G/TBT/GEN/264/Rev.1  
 
14 June 2019 
(19-4066) Page: 1/4 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade    
 
THEMATIC SESSION ON TRANSPARENCY  
18 JUNE 2019 (P.M.) - 19 JUNE 2019  
Programme  
Revision  
At the  conclusion of the  Eighth Triennial Review, Members agreed to continue to hold thematic 
sessions in conjunction with the Committee 's regular meetings , with a view to further deepening the 
Committee's exchange of experiences on specific topics, and to hold a session on transparency, 
including the Ninth Special Meeting on Procedures for Information Exchange,1 in June 2019 .2  
At its meeting of 6 -7 March 2 019, the TBT Committee agreed to hold the thematic session on 
transparency over one and a half days, starting in the afternoon of Tuesday 18 June 2019, and to 
webcast the session.3 The programme below is a compilation of proposals for topics and speakers 
put forth by Members, structured around some of the transparency -related recommendations of the 
Eighth Triennial Review.4 
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The thematic session will be moderated by:  Mr. Sung-Hwa J ANG, Chair of the TBT Committee  
1  GENERAL FUNCTIONING OF ENQUIRY POINTS  
 Update from the Secretariat on the validation of Enquiry Point contact information .5 
 China : The working mechanisms of China on TBT transparency , Mr. Yang Song , 
Director , National TBT/SPS Notification and Enquiry Center of the People's Republ ic 
of China .6 
 Jamaica : Practical use of Enquiry Points and online tools to address SMEs enquiries for 
market access information, Ms Ester Williams, Team Leader, Regional & International 
Trade Branch, Bureau of Standards Jamaica.7 
 Chinese Taipei : Practical experience of processing requests , Mr. Li-Yu Wei, Associate 
Technical Specialist, Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection.8  
                                                
1 G/TBT/1/Rev.13 , para. 5.8.1 . 
2 G/TBT/41 , para. 8.2.a.iv, footnote 296 . 
3 http://webcast.wto.org/  
4 Earlier versions of the programme were circulated in JOB/TBT/303 , JOB/TBT/303/Rev.1  and 
G/TBT/GEN/264 .  
5 G/TBT/41 , para. 6.19.a.i . 
6 JOB/TBT/307 . 
7 JOB/TBT/311 . 
8 JOB/TBT/308 . G/TBT/GEN/264/Rev.1  
 
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 United States : How communication between Enquiry Points can be used to reduce, 
clarify and resolve specific trade concerns , Ms MaryAnn Hogan, United States Enquiry 
Point, National Institute of Standards and Technology.9 
 Kenya : Kenya's experience in managing notifications and comments , Ms Lucy Ikonya, 
National TBT Enquiry Point, Kenya Bureau of Standards .10  
2  TRACKING AND REACTIN G TO MEMBERS' MEASURES  AND NOTIFICATIONS  
 Accessing information on TBT measures  and notifications  
i. Update from the WTO Secretariat on  the SPS/TBT notification alert system  ePing .11 
ii. The Non -Tariff Measures Initiative: Enhancing transparency in SPS and TBT , 
Christian Knebel, UNCTAD . 12 
iii. Global Trade Helpdesk: Single entry point for trade -related information , 
Mathieu  Loridan, ITC .12 
 Australia:  Increasing transparency and addressing non -tariff barriers (NTBs): 
Australia's  experience , Lara Adams, Assistant Director, Non-Tariff Barriers Section, 
Office of Trade Negotiations, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade .13 
 European Union:  The involvement of stakeholders in TBT notifications: the EU 
experience , Celine Zaimoglu, EU TBT enquiry point coordinator.14 
 Viet Nam:  Viet Nam's experience in handling Members' notifications , Ms Phuong 
Nguyen Thi Mai, Head in charge of Notification & Enquiry Division, TBT Viet Nam Office.15 
 United States:  Using a TBT Notification Alert System to engage the private sector in 
commenting on WTO Notifications: US experiences and practices , Ms MaryAnn Hogan, 
United States Enquiry Point, National Institute of Standards and Technology .16 
 United States:  Engaging industry in the TBT notification process to reduce trade 
concerns , Ms Jamie Ferman, Senior International Trade Specialist, US Department of 
Commerce.17 
 United States:  Benefit of industry using tools like Notify U.S. and ePing , Ms Francine 
Lamoriello, Executive Vice President Global Strategies, Personal Care Products Council 
(PCPC).17 
 Uganda:  Use of ePing by the Enquiry point to disseminate and coordinate review of 
draft SPS and TBT measures in Uganda , George Opiyo, Uganda National Bureau of 
Standards.18 
 Trinidad and Tobago:  Facilitating compliance with the TBT Agreement through the 
use of ePing , Ms Janelle Teemal, Trinidad and Tobago Bureau of Standards.19 
                                                
9 JOB/TBT/305 . 
10 JOB/TBT/315 . 
11 G/TBT/41 , para. 6.19.a.ii . 
12 JOB/TBT/313 . 
13 JOB/TBT/306 . 
14 JOB/TBT/314 . 
15 JOB/TBT/312 . 
16 JOB/TBT/305 . 
17 JOB/TBT/316 . 
18 JOB/TBT/309 . 
19 JOB/TBT/317 . G/TBT/GEN/264/Rev.1  
 
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 Egypt:  TBT Transparency mechanism and dissemination of TBT -related information 
among stakeholders in Egypt , Ms Aya Abdelmonem Moussa, International Trade Policies 
Researcher, Central Department of World Trade Organization, Trade Agreement Sector, 
Ministry of Trade and Industry.20 
3  HANDLING OF COMMENTS , DISSEMINATION OF C OMMENTS AND REPLIES ON A 
VOLUNTARY BASIS  
a. European Union : EU practice on the dissemination of comments and substantive 
replies on notified measures via online tools , Ms Celine Zaimoglu, EU TBT enquiry point 
coordinator.21 
b. United States : How the United States evaluates and incorporates comments received 
in the rulemaking process , Mr. Ravi Bharwani, U.S. Food and Drug Administration.22 
4  ESTABLISHING WHETHER A MEASURE SHOULD BE NOTIFIED UNDER THE SPS 
AGREEMENT AND/OR TBT  AGREEMENT23 
a. Introduction by the Secretariat on scope of SPS and TBT Agreements and on procedural 
aspects regarding notification of measures that might contain relevant eleme nts under 
both Agreement s  
b. Brazil : Brazil's experience with notifying measures  that contain  elements  covered under 
both the  SPS and TBT Agreements , Ms Lea Contier de Freitas, Acting Deputy Head, 
Office of International Affairs of the Brazilian Notification  Authority and Enquiry Point to 
the WTO Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade .24 
c. Brazil : Brazil 's experience with incoming notifications of measures that contain 
elements covered under both the SPS and TBT Agreements , Mr. Lu ís Henrique Barbosa 
da Silva, Agricultural Attaché, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply, 
Permanent Mission of Brazil to the WTO .24 
d. Canada : Canada's experiences with regulations containing elements under both the 
WTO SPS and TBT Agreements , Ms Emma Pagotto, Analyst, Canad ian Food Inspection 
Agency.25 
5  TECHNICAL COOPERATIO N 
 United States : Notice & Comment and cooperation on other transparency best 
practices: US experience on cooperation in commercial dialogues and other 
initiatives,  Ms Sigrid Simpson,  Senior International Trade Specialist, Good Regulatory 
Practices, US Department of Commerce.26 
 United States : Experience assisting with the functioning of Enquiry Points in Africa via 
the Standards Alliance , Ms Leslie McDermott, Director, International Dev elopment, 
American National Standards Institute.26  
                                                
20 JOB/TBT/321 . 
21 JOB/TBT/280 ; JOB/TBT/273/ Rev.3, para. 3.1.a. ; JOB/TBT/314 . 
22 JOB/TBT/305 . 
23 JOB/TBT/283 ; JOB/TBT/273/Rev.3 , para. 3.1.b.   
24 JOB/TBT/283 . 
25 JOB/TBT/318 . 
26 JOB/TBT/305 . G/TBT/GEN/264/Rev.1  
 
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  6  NOTIFICATION AND AVA ILABILITY OF ADOPTED  FINAL TEXTS  
a. Discussion of new addendum format based on WTO Secretariat draft.27 
b. Update from the Secretariat regarding compilation of Members' websites containing final 
texts of technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures.28 
7  FACILITATED  DISCUSSION S IN BREAK -OUT GROUP S29  
7.1.  The objective of the break out session is to facilitate  a more  interactive  setting for delegations 
to exchange experiences regarding implementation of the transparency elements of the TBT 
Agreement  and to draw on the experiences of the large number of Enquiry Points  and notification 
authorities  who will be in attendance, including from developing countries and LDCs.30 Delegates will 
be invited to join one of three  discussion  groups . Each group will discuss a topic for about one hour , 
with assistance from a facilitator. The groups will then reconvene in the plenary , where  the 
facilitators will provide a brief oral summary (5 minutes) of th eir groups' discussions.  The 
Chairperson  will open the floor for follow up questions and comments.  
7.2.  Topics for discussion:  
• Group 1: Notification s (Room CR1 - with interpretation ) 
Facilitator:  Ms Uma Muniandy (Singapore)  
How to improve the quality and  completeness of notifications . 
• Group 2: Stakeholders  (Room D  – no interpretation ) 
Facilitator:  Mr. Laurence Sandral (Australia)  
How to engage stakeholders in assessing and responding to incoming notifications   
• Group 3: Communication (Room E  – no interpret ation) 
Facilitator:  Ms Renee Hancher (United States)  
How to enhance communication between Enquiry Points  across Members  to reduce 
trade tensions . 
8  CLOSING  (IN PLENARY ) 
8.1.  The moderator will provide an oral summary of the thematic session.  
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27 JOB/TBT/304 ; JOB/TBT/320 , para. 2.34 -38, Annex III and IV . 
28 JOB/TBT/41 , 6.19.e.iii -iv. 
29 The break -out session will not be webcast.  
30 The WTO Secretariat is organizing a week -long TBT transparency workshop for Enquiry Points and  
notification authorities from developing countries and LDCs, which will run in parallel to the June TBT 
Committee meetings.  Workshop participants will attend parts of the Committee meetings, including the 
transparency thematic session.