WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/TBT/W/145
3 October 2000
(00-4028)
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:  English
EQUIVALENCY OF STANDARDS:  A CLARIFICATION OF NEW ZEALAND’S
PROPOSAL FOR RECOGNITION OF EQUIVALENCY AS AN
INTERIM MEASURE IN THE ABSENCE OF RELEVANT
INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS
1. Our earlier paper on equivalency of standards1 highlighted the absence in the WTO TBT
Agreement of any requirement on bodies developing voluntary technical standards to give positiveconsideration to the concept of equivalency in the way that is required in respect of technical
regulations.
2
2. Both the paper itself, and subsequent discussions in the TBT Committee, have emphasized
that standards equivalency should only be applied where international standards do not exist, and then
only as an interim measure until suitable international standards are made available.  New Zealanddoes not see any conflict between use of equivalency and the development of international standards;
indeed the former can be an important stepping stone towards the latter.  But while the absence of an
international standard should be temporary in resp ect of any given product, the need for an approach
to cope with the situation where standards have yet to develop is itself a permanent one.  There will
always be some timelag between the identification of a need for a new international standard and onefinally being agreed.
3. Our paper suggested that the concept of standards equivalency had merit as a means of
reducing unnecessary obstacles to trade.  It recommended two ways in which this objective could be
pursued.  The first approach involves unilateral action by national standards bodies.  We illustrated
this by referring to the “umbrella standard” co ncept which standardizing bodies in Australia and
New Zealand have developed to cope with the situation where no single international standard exists,
but more than one has worldwide recognition.  For example, in the case of the design, manufactureand inspection of boiler and pressure vehicles, the standard applicable in New Zealand (AS/NZS
1200) lists a number of standards that provide equivalent and acceptable performance for the New
Zealand environment.
4. We suggested that this approach could be expl icitly incorporated into the TBT Agreement by
adding a commitment similar to Article 2.7 (but refe rring to standards) in the Code of Good Practice
set out in Annex 3.  While we would still see such an amendment as a small, but useful, improvement
to the text, New Zealand recognizes that any re negotiation of any of the Uruguay Round Agreements
would be a significant undertaking.  On reflection, New Zealand has come to the view that the
concept of standards equivalency could, perhaps more easily, be promoted by suitable and agreed
language coming out of the TBT Committee in the report to the General Council which it will provideat the completion of the Second Triennial Review of the TBT Agreement.
5. Accordingly, we would propose revising the recommendation in paper G/TBT/W/88 along
the lines set out in paragraph 6 below.  The recommendations relating to the second approach,
cooperative actions, remain substantively as suggested in the original paper.
                                                     
1 Circulated as G/TBT/W/88.
2 See Article 2.7 of the TBT Agreement.G/TBT/W/145
Page 2
Recommendations
6. In view of the benefits that recognition and application of equivalency could have in the
context of a voluntary standard, the Committee could  consider including in its report to the
General Council the following recommendations:
(a) That Members ensure that, where no relevant international standard applies, their
standardizing bodies and regulators should give positive consideration to accepting as
equivalent standards originating from other Members of the WTO.  Such
consideration should be given, even if these standards differ from their own, provided
that Members are satisfied that such standards adequately fulfil the objectives of their
own;
(b) that international and regional standardizing bodies encourage the standardizing
bodies that make up their membership to exchange information on actions they have
taken to implement the recommendation in paragraph (a) above;
(c) that international and regional standardizin g bodies be encouraged to coordinate and
prioritize actions for recognition of equivalency by their membership.
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