G/TBT/2/Add.121  
5 April 2017 
(17-1868) Page: 1/3 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  French  
 
  IMPLEMENTATION AND ADMINISTRATION OF THE AGREEMENT  
ON TECHNICAL BARRIERS TO TRADE  
COMMUNICATION FROM GABON  
Addendum  
The following communication under Article 15.2 of the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade , 
dated 2 2 March  2017, has been received from the delegation of Gabon . 
_______________  
 
 
1  RELEVANT LAWS AND REGULATIONS  
1.1.  In Gabon,  the implementation  of technical regulations is governed by various legislative texts 
under different m inistries, as indicated  in section 1.2 . In light of the broad  scope of these texts  and 
the number of ministries, d epartment s and a gencies that act as their  custodians, the Government 
of Gabon  has established the  Policy on the National Framework for  Technical Regulations and 
Conformity Assessment Procedures . 
1.2.  The Policy on the National Framework for  Technical Regulations and C onformity Assessment 
Procedures , adopted by t he Cabinet of Ministers on 2 3 February  2013, establishes the national 
conformity assessment system that constitutes the legal basis for the implementation  of the  
WTO TBT Agreement  in Gabon . The Policy can be viewed at  www.aganor.ga . 
The Policy seeks to identify and establish  mechanisms and related principles for the 
implementation of good regulatory practices  that will guide and assist m inistries and the relevant 
regulatory agencies when  preparing, adopting and applying non-discriminatory technical 
regulations and conformity assessment procedures with respect to products, processes, 
or production methods . The aim is to ensure  the effective implementation of the provisions of the 
TBT Agreement.  
1.3.  Gabon's  regulatory and standard -setting bodies pursue  policies based on  the international 
standards developed by  bodies to which Gabon is party, including the following : the International  
Organization for Standardization ( ISO); the International Electro technical Commission (IEC) ; the 
Codex Alimentarius ; the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) ; the International 
Organization for Legal Metrology (OIML) ; and the International Bureau for Weights and Measures 
(BIPM) . 
The Government of Gabon  will use the standards, guidelines  and recommendations developed by 
these i nternational  standard -setting bodies , or the relevant parts thereof,  as the basis for the 
country's  national technical regula tions and conformity assessment procedures.  
1.4.  The Government of Gabon  also recognizes the international standards developed by  other 
bodies including the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) ; the United Nations 
Conference on Trade and Develo pment  (UNCTAD) ; the American National Standards Institute 
(ANSI) ; the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) ; the National Institute for 
Standards and Technology (NIST) ; the Association for the Advancement of Medical 
Instrumentation ; and the Eur opean Committee for Standardization (CEN).  G/TBT/2/Add.121  
- 2 - 
  Gabon  also recognize s standards that are harmonized at regional level, for example, by the 
Economic Community of Central African State s (CEMAC)  and the African Organisa tion for 
Standardisation (ARSO) . 
1.5.  Law No. 6 of 2014 on the N ational Standardization S ystem . 
1.6.  The Gabonese Standards Agency (AGANOR)  provides a certain  number of standardization and 
conformity assessment services to companies  and authorities . These services consist of the 
following : sampling ; testing ; calibration ; inspection ; certification ; supplier's declaration of 
conformity ; and mutual recognition of results and of actions carried out in accordance with  
international standards.  
1.7.  Section 4(n) of the Law of 2013 on the Gabonese Standards Agency and the Policy on the 
National Framework for  Technical Regulations and C onformity Assessment Procedures  makes 
provision for the application of standards, technical regulation s and conformity assessment 
procedures on a non -discriminatory basis.  
Gabon  recognizes and accept s as equivalent the technical regulations of other Members, even 
where they differ from our own , provided that such regulations adequately fulfil the objectives of 
our own regulations.  
AGANOR  applies the conformi ty assessment procedures, guidelines a nd standards  adopted by the 
ISO Committee on Conformity Assessment (CASCO) . It therefore  recognizes all conformity 
assessment service providers accredited in accordance with the int ernational standards adopted by 
CASCO.  
1.8.  Article 7 of Law No. 006/2014 of 2 8 August  2014 establishing the National Standardization 
System provides that all activities likely to facilitate the implementation of the national policy for 
the quality co ntrol of products, goods, services  and measuring  instruments etc. shall be subject to  
the provisions of this Law . 
1.9.  TBT-related legislation:  
a. Law No. 006/2014 of 2 8 August  2014 establishing the National Standardization System 
of Gabon;  
b. Law establishing the National Metrology System ( awaiting finalization ); 
c. Law of 2005 on the Fisheries Code;  
d. Law on food safety ( awaiting finalization ). 
2  TRANSPARENCY  
2.1.  All technical r egulations and standards are published in the Official Journal , in the national 
press and on the AGANOR  website ( www.aganor.gac ). Before adopting a  standard,  AGANOR  grants  
interested  parties at least 60 days to submit  comments, in accordance with the Code of Good 
Practice for the Preparation, Adoption and Application of Standards contained in Annex 3 of the 
TBT Agreement.  
2.2.  Paragraph 6.1.6 of the Polic y on the National Framework for  Technical Regulations and 
Conformity Assessment Procedures  will ensure early notice of draft technical  regulations and  
conformity  assessment procedures being proposed for adoption, so that written comments can be 
submitted within a period of no less than 60 days.  G/TBT/2/Add.121  
- 3 - 
  2.3.  The Directorate -General of Trade is the national notification authority.  
Direction générale du commerce  
Direction du commerce extérieur  
4ème étage de l'Immeuble du marché banane, B2, Awendjié  
Tel.: (+241) 01 76 09 91  
Fax: (+241) 01 74 59 25  
B.P.: 561 
 
Email:  vieringeorges@gmail.com ; joelsandro1@yahoo.fr ; itsana54@hotmail.com ; 
 ohorpy@yahoo.fr ; ondo277@yahoo.fr  
 
2.4.  AGANOR is the Republic of Gabon's national enquiry point and may be contacted at the 
following address:  
Agence gabonaise de normalisation  
Division de l'ind ustrie  
B.P. 23.744  
 
Tel.: (+241) 01 76 28 40  
Email: aganor.gabon@gmail.com  
Website : www.aganor.ga  
 
__________