REVIEW  
Proposal from  Canada  
The following submiss ion, dated 5 February  2024, is being circulated at the request of the  delegation 
of Canada . 
 
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1  BACKGROUND  
1.1.  The provisions relating to the preparation, adoption and application of standards are contained 
in Article 4 of the TBT Agreement and its  Code of Good Practice for the Preparation, Adoption and 
Application  of Standards in Annex 3 ( hereafter the "Code of Good Practice "). Standardizing bodies 
that have accepted the Code of Good Practice are listed on the WTO ISO Standards Information 
Gateway .1  
1.2.  TBT disciplines on the preparation, adoption and application of standards ensure standards do 
not create unnecessary obstacles to international trade and uphold best practices in standards 
development, including consensus, transparency, and the use of relevant international standards as 
a basis when they  exist or their completion is imminent. Article 4 of the TBT Agreement and its Code 
of Good Practice were considered during previous Triennial Reviews. For example, the TBT 
Committee expressed the need to strengthen implementation of Article 4  in the Fifth  Triennial 
Review2 and reiterated the importance of ensuring the effective application of the Code of Good 
Practice in the Sixth Triennial Review .3 Exchanges on these and related provisions (e.g., the use of 
international standards, guides and recommendations in Articles 2.4, 2.5, and 5.4 as well as 
Members' participation in international standardization activities in Articles 2.6 and 5.5) have also 
been discussed.   
1.3.  Given the natural evolution of WTO members' standards systems and the diversity of 
standardizing bodies (i.e., central government, local government, and non -governmental 
standardizing bodies) involved in standards development, further exch anges on these  provisions  of 
the TBT Agreement  may be valuable and necessary to ensure their efficient and effective functioning.  
  
 
1 WTO ISO Standards Information Gateway is publicly available at https://tbtcode.iso.org/list -of-
standardizing -bodies.html .  
2 G/TBT/26 , Section C, paragraph 26: 
https://docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/SS/directdoc.aspx?filename=q:/G/TBT/26.pdf&Open=True .  
3 G/TBT/32 , Section C, paragraph 7: 
https://docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/SS/directdoc.aspx?filename=q:/G/TBT/32.pdf&Open=True .  G/TBT/W/784  
 
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  2  PROPOSAL  
2.1.  Canada proposes a thematic session on the implementation of Article 4 of the TBT Agreement 
and its Code of Good Pra ctice, with a view to:  
a. deepening understanding and enhancing the effective application of the provisions; and  
b. sharing best practices and novel approaches to their application.  
2.2.  Topics and areas of focus could include:  
a. Common challenges faced by Members re lating to the application of Article 4;  
b. Approaches to the effective application of the substantive provisions in the Code of Good 
Practice; and,  
c. Best practices by Members to ensure that local government and non -governmental 
standardizing bodies accept and  comply with the Code of Good Practice.  
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