G/TBT/W/433  
                                                       19 January 2016 
(16-0372)  Page: 1/2  
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original: Spanish  
 
  ECUADOR - PROPOSED MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS 
(RTE INEN NO. 034) 
STATEMENT BY MEXICO TO THE COMMITT EE ON TECHNICAL BARRIERS TO TRADE 
4-6 NOVEMBER 2015 
The following communication, dated 15 January 2016, is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of Mexico. 
 
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1.  This topic is of particular concern to Mexico because, apart from the fact that formal comments 
were submitted to Ecuador on 12 November 2013, bilateral meetings have been held with the Ecuadorian Government, at which my country's main concerns have been expressed and 
reiterated. Despite this dialogue, we note that Mexi co's observations were not reflected in the final 
version of the technical regulation, which is why Mexico wishes to reiterate this trade concern regarding Ecuadorian Technical Regulation RTE INEN No. 034, "Motor Vehicle Safety Parts", 
notified in document G/TBT/N/ECU/32 and its addenda. 
2.  This concern was first raised at the Committee meeting of 5 and 6 November 2014 and was 
reiterated in the same forum in March this year. Furthermore, on 8 May 2015, we circulated the "Statement by Mexico to the Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade at its meeting of 
18-19 March 2015", which was published on 11 May as document G/TBT/W/410. Mexico's 
concerns relate to the following points: 
a. In order to meet the requirements laid down in the technical regulation, consideration is 
given only to the technical regulations of the United Nations Economic Commission for 
Europe (UNECE). Ecuador therefore fail s to comply with Article 2.4 of the 
TBT Agreement, by not considering other existing and recognized standards as valid 
references. 
b. Also, as regards the conformity assessment pr ocedure, and specifically the "third-party" 
certification requirement, Mexico considers that Ecuador should bear in mind that third-party certification must be exceptional in the automotive sector, this being 
an internationally regulated sector in which vehicles are generally certified at origin. 
c. Regarding the transition period for the entry into force of the regulation, a period of 
180 days (six months) was established for the implementation of the compulsory safety 
provisions, which is insufficient for producers to be able to introduce the requested 
changes. 
3.  Based on the foregoing, Mexico once again requests Ecuador: 
a. To extend to two years the transition period  for implementing the changes envisaged in 
the technical regulation, as from the date of its publication. 
b. To accept the conformity assessment in accordance with UNECE standards, as well as 
with the regulations of the United States (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards – 
FMVSS), Japan (SRRV), South Korea (Korea Motor Vehicle Safety Standards – KMVSS) 
and Brazil (National Transit Council – CONTRAN). G/TBT/W/433 
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  c. To allow the alternative process of "self-certification", since, bearing in mind the specific 
characteristics of the automotive sector (a sector regulated internationally), the reports of tests carried out by the manufactu rer may be recognized as valid. 
d. Lastly, should the technical regulation retain its current features, to indicate whether 
there is the possibility of moving towards recognition of the equivalence of certificates 
issued on the basis of non-UNECE standards. 
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