G/TBT/2/Add.114  
 
25 September 2015  
(15-4955)  Page: 1/3  
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original: English  
 
 
 IMPLEMENTATION AND ADMINISTRATION OF THE AGREEMENT 
ON TECHNICAL BARRIERS TO TRADE 
COMMUNICATION FROM SEYCHELLES 
Addendum 
The following communication under Article 15.2 of the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade 
has been received from Seychelles.  
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1  RELEVANT LAWS AND REGULATIONS  
1.1.  In Seychelles the application of technical regulations is governed by various legislations 
falling under different Ministries, as listed in Section 1.2. Given the wide scope of legislations 
governing the application of technical regulations as well as the number of Ministries, Department 
or Agencies that are custodians of these respective legislations, the Government of Seychelles has established a "Policy on National Framework on Technical Regulations and Conformity Assessment 
Procedures".  
1.2.  The "Policy on National Framework on Technical Regulations and Conformity Assessment 
Procedures" adopted by the Cabinet of Ministers on the 3
rd April 2014 informs the legal basis for 
the application of the WTO TBT Agreement. The link to the policy is 
http://www.seychellestradeportal .gov.sc/sites/default/files/ Tehnical%20regs%20and%20CA%20p
olicy%203april2014.pdf . Its purpose is to identify and set up mechanisms and related principles 
for the implementation of good regulatory practices in order to guide and assist Ministries and 
relevant regulatory agencies in the process of preparing, adopting and applying non-discriminatory 
technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures with respect to products, processes, or production methods. This is aimed at ensuring the effective implementation of the provisions of 
the TBT Agreement. 
1.3.  The regulatory and standard-setting bodies of Seychelles pursues policies based on 
international standards, as developed by, but not limited to 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), which Seychelles is party to.
 The Government of Seychelles shall be making use of 
standards, guides and recommendations or relevant parts of them developed by these 
International standards setting bodies as the basis for our national technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures. 
1.4.  The Government of Seychelles also recognizes international standards, as developed by, but 
not limited to the following: the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE); United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the American National Standards 
Institute (ANSI); American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM); National Institute for 
Standards and Technology (NIST); the Asso ciation for the Advancement of Medical 
Instrumentation; and the European Committee for Standardization (CEN). Seychelles also recognize standards, which are harmonized at the regional level, for example, by the Southern G/TBT/2/Add.114 
 
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  African Development Community (SADC); the Common Market of Eastern and Southern Africa 
(COMESA); the African Organisation for Stan dardisation (ARSO); and the SADC-COMESA-EAC-
Tripartite Free Trade Area. 
1.5.  The "Seychelles Bureau of Standards Act, 2014", the "Food Act, 2014", the "Environment 
Protection Act, 1994", and the "Public Health Act, 1960" are the main legislations that ensure full 
compliance with the TBT Agreement. 
1.6.  The Seychelles Bureau of Standards (SBS) provides a selected number of standardization and 
conformity assessment services to industries and authorities. The conformity assessment services 
consist of the following: sampling; testing; calibration; inspection; certification; supplier's declaration of conformity; mutual recognition of results; and making appropriate use of international standards. 
1.7.  Section 4(n) of the "Seychelles Bureau of Standards Act, 2014" and the "Policy on National 
Framework on Technical Regulations and Conformity Assessment Procedures" makes provision for the application of standards, technical regulati on and conformity assessment procedures on a 
non-discriminatory basis. Seychelles recognizes and accept as equivalent technical regulations of 
other Members, even if these regulations differ from our own provided that such regulations 
adequately fulfill the objectives of our own regu lations. The SBS applies the conformity assessment 
procedures, guides and standards, as adopted by the ISO Committee on Conformity Assessment 
(ISO CASCO). The SBS, therefore, recognizes  all conformity assessment service providers 
accredited in accordance with the intern ational standards adopted by ISO CASCO.  
1.8.  The "Seychelles Bureau of Standards (SBS) Act, 2014", Section 4(h) contains a complete list 
of applicable fees. Applicable fees for conformity assessment are currently available in brochures 
published for the testing laboratories of the SBS,  which are available on the SBS website. The link 
to these fees on the SBS website is http://www.sbs.sc/index.php/2 015-09-23-07-15-01/testing . 
The fee for the Product Certification Mark Scheme is available in the "Seychelles Bureau of 
Standards (Standard Marks) Regulations 1993", wh ile the fee for the National Quality System 
Certification Scheme is available in the "Seychelles Bureau of Standards (National Quality System 
Certification Scheme) Regulations, 2002". 
1.9.  The "Food Act, 2014" contains provisions for food safety and human health. The Act 
comprised a comprehensive set of provisions, whic h regulates: any food harmful to human health; 
the sale of poisonous or unwholesome food; deception of character, nature, composition and 
quality of food (including clear labelling, packag ing or advertisements); sanitation in premises 
where food was being prepared (including restaurants, slaughter houses). The Act also regulates the importation of foods, with a focus on labelling.  
1.10.  The "Environment Protection Act, 1994" provides for the protection, preservation and 
improvement of the environment, and the cont rol of hazards to humans and Seychelles' 
biodiversity. The Act also provides for the c oordination, implementation and enforcement of 
policies, pursuant to the national objectives on environment protection.  
1.11.  The "Public Health Act, 1960" contains a comprehensive set of provisions, which covers 
general sanitation and hygiene matters, with the aim of controlling epidemic diseases and preventing or suppressing the spread of infect ious diseases. The Act also provides for the 
protection and examination of water (including bottled water) and water supplies to protect human 
health. 
1.1  TBT-Relevant Legislations: 
a. Environment Protection Act, 1994 
b. Seychelles Bureau of Standards Act, 2014 
c. Weights and Measure Act, 1980 
d. Export of Fishery Products Act, 1996 
e. Public Health Act, 1960 G/TBT/2/Add.114 
 
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  f. Food Act, 2014 
g. Pharmaceutical Act 
h. Pesticide Control Act, 1996 
i. Customs Management Act, 2011 
j. Consumer Protection Act, 2010 
k. Road Transport Act, 1936 
l. Plant Protection Act, 1996 
m. Animal (Diseases & Import) Act, 1981 
n. Broadcasting and Telecommunication Act, 2000 
o. Broadcasting and Telecommunication Act (Amendment) , 2004 
p. Customs Management Act (Prohibited and restricted goods) Regulations, 2014 
q. Town and Country Planning Act, 1972 
r. Energy Commission Act, 2010 
s. Energy Act, 2012 
2  TRANSPARENCY  
2.1.  All Technical Regulations and standards pu blished in Government official gazette, in the 
national newspaper and on the SBS website ( http://www.sbs.sc ). Before adopting a standard, SBS 
accords interested parties at least 60 days for the submission of any comments, in accordance 
with the Code of Good Practice for the Prepar ation, Adoption and Application of Standards 
contained in Annex 3 of the TBT Agreement.  
2.2.  Paragraph 6.1.6 of the "Policy on Nati onal Framework on Technical Regulations and 
Conformity Assessment Procedures" will ensure early notice of the draft technical regulations or 
conformity assessment  procedures being proposed  for adoption, so as to allow written comments 
within a period of no less than 60 days to be submitted. 
 
2.3.  The Trade Division of the Ministry of Fi nance, Trade and Blue Economy is the National 
Notification Authority and Enquiry Point of the Re public of Seychelles, and can be contacted at: 
Address:  Ministry of Finance, Trade and Blue Economy. 
          Trade Division           P.O. Box 313, Victoria, Mahe   Seychelles  
Tel No: (+248) 4382000 
E-mail: enquirywto@finance.gov.sc              
Website: www.seychellestradeportal.gov.sc                             
 
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