WT/COMTD/SE/W/28  
 
15 October 2013  
(13-5627)  Page: 1/54  
Committee on Trade and Development 
Dedicated Session    
 
FURTHER EXAMINATION OF THE EFFECTS OF NON-TARIFF MEASURES  
ON THE EXPORTS OF SMALL ECONOMIES 
BACKGROUND NOTE BY THE SECRETARIAT* 
1   INTROD UCTION  .......................................................................................................... 2  
2   NTMS – WHAT THEY ARE AND WHAT THEY ARE NOT ................................................... 3  
2.1   NTMs at  the WTO ...................................................................................................... 4  
2.2   Types of NTMs  and their use ....................................................................................... 5  
3   MAIN EXPORT PRODUCTS AND MARKETS OF SMALL ECONOMIES.............................. 10  
3.1   What are the main export products of smal l economies? ................................................ 10 
3.2   What are the main destination markets of small economies? ........................................... 12 
4   NTMS FACED BY SMALL ECONOMIE S ON MAIN EXPORT PRODUCTS IN 
VARIOUS EXPORT  MARKETS .......................................................................................... 13  
4.1   Notifications and specific trade concerns at the WTO ...................................................... 13 
4.2   Noti fications ........................................................................................................... . 14 
4.2.1   Notifications directly  affecting smal l economies .......................................................... 17 
4.3   Specific trade concerns .............................................................................................. 17 
4.3.1   Specific trade concerns rais ed or supported by  small economies ................................... 20 
5   IMPACT OF NTMS ON THE EXPORTS OF SMA LL ECONOM IES ...................................... 21  
5.1   Main findings fr om econometri c stud ies ....................................................................... 21 
5.2   Evidence from the OECD -WTO Aid-for-Tr ade surveys ..................................................... 22 
5.3   ITC surveys of NTMS faced by selected small economies in their main export 
markets........................................................................................................................ .. 24 
5.3.1   Tea in Sri Lanka .................................................................................................... 26 
5.3.2   Other agricultural and agro-bas ed products and clot hing and textiles ............................ 27 
5.3.3   Jamaica ................................................................................................................ 28 
6   CONCLUSIONS ........................................................................................................... 30  
6.1   Main findings ...........................................................................................................  30 
6.2   Meeting the challenges .............................................................................................. 31 
ANNEXES ........................................................................................................................ 33  
                                               
* This Report is intended to be a purely factual report an d is issued under the re sponsibility of the WTO 
Secretariat. It has no legal effect on the rights an d obligations of Members, no r does it have any legal 
implication with respect to the conformity of any measure noted in the report with any WTO Agreement or any provision thereof.  WT/COMTD/SE/W/28 
 
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  1   INTRODUCTION 
1.1.  This background note seeks to further inform discussion at the Committee on Trade and 
Development's Dedicated Session on Small Economies.  It provides data on the main export flows 
of 32 small economies and describes how non-tariff measures (NTMs) such as Sanitary and 
Phytosanitary (SPS) measures and Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) measures can affect the 
exports of small economies. The paper is not intend ed to be an exhaustive analysis of this issue 
but complements recently published reports. It does, however, aim to stimulate discussion in the 
CTD's Dedicated Session on Small Economies on how small states can better meet and overcome 
some of the challenges posed by NTMs.1 
1.2.   The paper is in response to instructions given by Ministers during the WTO's Eighth 
Ministerial Conference in December 2011. Minister s then reaffirmed their commitment to the Work 
Programme on Small Economies and instructed the WTO Secretariat to provide relevant 
information and factual analysis on the identification and effects of NTMs on small economies. This paper complements research conducted in 2012 an d the respective discussions by Members at the 
July 2012 CTD meeting in Dedicated Session.
2 I t  p r o v i d e s  f u r t h e r  a n a l y s i s  o n  t h i s  s u b j e c t  a s  
requested by the proponents of small economies. In their recent proposal, proponents sought a 
"factual assessment" of the NTMs faced by sma ll economies and the impact such measures have 
on their export trade.3 In response, the paper presents recent data concerning the main exports 
and markets of 32 small economies. It also provid es data on the main NTMs these goods face in 
the markets of their key trading partners. 
1.3.   In order to narrow the scope of the research, the paper examines the main exports of 32 
countries that meet the criteria of "small economies" as per the text in the Doha Round's Revised 
Draft Modalities for Agriculture (TN/AG/W/Rev.4). The latter describes a small economy as one whose average share for the period 1999-2004 (a) of world merchandise trade does not exceed 
0.16% and; (b) of world NAMA trade does not exceed 0.10% and; (c) of world agricultural trade 
does not exceed 0.40%. While Annex I of the Agri culture Draft Modalities text lists 45 countries as 
meeting the above criteria, some 15 of the listed countries do not readily identify themselves as 
small economies and have not expressed an intere st in the on-going Work Programme on Small 
Economies, established as part of the Doha Round in November 2001. This paper, therefore, examines the main exports of the 32 countries which have been the most active in the Small Economies' Work Programme (Table 1). Other countries which qualify as small economies and 
which are interested in obtaining such data, even though they are not included in the data sets 
prepared for this paper, should contact the Secretariat. 
                                               
1 Two recent reports which provide a wealth of in formation on NTMs in international trade are WTO 
(2012), World Trade Report 2012: Trade and Public Policies: A closer look at Non-Tariff Measures in the 21
st Century; and UNCTAD (2013), Non-Tariff Measures to Trade: Economic and Policy Issues for Developing 
Countries. 
2 WTO (2012), “Non-Tariff Measures and Small, Vulnerable Economies”, Background Note by the 
Secretariat, WT/COMTD/SE/W/26/Rev.1. 
3 Document WT/COMTD/SE/W/27/Rev.2. WT/COMTD/SE/W/28 
 
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  Table 1: Small economies included in the analysis 
ISO3 
Code Country name ISO3 
Code Country name ISO3 
Code Country name 
Africa   South and Central America HND Honduras 
CPV Cape Verde ATG Antigua and Barbuda JAM Jamaica 
MUS Mauritius BLZ Belize KNA Saint Kitts and 
Nevis 
SYC Seychelles BOL Bolivia LCA Saint Lucia 
Asia   BRB Barbados NIC Nicaragua 
BRN Brunei Darussalam CUB Cuba PAN Panama 
FJI Fiji DMA Dominica PRY Paraguay 
LKA Sri Lanka DOM Dominican Rep. SLV El Salvador 
MDV Maldives ECU Ecuador SUR Suriname 
PNG Papua New Guinea GRD Grenada TTO Trinidad and 
Tobago 
TON Tonga GTM Guatemala VCT Saint Vincent and 
the Grenadines 
VUT Vanuatu GUY Guyana    
 
2  NTMS – WHAT THEY AR E AND WHAT THEY ARE NOT 
2.1.   Much progress has been made by GATT and WTO Members to reduce tariffs on both 
agricultural and manufactured goods during the multilateral trade negotiations held under the 
auspices of the GATT and after the Uruguay Round . The trade liberalization achieved between the 
years 1948 to 1994 continued over the past 18 years with the accession of 31 more countries to 
the WTO's rules-based trading system. Since tariffs have been significantly reduced, NTMs have 
moved to the centre of attention of policymakers and businesses. This is due mainly to the increased weight that governments have given to meeting public policy objectives for public health 
and safety standards as well as more stringent environmental regulations. However, since the data 
availability on NTMs is limited, evidence regarding an increasing use of NTMs in recent years is inconclusive.
4  
2.2.   National and regional public policy concerns contribute to the complexity of NTMs and it has 
been suggested that as economies grow, concerns  over health, safety, environmental quality and 
other social issues take on a more central role. These public policy concerns have had an increasing impact on trade. Meanwhile, a central challenge facing all governments is how to pursue 
national public policy objectives while respecting multilateral trade rules and the 
non-discriminatory trading system which the WTO represents.  
2.3.   NTMs comprise a myriad of different policies other than ordinary tariffs. They include TBT 
and SPS measures, certification and testing requ irements, quotas, import and export licences, 
additional taxes and surcharges, financial measures and rules of origin. Some of these have been addressed in global trade agreements and are increa singly being included in regional and bilateral 
trade arrangements .
5  
2.4.   Unlike tariffs, NTMs pose tremendous challenges for analysis. This is mainly because they 
are often difficult to identify and are not easily  amenable to quantification. In clarifying the 
subject, the United Nations Conference on Trad e and Development (UNCTAD) took the lead in 
2006 and established a Multi-Agency Support Team  (MAST) and a Group on Eminent Persons on 
Non-Tariff Barriers (GNTB). The team included technical experts working for various organizations such as the Food and Agricultural Organization (F AO), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the 
International Trade Centre (ITC), the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development 
(OECD), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the World Bank and the WTO.  
                                               
4 WTO (2012), World Trade Report 2012: Trade and Public Policies: A closer look at Non-Tariff Measures 
in the 21st Century. 
5 ITC (2013), "Trinidad and Tobago: Company Perspect ives – An ITC Series on Non-Tariff Measures". WT/COMTD/SE/W/28 
 
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  2.5.   NTMs were defined as: policy measures, other than customs tariffs, that can potentially have 
an economic effect on international trade in goods,  changing quantities traded, or prices or both.6 
Some NTMs are applied for legitimate reasons, su ch as the protection of human, animal and plant 
health. Others may be imposed to protect domestic industries. However, MAST emphasized that 
the term "NTM" is to be understood as a neutral concept and does not imply a direction of impact.  
2.6.   According to MAST, NTMs should be distin guished from non-tariff barriers (NTBs). The latter 
can have a negative impact on trade and should be regarded as a subset of NTMs that could have 
a protectionist or discriminatory intent. Most policy interventions today are referred to as 
"measures" rather than "barriers" to underline that the measure may not be necessarily welfare or trade reducing. 
2.7.   NTMs are of major concern to exporters and importers across the world. Traders struggle 
with complex requirements. Businesses in developing countries and in smaller economies often 
lack the necessary trade-related infrastructure. They also face numerous administrative obstacles. In consequence, NTMs that would not normally be considered restrictive can represent major 
burdens. The lack of export support services an d insufficient access to information on NTMs also 
exert pressure on the international competitivene ss of businesses. Accordingly, NTMs applied by 
trading partners combine with domestic burdens to reduce market access and prevent firms from 
exploiting opportunities created by globalization.
7 
2.1  NTMs at the WTO 2.8.   NTMs covered by the WTO disciplines are su bject to detailed provisions designed to prevent 
or at least minimize the adverse effects resulting from such measures.
8 However, they may also 
be regarded as unnecessary barriers to international trade when the measure in place is being 
used by a government for competitive reasons rather than the stated public policy rationale.9 It is 
important to note, however, that although technical measures may restrict trade, they also serve 
to improve welfare as in the case of safety requirements for consumer goods. Used in this way, 
NTMs help protect the health and safety of consumers, safeguard the environment and help 
regulate domestic markets.  
2.9.   NTMs have been a topic of concern sinc e the establishment of the GATT in 1948 and have 
remained so in the WTO and in its current multilateral negotiation, the Doha Development Agenda (DDA). The progressive increase in notified TBT and SPS measures, and measures related to rules of origin requirements have raised numerous concerns especially for those developing countries 
wishing to export more highly processed goods. In  many cases, quality and safety standards must 
be met even before the item is exported and often require large investments in infrastructure or in testing facilities or laboratories. 
2.10.   The WTO provides disciplines to ensure that tariff commitments are not eluded or 
undermined. These disciplines are necessary to minimize the trade distorting effects of a legitimate measure at the disposal of all WTO Members. However, when WTO Ministers launched the DDA in 
2001, they agreed to "reduce or, as appropriate, eliminate tariffs, including the reduction or 
elimination of tariff peaks, high tariffs, and tariff escalation, as well as non-tariff barriers, in particular on products of export interest to developing countries".
10 With this decision, Ministers 
recognized the need for further tariff liberalization measures to be agreed in the course of the DDA 
but also wished to address the growing number of NTMs that affect world trade.  
2.11.   Efforts to streamline NTMs have been hampered by lack of a clear conceptual definition and 
data on the use of NTMs, their impact on domestic competitiveness, and their implications for 
market access for developing countries. Most studies on the impact of NTMs still rely on obsolete 
or fragmentary data. Part of the reason for this lack of visibility is that collecting data on NTMs is a 
                                               
 6 MAST (2009), "Report to the Group of Eminent Persons on Non-Tariff Barriers". Presented at the 
Group’s meeting of 5 November 2009 at UNCTAD. 
7 ITC (2013),"Trinidad and Tobago: Company Perspectives – An ITC Series on Non-Tariff Measures". 
8 OECD (2003), "Note on Issues for Discussion, Global  Forum on Trade, The Market Access Challenge In 
The Doha Development Agenda". Available at: http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/24/47/2956268.pdf . 
9 WTO (2012), World Trade Report 2012: Trade and Public Policies: A closer look at Non-Tariff Measures 
in the 21st Century. 
10 The Doha Ministerial Declaration, paragraph 16, November 2001. WT/COMTD/SE/W/28 
 
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  difficult endeavour. Unlike tariffs, NTMs are not mere numbers — they are complex legal texts that 
are not easily amenable to quantification, comparison, or even standard formatting.11 
2.12.   To further complicate research, data available through the WTO's SPS and TBT Agreements 
and subsequent notifications made by Members do not provide a complete picture of the situation 
confronting exporters. The SPS and TBT notification  requirements, for example, aim to allow other 
Members to influence the regulations that the Memb er providing the notification plans to adopt. 
They do not require Members to provide informatio n on regulations that pre-date the SPS and TBT 
Agreements, nor on the final form of the proposed new measures.12 Thus, the information 
collected through the WTO notification system provides only partial coverage, which may be insufficient from a transparency perspective.
13 
2.2   Types of NTMs and their use  
2.13.   To facilitate data collection and analysis, the multitude of NTMs are often aggregated in 
various groups: hard measures (e.g. price and quantity control measures), threat measures 
(e.g. anti-dumping and safeguards), SPS and TBT measures and other categories such as export 
measures, trade-related investment measures, distribution restrictions, restrictions on post-sales 
services, subsidies, measures related to intellectual property rights and rules of origin. Each of these groups consists of various and often very different forms of NTMs.  
2.14.  MAST developed the NTM classification shown below. The classification consists of a 
tree/branch structure where measures are categorized into “chapters” depending on their scope and/or design with each comprising measures with similar purposes.
14 Each chapter is further 
differentiated into several subgroups to allow a finer classification of the regulations affecting 
trade. The NTM classification encompasses 16 chap ters of measures. They are broken down into 
three categories, mainly technical, non-technical and export measures. 
Classification of NTM Chapters  
 
Technical Measures  
 
1)  SANITARY AND PHYTOSANITARY MEASURES 
2)  TECHNICAL BARRIERS TO TRADE 
3)  PRE-SHIPMENT INSPECTION AND OTHER FORMALITIES 
 
Non-Technical Measures 
  
4)  CONTINGENT TRADE-PROTECTIVE MEASURES 
5)  NON-AUTOMATIC LICENSING, QUOTAS, PROHIBITIONS AND QUANTITY-   
CONTROLMEASURES OTHER THAN FOR SPS OR TBT REASONS 
6)   PRICE-CONTROL MEASURES, INCLUDING TAXES AND   CHARGES 
7)   FINANCE MEASURES 
8)   MEASURES AFFECTING COMPETITION 
9)   TRADE-RELATED INVESTMENT MEASURES 
10)  DISTRIBUTION RESTRICTIONS 
11)  RESTRICTIONS ON POST-SALES SERVICES 
12)  SUBSIDIES (EXCLUDING EXPORT SUBSIDIES UNDER P7) 
13)  GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT RESTRICTIONS 
14)  INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY 
15)  RULES OF ORIGIN 
 
Export measures 
 
16)  EXPORT-RELATED MEASURES  
 
Source: UNCTAD 2013 
                                               
 11 Cadot O., M. Malouche and S. Sáez (2012), Stream lining Non-Tariff Measures: A Toolkit for Policy 
Makers, World Bank. 
12 While Members are not required to notify ad opted measures at the WTO, the TBT Agreement 
(Article 2 and Article 5) and the SP S Agreement (Article 7 and Annex B) require that adopted measures are 
published. 
13 UNCTAD (2013), Non-Tariff Measures to Trade: Economic and Policy Issues for Developing Countries. 
14 Ibid. WT/COMTD/SE/W/28 
 
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2.15.   Although NTMs are not necessarily protecti onist in nature, they often result in diverting 
trade from developing countries, where the production process and certification bodies are frequently inadequate. Moreover, the cost of compli ance is often higher in low-income countries as 
infrastructure and export services are more expens ive or need to be outsourced abroad. According 
to UNCTAD's recent publication, TBT and SPS measures may erode, in practice, the competitive 
advantage that developing countries have in terms of labour costs and preferential access.  
2.16.   Based on a limited number of countries, Figure 1 shows the average coverage and 
frequency of NTMs across five major chapters.
15 TBT measures are most common, covering about 
30% of products and imports of the countries imposing the measures. In contrast, SPS measures and pre-shipment inspections cover on average about 15% and 20%, respectively, of products and 
trade. Although pre-shipment inspections (PSIs) are often necessary to provide some assurance on 
the quality or quantity of the shipment and thus may promote international trade, they add to the 
cost of trading. These additional costs may reduce the competitiveness of countries, thus distorting trade. Price control measures (8% of trade and on ly 5% of products) constitute one of the least 
used forms of NTMs. They affect only a small share of goods and are largely related to 
anti-dumping and countervailing duties, as well as some form of administrative pricing for staple foods, energy and other sensitive sectors.
16  
2.17.  The average country imposes quantity contro ls on about 18% of products and 23% of trade. 
Only a small percentage of these measures still ta ke the form of quotas and export restrictions, 
since most of these quantitative restrictions are illegal under WTO rules. Some of them, such as 
quotas, prohibitions and export restraints are in place, but are largely limited to a number of 
sensitive products; in other cases, they take the form of non-automatic licensing used as a tool to administer the importation of goods where SPS and TBT-related issues are of particular importance.
17 
                                               
15 The coverage ratio measures the sh are of imports that are subject to NTMs in the importing country, 
while the frequency index captures the share of produc ts to which one or more NTMs are applied. The two 
measures represent simple averages  across 30 developing countries, the EU and Japan. Since data are 
available only for a limited number of countries, resu lts should be interpreted with caution and not, for 
instance, as representi ng the world average. 
16 UNCTAD (2013), Non-Tariff Measures to Trade: Economic and Policy Issues for Developing Countries. 
17 Ibid. WT/COMTD/SE/W/28 
 
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  Figure 1: Frequency index and coverage ra tios by chapter (all countries, unweighted) 
 
 
 
Source: UNCTAD (2013), Non-Tariff Measures to Trade: Economic and Policy Issues for Developing 
Countries. 
 
2.18.  Figure 2 breaks down the frequency index and coverage ratio by region. TBT measures are prevalent in high-income and African countries. The high share of TBT measures in Africa likely 
reflects efforts to harmonize regulations with the EU, which is their main trading partner. Asian 
and Latin American countries still apply a significant share of quantitative restrictions in the form of licensing.  WT/COMTD/SE/W/28 
 
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  Figure 2: Frequency index and cove rage ratios by chapter (by region) 
 
 
Source: UNCTAD (2013), Non-Tariff Measures to Trade: Economic and Policy Issues for Developing 
Countries. 
 
2.19.   The use of NTMs varies greatly across economic sectors as illustrated by Table 2, both for technical and economic reasons. While some prod ucts, such as agriculture, footwear, wood and 
motor vehicles, are highly regulated because of consumer and environmental protection and 
technical standards, some other goods, such as minerals, are by their nature relatively less subject to laws and regulation. WT/COMTD/SE/W/28 
 
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  Table 2: Frequency indices of five catego ries of NTMs across economic sectors 
Sector A: SPS B: TBT C: Pre-
Shipment  D: Price 
Control E: 
Quantity 
control 
Live animals 71.3 36.2 21.3 5.7 33.4 
Vegetable products 69.2 31.7 24 3.6 27.1 
Fats and Oil 51.1 26.8 12.9 8 20.7 
Processed food  57 41.7 17.7 3.6 20.3 
Minerals products 9.8 25.5 8.1 0.6 10.9 
Chemical products 11.3 35.8 6.8 1.7 19.6 
Rubber and Plastics  1.2 24.1 5.7 0.8 6.3 
Raw hide and skins 12.8 23.7 9.9 0 12.9 
Wood 26.2 30.2 12.4 0.8 15.2 
Paper 1.7 18.4 8.2 0.6 11.4 
Textile 1.8 34.3 15.6 4.7 16.3 
Footwear 0.7 38.8 16.7 3.3 17.9 
Stone and Cement 3.1 19 9.7 1.1 6.3 
Base Metals 1.6 21 9.6 1.2 12.2 
Machinery & Electrical Equipment 1.1 20.8 8.2 0.8 13.1 
Motor Vehicles 0.3 26.2 8.4 0.7 22.5 
Optical and Medicals instruments 0.4 20 7.9 0.2 8.1 
Miscellaneous goods 1.6 23 7.2 4.1 7.2 
 
Source: UNCTAD (2013), Non-Tariff Measures to Trade: Economic and Policy Issues for Developing 
Countries. 
 
 
   
 
  
 
  
 
   
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
Source: UNCTAD (2013), Non-Tariff Measures to Trade: Economic and Policy Issues for Developing 
Countries. 
 The use of SPS measures is largely limited to agricultural sectors and products of animal origin, 
as their control is essential for ensuring the health and well-being of consumers and the protection of the environment. As a result, more than 60% of food-related products are found to be affected by at least one form of SPS meas ure. TBT measures on the other hand can be 
applied to a much wider set of products and indeed are found to be more uniformly applied 
across economic sectors with peaks in textile s, footwear, processed food and chemicals. 
Measures involving pre-shipment requirements are widely distributed across economic sectors 
but affect a smaller number of products. Pre-shipment inspections are found to be more relevant 
for agricultural products, wooden products, textiles and footwear. Price-control measures such as administrative pricing, anti-dumping and countervailing duties are trade-defensive policies that by their nature are applied only to very specific products and thus result in low frequency 
indices. Like pre-shipment requirements, price control measures are more concentrated in 
agricultural products, textiles and footwear. Finally, quantity control measures are applied more or less uniformly across economic sectors with peaks in agricultural goods, particularly animal 
products, motor vehicles and chemical products. These are sectors where particularly sensitive 
products are often regulated by non-automatic licences, quotas and sometimes outright prohibitions. The distribution of NTMs across sectors, especially with regard to SPS and TBT 
measures, is due more to the technical properties of products than to economic policy and 
therefore does not vary substantially across countries. Other measures have a more heterogeneous distribution as the choice among different measures for the regulatory intent may be different across countries, depending on various factors such as institutional capacity, implementation costs and efficiency.  WT/COMTD/SE/W/28 
 
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  3  MAIN EXPORT PRODUCTS AND MARKETS OF SMALL ECONOMIES 
3.1.  To examine the potential effects of NTMs on  the exports of small economies, it is necessary 
to first identify the main export products of small economies and the main destination for such products, and, finally, the principal NTMs which affect these products. Given the complexity of 
NTMs in general and the difficulties in identifying the scope of NTMs and the potential impact they 
have, this paper limits its examination to the top ten exports of the 32 small economies selected for this exercise. 
3.2.  The analysis uses trade data from the BACI database of the French research institute CEPII
18, 
which provides bilateral exports at the 6-digit level of the HS 1996 product classification for the years 1998 to 2011. BACI is based on the UN Comtrade database but uses reconciliation and estimation techniques to increase data coverage and consistency.
19 I n  p a r t i c u l a r ,  B A C I  u s e s  
information on both export and mirrored import data to capture the bilateral flow at the product 
level. To make mirrored import and export data comparable, BACI first subtracts estimates of customs, insurance and freight (CIF) charges from import data converting it thereby to free on 
board (FOB) flows. As a second step, BACI aver ages mirrored FOB trade flows applying estimated 
weights for a country's data quality. While this procedure increases data availability and also consistency, bilateral trade flows at the product level and their aggregates can differ from officially 
reported figures. 
3.1  What are the main export products of small economies? 
3.3.  To help identify the products of greatest ex port interest to small economies, Table 3 provides 
a ranking of products, i.e. HS 2-digit chapters, in terms of export values for the year 2011. 
Besides the information on the export value, the table also provides for each HS product the 
product's share in merchandise exports of small economies and the resulting cumulative export 
share, the number of small economies that actu ally export the product and the simple average 
export share across small economies. 
                                               
18 Centre d'Études Prospectives et  d'Informations Internationales. 
19 The dataset and the methodology used is described in detail in Gaulier, G. and S. Zignago (2010), 
"BACI: International Trade Database at the Prod uct-level The 1994-2007 Version", CEPII Working Paper 
2010-23.  WT/COMTD/SE/W/28 
 
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  Table 3. Top 20 export products  of small economies in 2011 
Rank HS2 Name  US$ 
('000) % Cumul. 
% No. 
SEs 
(out 
of 
32) Simple 
AVG 
1 27 Mineral fuels and oils 41,980,044  30 30 29 15  
2 61 Apparel and clothing accessories, knitted or crocheted  9,100,785  6 36 32 5 
3 71 Pearls, precious or semi-precious stones and metals  6,194,598  4 41 32 5  
4 09 Coffee, tea, maté and spices 5,752,120  4 45 32 4 
5 08 Edible fruit and nuts; peel of citrus fruits or melons  5,725,906  4 49 30 3  
6 26 Ores, slag and ash 5,419,857  4 52 23 4 
7 29 Organic chemicals 4,549,301  3 56 30 1  
8 62 Apparel and clothing accessories, not knitted or crocheted  4,271,776  3 59 32 2 
9 03 Fish and crustaceans, molluscs 3,848,887  3 61 31 10  
10 28 Inorganic chemicals: compounds of precious metals  3,586,044  3 64 28 4 
11 17 Sugars and sugar confectionery  3,107,667  2 66 25 4  
12 12 Oil seeds and fruits; miscellaneous grains, seeds and fruit  2,756,995  2 68 31 3 
13 72 Iron and steel 2,720,008  2 70 32 2  
14 15 Animal or vegetable fats, oils and waxes  2,665,799  2 72 27 2 
15 85 Electrical machinery and equipment  1,979,613  1 73 32 3  
16 84 Machinery and mechanical appliances  1,970,033  1 75 32 2 
17 16 Preparations of meat, of fish or of crustaceans, molluscs  1,956,687  1 76 31 4  
18 30 Pharmaceutical products 1,775,380  1 77 30 1 
19 22 Beverages, spirits and vinega r 1,682,025  1 79 32 3  
20 39 Plastics and articles thereof 1,596,639  1 80 32 1 
 
Source: WTO Secretariat based on the BACI trade database. 
 
3.4.  Exports of mineral fuels (HS 27), in partic ular natural gas and petroleum oils, are the most 
important export category accounting for about 30% of small economies' exports. Apparel and clothing accessories (HS 61 and HS 62) come second with a combined export share of 10%. In 
terms of agricultural products, small economies are large exporters of coffee and tea (HS 09) as 
well as fruits (HS 08), in particular bananas, which each account for about 4% of small economies' exports. Other agricultural products of major importance are fish (HS 03) and preparations of fish 
(HS 16), in particular tuna and shrimp, sugars (HS 17) and spirits (HS 22), in particular rum, and 
tobacco products (HS 24).  
3.5.  The number of small economies exporting a given product and the average export share of 
products across countries indicate that small economies have some major export products in 
common such as mineral fuels, apparel, pearls, fruits, coffee or fish. For instance, 31 out of 
32 small economies export fish wi th the average export share being 10%, compared to a share of 
3% in overall small economies' exports. However, analysing the top ten products by country in 
Annex Table 2 shows that there is also substantive heterogeneity in the export structure of small 
economies. For instance, the top ten products across the 32 small economies cover 57 different products. 
3.6.  Annex Table 2 provides rankings of the top ten exported HS products at the HS 2-digit by 
small economy. In addition to the export value,  the export share and the main destinations for 
each HS product, the tables also show whether countries have a revealed comparative advantage (RCA) in a product. The RCA index captures the relative specialization and hence competitiveness 
of a country in a given product. A RCA larger th an one indicates that a country is relatively 
specialised and competitive in the product, i.e.  the country has a world market share in the 
product that is higher than its world market share in total merchandise exports. 
3.7.  Small economies tend to be specialised in few products, which is not surprising given their 
natural endowments and difficulties to exploit sca le economies. In Table 2, the column with the 
cumulative export shares shows that the top ten products account for 64% of exports, while the 
top 20 account for 80%. An even higher degree of specialization can be observed at the country 
level. In particular, the top three and top ten prod ucts at the HS 2-digit level as shown in Annex WT/COMTD/SE/W/28 
 
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  Table 2 constitute respectively on average 63% and 86% of merchandise exports in the 32 small 
economies.  
3.8.  Taking Sri Lanka as an example, the top ten products account for 85% of the country's 
exports. Apparel and clothing accessories (HS 61 and HS 62) rank first with a combined 42% 
export share. Furthermore, Sri Lanka is a large exporter of tea, which, together with coffee and 
spices (HS 09), accounts for 15% of its exports. The high RCA for most of the top ten products, 
tea in particular, underlines the specialization and relative competitiveness of Sri Lanka in these 
products on the world market. The majority of Sri Lanka's apparel products are exported to Europe 
and more than a third to North America. In contrast, tea exports are more equally distributed among regions with the Middle East and the CIS region taking the largest shares with 33% and 27%, respectively. 
3.9.  This analysis based on the year 2011 provides a static view of the export structure of small 
economies and does not necessarily disclose the export potential of small economies in certain products. In particular, the occurrence and impact of NTMs and tariffs differ across products. 
Hence, the ranking of exported products would prob ably look slightly different if existing barriers 
to exports were to be removed. 
3.2  What are the main destinat ion markets of small economies? 
3.10.  The exports of small economies are not only concentrated in terms of products but also in 
terms of destination markets. Figure 3 shows that  for the 32 small economies under consideration, 
the four regions Asia, Europe, North America and South and Central America accounted for more than 90% of exports in 2011. North America and South and Central America alone attracted 57% 
of small economies' export, one reason being ge ography, i.e. 23 out of  32 small economies are 
from South and Central America.  
3.11.  Compared to 2005, exports have become less geographically concentrated. While the export 
share of North America decreased from 43% to 31%, Asia and South and Central America have 
become more relevant markets as their export shar es increased by about five percentage points to 
21% and 26% respectively. 
Figure 3. Shares of regions in expo rts of small economies in 2005 and 2011 
 
 
Source: WTO Secretariat based on the BACI trade database. 
 
3.12.  More detail regarding the main destination markets of the group of 32 small economies at the product level is provided by Annex Table 1. North America is the most important destination 
market for many products from the 32 small economies selected. For example, more than 60% of WT/COMTD/SE/W/28 
 
- 13 - 
 
  apparel products and more than 70% of organi c and inorganic chemicals are shipped to North 
America. However, depending on the product, other regions also represent important markets for the exports of small economies. For instance, Asia is the largest importer of mineral fuels and ores, Europe is the main destination for coffee and fruits and Central and South America is the 
main market for machinery, pharmaceutical products and plastics.  
3.13.  This varying pattern in the importance of destination markets reflects, on the one hand, 
different demand patterns in export markets and, on the other hand, the geographical location and 
production specialization of small economies. 
4  NTMS FACED BY SMALL ECONOMIES ON MAIN EXPORT PRODUCTS IN VARIOUS 
EXPORT MARKETS 
4.1  Notifications and specific trade concerns at the WTO 
4.1.  In order to achieve the objective of tr ansparent trade policies, WTO Agreements contain 
more than 200 notification requirements for WTO Members. While the large majority of these notifications relate to NTMs, the reporting pattern  and the information provided are in many cases 
insufficient to accurately capture the incidence of NTMs.
20 Furthermore, it should be kept in mind 
that TBT and SPS measures are not necessarily trade distorting, but can also facilitate trade. While notifications of TBT and SPS measures do not a ddress this ambiguity, specific trade concerns 
(STCs) provide a clearer indication that a measure might be hampering trade. 
4.2.  This section will discuss the exposure of  small economies to TBT and SPS measures as 
captured by notifications and specific trade conc erns (STCs) of WTO Members. When doing so, the 
assumptions made and limitations of the analysis will be clearly stated.  
4.3.  Table 4 provides an overview of the sect or distribution of notifications and STCs. In 
particular, it shows the number and share of notifications and STCs by product group and the export shares of small economies and the world across these products. While notified TBT 
measures are most common in machinery and electrical equipment, most other product groups are 
also subject to a significant number of TBT measures. In contrast, SPS measures are prevalent in animal products, fats, oils and vegetable produc ts and foodstuffs, which have been subject to 
more than 1,000, 2,000 and 3,000 SPS measures since 1995, respectively. 
4.4.   Relative to the World, small economies ar e more specialised in these three product groups. 
For instance, fats, oils and vegetable products account for 14% of the exports of 32 small economies compared to only 3% of the exports at the world level. Similarly, the share of 
foodstuffs in exports is 9% for small economies and 3% at the world level. Foodstuffs is further 
the product group with the second highest number of TBT notifications and the highest number of 
TBT STCs. Hence, small economies are affected by both TBT and SPS measures, but given their 
export specialization, that they are particularly  exposed and hence vulnerable to SPS measures. 
Table 4. Export shares, notifica tions and STCs by product group 
  Exports TBT Not.s SPS Not.s TBT STCs SPS STCs 
Product group WLD 
(%) SE 
(%) No. % No. % No. % No. % 
I. Animals and Animal Products 2 4 246 5 3,169 49 51 18 143 54 
II-III. Fats, Oils and Vegetable 
Products 3 14 342 7 2,210 34 43 15 92 35 
IV. Foodstuffs 3 9 598 13 1,177 18 80 28 42 16 
V. Mineral Products 22 34 231 5 30 0 6 2 0 0 
VI. Chemicals and Allied Industries 9 9 596 13 362 6 46 16 7 3 
VII. Plastics and Rubbers 4 2 240 5 69 1 15 5 0 0 
VIII. Skins, Leather, and Furs 0 0 30 1 31 0 10 4 1 0 
IX-X. Wood and Paper Products 2 2 110 2 143 2 5 2 8 3 
XI. Textiles 4 11 129 3 39 1 17 6 1 0 
                                               
20 Bacchetta, M., J. Richtering, and R. Santana (2012) , “How Much Light Do WTO Notifications Shed on 
NTMs?”, in O. Cadot and M. Malouche (eds.), Non-Tariff Measures—A Fresh Look at Trade Policy’s New Frontier, London/Washington, DC: Centre for Economic Policy Research/World Bank. WT/COMTD/SE/W/28 
 
- 14 - 
 
    Exports TBT Not.s SPS Not.s TBT STCs SPS STCs 
XII. Footwear and Headgear 1 1 58 1 7 0 14 5 0 0 
XIII-XIV. Stone, Glass and 
Precious Stones 4 5 174 4 5 0 16 6 0 0 
XV. Metals 8 4 362 8 4 0 21 7 0 0 
XVI. Machinery and Electrical 
Equipment 22 3 1,310 28 10 0 59 21 0 0 
XVII. Transportation 9 2 489 10 12 0 28 10 1 0 
XVIII. Instruments and Apparatus 3 1 259 5 7 0 27 9 0 0 
XIX-XXI. Miscellaneous 2 0 313 7 7 0 30 11 0 0 
 
Source: WTO Secretariat based on WTO Integrated Trad e Intelligence Portal (I-TIP), TBT specific trade 
concerns database, and BACI trade database. 
Notes: The table considers notifications and specific trade concerns (STCs) for which HS product codes are 
available, i.e. 4,745 TBT and 6,430 SPS notificati ons and 285 TBT and 264 SPS STCs. A notification 
can apply to more sectors if diffe rent products are covered. The export shares for the world are 
based on the aggregate trade of 225 countries.  
 
4.2  Notifications 
4.5.  The WTO Agreements on TBT and SPS measures require governments to notify new or 
changed measures if they are not based on international standards and if they may have a 
significant effect on the trade of other Members. In order to allow Members to comment, the 
planned measure has to be notified at an early stage when amendments can still be introduced.  
4.6.  Notifications of TBT and SPS measures in clude information on the Member imposing the 
measure, the Member(s) affected by the measure, the measure itself, the product(s) covered by 
the measure and the date when the regulation is expected to enter into force. However, a number 
of shortcomings exist in the notification procedures that complicate the assessment of NTMs.21 
4.7.  First, Members do not need to notify measures that were in place before the SPS and TBT 
Agreements. Second, while members are required to notify proposed regulations, no further 
notification is required regarding the actually im plemented SPS or TBT regulation. Hence, it could 
happen that a notified draft regulation is change d significantly before being implemented or that 
the regulation actually never enters into force. Th ird, in many instances no HS codes are assigned 
to the measures, either because they are not indicated by Members or because it is difficult to assign an HS code based on the description of th e product that the regulation covers. Fourth, even 
though being a requirement, a significant number of countries do not notify changes in their 
regulations to the WTO. 
4.8.  Nevertheless, it is worthwhile to analyse notifications by Members to the WTO as they still 
allow assessing the exposure of exports of small economies with respect to TBT and SPS 
measures. A notified measure is assumed to cover and hence potentially affect exports of small 
economies if it applies to "all Members" or the respective small economy and if the imposing member imports the specified product from the small economy. 
4.9.  Table 5 shows to what extent notified TBT and SPS measures cover and hence potentially 
affect the exports of 32 small economies. In part icular, for each of the 32 small economies Table 5 
provides overall merchandise exports, the number of TBT and SPS notifications that are imposed by trade partners of the products specified in no tifications and the value and share of merchandise 
exports covered by TBT and SPS notifications.  
                                               
21 More detail is provided in Bacchetta, M., J. Richtering, and R. Santana (2012), “How Much Light Do 
WTO Notifications Shed on NTMs?”, in O. Cadot and M. Malouche (eds.), Non-Tariff Measures—A Fresh Look at 
Trade Policy’s New Frontier, London/W ashington, DC: Centre for Economic  Policy Research/World Bank; and 
WTO (2012), World Trade Report 2012: Trade and Public Policies: A closer look at Non-Tariff Measures in the 21
st Century. WT/COMTD/SE/W/28 
 
- 15 - 
 
  4.10.  This latter share of exports covered by TB T and SPS measures is typically called coverage 
ratio (CR).22 The coverage ratio for the exporting country i is calculated by dividing the exports of 
country i subject to NTMs in importing country j by total exports of country i: 
 
jp pijjp pij pj
iXX NTM
CR
2011,,2011,, 2013 1995,,
 
 
4.11.  NTM j,p,1995-2013  is a binary dummy variable indicating whether a trade flow X  j,p,2011  is covered 
by TBT or SPS measures. It does so by taking the value of one if one or more measures have been imposed by the importing country j during the period 1995-2013 on product p, which can be at the 
HS 6-, 4- or 2-digit level. 
4.12.  In Table 5, the coverage ratios of small economies are shown at the country level. Annex 
Table 3 provides the coverage ratios at the HS 2- digit product level. In order to show the overall 
exposure of countries to TBT and SPS measures, notifications from January 1995 to July 2013 
have been matched with trade data for 2011. Another reason for doing so is that generally no 
information is available as to whether the meas ure has been changed or not. Furthermore, it 
should be noted that Table 5 only considers notifications for which an HS product code could be 
assigned, that is 4,745 for TBT measures and 6,430 for SPS measures. In contrast, overall 
16,666 TBT measures and 11,815 SPS measures have been notified to the WTO between 1995 and July 2013. 
4.13.  Countries that tend to export more are also subject to more notifications as they are likely 
to export a wider range of products to a greater number of countries compared to small exporters. For instance, Ecuador is by far the biggest exporter with exports totalling more than 23 billion USD. Its exports have been subject to 1,218 TBT measures and 1,389 SPS measures, 
which represents the highest number among the 32 small economies. However, there are 
exceptions. For instance, Brunei Darussalam and Trinidad and Tobago are large exporters but are subject to relatively few notifications. This can be explained by the fact that these countries are 
specialised in exports of mineral fuel products, which are typically not subject to many TBT and 
SPS measures. 
4.14.  Table 5 further shows that TBT and SPS measures cover a significant share of exports for 
many small economies. In particular, TBT and SPS measures cover on average 34% and 30% of 
exports across the 32 small economies. Furthermor e, TBT measures cover the majority of exports 
for five small economies: Seychelles (65%), Saint Kitts and Nevis (59%), Honduras (63%), Mauritius (63%) and the Dominican Republic (54%). SPS measures meanwhile, cover more than 
half of exports for seven small economies: Maldives (82%), Seychelles (80%), Cape Verde (70%), 
Tonga (67%), Grenada (65%), Paraguay (64%) an d Vanuatu (50%). The high exposure of these 
countries against TBT and SPS measures can, on the one hand, constitute potential risks and, on 
the other hand, indicate that these measures have not constituted a serious trade barrier for them. 
4.15.  However, there are also some small econom ies whose exports are only slightly exposed to 
TBT and SPS measures. In particular, TBT measures cover less than 10% of exports for seven 
small economies: Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Maldives, Saint Vincent and the 
Grenadines, Suriname and Vanuatu. SPS measures cover less than 10% of exports for six small economies: Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Brunei Darussalam, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Sri Lanka, and Trinidad and Tobago. The low exposure of these countries against NTMs might indicate that 
they encounter difficulties when trying to comply with the measures. 
4.16.  Assessing the exposure of countries at the product level provides more detail and helps 
explain the results at the country level. Annex Table 3 provides the same statistics as Table 5 
disaggregated for the top ten export products of  each of the 32 small economies. For instance, 
Seychelles is highly specialised in prepared fish products accounting for 63% of its exports. Basically all of these fish products are exported to destination markets that have notified TBT 
                                               
22 Recent studies, including the World Trade Report 2012, calculate the coverage ratio for importing 
countries, i.e. the share of imports that is subject to NTMs in importing country j. While in the following 
coverage ratios are calculated for small economies as  exporting countries, Figures 1 and 2 are based on 
coverage ratios for importing countries. WT/COMTD/SE/W/28 
 
- 16 - 
 
  measures and SPS measures. Differently, the high exposure of Honduras to TBT measures can be 
explained by its specialization in textiles. Honduras textile exports account for 36% of merchandise exports and 33% are subject to notified TBT measures. 
4.17.  In contrast, also some of Barbados' main exports products such as dairy products, fish, 
beverages, machinery and vehicles are subject to  a number of TBT and/or SPS measures in the 
destination markets. However, while these products are among the top ten exported products, only few exports go to countries that have notified TBT or SPS measures. Among others, this 
might indicate that Barbados faces difficulties to comply with these measures. Similarly, tea, 
coffee and spices belong to the top export products of Sri Lanka accounting for 15% of 
merchandise exports. However, exports of these products to markets that have notified 27 TBT and 137 SPS measures account only for 0.5% and 2.7% of Sri Lanka' exports. This note later 
discusses findings from an ITC survey of Sri Lank a, highlighting some of the difficulties of tea 
producers to comply with the import requirements of different countries. 
Table 5. Exports of small economies that are potentially affected by notified TBT and SPS 
measures 
    TBT notifications and 
potentially affected exports SPS notifications and 
potentially affected exports 
Exporter Exports in 
USD ('000) No. 
Not.s USD ('000) CR 
(%) No. 
Not.s USD ('000) CR 
(%) 
Antigua and Barbuda 929,919 420 16,864 2 182 5,964 1 
Barbados 1,243,311 686 96,736 8 512 50,114 4 
Belize 829,781 544 147,949 18 447 159,443 19 
Bolivia, P.S. of 8,926,367 407 3,707,021 42 673 3,610,487 40 
Brunei Darussalam 11,119,601 182 5,376,811 48 97 82,209 1 
Cape Verde 87,417 124 42,231 48 134 61,593 70 
Cuba 2,587,878 283 1,072,657 41 408 608,552 24 
Dominica 56,873 232 4,448 8 155 11,725 21 
Dominican Republic 7,878,848 1,262 4,218,114 54 974 1,631,364 21 
Ecuador 23,569,850 1,218 4,405,741 19 1,389 6,113,088 26 
El Salvador 5,306,883 874 2,563,443 48 847 1,069,839 20 
Fiji 672,195 205 254,267 38 469 289,819 43 
Grenada 28,357 78 8,271 29 172 18,341 65 
Guatemala 11,139,779 1,224 4,353,698 39 1,324 3,559,010 32 
Guyana 1,479,608 381 569,339 38 553 260,024 18 
Honduras 7,312,824 665 4,591,641 63 942 1,961,336 27 
Jamaica 1,366,173 398 431,359 32 508 469,023 34 
Maldives 182,158 61 12,578 7 164 149,405 82 
Mauritius 2,393,884 765 1,514,817 63 634 448,806 19 
Nicaragua 3,241,258 791 1,521,861 47 1,092 1,450,741 45 
Panama 12,768,218 1,497 6,138,432 48 1,270 1,648,575 13 
Papua New Guinea 7,352,853 168 1,264,923 17 254 1,733,327 24 
Paraguay 5,657,942 506 2,527,589 45 1,186 3,625,399 64 
Saint Kitts and Nevis 74,663 317 44,423 59 114 1,882 3 
Saint Lucia 29,643 110 9,281 31 119 6,975 24 
S. Vincent and the Grenadines 102,040 208 4,551 4 179 9,711 10 
Seychelles 366,755 175 240,069 65 317 295,122 80 
Sri Lanka 9,280,479 1,113 4,141,741 45 1,184 771,546 8 
Suriname 1,475,808 579 79,860 5 554 181,285 12 
Tonga 19,375 51 8,933 46 223 12,920 67 
Trinidad and Tobago 13,728,443 389 3,156,205 23 345 942,282 7 
Vanuatu 392,797 93 12,651 3 511 197,797 50 
 
Source:  WTO Secretariat based on WTO I-TIP and BACI trade database. 
Note: Trade data are for the year 2011. The number and the coverage ratio (CR) of TBT and SPS 
notifications are based on notifications between January 1995 and July 2013. 
 WT/COMTD/SE/W/28 
 
- 17 - 
 
  4.2.1  Notifications directly  affecting small economies 
4.18.  In contrast to TBT measures, SPS measures are sometimes directed at specific countries. 
For instance, a country might apply specific import requirements on vegetables or fruits from one or more countries following a pest risk analysis . Table 6 shows that 19 out of 32 small economies 
have been affected by 24 emergency and 49 re gular SPS notifications. While the emergency 
notifications directed at small economies cover mostly import prohibitions of flowers, fruits and rice, regular notifications principally concern import  requirements of various seeds, fruits and other 
vegetable products. Details on these measures are provided in Annex Tables 4 and 5, respectively. 
The most interesting point to note is that 68 out of 73 notifications have been initiated in the year 2011 or after. 
Table 6. Emergency and regular SPS notifica tions directly affecting small economies 
  Emergency Regular 
Belize 1 1 
Bolivia  5 
Cape Verde 1  
Cuba 1  
Ecuador 1 12 
Dominica 1  
Dominican Republic 1 1 
Fiji  3 
Guatemala 1 2 
Honduras 1 2 
Jamaica 1  
Mauritius 1  
Nicaragua 1 1 
Papua New Guinea 1  
Paraguay 8 17 
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1  
Sri Lanka 3 1 
Tonga  2 
Vanuatu   2 
 
Source: WTO Integrated Trade Intelligence Portal (I-TIP). 
 
4.3  Specific trade concerns 
4.19.  Specific trade concerns (STCs) are concer ns raised by Members in either the TBT or SPS 
Committee vis à vis  other Members. While notifications cover TBT and SPS measures that can 
have either a trade distorting or trade facilitating effect, STCs indicate more clearly those 
measures that negatively affect the exports of other Members. Most STCs raised for discussion in the TBT Committee refer to notifications. The reasons for raising an STC in the TBT Committee 
vary broadly – it is notable that in in about a th ird of cases they challenge the use or non-use of a 
relevant international standard.
23 Besides facilitating a useful discussion of trade concerns in a 
multilateral context, in some instances STCs can be  interpreted as an informal way of solving trade 
conflicts, thereby contributing to the prevention of formal WTO trade disputes.24 
4.20.  Between 1995 and the end of 2012, some  344 STCs had been discussed in the SPS 
Committee and 365 STCs in the Committee on TBT. Figure 4 shows the number of new concerns raised each year in the respective Committee.
25 Two main observations can be made: first, in 
recent years, the number of TBT STCs was consid erably higher than the number of SPS STCs. In 
                                               
23 Wijkström, E. and D. McDaniels (2013), “Improving  Regulatory Governance: International Standards 
and the WTO TBT Agreement”, Journal of World Trade 47(5), pp. 1013-1046. 
24 Horn, H., P. C. Mavroidis and E. N. Wijkström (2013), "In the Shadow of the DSU: Addressing Specific 
Trade Concerns in the WTO SPS and TBT Committees", Journal of World Trade 47(4), pp. 729–759. 
25 Summaries of STCs in the SPS and TBT Committees are provided in the respective WTO Secretariat 
Notes G/SPS/Gen/204/Rev.13 and G/TBT/33. WT/COMTD/SE/W/28 
 
- 18 - 
 
  2012, for example, 16 new concerns were raised in the SPS Committee compared to 35 new 
concerns in the TBT Committee. Second, while the number of SPS STCs has been relatively stable 
or decreasing over time, the number of TBT STCs has increased significantly from 2006 onwards. 
Figure 4. Number of new specific trade co ncerns raised in the SPS and TBT Committees 
 
Source: WTO Secretariat Notes G/SPS/Gen/204/Rev.13 and G/TBT/33. 
 
4.21.  STCs about TBT or SPS measures can be accessed through either the WTO's I-TIP database 
or the WTO Information Management Systems for TBT (TBT IMS) and SPS (SPS IMS). The 
information which is provided on STCs includes: Members maintaining the measure, Members raising or supporting the concern, description of the STC in question, products affected and the dates when the concern was raised in the respective Committee meeting. While information is 
available about whether specific concerns have been resolved in the SPS Committee, Members in 
the TBT Committee do not report on whether a concern has been resolved. 
4.22.  As in the case of notifications, the ex posure of small economies to STCs is assessed 
according to the number of STCs potentially affe cting exports of small economies and the value 
and share of exports, i.e. the coverage ratio, that are potentially affected. When matching information on STCs with trade data, it is assumed that a particular STC affects all Members that 
export the product under consideration to the Member against which the STC is raised. In other 
words, not only the Member(s) raising the concern are affected but also other Member(s). STCs are typically raised by those Members with the greatest export interest but the measure still 
requires compliance by all exporters. 
4.23.  This is a straightforward assumption for TBT STCs since technical regulations of one Member 
typically apply to all other Members. Hence, every country that exports the respective product(s) to the Member imposing a measure has to comply with the technical regulation. In the case of SPS 
STCs, the assumption appears stronger. Concerns on SPS measures can refer to import 
restrictions that a Member has imposed on the Member(s) raising the concern due to food safety issues, or animal disease or plant pest present in the territory of the latter. In other cases, 
concerns relate to delays in inspection or other conformity assessment procedures for particular 
products. In such cases, other Members might not be directly affected, but they could be exposed 
to such measures in the future. Furthermore, recent research
26 using data on SPS STCs suggests 
that, besides having a direct bilateral effect, SPS measures are also a multilateral impediment to 
                                               
26 Crivelli, P. and J. Gröschl (2012), "The Impact of Sanitary and Phytosanit ary Measures on Market 
Entry and Trade Flows", Working Paper Series (WPS) 12092, University of Geneva. WT/COMTD/SE/W/28 
 
- 19 - 
 
  market entry for exporting countries. Hence, Table 7 and Annex Table 3 represent the upper limits 
of potentially affected exports for small economies.27  
4.24.  Table 7 and Annex Table 3 illustrate the exposure or vulnerability of small economies 
against NTMs based on the extent to which resolved and unresolved specific trade concerns since 
1995 could apply to the trading pattern of small economies in 2011. 
4.25.  A large number of small economies export to those markets where a TBT STC has been 
raised. For as many as 14 out of 32 small econ omies, TBT STCs cover more than 50% of their 
merchandise exports, which is significantly more than five small economies in the case of 
notifications. Annex Table 3 shows, for example,  that Cape Verde is exposed to TBT measures 
because its exports are highly concentrated in fi sh products (HS 03 and HS 16), which account for 
more than 70% of its exports. In particular, 18 STCs on products within these two HS Chapters 
encompass 69% of Cape Verde's exports. In the ca se of Honduras, more than 44% of its exports 
are apparel and clothing products (HS 24 and HS 08), and almost all of its exports in these products were or still are subject to TBT measures against which nine concerns were raised. 
4.26.  SPS STCs cover an average of only 19% of exports of small econ omies, while TBT STCs 
cover an average of 40%. Also, the number of ST Cs that cover the exports of small economies is 
lower in the case of SPS measures compared to TBT measures. For example, SPS STCs cover more 
than 50% of exports of three small economies - Cape Verde, Grenada, and Seychelles. Annex 
Table 3 shows that, as in the case of TBT STCs, the high level of exposure of Cape Verde and 
Seychelles to SPS measures is due to their specialization in fish products (HS 03 and HS 16), which account for more than 70% of Cape Verde' s exports and for more than 85% of the exports 
of Seychelles. In the case of Grenada, it is mostly nutmeg (part of HS 09 Coffee, tea and spices) 
that could potentially be  affected by SPS STCs. 
                                               
27 The exports covered by STCs that have been rais ed by small economies wo uld constitute the lower 
limits. WT/COMTD/SE/W/28 
 
- 20 - 
 
  Table 7. Exports of small economies th at are potentially affected by STCs 
    TBT STCs and potentially 
affected exports SPS STCs and potentially 
affected exports 
Exporter Exports in 
USD ('000) No. 
STCs USD ('000) CR 
(%) No. 
STCs USD ('000) CR 
(%) 
Antigua and Barbuda 929,919 69 18,004 2 35 1,603 0 
Barbados 1,243,311 105 91,891 7 47 5,644 0 
Belize 829,781 79 192,806 23 61 118,425 14 
Bolivia, P.S. of 8,926,367 95 539,973 6 71 261,157 3 
Brunei Darussalam 11,119,601 51 95,275 1 20 334 0 
Cape Verde 87,417 52 77,920 89 31 60,712 69 
Cuba 2,587,878 90 768,512 30 62 117,291 5 
Dominica 56,873 65 12,498 22 38 8,854 16 
Dominican Republic 7,878,848 148 2,646,087 34 87 748,449 9 
Ecuador 23,569,850 141 6,015,971 26 120 4,816,822 20 
El Salvador 5,306,883 123 2,719,066 51 73 385,226 7 
Fiji 672,195 61 322,897 48 47 53,187 8 
Grenada 28,357 34 18,696 66 27 15,750 56 
Guatemala 11,139,779 158 5,783,910 52 125 2,181,933 20 
Guyana 1,479,608 86 269,203 18 62 117,034 8 
Honduras 7,312,824 97 5,711,238 78 93 1,847,337 25 
Jamaica 1,366,173 110 691,489 51 74 72,575 5 
Maldives 182,158 50 105,076 58 24 88,336 48 
Mauritius 2,393,884 135 1,693,667 71 89 364,561 15 
Nicaragua 3,241,258 115 1,863,793 58 107 929,804 29 
Panama 12,768,218 170 4,334,663 34 102 574,237 4 
Papua New Guinea 7,352,853 66 1,252,814 17 34 1,549,592 21 
Paraguay 5,657,942 108 3,009,236 53 105 755,196 13 
Saint Kitts and Nevis 74,663 36 40,462 54 15 1,351 2 
Saint Lucia 29,643 43 8,514 29 26 5,980 20 
S. Vincent and the Grenadines 102,040 49 14,070 14 34 1,429 1 
Seychelles 366,755 75 295,666 81 46 242,075 66 
Sri Lanka 9,280,479 150 5,450,521 59 120 507,925 5 
Suriname 1,475,808 91 698,725 47 71 133,492 9 
Tonga 19,375 30 12,786 66 18 8,555 44 
Trinidad and Tobago 13,728,443 90 3,954,075 29 34 49,686 0 
Vanuatu 392,797 41 77,637 20 44 13,974 4 
 
Source:  WTO Secretariat based on WTO I-TIP, World Tr ade Report 2012 - TBT STC database, BACI trade 
database. 
Note: Trade data are for the year 2011. The number and the coverage ratio (CR) of SPS STCs are based 
on concerns raised between January 1995 and July  2013. Differently, the number and the CR of TBT 
STCs are based on concerns raised between January 1995 and December 2011 due to the use of the World Trade Report 2012 - TBT STC database. 
 
4.3.1  Specific trade concerns rais ed or supported by small economies 
4.27.  Between 1995 and August 2013, 379 STCs were raised in the TBT Committee and 
356 concerns in the SPS Committee. As indicated above, in contrast to notifications, STCs actually 
indicate that the respective measures are potentially protectionist or have trade distorting effects. Annex Tables 6 and 7 list the STCs that have been raised or supported by small economies in the 
TBT or SPS Committee respectively. 
4.28.  Small economies raised 20 concerns regarding TBT measures, which correspond to about 
5% of all concerns raised in the TBT Committee. In the SPS Committee, small economies raised 36 concerns representing 10% of overall concerns raised. Five TBT STCs covered tobacco 
products, which are of major importance to small economies such as Cuba, Dominican Republic or 
Honduras. Seven concerns raised in the SPS Committee covered fruits (HS 08), coffee, tea and spices (HS 09), respectively. Hence, in line with th eir export specialization in agricultural and food WT/COMTD/SE/W/28 
 
- 21 - 
 
  products, small economies have raised more co ncerns regarding SPS measures. However, in 
recent years, the number of concerns raised by small economies in both the TBT and SPS 
Committee has been more or less similar. 
4.29.  Typically, small economies raise STCs together with other Members. To date, out of 32 
small economies, 13 have raised or supported co ncerns in the TBT Committee, and 17 in the SPS 
Committee. With the exception of Mauritius, only small economies from South and Central America have been raising TBT STCs, while SPS STCs have also been raised by the three Asian countries 
Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Sri Lanka. 
4.30.  However, small economies and other developing countries are likely to be less active than 
developed Members in raising trade concerns in the TBT and SPS Committees due to different reasons. First, small economies might not be ab le to attend all the Committee meetings due to 
capacity constraints and the fact that several are non-resident Members without representation in 
Geneva. Second, some countries might lack a cl ear agenda or strategy regarding TBT and SPS 
measures and compliance. 
5  IMPACT OF NTMS ON THE EXPORTS OF SMALL ECONOMIES 
5.1  Main findings from econometric studies 5.1.  To assess the effects of NTMs on trade, econometric analysis, in particular estimation of the 
gravity model, is frequently used. This section highlights four issues of interest to small economies 
that arise from the findings of the respective literature with respect to TBT and SPS measures.
28  
5.2.  First, technical regulations and standards have been found to have different impacts on 
manufacturing and non-manufacturing products. While technical regulations and standards tend to 
increase trade in manufacturing products, they reduce trade in agricultural products including food 
and beverages.29 A possible explanation is that, for manufacturing products, standards are able to 
significantly reduce information costs related to foreign market entry outweighing the costs of 
standard compliance. In contrast, for agricultural products, compliance costs can be high relative 
to information costs, also because agricultural products tend to be more homogeneous. Hence, since most small economies are specialised in agricultural products, a relatively high share of their 
exports is likely to be negatively affected by NTMs. 
5.3.  Second, results from a limited number of firm level studies suggest that TBT and SPS 
measures are more restrictive for small firms compared to large ones as small firms might not have the resources to cover the fixed and possibly variable costs required to comply with these 
measures.
30 
5.4.  Third, the costs associated with conformity assessment procedures might represent a 
particular problem for small economies. Empirical studies point to a significant negative effect of 
conformity assessment procedures of both TBT31 and SPS32 m e a s u r e s  o n  t r a d e .  I n  c o n t r a s t  t o  
                                               
28 Comprehensive reviews of the economic literature that assesses the trade effects of NTMs are 
provided by UNCTAD (2013), Non-Tariff Measures to Trade: Economic and Policy Issues for Developing Countries; and WTO (2012), World Trade Report 2012: Trade and Public Policies: A closer look at Non-Tariff Measures in the 21st Century.  
29 Among others, studies highlighting these differential impacts of technical measures are Moenius, J. 
(2004), "Information versus Product Adaptation: The Role  of Standards in Trade", International Business and 
Markets Research Center Working Pape r, Northwestern University; Fontagné , L., M. Mimouni and J.M. Pasteels 
(2005), "Estimating the Impact of Environmental SPS an d TBT on International Trade", Integration and Trade 
22(3), pp. 7-37; and Li, Y. and J. C. Beghin (2012), "A meta-analysis of estimates of the impact of technical barriers to trade", Journal of Policy Modeling 34(3), pp. 497-511. 
30 A negative effect of SPS measures  on the foreign market entry of Fr ench firms, with the effect being 
stronger for small firms, was found by Fontagné, L., G. Orefice, R. Piermartini and N. Rocha (2013), “Product Standards and Margins of Trade: Firm Level Evidence”, WTO Staff Working Paper ERSD-2013-04, WTO. 
31 Chen M. X., J. Wilson and T. Otsuki (2008), "Standards and export decisions: Firm-level evidence 
from developing countries", Journal of International Trade & Economic Development 17(4), pp. 501-523. Using 
survey data on TBT measures , they find a positive relationship betw een quality standards and export volume 
and export diversification In contrast, certification proc edures have a negative correlation with the number of 
firms' export markets and export products. WT/COMTD/SE/W/28 
 
- 22 - 
 
  quality standards or labelling requirements, conformity assessment procedures are unlikely to 
enhance consumer trust and hence demand. Furthermore, different export markets may require separate conformity assessment procedures, even if  these are based on internationally harmonized 
product standards. Firms in small economies that lack adequate testing and certification capacities 
may hence be particularly deterred by such measures. 
5.5.  Fourth, harmonization and mutual recognitio n agreements can reduce the compliance cost of 
TBT and SPS measures, thereby helping firms, and small firms in particular, export to different 
markets. However, regional harmonization can result in trade diversion for countries outside the 
agreement. For instance, North-South agreements  may enhance the product quality and also the 
exports of firms from the South to the North but at the same time reduce South-South trade.
33 
5.2  Evidence from the OECD-WTO Aid-for-Trade surveys 
5.6.  The OECD-WTO Aid-for-Trade questionnaires provide further evidence regarding the potential 
impact of NTMs on small economies. In their responses to the questionnaires officials from small economies considered standards compliance to be among the main obstacles for their firms to 
participate in value chains (Figure 5). In part icular, 8 out of 23 small economies, i.e. 35%, 
identified standards compliance to be among the three main obstacles for their companies. 
Figure 5. Main obstacles identified by small economies for a greater participation of their 
firms in value chains (percentage and number of small economies) 
1234557881113
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%Burdensome  documentation  requirementsTrade restrictionsInability to attract foreign direct investmentLack of labour force skillsMarket entry costsStructure  of value chainsLack of comparative  advantageBurdensome  border procedures  in export marketsStandards  complianceInadequate  domestic infrastructureLimited access to trade finance
 
 
Source: OECD-WTO Aid-for-Trade partner questionnaire, 2013. Note: Based on answers of government  officials from 23 small economies. 
 
5.7.  The OECD-WTO Aid-for-Trade private sector  questionnaires provide insights regarding the 
relative importance of certification capacities and plant pests for agrifood suppliers from small 
economies. Figure 6 shows that certification costs are among the main difficulties firms from small economies face when integrating into agrifood va lue chains. In contrast, the presence of plant 
pests or animal diseases does not seem to be of particular relevance to the 26 firms surveyed from 
small economies. These results for agrifood supplie rs from small economies are comparable to the 
difficulties mentioned by suppliers across all developing countries.
34 
                                                                                                                                               
32 A negative effect of SPS confor mity assessment procedures on market entry and the value of exports 
is found by Crivelli, P. and J. Gröschl (2012), "The Impa ct of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures on Market 
Entry and Trade Flows", Working Paper Series (WPS) 12092, University of Geneva. 
33 Cadot, O., A.-C. Disdier and L. Fontagné (2 012), "North-South Standards Harmonization and 
International Trade", CEPR Discussion Papers no. 8767. 
34 Cattaneo, O. (2013), “Aid for Trade and Value Ch ains in Agrifood”, OECD-WTO Sector Study. WT/COMTD/SE/W/28 
 
- 23 - 
 
  Figure 6. Difficulties suppliers from small ec onomies face when entering, establishing or 
moving up agrifood value chains (percentage and number of suppliers) 
00223445677911121515
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%Access to livestock geneticsPresence of animal diseases in national territoryImport licensing or quotasPresence of plant pests in national territorySupply chain governance  issuesInadequate  telecommunications  networksSeasonal export or import restrictionsLack of transparency  in regulatory  environmentInformal controls and corrupt practicesAccess to trade financeInadequate  airport capacity or linksInadequate  maritime transport  and port capacityCertification  costsCustoms paperwork  and delaysAccess to business financeTransportation  costs
 
 
Source OECD-WTO Aid-for-Trade private sector questionnaire, 2013. Note: Based on answers of 26 agrifood suppliers from 14 small economies. 
 
5.8.  These difficulties are also reflected in the ty pes of support that agrifood suppliers from small 
economies consider to be most effective (Figure 2). Support targeted at enhancing the internationally-recognised standards and certification capacity are mentioned by more than 30% of 
firms. 
Figure 7. Types of support agrifood suppliers  identify as most effective (percentage and 
number of suppliers) 
33456788813131619
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%Establishment  of animal or pest‐disease free zonesAppropriate  competition  policyInvestment  in communications  infrastructurePublic‐private dialogue with national authoritiesSupport to improve business environmentTrade facilitation  measuresEstablishment  of special economic  zonesInvestment  in infrastructure  (road, rail, port, airport capacity)Internationally ‐recognised  standards  and certification  capacityIncentives  for investment  (domestic  and foreign)Labour force training schemesBetter access to financeBetter market access
 
 
Source:  OECD-WTO Aid-for-Trade pr ivate sector questionnaire, 2013. 
Note: Based on answers of 26 agrifood suppliers from 14 small economies. 
 WT/COMTD/SE/W/28 
 
- 24 - 
 
  5.3   ITC surveys of NTMS faced by select ed small economies in their main export 
markets  
5.9.   Another source of information concerning the impact of NTMs on specific exports of small 
economies can be found in the ITC's surveys of how NTMs affect or impact the exports of small 
economies. The surveys are based on interviews with representatives from the private sector 
involved in exporting goods and services. Several small economies have been surveyed including Jamaica, Mauritius, Sri Lanka and Trinidad and Tobago. In total, some 23 surveys have been 
completed so far in developing and least developed countries.  
5.10.   The surveys provide useful data and info rmation from a private sector perspective. They 
are even more revealing when compared across countries and regions. For example, of the 
334 exporters interviewed by telephone in Trin idad and Tobago, some 22% said they were 
affected by NTMs and related obstacles. Results from similar interviews in Sri Lanka and Peru 
showed that 70% and 42% of exporters were affect ed by NTMs. In regard to food and agro-based 
products, 40% of exporters in Trinidad and Tobago reported difficulties. In Sri Lanka and Peru, the 
percentages were considerably higher with 69% and 88%, respectively.
35 Jamaica reported 50%. 
5.11.   The most prevalent NTMs globally are SPS measures which have a major impact on 
agro-based goods, particularly fresh food. Most developed countries have high food quality and 
safety standards and increasingly, they are introducing stringent food safety legislation. TBT are 
also on the rise internationally, especially those involving consumer information labels, product standards and production processes. High regulations in foreign countries coupled with weak domestic conformity assessment infrastructure can further pose obstacles to trade in food and 
agro-based goods. 
 
 
 
  
 
   
 
Source: ITC (2013),"Trinidad and Tobago: Company Perspectives – An ITC Series on Non-Tariff Measures". 
 
5.12.   In regard to manufacturing, the ITC surv ey reported that three sectors showed a higher 
than average level of affectedness. These were wood, wood products and paper (29.7%). Metal 
and basic manufacturing (4.9%), however, were co nsiderably lower given the fact that a large 
proportion of exported machinery and equipment co nsists of re-exported goods. Hence, products 
in these sectors did not usually face many obstacles to trade. The ITC reported that only four of 
36 exporters in Trinidad and Tobago reported being affected by NTMs.36  
                                               
35 ITC (2013),"Trinidad and Tobago: Company Perspectives – An ITC Series on Non-Tariff Measures". 
36 Ibid. Exporters of spices reported that curry powder imported into the United Kingdom had to be 
accompanied by a certificate showing that the product had been tested and found to be free of Sudan 1. Sudan 1 is a substance used for colouring foodstuff but classified as a carcinogen by 
the International Agency for Research on Cancer . In 2003, the EU issued a regulation, banning 
the use of Sudan 1 in foodstuff. The regulation (which also applies to sauces, chutneys and other products with curry powder) posed a difficulty since Trinidad and Tobago had no 
laboratories to test for Sudan 1. The cost of testing in the United States (on average US$350 
per batch per shipment) was considered to be prohibitive.  WT/COMTD/SE/W/28 
 
- 25 - 
 
  Figure 8: Most frequent categories of NTMs applied by partner countries on Trinidad and 
Tobago's exports  
 
29%
32%10%9%15%5%Technical
requirements
Conformity
assessment
Pre-shipment
inspection and other
entry formalities
Quantity control
measures
Rules of origin
 
 
Source: ITC (2013),"Trinidad and Tobago: Company Perspectives – An ITC Series on Non-Tariff Measures".  
5.13.   In the ITC's survey of Mauritius, the total percentage of Mauritian enterprises reporting 
burdensome NTMs and procedural obstacles was 41%. This is considerably lower than the average share of companies affected by burdensome NTMs in the neighbouring 19 countries which are part 
of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).
37  
5.14.   Technical measures, comprising technical requirements and conformity assessment rules, 
make up the majority of the cases of reported burdensome NTMs applied by partner countries on 
Mauritian exports. Conformity assessment procedures were found to be the main obstacle for 
exports. These include certification requirements and providing proof that products actually comply with the technical requirements. As in most ot her surveyed countries, for example Burkina Faso, 
Kenya, Malawi and Rwanda, exporters in Mauritius reported more cases of burdensome conformity 
assessment (44%) than challenges with technical requirements (22%). This indicates that testing 
and certification are perceived as an area wher e Mauritian exporters have difficulty meeting 
requirements. The high incidence of complaints ab out the restrictiveness and difficulty to comply 
with such measures may relate to the complexity of the measures in the destination market, a lack 
of sufficient recognition of Mauritian testing capabilities, or inadequate information and facilities to comply.  
                                               
37 ITC (2013), "Mauritius: Company Perspectives – An ITC Series on Non-Tariff Measures", preliminary 
version. WT/COMTD/SE/W/28 
 
- 26 - 
 
  Figure 9: Percentage share of companies affected by burdensome NTMs and other 
obstacles to trade in surveyed countries38 
 
 
Source:  ITC (2013), "Mauritius: Company Perspectives – An ITC Series on Non-Tariff Measures", preliminary 
version. 
 
5.15.   Rules of origin as well as charges, taxes and other para-tariff measures such as service 
fees or other import surcharges experienced by Mauritian exporters were at 14% and 7% 
respectively of all of the reported cases. Most of the rules of origin or certificates of origin requirements concern exports towards European Unio n countries, especially for fish and textile and 
clothing exports, and are normally required by trading partners to determine if the product is 
eligible for any preferential treatment.   
5.16.   In the ITC survey of Sri Lanka, exporter s in the fresh food sector reported the highest 
percentage of trade barriers (80.6% of contacte d companies), followed by companies exporting 
processed agricultural commodities (75.7%). Th e manufacturing export sectors were somewhat 
less affected by NTM related problems: 70.6% of textile and clothing exporters reported difficulties, followed by exporters of chemical s, plastics and rubber-based products (60%) and 
other manufactures (66.5%).
39 
5.17.   Most NTMs affecting Sri Lankan exports were applied by its largest exports markets, i.e. 
the European Union and North America, but also by regional partner India. 
5.3.1  Tea in Sri Lanka  
5.18.   Sri Lankan tea exporters are among the mo st competitive in the world. The ITC's survey, 
however, reported that they struggle with burd ensome NTMs and procedural obstacles. In-depth 
interviews were conducted with 16 affected te a exporters, five of which were companies 
specialized in export processes and services, such  as agents, brokers, forwarding companies and 
trade logistics services providers. The survey unc overed systematic differences in the experience 
of trading agents and companies producing and exporting tea. While trading agents had no 
                                               
38 Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Egypt, Guinea, Ja maica, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, 
Mauritius, Morocco, Palestinian Territory, Paraguay, Peru , Rwanda, Senegal, Sri Lank a, Trinidad and Tobago, 
Tunisia and Uruguay. 
39 ITC (2011), "Sri Lanka: Company perspectives  – An ITC Series on Non-Tariff Measures". WT/COMTD/SE/W/28 
 
- 27 - 
 
  difficulties with NTMs, companies producing and exporting tea reported 29 cases of burdensome 
regulations (on average 2.6 NTM cases per affected company that participated in the interviews). Out of the 29 reported cases, 18 cases (62%) were applied by partner countries importing Sri Lankan tea. 
5.19.   The ITC survey explained the differences  between exporting companies and trading agents 
and said that trading companies specializing in th e export of tea have a good understanding of the 
technical regulations but that companies producing tea for export, especially smallholders, lacked 
the expertise of knowing the different import requirements from one country to another. 
5.20.   The burdensome NTMs on tea were said to be applied by Australia, Chile, Egypt, Hong Kong 
China, Japan, Kuwait, the Russian Federation, Syri an Arab Republic, Turkey and Ukraine. All these 
countries are among the top 20 importers of Sri Lankan tea. The reported NTM cases are 
distributed evenly across partners, suggesting that no major partner is imposing more restrictive 
requirements than other importing countries. However, companies exporting tea to the countries of the Middle East reported delays and high fees encountered in their embassies. Similar difficulties 
with the embassies of the Middle East countries were observed in other countries surveyed, for 
example in the Philippines.
40 
5.3.2  Other agricultural and agro-bas ed products and clothing and textiles 
5.21.   The ITC survey of Sri Lanka reported that  raw and processed agricultural exports, except 
tea, were hampered by product-specific SPS and technical regulations and that these were mostly 
applied by importing partner countries. Private standards, set by major buyers in large markets, also caused some difficulties. Meanwhile, the clothing and textile sector was noted to have 
obstacles on both exports and imports. The large a pparel export industry is confronted with very 
strong international competition and trade preferences and some recent policy changes play an important role, especially non-reciprocal tariff preferences for trading with the major European 
Union and North American markets. A requirement for benefitting from tariff preferences is 
compliance with rules of origin requirements. Since Sri Lanka relies on imported textile inputs to a large extent, problems can be caused by partners’ rules of origin requirements specifying 
minimum shares of domestic inputs. 
______________________________________________________________________________ 
WHAT ARE PRIVATE STANDARDS?
41 
 
Standards may be classified in numerous ways, and often the different terminologies used can be 
confusing. Classifying them by how they are developed allows us to look at the implications on 
developing country exporters: 
 At the national level, government standards, which are often called technical regulations, 
are developed and promulgated by Federal, St ate, and local agencies to address health 
and safety concerns. Technical regulations differentiate from the rest, as they are by law 
mandatory. 
 International standards are developed and disseminated by international governmental 
and non-governmental standards development organizations, such as International 
Organization for Standardization (ISO), International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), 
the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) or Codex Alimentarius. These 
international standards are voluntary standards. At the international, regional or sub-
regional level, harmonization of standards is done through regional standards bodies or 
sub-regional standards organizations. 
                                               
40 ITC (2011), "Sri Lanka: Company perspectives  – An ITC Series on Non-Tariff Measures". 
41 http://www.unido.org/what-we-do/trade/qualit y-and-compliance-infrastructure/standards-and-
conformity/private-standards.html   WT/COMTD/SE/W/28 
 
- 28 - 
 
   Industry/private/buyer standards can be broken down into three categories: 
 
1. Consortia standards – which are often developed by a sector-specific consortium 
(i.e. Global GAP – an NGO which maintains voluntary standards on Good Agricultural 
Practice). 
2. Civil society standards - established as an initiative by a non-profit organization 
usually as a response to concerns over social and environmental conditions (e.g. Forest 
Stewardship Council). 
3. Company-specific standards - which are developed internally and apply to the 
whole supply chain of a company (i.e. codes of conduct). 
While private sector firms and consortia have often been the driving force behind the formulation 
of management and product standards in industrializ ed countries for more than a century, there is 
an emerging sense that the multitude of priv ate standards and retailer requirements have a 
growing impact on developing country firms’ ability  to participate in global production and supply 
chains, essentially acting as an another barrier to entry. 
______________________________________________________________________________ 
 
5.22.   The study of Sri Lanka found that particularly for imports, but also for some exports, a quite complex system of different charges app lied. Concern was expressed about the interface 
between imported goods needed to realize final export products and the need to maintain 
competitive prices abroad. Exemption schemes in favour of imported inputs for domestic 
processing and export are supposed to alleviate th is financial burden of duties and these charges. 
The ITC survey revealed that some companies in  Sri Lanka were confused with the applicable 
charges and struggled with the extensive procedures to obtain exemptions.
42 
5.23.   Facilitating documentation for exemption schemes, streamlining administrative procedures 
and organizing information campaigns may have beneficial effects for export promotion. As the 
ITC suggests, since trading companies from all sector s were frequently affected  by inefficiencies of 
the business environment, the significant effect of investments into infrastructure and procedures at Customs and Ports should not be underestimate d. The main suggestions by the business sector 
were to unify the inspections of relevant agencies into a ‘single window inspection’, increase the 
use of X-ray machines to speed-up inspections and avoid damaged cargo, improve and extend the 
use of electronic customs systems, train official s, expand general cargo handling capacities and 
reduce the costs of demurrage.
43  
5.3.3  Jamaica 
5.24.   In the ITC's survey of Jamaican exporters,  representatives of companies in the agricultural 
sector reported the highest incidence of NTMs at 49% whereas exporters of miscellaneous 
manufactures noted 28% while those involved with chemicals reported an incidence level of 24%. 
T h e  I T C  s t u d y  f o u n d  t h a t  a  m a j o r i t y  o f  N T M s  plaguing agricultural goods were technical 
requirements for the protection of human and environmental health and safety. For example, 
some main export markets require food exportin g companies to be registered with national 
authorities or specialized testing agencies before products can be exported. Many countries also 
restrict or prohibit the use of certain substances in the production of fresh produce.44 
5.25.  Jamaica's top ten products account for 90%  of the country's exports. Inorganic chemicals 
rank first with a 47% export share and cover mo stly exports of aluminium oxide. Besides raw 
materials, Jamaica exports agricultural products such as spirits including rum, ethyl alcohol and beer, raw cane sugar, vegetables and coffee. The high RCA for the top ten products underlines the 
specialization and relative competitiveness of Jamaica in these products on the world market. The 
main destination market for Jamaica's alcoholic products, i.e. rum, ethyl alcohol and beer, is North America while its main markets for sugar and coffee are Europe and Asia, respectively. 
5.26.   In the ITC's study on Jamaica, business sector representatives reported that technical 
regulations required by trading partners affect ed some 35% of exports. As many as 23% of 
                                               
42 ITC (2011), "Sri Lanka: Company perspectives  – An ITC Series on Non-Tariff Measures". 
43 Ibid. 
44 ITC (2013), "Jamaica: Company Perspectives – An ITC Series on Non-Tariff Measures". WT/COMTD/SE/W/28 
 
- 29 - 
 
  companies also said they faced burdens linked to conformity assessments. In absolute terms, most 
NTM cases were reported to be applied by the North America region, Jamaica’s main export market. Other main export markets with NTMs included some of the member states of the European Union. Of significance was the fact that Jamaica’s neighbouring states and CARICOM 
partners also accounted for a high number of NTMs. Within CARICOM, NTMs were dominated by 
pre-shipment inspections and other entry formalities, rules of origin and related certificates. However, other charges, taxes and service fees were also recorded. Exporters of manufactured 
goods that faced a significant number of NTMs included companies operating in the chemicals 
sector as well as those in the clothing and wood manufacturing sectors. NTMs were often 
associated with procedural obstacles such as delays, unusually high fees and charges and the arbitrary behaviour of officials.  
5.27.   The study cited representatives from the ma in trade facilitating organizations as saying that 
while NTMs are a problem for Jamaican businesses of all sizes, the relatively new and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are often more affected than larger entities because they lacked 
the information and human and financial resources, as well as the experience needed to meet and 
fulfil certain requirements.  
5.28.   In partner countries, the most common trade-related business environment problems 
reported included time delays, complex clearance mechanisms, lack of access to information or the 
absence of enquiry points.
45  
Figure 10: Most frequently observed categori es of NTMs applied by partner countries on 
Jamaican exports (%) 
 
35%
23%17%8%14%3%Technical requirements
Conformity assessement
Pre-shipment inspection
and other entry
formalities
Charges, taxes and other
para-tariff measures
Rules of origin andrelated certificate of
origin
 
 
Source: ITC (2013), "Jamaica: Company Perspectives – An ITC Series on Non-Tariff Measures". 
 
5.29.   Amongst Jamaica's exports of all goods (both agricultural and manufacturing goods), most 
cases of NTMs were experienced when exporting to North America. Business representatives said 
most of the NTMs they encountered affected agricultural goods and fell under technical 
regulations. These were also encountered in seven other partner countries. In fact, technical 
requirements were the most common type of NTM reported overall (a total of 82 cases representing 50% of total NTMs faced by comp anies exporting agricultural goods to trading 
partners). Following the North American region, the highest of burdensome technical requirements 
were reported in the European Union, CARICOM and Asia. 
5.30.   The highest number of cases were reported by companies exporting vegetables, roots, 
tubers and other edible vegetable products, fresh or preserved. Several types of technical 
regulations were reported by exporters of these goods. Among the most common were import 
authorizations and registration requirements, import prohibition or restrictions of products, 
                                               
45 ITC (2013), "Jamaica: Company Perspectives – An ITC Series on Non-Tariff Measures". WT/COMTD/SE/W/28 
 
- 30 - 
 
  fumigation requirements and tolerance limits for residues and restricted or prohibited use of 
substances in food or feed. The survey states that requirements concerning the use of specific chemicals or fumigation sprays pose serious concerns for Jamaican agricultural exporters, especially for small enterprises located in rural areas where access to certain approved chemicals 
is limited.  
5.31.   The survey noted that a low incidence of burdensome technical measures within CARICOM 
countries was to be expected mainly because of the establishment of the CARICOM Regional 
Organization for Standards and Quality (CROSQ) in  2002 to avoid the duplication of technical work 
by national standards bodies across CARICOM co untries. The development of CARICOM technical 
regulations is assigned to national standards bodies and then proposed to CROSQ, which subsequently reports to the CARICOM Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED). 
COTED sets CROSQ's policies and gives final approv al on establishment of regional standards and 
technical regulations. There are currently 51 CARICOM standards, which relate primarily to food, labelling, consumer products, chemicals, and to a lesser extent to cut flowers and textiles.
46 
5.32.   Another agricultural export product sub-category that regularly faced burdensome technical 
requirements was “spices”, which are most commonly exported to North America and the European Union. Overall, 13% of NTMs were report ed by exporters of spices. Other products which 
faced notable numbers of burdensome technical regulations included fruit, preserved and fruit 
preparations and fruits and nuts. 
6  CONCLUSIONS 6.1.   This Secretariat background paper ha s focused on NTMs affecting exports of small 
economies. It has tried to identify the main products exported by country as well as those 
products that a majority of small economies tend to export. It has also looked at the main destinations of such exports and what kinds of non-tariff measures usually affect trade in these 
products.  
6.2.  In its analysis, the paper has used data on trade flows and has referred to notifications and 
specific trade concerns made in the Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures as well as 
the Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade. Other data were drawn from questionnaires 
completed by the public and private sector for the 4th Global Review of Aid for Trade held in July 
2013. Yet another source of information came from the findings in some of the surveys of small 
economies conducted by the ITC. Such survey s were based on interviews with business 
representatives and compiled views on what private sector actors perceived as the main NTMs 
affecting exports in their respective sectors.  
6.1  Main findings 
6.3.   As stated at the outset, this paper is to stimulate a factual discussion amongst Members and 
is by no means intended to open a debate abou t whether or not certain NTMs are justified. For 
ease of reference, some of the main findings in the paper include the following points:  
6.4.  First, NTMs are often aggregated in various groups: i.e. hard measures (e.g. price and 
quantity control measures), threat measures (e .g. anti-dumping and safeguards), SPS measures, 
TBT and other categories such as export me asures, trade-related investment measures, 
distribution restrictions, restrictions on post-sales services, subsidies, measures related to 
intellectual property rights and rules of origin. Ea ch of these groups consists of various and often 
very different forms of NTMs. 
6.5.  Second, the number of small economies ex porting a given product and the average export 
share of products across countries shows that small economies have some major export products 
in common. These include minerals, fuels, apparel, pearls, fruits, coffee and fish. For instance, 31 out of 32 small economies export fish with th e average export share being 10%. However, an 
analysis of the top ten products by country shows that there is also substantive heterogeneity in 
the export structure of small economies. For instance, the top ten products across the 32 small economies cover 57 different products. 
                                               
46 Ibid. WT/COMTD/SE/W/28 
 
- 31 - 
 
  6.6.  Third, small economies tend to be specialized in few products. This is not surprising given 
their natural endowments and difficulties to exploi t economies of scale. Cumulative export shares 
show that the top ten products account for 64% of exports, while the top 20 account for 80%.  
6.7.  Fourth, the exports of small economies are not only concentrated in terms of products but 
also in terms of destination markets. For the 32 small economies under consideration, the four 
regions of Asia, Europe, North America and South and Central America accounted for more than 90% of exports in 2011. North America and Sout h and Central America alone attracted 57% of 
small economies' export. A main reason for this fact is geography, i.e. 23 out of 32 small 
economies are from South and Central America.  
6.8.  Fifth, North America is the most important destination market for many products from the 
32 small economies included in the analysis. For ex ample, more than 60% of apparel products and 
more than 70% of organic and inorganic chemicals are shipped to North America. However, 
depending on the product, other regions also repr esent important markets for the exports of small 
economies. For instance, Asia is the largest importer of mineral fuels and ores, Europe is the main 
destination for coffee and fruits and Central and South America is the main market for machinery, 
pharmaceutical products and plastics.  
6.9.  Sixth, relative to the world, small economies are more specialized in products that are 
significantly exposed to NTMs, especially SPS measures. For instance, fats and oils and vegetable 
products account for 14% of the exports of 32 small economies compared to only 3% of the 
exports at the world level. Similarly, the share of foodstuffs in exports is 9% for small economies and 3% at the world level. Furthermore, foodstuffs is the product group with the second highest 
number of TBT notifications and the highest num ber of TBT STCs. Hence, small economies are 
affected by both SPS and TBT measures, but given th eir export specialisation, they are particularly 
exposed to and hence vulnerable to SPS measures. 
6.10.  Seventh, TBT and SPS measures cover a significant share of exports for many small 
economies. In particular, notified TBT and SP S measures cover on average 34% and 30% of 
exports across the 32 small economies. Furthermore, notified TBT measures and SPS measures 
cover the majority of exports for five and seven small economies, respectively. A high exposure 
against TBT and SPS measures can, on the one hand, constitute potential risks and, on the other hand, indicate that these measures have not constituted a serious trade barrier for them. However, there are also some small economies whos e exports are only slightly exposed to TBT and 
SPS measures. In particular, TBT and SPS measures  cover less than 10% of exports for seven and 
six small economies, respectively. A low exposure of these countries against NTMs might indicate that they encounter difficulties when trying to comply with the measures. 
6.2  Meeting the challenges 
6.11.  Information from the WTO, ITC and UNCTAD offer different perspectiv es on NTMs. However, 
the data available are still limited both in coverage and quality, offering not a comprehensive but 
rather a fragmented picture of NTMs overall. Hence, it is generally difficult to draw strong or 
generalised conclusions regarding the use and incidence of NTMs. For instance, the original analysis carried out in this paper relies on notifications and specific trade concerns made at the WTO. Not all Members comply with the requirement to notify changes in their regulations to the 
TBT or SPS Committee and Members are not equally active in raising their concerns. Furthermore, 
it is not straightforward from the information provided in notifications to assess whether a TBT or SPS measure is likely to have a facilitating or distorting impact on trade. Hence, by fulfilling their 
notification requirements and being active in Committees, WTO Members can increase the 
transparency on NTMs, thereby allowing better informed policy analysis. 
6.12.  Information from various official source s shows the prevalence of TBT, SPS and other 
measures in the overall incidence of NTMs. As revealed by recent business surveys, these 
measures also represent the main source of concerns for exporters in most small economies. Another insight from the business surveys is that exporters generally have more problems with the way in which measures are applied than with the measures themselves. Initiatives exist to 
overcome problems arising from the application of measures. For example, current work by the 
multi-agency Standards and Trade Development Faci lity (SDTF) addresses the implementation of WT/COMTD/SE/W/28 
 
- 32 - 
 
  SPS measures in the context of trade facilitation, which is linked to the control, inspection and 
approval procedures foreseen by the SPS Agreement (Art. 8 and Annex C). 
6.13.  Capacity building is a vital element in improving international cooperation on TBT and SPS 
measures. In the SPS area, the STDF has proven to  be very successful and the question has arisen 
as to whether the model could be replicated in building capacity relating to standard-setting, 
technical infrastructure and the development of regulations in the TBT area.  
6.14.  A lot of the activities of the SPS and TBT Committees involve information sharing, in 
particular on best practices. The Committees are also ways for small economies to state their 
concerns publically about new measures and re gulations being applied by their key trading 
partners and any eventual problems they might encounter. 
6.15.  As some of the ITC surveys of private se ctor exporters in small economies state, it is 
essential to establish and upgrade national testing fa cilities and laboratories so that products meet 
international standards and especially those of key partners. A focus on conformity assessments is also necessary and requires exporters to test and certify products well before they are exported. If 
companies are to compete internationally, they will have to be able to demonstrate that they can 
meet the technical and other requirements in foreign markets. Such testing equipment also needs to be properly calibrated if results are to be trusted by future importers. In this regard, the 
technical competence of laboratories and of certification bodies needs to be confirmed by 
accreditation bodies. 
6.16.  However, investments to establish or upgrad e such diagnostic capacities should be preceded 
by a cost-benefit analysis. Given public funding co nstraints, prioritization of investments might be 
necessary based on criteria such as foreign demand and domestic supply. For those countries 
lacking national or local testing facilities, either private or public laboratories, alternative solutions exist. For instance, it has been suggested that regional options be examined (such as those in the 
CARICOM region) to establish such facilities and overcome related obstacles.  
6.17.  This background note provides an overview of the challenges small economies face when it 
comes to increasing exports to their neighbours or to other markets in North and South America, 
Asia and Europe. While by no means an exhaustive  study, the note tries to frame the discussions 
so that awareness can be raised as to the importance small economies attach to specific markets and to select products. It is with these products and markets that small economies are able to realize some significant trading opportunities. Given the importance of these markets, it is 
important that small economies stay abreast of any new, future legislation in the area of NTMs. 
However, they must also take necessary steps to maintain any comparative advantages they currently have. Furthermore, they should tackle the main obstacles to other specific products. As 
many of the recent studies and research indicates, more dialogue with trading partners, more 
investment in testing infrastructure and more regional cooperation are just some of the ways these challenges can be met. 
 
_______________ 
  
  WT/COMTD/SE/W/28  
 
- 33 - ANNEXES 
Annex Table 1. Exports of 32 small economies for HS 2- digit chapters and main destination markets in 2011 
Rank HS2 Name  US$ 
('000) % Cumul. 
% No. SEs 
(of 32) Simple 
AVG (%) Africa  Asia CIS Europe  Middle 
East North 
America S. and C. 
America 
1 27 Mineral fuels and oils 41,980,044  30 30 29 15 1  35 0 4 0 27 33 
2 61 Apparel and clothing accessories, knitted  9,100,785  6 36 32 5 1 2 0 20 0 69 8 
3 71 Pearls, precious stones and metals  6,194,598  4 41 32 5 0  36 0 17 0 46 1 
4 09 Coffee, tea, maté and spices 5,752,120  4 45 32 4 2 13 7 36 11 27 4 
5 08 Edible fruit and nuts; peel of citrus fruits  5,725,906  4 49 30 3 2  1 12 44 2 34 5 
6 26 Ores, slag and ash 5,419,857  4 52 23 4 0 57 1 14 0 25 3 
7 29 Organic chemicals 4,549,301  3 56 30 1 1  12 0 5 0 74 8 
8 62 Apparel and clothing accessories, not knitted  4,271,776  3 59 32 2 1 4 1 26 1 57 12 
9 03 Fish and crustaceans, molluscs 3,848,887  3 61 31 10 5  21 0 30 0 36 8 
10 28 Inorganic chemicals, prec. metals compounds  3,586,044  3 64 28 4 1 0 1 12 0 73 12 
11 17 Sugars and sugar confectionery 3,107,667  2 66 25 4 3  18 4 25 0 27 22 
12 12 Oily and miscellaneous seeds, fruits, grains  2,756,995  2 68 31 3 2 11 7 58 7 8 8 
13 72 Iron and steel 2,720,008  2 70 32 2 2  23 0 10 0 33 32 
14 15 Animal or vegetable fats, oils and waxes  2,665,799  2 72 27 2 6 7 0 33 1 13 40 
15 85 Electrical machinery and equipment  1,979,613  1 73 32 3 4  10 0 13 2 29 42 
16 84 Machinery and mechanical appliances  1,970,033  1 75 32 2 14 6 0 6 1 12 61 
17 16 Prepared meat, fish, crustaceans, molluscs  1,956,687  1 76 31 4 0  2 0 63 0 9 25 
18 30 Pharmaceutical products 1,775,380  1 77 30 1 1 2 0 5 0 3 89 
19 22 Beverages, spirits and vinega r 1,682,025  1 79 32 3 2  4 1 27 0 35 31 
20 39 Plastics and articles thereof 1,596,639  1 80 32 1 8 5 0 13 0 11 62 
21 40 Rubber and articles thereof 1,465,095  1 81 31 1 3  18 1 24 2 26 27 
22 90 Optical, precision, medical instruments  1,379,643  1 82 32 1 2 10 1 17 1 50 19 
23 44 Wood and articles of wood; wood charcoal  1,360,888  1 83 32 1 1  65 0 11 1 7 16 
24 02 Meat and edible meat offal 1,291,424  1 84 26 1 2 5 18 4 6 16 49 
25 18 Cocoa and cocoa preparations 1,261,198  1 84 28 1 14  16 0 30 0 31 8 
26 24 Tobacco and tobacco substitutes 1,238,685  1 85 29 1 1 8 1 30 1 43 16 
27 23 Food industry residues; animal fodde r 1,233,121  1 86 30 1 2  17 0 3 1 1 76 
28 10 Cereals  1,193,913  1 87 25 2 17 3 0 9 4 4 64 
29 89 Ships, boats and floating structures  1,171,791  1 88 31 4 6  41 0 46 0 0 5 
30 87 Vehicles and parts other than railway  997,485  1 89 32 1 21 2 1 9 0 1 65 
31 31 Fertilizers  905,049  1 89 23 0 11  4 0 16 0 48 21 
32 64 Footwear, gaiters and the like 844,740  1 90 31 1 1 6 0 13 0 28 52 
33 48 Paper, paperboard and pulp and articles  826,787  1 90 32 1 6  2 0 3 1 10 77 
34 07 Edible vegetables and certain roots and tubers  778,015  1 91 31 1 1 7 0 17 2 49 25 
35 75 Nickel and articles thereof 719,811  1 92 15 2 0  75 0 25 0 0 0 
36 20 Preparations of vegetables, fruit, nuts, plants  683,712  0 92 29 1 2 5 1 33 2 25 31 
37 21 Miscellaneous edible preparations  652,788  0 92 31 0 2  3 6 23 1 21 44 
38 19 Preparations of cereals, flour, starch or mil k 602,729  0 93 29 1 8 8 0 2 0 12 69 
39 52 Cotton  584,278  0 93 23 0 6  8 0 4 0 7 75 
40 63 Other textile articles; worn clothing; rags  531,304  0 94 31 0 7 4 0 10 0 40 39 
 
Source: BACI trade database.  
  WT/COMTD/SE/W/28  
 
- 34 - Annex Table 2. Exports by country for HS 2-digi t chapters and main destination markets in 2011 
Exporter Rank  HS2 Name US$ 
('000) % Cumul
. % RCA Africa  Asia CIS Europe  Middle 
East North 
America S. and C. 
America 
ATG 1  89 Ships, boats and floating structures  127,071  14 14 15.2 0  10 0 89 0 1 0 
ATG 2 27 Mineral fuels and oils  112,809  12 26 0.6 73 0 0 0 0 0 27 
ATG 3  18 Cocoa and cocoa preparations  111,126  12 38 40.8 100  0 0 0 0 0 0 
ATG 4 84 Machinery and mechanical appliances  103,632  11 49 1.0 96 0 0 1 0 1 1 
ATG 5  87 Vehicles and parts other than railway  100,674  11 60 1.5 99  0 0 0 0 1 1 
ATG 6 85 Electrical machinery and equipment  27,780  3 63 0.3 84 0 0 1 0 3 11 
ATG 7  39 Plastics and articles thereof  24,331  3 65 0.8 98  1 0 0 0 0 0 
ATG 8 29 Organic chemicals 22,170  2 68 0.8 88 0 0 12 0 0 0 
ATG 9  76 Aluminium and articles thereof  20,473  2 70 2.2 99  0 0 0 0 1 0 
ATG 10 48 Paper, paperboard and pulp and articles  20,047  2 72 2.0 100 0 0 0 0 0 0 
BLZ 1  27 Mineral fuels and oils  188,994  23 23 1.2 14  0 0 0 0 75 10 
BLZ 2 10 Cereals 126,113  15 38 19.9 98 0 0 0 1 0 0 
BLZ 3  08 Edible fruit and nuts; peel of citrus fruits  71,142  9 47 15.1 0  0 0 75 0 25 0 
BLZ 4 87 Vehicles and parts other than railway  70,104  8 55 1.2 96 0 0 0 0 3 1 
BLZ 5  03 Fish and crustaceans, molluscs  61,327  7 62 13.0 30  10 0 11 0 41 8 
BLZ 6 17 Sugars and sugar confectionery  46,577  6 68 16.7 0 0 0 71 0 25 4 
BLZ 7  20 Preparations of vegetables, fruit, nuts, plants  33,187  4 72 12.8 1  31 0 23 0 1 44 
BLZ 8 84 Machinery and mechanical appliances  32,454  4 76 0.3 86 1 2 2 0 6 3 
BLZ 9  89 Ships, boats and floating structures  25,825  3 79 3.5 72  12 0 6 0 0 9 
BLZ 10 73 Articles of iron or steel  18,987  2 81 1.4 95 0 0 1 0 0 2 
BOL 1  27 Mineral fuels and oils  3,847,479  43 43 2.2 0  0 0 1 0 4 94 
BOL 2 26 Ores, slag and ash 2,225,595  25 68 14.4 0 58 0 27 0 9 6 
BOL 3  71 Pearls, precious stones and metals  568,498  6 74 2.0 0  0 0 42 0 57 0 
BOL 4 80 Tin and articles thereof  464,706  5 80 97.6 0 21 0 21 0 48 10 
BOL 5  23 Food industry residues; animal fodde r 423,100  5 84 11.9 0  0 0 0 0 0 100 
BOL 6 15 Animal or vegetable fats, oils and waxes  362,286  4 88 5.9 2 3 0 2 0 1 93 
BOL 7  08 Edible fruit and nuts; peel of citrus fruits  176,724  2 90 3.5 1  6 1 54 1 22 16 
BOL 8 12 Oily and miscellaneous seeds, fruits, grains  104,338  1 92 2.2 0 12 0 5 0 31 53 
BOL 9  28 Inorganic chemicals, prec. metals compounds  71,216  1 92 0.9 1  5 17 15 0 49 13 
BOL 10 44 Wood and articles of wood; wood charcoal  70,817  1 93 1.4 1 22 0 33 1 10 33 
BRB 1  27 Mineral fuels and oils  329,149  26 26 1.4 32  0 0 0 0 0 28 
BRB 2 04 Dairy produce; birds' eggs; natural honey  121,202  10 36 19.5 100 0 0 0 0 0 0 
BRB 3  84 Machinery and mechanical appliances  115,662  9 46 0.8 93  0 0 0 0 4 3 
BRB 4 03 Fish and crustaceans, molluscs  105,857  9 54 15.0 100 0 0 0 0 0 0 
BRB 5  18 Cocoa and cocoa preparations  66,418  5 59 18.2 99  0 0 0 0 1 0 
BRB 6 22 Beverages, spirits and vinega r 58,897  5 64 7.4 6 3 0 24 0 51 14 
BRB 7  87 Vehicles and parts other than railway  41,539  3 67 0.5 91  0 0 2 0 1 6 
BRB 8 19 Preparations of cereals, flour, starch or mil k 35,993  3 70 8.8 74 0 0 1 0 7 18 
BRB 9  63 Other textile articles; worn clothing; rags  34,906  3 73 9.7 96  0 0 0 0 2 2 
BRB 10 85 Electrical machinery and equipment  32,494  3 76 0.2 57 3 0 12 0 20 8 
BRN 1  27 Mineral fuels and oils  10,859,911  98 98 5.0 0  100 0 0 0 0 0 
BRN 2 29 Organic chemicals 152,996  1 99 0.5 0 95 0 0 0 5 1 
BRN 3  71 Pearls, precious stones and metals  25,314  0 99 0.1 0  8 0 58 0 34 0 
BRN 4 72 Iron and steel 17,410  0 99 0.1 0 100 0 0 0 0 0 
BRN 5  85 Electrical machinery and equipment  10,445  0 100 0.0 0  95 0 4 0 0 0  
  WT/COMTD/SE/W/28  
 
- 35 - Exporter Rank  HS2 Name US$ 
('000) % Cumul
. % RCA Africa  Asia CIS Europe  Middle 
East North 
America S. and C. 
America 
BRN 6 61 Apparel and clothing accessories, knitted  9,450  0 100 0.1 0 47 0 15 0 38 0 
BRN 7  84 Machinery and mechanical appliances  6,516  0 100 0.0 0  77 0 21 0 1 0 
BRN 8 47 Pulp of wood, recovered pape r 4,201  0 100 0.1 0 100 0 0 0 0 0 
BRN 9  90 Optical, precision, medical instruments  4,146  0 100 0.0 8  32 0 60 0 0 0 
BRN 10 76 Aluminium and articles thereof  3,927  0 100 0.0 1 99 0 0 0 0 0 
CPV 1  16 Prepared meat, fish, crustaceans, molluscs  31,205  36 36 138.0 1  0 0 99 0 0 0 
CPV 2 03 Fish and crustaceans, molluscs  30,134  34 70 60.6 0 2 0 90 0 0 8 
CPV 3  64 Footwear, gaiters and the like  5,286  6 76 8.9 0  0 0 100 0 0 0 
CPV 4 61 Apparel and clothing accessories, knitted  3,665  4 80 3.6 0 0 0 100 0 0 0 
CPV 5  62 Apparel and clothing accessories, not knitted  3,117  4 84 3.0 0  18 0 80 0 1 0 
CPV 6 72 Iron and steel 2,671  3 87 1.0 0 85 0 15 0 0 0 
CPV 7  84 Machinery and mechanical appliances  2,287  3 90 0.2 2  2 0 75 0 21 0 
CPV 8 85 Electrical machinery and equipment  1,651  2 92 0.2 50 7 0 36 0 6 2 
CPV 9  87 Vehicles and parts other than railway  1,175  1 93 0.2 65  0 0 34 0 0 0 
CPV 10 22 Beverages, spirits and vinega r 753 1 94 1.3 4 0 0 63 6 22 1 
CUB 1  75 Nickel and articles thereof  716,553  28 28 118.0 0  75 0 25 0 0 0 
CUB 2 17 Sugars and sugar confectionery  408,063  16 43 47.0 6 66 14 14 0 0 0 
CUB 3  30 Pharmaceutical products  377,462  15 58 5.5 2  1 0 0 0 0 96 
CUB 4 27 Mineral fuels and oils  278,934  11 69 0.6 0 8 0 82 0 0 9 
CUB 5  24 Tobacco and tobacco substitutes  236,414  9 78 43.4 1  20 3 73 2 0 2 
CUB 6 22 Beverages, spirits and vinega r 145,078  6 84 8.7 4 2 4 76 0 6 8 
CUB 7  03 Fish and crustaceans, molluscs  64,865  3 86 4.4 0  19 0 75 0 5 0 
CUB 8 84 Machinery and mechanical appliances  55,878  2 88 0.2 0 0 0 6 0 2 91 
CUB 9  72 Iron and steel 42,002  2 90 0.5 16  0 0 52 0 1 31 
CUB 10 26 Ores, slag and ash 40,002  2 91 0.9 0 97 0 1 1 0 0 
DMA 1  27 Mineral fuels and oils  12,072  21 21 1.1 0  0 0 0 0 0 100 
DMA 2 25 Salt; sulphur; earths and stone  4,890  9 30 27.2 0 0 0 59 0 0 41 
DMA 3  08 Edible fruit and nuts; peel of citrus fruits  4,724  8 38 14.6 0  0 0 89 0 0 11 
DMA 4 34 Soap, waxes, polishing preparations  4,261  7 46 24.0 0 0 0 1 0 4 95 
DMA 5  39 Plastics and articles thereof  3,969  7 53 2.2 0  0 0 45 46 0 7 
DMA 6 90 Optical, precision, medical instruments  3,241  6 58 2.1 12 3 0 9 74 0 1 
DMA 7  72 Iron and steel 2,832  5 63 1.7 0  95 0 0 0 0 4 
DMA 8 07 Edible vegetables and certain roots and tubers  2,707  5 68 12.7 0 0 0 88 0 7 5 
DMA 9  84 Machinery and mechanical appliances  1,917  3 71 0.3 19  6 5 9 51 1 11 
DMA 10 33 Essential oils, resinoids; cosmetic preparations  1,463  3 74 5.5 0 2 0 21 0 35 41 
DOM 1  90 Optical, precision, medical instruments  904,171  11 11 4.2 0  12 1 15 0 71 1 
DOM 2 72 Iron and steel 629,806  8 19 2.6 0 46 0 2 0 25 27 
DOM 3  61 Apparel and clothing accessories, knitted  539,769  7 26 5.8 0  0 0 1 0 73 25 
DOM 4 08 Edible fruit and nuts; peel of citrus fruits  476,894  6 32 10.7 0 0 0 88 0 9 4 
DOM 5  24 Tobacco and tobacco substitutes  448,905  6 38 27.0 0  1 1 11 0 85 1 
DOM 6 85 Electrical machinery and equipment  448,383  6 44 0.5 1 8 0 10 0 74 6 
DOM 7  39 Plastics and articles thereof  429,544  5 49 1.7 0  6 1 37 0 23 32 
DOM 8 62 Apparel and clothing accessories, not knitted  392,095  5 54 4.2 0 1 0 5 0 92 2 
DOM 9  64 Footwear, gaiters and the like  310,522  4 58 5.8 0  12 1 20 0 64 3 
DOM 10 71 Pearls, precious stones and metals  292,966  4 62 1.2 0 0 0 0 0 99 0 
ECU 1  27 Mineral fuels and oils  13,182,963  56 56 2.9 0  5 0 0 0 58 36 
ECU 2 08 Edible fruit and nuts; peel of citrus fruits  3,056,405  13 69 22.9 2 1 22 48 1 19 6 
ECU 3  03 Fish and crustaceans, molluscs  1,612,746  7 76 12.0 1  8 1 38 0 44 5  
  WT/COMTD/SE/W/28  
 
- 36 - Exporter Rank  HS2 Name US$ 
('000) % Cumul
. % RCA Africa  Asia CIS Europe  Middle 
East North 
America S. and C. 
America 
ECU 4 16 Prepared meat, fish, crustaceans, molluscs  1,019,829  4 80 16.7 0 0 0 49 0 11 40 
ECU 5  18 Cocoa and cocoa preparations  632,095  3 83 9.2 0  4 0 37 0 45 13 
ECU 6 87 Vehicles and parts other than railway  393,276  2 84 0.2 0 0 0 0 0 0 100 
ECU 7  06 Live trees and other plants; roots; cut flowers  391,641  2 86 16.4 0  3 51 36 1 0 8 
ECU 8 15 Animal or vegetable fats, oils and waxes  358,750  2 88 2.2 0 3 0 21 0 6 69 
ECU 9  20 Preparations of vegetables, fruit, nuts, plants  260,163  1 89 3.5 1  3 2 53 1 27 13 
ECU 10 44 Wood and articles of wood; wood charcoal  245,362  1 90 1.8 0 33 0 14 0 20 32 
FJI 1  03 Fish and crustaceans, molluscs  112,844  17 17 29.5 0  84 0 1 0 15 0 
FJI 2 17 Sugars and sugar confectionery  88,777  13 30 39.4 0 1 0 83 0 16 0 
FJI 3  22 Beverages, spirits and vinega r 86,866  13 43 20.2 0  12 0 1 0 87 0 
FJI 4 71 Pearls, precious stones and metals  80,049  12 55 3.8 0 100 0 0 0 0 0 
FJI 5  62 Apparel and clothing accessories, not knitted  47,540  7 62 6.0 0  100 0 0 0 0 0 
FJI 6 19 Preparations of cereals, flour, starch or mil k 42,091  6 68 19.0 0 98 0 0 0 2 0 
FJI 7  16 Prepared meat, fish, crustaceans, molluscs  33,383  5 73 19.2 0  31 0 0 0 69 0 
FJI 8 44 Wood and articles of wood; wood charcoal  25,827  4 77 6.6 0 99 0 0 0 0 0 
FJI 9  61 Apparel and clothing accessories, knitted  23,554  4 80 3.0 0  89 0 6 0 5 0 
FJI 10 07 Edible vegetables and certain roots and tubers  18,492  3 83 7.3 0 86 0 0 0 14 0 
GRD 1  09 Coffee, tea, maté and spices  10,959  39 39 124.3 0  0 0 83 0 16 1 
GRD 2 03 Fish and crustaceans, molluscs  6,087  21 60 37.7 2 0 0 10 0 86 2 
GRD 3  11 Products of the milling industry; malt;  2,098  7 68 65.2 0  0 0 0 0 0 100 
GRD 4 18 Cocoa and cocoa preparations  1,807  6 74 21.8 10 0 0 76 0 13 0 
GRD 5  48 Paper, paperboard and pulp and articles  1,494  5 79 4.8 0  0 0 0 0 0 100 
GRD 6 23 Food industry residues; animal fodde r 978 3 83 8.7 0 0 0 0 0 0 100 
GRD 7  22 Beverages, spirits and vinega r 969 3 86 5.3 0  1 0 6 0 7 86 
GRD 8 61 Apparel and clothing accessories, knitted  547 2 88 1.6 0 0 0 0 0 0 100 
GRD 9  32 Tanning or dyeing extracts; paints  365 1 89 2.8 0  0 0 0 0 0 100 
GRD 10 72 Iron and steel 289 1 90 0.3 0 63 0 4 0 0 33 
GTM 1  09 Coffee, tea, maté and spices  1,475,585  13 13 42.6 1  17 1 25 12 43 1 
GTM 2 17 Sugars and sugar confectionery  1,040,279  9 23 27.9 5 22 3 5 1 22 41 
GTM 3  08 Edible fruit and nuts; peel of citrus fruits  942,179  8 31 14.9 0  0 0 2 1 94 2 
GTM 4 26 Ores, slag and ash 913,034  8 39 4.7 0 0 0 0 0 100 0 
GTM 5  61 Apparel and clothing accessories, knitted  868,603  8 47 6.6 0  1 0 1 0 95 2 
GTM 6 27 Mineral fuels and oils  487,971  4 51 0.2 0 0 0 0 0 67 32 
GTM 7  40 Rubber and articles thereof  412,677  4 55 2.8 0  0 0 4 0 51 44 
GTM 8 71 Pearls, precious stones and metals  364,520  3 58 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 99 1 
GTM 9  62 Apparel and clothing accessories, not knitted  356,160  3 62 2.7 0  1 0 3 0 92 3 
GTM 10 15 Animal or vegetable fats, oils and waxes  344,586  3 65 4.5 0 0 0 3 0 53 44 
GUY 1  71 Pearls, precious stones and metals  682,706  46 46 14.7 0  0 0 1 1 97 0 
GUY 2 10 Cereals 176,611  12 58 15.7 0 0 0 23 0 2 75 
GUY 3  26 Ores, slag and ash 175,093  12 70 6.8 0  5 27 42 0 22 3 
GUY 4 17 Sugars and sugar confectionery  158,414  11 81 31.9 0 0 0 58 0 12 30 
GUY 5  03 Fish and crustaceans, molluscs  72,755  5 86 8.6 0  18 0 12 0 47 23 
GUY 6 44 Wood and articles of wood; wood charcoal  56,337  4 89 6.6 0 54 0 16 0 9 20 
GUY 7  86 Railway, rolling-stock  43,300  3 92 15.5 0  1 0 5 0 50 45 
GUY 8 22 Beverages, spirits and vinega r 35,528  2 95 3.7 0 1 2 44 0 43 11 
GUY 9  84 Machinery and mechanical appliances  7,727  1 95 0.0 0  1 0 14 0 30 54 
GUY 10 61 Apparel and clothing accessories, knitted  6,796  0 96 0.4 0 0 0 1 5 92 2 
HND 1  61 Apparel and clothing accessories, knitted  2,601,860  36 36 30.3 0  1 0 4 0 93 3  
  WT/COMTD/SE/W/28  
 
- 37 - Exporter Rank  HS2 Name US$ 
('000) % Cumul
. % RCA Africa  Asia CIS Europe  Middle 
East North 
America S. and C. 
America 
HND 2 09 Coffee, tea, maté and spices  1,324,324  18 54 58.3 0 9 2 67 0 21 1 
HND 3  62 Apparel and clothing accessories, not knitted  556,391  8 61 6.4 0  2 0 1 0 89 9 
HND 4 08 Edible fruit and nuts; peel  of citrus fruits  441,228  6 67 10.6 0 0 0 20 0 76 3 
HND 5  15 Animal or vegetable fats, oils and waxes  290,641  4 71 5.8 0  0 0 19 0 41 40 
HND 6 03 Fish and crustaceans, molluscs  261,614  4 75 6.3 0 1 0 14 0 83 2 
HND 7  71 Pearls, precious stones and metals  213,023  3 78 0.9 0  0 0 1 0 98 1 
HND 8 26 Ores, slag and ash 177,914  2 80 1.4 0 80 0 5 0 15 0 
HND 9  24 Tobacco and tobacco substitutes  138,110  2 82 9.0 0  0 0 4 0 57 39 
HND 10 27 Mineral fuels and oils  125,153  2 84 0.1 0 0 0 0 0 0 100 
JAM 1  28 Inorganic chemicals, prec. metals compounds  637,370  47 47 51.8 0  0 2 40 0 58 0 
JAM 2 22 Beverages, spirits and vinega r 231,050  17 64 26.4 0 5 0 17 0 72 5 
JAM 3  26 Ores, slag and ash 138,515  10 74 5.9 0  0 4 0 0 96 0 
JAM 4 17 Sugars and sugar confectionery  59,621  4 78 13.0 0 0 0 75 0 24 0 
JAM 5  71 Pearls, precious stones and metals  41,588  3 81 1.0 0  0 0 0 0 99 0 
JAM 6 07 Edible vegetables and certain roots and tubers  30,236  2 83 5.9 0 0 0 15 0 85 0 
JAM 7  09 Coffee, tea, maté and spices  26,034  2 85 6.1 0  56 1 22 0 21 1 
JAM 8 25 Salt; sulphur; earths and stone  21,612  2 87 5.0 0 0 0 0 0 37 63 
JAM 9  21 Miscellaneous edible preparations  21,325  2 88 5.4 0  1 0 12 0 69 17 
JAM 10 20 Preparations of vegetables, fruit, nuts, plants  18,719  1 90 4.4 0 0 0 33 0 63 4 
KNA 1  85 Electrical machinery and equipment  43,181  58 58 5.2 0  1 0 11 0 84 4 
KNA 2 89 Ships, boats and floating structures  7,839  10 68 11.7 0 0 65 22 0 0 13 
KNA 3  49 Printed books, newspapers, pictures  7,675  10 79 44.1 0  0 0 0 0 75 25 
KNA 4 87 Vehicles and pa rts other than railway  4,432  6 85 0.8 2 0 0 9 0 70 19 
KNA 5  22 Beverages, spirits and vinega r 3,564  5 89 7.4 0  0 0 6 0 16 78 
KNA 6 84 Machinery and mechanical appliances  1,735  2 92 0.2 1 0 0 74 0 23 2 
KNA 7  39 Plastics and articles thereof  1,206  2 93 0.5 0  0 14 0 0 9 77 
KNA 8 90 Optical, precision, medical instruments  746 1 94 0.4 0 60 0 13 0 20 7 
KNA 9  03 Fish and crustaceans, molluscs  714 1 95 1.7 1  0 0 66 0 28 6 
KNA 10 72 Iron and steel 658 1 96 0.3 0 84 0 0 0 16 0 
LCA 1  22 Beverages, spirits and vinega r 9,769  33 33 51.4 0  0 0 6 0 1 92 
LCA 2 08 Edible fruit and nuts; peel of citrus fruits  6,151  21 54 36.6 0 0 0 87 0 0 13 
LCA 3  90 Optical, precision, medical instruments  2,575  9 62 3.2 1  1 0 3 0 90 5 
LCA 4 27 Mineral fuels and oils  1,895  6 69 0.3 0 0 0 0 0 0 100 
LCA 5  48 Paper, paperboard and pulp and articles  1,259  4 73 3.9 0  0 0 13 0 0 87 
LCA 6 85 Electrical machinery and equipment  908 3 76 0.3 0 12 0 32 0 35 21 
LCA 7  71 Pearls, precious stones and metals  867 3 79 0.9 0  0 0 0 0 100 0 
LCA 8 21 Miscellaneous edible preparations  671 2 81 7.9 0 0 0 30 0 56 14 
LCA 9  74 Copper and articles thereof  554 2 83 1.6 0  17 0 48 0 34 2 
LCA 10 84 Machinery and mechanical appliances  486 2 85 0.1 0 10 0 7 0 1 83 
LKA 1  61 Apparel and clothing accessories, knitted  2,150,932  23 23 19.7 0  4 2 56 2 36 1 
LKA 2 62 Apparel and clothing accessories, not knitted  1,772,759  19 42 16.2 0 5 1 54 1 38 0 
LKA 3  09 Coffee, tea, maté and spices  1,352,642  15 57 46.9 5  12 27 12 33 7 4 
LKA 4 40 Rubber and articles thereof  777,842  8 65 6.2 3 29 1 39 3 20 5 
LKA 5  71 Pearls, precious stones and metals  371,349  4 69 1.3 0  11 0 88 0 1 0 
LKA 6 49 Printed books, newspapers, pictures  230,557  2 72 10.7 7 83 0 2 1 0 7 
LKA 7  03 Fish and crustaceans, molluscs  227,601  2 74 4.3 0  32 0 57 2 9 0 
LKA 8 85 Electrical machinery and equipment  226,655  2 77 0.2 1 42 1 41 9 4 1 
LKA 9  11 Products of the milling industry; malt;  144,302  2 78 13.7 0  98 0 1 1 0 0  
  WT/COMTD/SE/W/28  
 
- 38 - Exporter Rank  HS2 Name US$ 
('000) % Cumul
. % RCA Africa  Asia CIS Europe  Middle 
East North 
America S. and C. 
America 
LKA 10 08 Edible fruit and nuts; peel of citrus fruits  143,742  2 80 2.7 6 14 1 30 39 7 2 
MDV 1  03 Fish and crustaceans, molluscs  147,191  81 81 142.0 0  44 0 53 1 2 0 
MDV 2 27 Mineral fuels and oils  11,823  6 87 0.3 0 100 0 0 0 0 0 
MDV 3  16 Prepared meat, fish, crustaceans, molluscs  8,892  5 92 18.9 0  22 0 78 0 0 0 
MDV 4 72 Iron and steel 3,909  2 94 0.7 0 100 0 0 0 0 0 
MDV 5  74 Copper and articles thereof  2,299  1 96 1.1 0  100 0 0 0 0 0 
MDV 6 84 Machinery and mechanical appliances  1,359  1 96 0.1 1 73 0 14 0 13 0 
MDV 7  85 Electrical machinery and equipment  1,086  1 97 0.1 0  32 0 68 0 1 0 
MDV 8 23 Food industry residues; animal fodde r 975 1 97 1.3 0 100 0 0 0 0 0 
MDV 9  62 Apparel and clothing accessories, not knitted  606 0 98 0.3 0  32 0 1 65 2 0 
MDV 10 61 Apparel and clothing accessories, knitted  583 0 98 0.3 1 88 0 2 7 2 0 
MUS 1  61 Apparel and clothing accessories, knitted  546,222  23 23 19.4 13  2 1 80 1 3 0 
MUS 2 17 Sugars and sugar confectionery  343,430  14 37 42.8 1 2 2 92 0 3 0 
MUS 3  62 Apparel and clothing accessories, not knitted  306,096  13 50 10.8 13  4 1 29 1 50 2 
MUS 4 16 Prepared meat, fish, crustaceans, molluscs  285,226  12 62 46.1 0 0 0 93 0 6 0 
MUS 5  31 Fertilizers 94,903  4 66 7.8 94  0 0 5 0 0 0 
MUS 6 71 Pearls, precious stones and metals  56,366  2 68 0.7 1 7 0 91 0 1 0 
MUS 7  03 Fish and crustaceans, molluscs  54,064  2 70 4.0 3  55 0 39 0 3 0 
MUS 8 90 Optical, precision, medical instruments  52,181  2 73 0.8 3 7 0 71 1 16 2 
MUS 9  52 Cotton 50,694  2 75 5.7 63  8 0 29 0 0 0 
MUS 10 91 Clocks and watches and parts thereof  36,888  2 76 5.5 1 2 0 96 0 0 0 
NIC 1  09 Coffee, tea, maté and spices  489,700  15 15 48.6 0  5 1 35 1 47 11 
NIC 2 71 Pearls, precious stones and metals  416,678  13 28 4.1 0 0 0 0 0 100 0 
NIC 3  02 Meat and edible meat offal  412,326  13 41 18.1 0  5 3 0 0 44 49 
NIC 4 61 Apparel and clothing accessories, knitted  411,506  13 53 10.8 0 1 0 3 0 96 0 
NIC 5  17 Sugars and sugar confectionery  197,052  6 59 18.1 3  14 10 1 0 43 28 
NIC 6 03 Fish and crustaceans, molluscs  183,785  6 65 10.0 0 6 0 36 0 46 11 
NIC 7  62 Apparel and clothing accessories, not knitted  156,770  5 70 4.1 0  1 0 1 0 96 3 
NIC 8 04 Dairy produce; birds' eggs; natural honey  131,594  4 74 8.1 0 0 0 1 0 8 91 
NIC 9  12 Oily and miscellaneous seeds, fruits, grains  103,554  3 77 6.1 0  4 4 22 0 48 21 
NIC 10 15 Animal or vegetable fats, oils and waxes  73,150  2 79 3.3 0 7 0 19 0 14 59 
PAN 1  29 Organic chemicals 3,698,664  29 29 10.2 0  8 0 0 0 88 5 
PAN 2 27 Mineral fuels and oils  1,970,932  15 44 0.8 0 8 0 0 0 0 91 
PAN 3  84 Machinery and mechanical appliances  847,864  7 51 0.6 0  0 1 1 0 4 94 
PAN 4 30 Pharmaceutical products  793,186  6 57 2.3 0 1 0 0 0 3 95 
PAN 5  89 Ships, boats and floating structures  771,554  6 63 6.7 0  60 0 35 0 0 5 
PAN 6 85 Electrical machinery and equipment  605,593  5 68 0.4 0 4 0 1 0 7 87 
PAN 7  62 Apparel and clothing accessories, not knitted  359,298  3 71 2.4 0  0 0 2 0 2 95 
PAN 8 64 Footwear, gaiters and the like  314,651  2 73 3.6 0 1 0 1 0 2 96 
PAN 9  03 Fish and crustaceans, molluscs  312,603  2 76 4.3 1  5 0 18 0 39 36 
PAN 10 08 Edible fruit and nuts; peel of citrus fruits  286,990  2 78 4.0 0 0 5 85 0 9 0 
PNG 1  71 Pearls, precious stones and metals  2,176,536  30 30 9.4 0  96 0 4 0 0 0 
PNG 2 26 Ores, slag and ash 1,525,086  21 50 12.0 0 95 0 5 0 0 0 
PNG 3  27 Mineral fuels and oils  1,414,055  19 70 1.0 0  99 0 0 0 1 0 
PNG 4 15 Animal or vegetable fats, oils and waxes  716,373  10 79 14.2 0 8 0 92 0 0 0 
PNG 5  44 Wood and articles of wood; wood charcoal  599,506  8 87 14.1 0  100 0 0 0 0 0 
PNG 6 09 Coffee, tea, maté and spices  352,349  5 92 15.4 0 28 3 48 0 21 0 
PNG 7  18 Cocoa and cocoa preparations  191,181  3 95 8.9 0  76 0 12 0 12 0  
  WT/COMTD/SE/W/28  
 
- 39 - Exporter Rank  HS2 Name US$ 
('000) % Cumul
. % RCA Africa  Asia CIS Europe  Middle 
East North 
America S. and C. 
America 
PNG 8 16 Prepared meat, fish, crustaceans, molluscs  105,817  1 96 5.6 0 6 0 82 0 12 0 
PNG 9  03 Fish and crustaceans, molluscs  85,363  1 97 2.0 0  97 0 2 0 2 0 
PNG 10 12 Oily and miscellaneous seeds, fruits, grains  41,326  1 98 1.1 0 100 0 0 0 0 0 
PRY 1  12 Oily and miscellaneous seeds, fruits, grains  2,379,546  42 42 80.9 2  8 8 66 8 4 5 
PRY 2 02 Meat and edible meat offal  748,109  13 55 18.8 4 2 30 6 8 0 50 
PRY 3  10 Cereals 672,434  12 67 15.6 11  5 0 4 5 0 75 
PRY 4 23 Food industry residues; animal fodde r 401,478  7 74 17.8 0 7 0 7 1 1 85 
PRY 5  15 Animal or vegetable fats, oils and waxes  355,096  6 81 9.1 30  24 0 9 9 1 28 
PRY 6 17 Sugars and sugar confectionery  133,947  2 83 7.1 0 1 0 23 0 75 0 
PRY 7  41 Raw hides and skins and leathe r 113,937  2 85 16.5 0  50 0 27 0 1 22 
PRY 8 39 Plastics and articles thereof  101,184  2 87 0.6 0 2 0 3 0 0 95 
PRY 9  44 Wood and articles of wood; wood charcoal  89,737  2 88 2.7 0  10 0 41 0 3 45 
PRY 10 24 Tobacco and tobacco substitutes  62,839  1 89 5.3 4 0 1 8 0 7 79 
SLV 1  61 Apparel and clothing accessories, knitted  1,625,407  31 31 26.1 0  0 0 1 0 88 10 
SLV 2 09 Coffee, tea, maté and spices  487,596  9 40 29.6 0 11 0 44 0 44 0 
SLV 3  48 Paper, paperboard and pulp and articles  258,863  5 45 4.4 0  0 0 0 0 4 96 
SLV 4 62 Apparel and clothing accessories, not knitted  254,811  5 49 4.1 0 0 0 0 0 93 6 
SLV 5  39 Plastics and articles thereof  233,520  4 54 1.4 0  1 0 0 0 5 94 
SLV 6 17 Sugars and sugar confectionery  231,116  4 58 13.0 0 12 3 11 0 53 20 
SLV 7  27 Mineral fuels and oils  184,740  3 62 0.2 0  18 0 6 0 6 71 
SLV 8 72 Iron and steel 179,675  3 65 1.1 0 14 0 0 0 0 85 
SLV 9  22 Beverages, spirits and vinega r 144,128  3 68 4.2 0  1 0 0 0 36 63 
SLV 10 19 Preparations of cereals, flour, starch or mil k 141,744  3 71 8.1 0 0 0 0 0 10 90 
SUR 1  28 Inorganic chemicals, prec. metals compounds  492,697  33 33 37.1 3  0 0 27 0 70 0 
SUR 2 71 Pearls, precious stones and metals  420,359  28 62 9.1 0 0 0 57 0 43 0 
SUR 3  27 Mineral fuels and oils  197,482  13 75 0.7 0  0 0 0 0 0 100 
SUR 4 03 Fish and crustaceans, molluscs  59,759  4 79 7.1 0 15 0 34 0 43 8 
SUR 5  08 Edible fruit and nuts; peel of citrus fruits  48,037  3 83 5.7 0  0 0 100 0 0 0 
SUR 6 10 Cereals 40,467  3 85 3.6 0 0 0 27 0 7 66 
SUR 7  84 Machinery and mechanical appliances  37,627  3 88 0.2 0  0 0 13 0 12 75 
SUR 8 44 Wood and articles of wood; wood charcoal  23,649  2 89 2.8 0 77 0 19 0 2 2 
SUR 9  22 Beverages, spirits and vinega r 15,702  1 91 1.7 0  7 0 24 3 0 65 
SUR 10 26 Ores, slag and ash 15,030  1 92 0.6 0 0 0 27 0 72 0 
SYC 1  16 Prepared meat, fish, crustaceans, molluscs  232,344  63 63 244.9 0  0 1 99 0 0 0 
SYC 2 03 Fish and crustaceans, molluscs  88,704  24 88 42.5 27 57 0 9 7 0 0 
SYC 3  85 Electrical machinery and equipment  5,435  1 89 0.1 4  15 12 64 0 2 3 
SYC 4 90 Optical, precision, medical instruments  5,390  1 90 0.5 14 39 2 26 10 1 8 
SYC 5  84 Machinery and mechanical appliances  5,130  1 92 0.1 5  38 0 50 0 1 5 
SYC 6 15 Animal or vegetable fats, oils and waxes  4,744  1 93 1.9 0 0 0 100 0 0 0 
SYC 7  23 Food industry residues; animal fodde r 4,250  1 94 2.9 16  79 0 5 0 0 0 
SYC 8 39 Plastics and articles thereof  2,753  1 95 0.2 1 14 0 83 0 1 1 
SYC 9  44 Wood and articles of wood; wood charcoal  1,622  0 96 0.8 7  1 0 92 0 0 0 
SYC 10 72 Iron and steel 1,577  0 96 0.1 4 71 0 22 0 0 3 
TON 1  12 Oily and miscellaneous seeds, fruits, grains  5,457  28 28 54.2 0  88 0 0 0 12 0 
TON 2 03 Fish and crustaceans, molluscs  4,314  22 50 39.1 0 71 0 0 0 29 0 
TON 3  07 Edible vegetables and certain roots and tubers  4,072  21 71 55.9 0  95 0 1 0 4 0 
TON 4 18 Cocoa and cocoa preparations  1,319  7 78 23.2 0 0 0 100 0 0 0 
TON 5  08 Edible fruit and nuts; peel of citrus fruits  770 4 82 7.0 0  100 0 0 0 0 0  
  WT/COMTD/SE/W/28  
 
- 40 - Exporter Rank  HS2 Name US$ 
('000) % Cumul
. % RCA Africa  Asia CIS Europe  Middle 
East North 
America S. and C. 
America 
TON 6 73 Articles of iron or steel  751 4 86 2.3 0 11 0 0 0 0 89 
TON 7  72 Iron and steel 398  2 88 0.7 0  100 0 0 0 0 0 
TON 8 22 Beverages, spirits and vinega r 350 2 90 2.8 0 16 0 84 0 0 0 
TON 9  89 Ships, boats and floating structures  316 2 92 1.8 0  4 0 96 0 0 0 
TON 10 84 Machinery and mechanical appliances  238 1 93 0.1 0 17 0 4 0 0 79 
TTO 1  27 Mineral fuels and oils  8,437,739  61 61 3.1 1  15 0 18 0 33 33 
TTO 2 28 Inorganic chemicals, prec. metals compounds  2,230,072  16 78 18.0 0 0 0 1 0 84 15 
TTO 3  72 Iron and steel 1,268,850  9 87 3.1 0  5 0 17 0 58 20 
TTO 4 31 Fertilizers 662,022  5 92 9.5 0 0 0 21 0 65 14 
TTO 5  29 Organic chemicals 476,640  3 95 1.2 0  17 0 45 0 25 13 
TTO 6 22 Beverages, spirits and vinega r 215,228  2 97 2.4 0 0 0 6 0 72 21 
TTO 7  03 Fish and crustaceans, molluscs  48,307  0 97 0.6 0  4 0 0 0 70 26 
TTO 8 48 Paper, paperboard and pulp and articles  34,896  0 97 0.2 0 0 0 0 0 1 99 
TTO 9  24 Tobacco and tobacco substitutes  34,008  0 98 1.2 0  0 0 0 0 0 100 
TTO 10 19 Preparations of cereals, flour, starch or mil k 30,324  0 98 0.7 0 0 0 0 0 13 87 
VCT 1  89 Ships, boats and floating structures  45,245  44 44 49.4 41  3 0 56 0 0 0 
VCT 2 88 Aircraft, spacecraft, and parts thereof  11,494  11 56 9.9 0 0 0 99 0 1 0 
VCT 3  11 Products of the milling industry; malt;  10,461  10 66 90.3 0  0 0 0 0 0 100 
VCT 4 07 Edible vegetables and certain roots and tubers  4,667  5 70 12.2 0 0 0 15 0 3 82 
VCT 5  10 Cereals 4,491  4 75 5.8 0  0 0 0 0 0 100 
VCT 6 23 Food industry residues; animal fodde r 3,164  3 78 7.8 0 0 0 0 0 0 100 
VCT 7  22 Beverages, spirits and vinega r 3,144  3 81 4.8 0  0 0 4 0 2 94 
VCT 8 48 Paper, paperboard and pulp and articles  2,751  3 84 2.4 0 0 0 0 0 0 100 
VCT 9  72 Iron and steel 2,604  3 86 0.8 0  17 0 3 0 12 67 
VCT 10 84 Machinery and mechanical appliances  2,036  2 88 0.2 12 12 0 9 0 27 40 
VUT 1  03 Fish and crustaceans, molluscs  194,172  49 49 86.9 0  93 0 0 0 4 3 
VUT 2 89 Ships, boats and floating structures  151,494  39 88 43.0 20 0 0 80 0 0 0 
VUT 3  12 Oily and miscellaneous seeds, fruits, grains  18,594  5 93 9.1 0  90 0 3 0 8 0 
VUT 4 02 Meat and edible meat offal  5,728  1 94 2.1 0 100 0 0 0 0 0 
VUT 5  15 Animal or vegetable fats, oils and waxes  4,563  1 95 1.7 0  17 0 81 0 2 0 
VUT 6 32 Tanning or dyeing extracts; paints  2,739  1 96 1.5 0 93 7 0 0 0 0 
VUT 7  18 Cocoa and cocoa preparations  2,728  1 97 2.4 0  87 0 13 0 0 0 
VUT 8 22 Beverages, spirits and vinega r 1,892  0 97 0.8 0 9 0 1 0 0 0 
VUT 9  72 Iron and steel 1,769  0 98 0.1 0  99 0 1 0 0 0 
VUT 10 84 Machinery and mechanical appliances  1,382  0 98 0.0 40 57 0 3 0 0 0 
 
Source: BACI trade database.  
  WT/COMTD/SE/W/28  
 
- 41 - Annex Table 3. TBT and SPS measures applied on top ten HS 2-digi t chapters of small economies an d potentially affected exports  
        Technical barriers to trade (TBT)  Sanitary and phtosanitary (SPS) measures  
    Notifications  Specific trade concerns  Notifications  Specific trade concerns 
SE HS
2 Chapter name Exp 
(%) No. 
Not.s USD 
('000) CR 
(%) No. 
STCs USD 
('000) CR 
(%) No. 
Not.s USD 
('000) CR 
(%) No. 
STCs USD 
('000) CR 
(%) 
ATG 89 Ships, boats and floating structures  14 2 837 0.1 0 0 0.0  0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
ATG 27 Mineral fuels and oils 12 18 162 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
ATG 18 Cocoa and  cocoa preparations 12  2 11 0.0 1 11 0.0  3 28 0.0 0 0 0.0 
ATG 84 Machinery and mechanical appliances  11 52 1,473  0.2 10 828 0.1 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
ATG 87 Vehicles and parts other than railway  11 110 693 0.1 3 683 0.1 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
ATG 85 Electrical machinery and equipment  3 39 761 0.1 13 481 0.1 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
ATG 39 Plastics and articles thereof 3  8 54 0.0 0 0 0.0  0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
ATG 29 Organic chemicals 2 10 2,667  0.3 6 2,667  0.3 2 2,666  0.3 0 0 0.0 
ATG 76 Aluminium and articles thereof 2  1 3 0.0 0 0 0.0  0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
ATG 48 Paper, paperboard and pulp and articles  2 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
BLZ 27 Mineral fuels and oils 23  34 24,941  3.0 1 501 0.1 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
BLZ 10 Cereals  15 1 1,481  0.2 0 0 0.0 10 602 0.1 0 0 0.0 
BLZ 08 Edible fruit  and nuts; peel of citrus fruits  9 6 14,484  1.7 9 71,122  8.6 82 67,989  8.2 15 70,981  8.6 
BLZ 87 Vehicles and parts other than railway  8 124 2,147  0.3 9 1,768  0.2 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
BLZ 03 Fish and crustaceans, molluscs 7  13 18,634  2.2 19 37,853  4.6 110 39,396  4.7 5 23,770  2.9 
BLZ 17 Sugars and sugar confectionery 6 8 44,700  5.4 8 44,757  5.4 8 11,534  1.4 0 0 0.0 
BLZ 20 Preparations of vegetables, fruit, nuts, 
plants 4 20 17,945  2.2 13 18,519  2.2 33 19,003  2.3 3 7,112  0.9 
BLZ 84 Machinery and mechanical appliances  4 97 1,788  0.2 9 886 0.1 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
BLZ 89 Ships, boats and floating structures  3 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0  0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
BLZ 73 Articles of iron or steel 2 7 140 0.0 2 12 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
BOL 27 Mineral fuels and oils 43  32 2,862,819  32.1 0 0 0.0  1 2,846,576  31.9 0 0 0.0 
BOL 26 Ores, slag and ash 25 3 119,236  1.3 0 0 0.0 1 29,635  0.3 0 0 0.0 
BOL 71 Pearls, precious stones and metals  6 7 297,338  3.3 3 2,052  0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
BOL 80 Tin and articles thereof 5 3 67,394  0.8 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
BOL 23 Food industry residues; animal fodde r 5 2 1,435  0.0 0 0 0.0  15 122,431  1.4 1 1,435  0.0 
BOL 15 Animal or vegetable fats, oils and waxes  4 14 48,748  0.5 15 22,632  0.3 20 131,068  1.5 1 7,126  0.1 
BOL 08 Edible fruit and nuts; peel of citrus fruits  2 16 41,660  0.5 21 158,179  1.8 99 166,939  1.9 17 132,585  1.5 
BOL 12 Oily and miscellaneous seeds, fruits, grains  1 23 87,493  1.0 23 50,915  0.6 173 65,847  0.7 1 9,819  0.1 
BOL 28 Inorganic chemicals, prec. metals 
compounds 1 3 5,411  0.1 9 46,367  0.5 8 20,771  0.2 0 0 0.0 
BOL 44 Wood and articles of wood; wood charcoal  1 16 4,323  0.0 2 2,456  0.0 15 29,683  0.3 8 40,248  0.5 
BRB 27 Mineral fuels and oils 26  0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0  0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
BRB 04 Dairy produce; birds' eggs; natural honey  10 2 68 0.0 4 80 0.0 40 80 0.0 1 80 0.0 
BRB 84 Machinery and mechanical appliances  9 51 5,294  0.4 12 476 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
BRB 03 Fish and crustaceans, molluscs 9 4 421 0.0 9 464 0.0 25 464 0.0 5 433 0.0 
BRB 18 Cocoa and cocoa preparations 5  3 463 0.0 4 463 0.0 5 463 0.0 0 0 0.0 
BRB 22 Beverages, spirits and vinega r 5 68 38,937  3.1 34 45,173  3.6 64 39,625  3.2 2 96 0.0 
BRB 87 Vehicles and parts other than railway  3 156 1,009  0.1 3 920 0.1 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
BRB 19 Preparations of cereals, flour, starch or mil k 3 7 3,335  0.3 9 2,822  0.2 28 2,824  0.2 0 0 0.0 
BRB 63 Other textile articles; worn clothing; rags  3 7 832 0.1 5 833 0.1 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
BRB 85 Electrical machinery and equipment  3 93 7,007  0.6 21 4,728  0.4 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
BRN 27 Mineral fuels and oils 98  4 5,283,747  47.5 0 0 0.0  0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0  
  WT/COMTD/SE/W/28  
 
- 42 -         Technical barriers to trade (TBT)  Sanitary and phtosanitary (SPS) measures  
    Notifications  Specific trade concerns  Notifications  Specific trade concerns 
SE HS
2 Chapter name Exp 
(%) No. 
Not.s USD 
('000) CR 
(%) No. 
STCs USD 
('000) CR 
(%) No. 
Not.s USD 
('000) CR 
(%) No. 
STCs USD 
('000) CR 
(%) 
BRN 29 Organic chemicals 1 28 67,806  0.6 4 65,702  0.6 5 80,976  0.7 0 0 0.0 
BRN 71 Pearls, precious stones and metals  0 1 8,667  0.1 1 14,598  0.1 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
BRN 72 Iron and steel 0 6 1,312  0.0 2 3,310  0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
BRN 85 Electrical machinery and equipment  0 57 1,709  0.0 17 1,157  0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
BRN 61 Apparel and clothing accessories, knitted  0 7 4,994  0.0 5 4,957  0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
BRN 84 Machinery and mechanical appliances  0 27 272 0.0 10 1,248  0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
BRN 47 Pulp of wood, recovered pape r 0 5 3,599  0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
BRN 90 Optical, precision, medical instruments  0 2 88 0.0 2 2,469  0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
BRN 76 Aluminium and articles thereof 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
CPV 16 Prepared meat, fish, crustaceans, molluscs  36 6 31,009  35.5 8 31,007  35.5 15 31,011  35.5 2 31,007  35.5 
CPV 03 Fish and crustaceans, molluscs 34 15 2,523  2.9 10 29,424  33.7 34 29,424  33.7 9 29,424  33.7 
CPV 64 Footwear, gaiters and the like 6  2 13 0.0 3 5,284  6.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
CPV 61 Apparel and clothing accessories, knitted  4 1 3,647  4.2 2 3,647  4.2 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
CPV 62 Apparel and clothing accessories, not 
knitted 4 4 2,539  2.9 4 2,539  2.9 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
CPV 72 Iron and steel 3 1 57 0.1 1 1,946  2.2 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
CPV 84 Machinery and mechanical appliances  3 17 1,064  1.2 12 1,589  1.8 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
CPV 85 Electrical machinery and equipment  2 32 145 0.2 9 455 0.5 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
CPV 87 Vehicles and parts other than railway  1 3 95 0.1 1 95 0.1  0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
CPV 22 Beverages, spirits and vinega r 1 25 646 0.7 8 637 0.7 13 637 0.7 1 13 0.0 
CUB 75 Nickel and articles thereof 28  3 538,109  20.8 1 178,445  6.9 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
CUB 17 Sugars and sugar confectionery 16 12 58,583  2.3 10 326,931  12.6 11 268,523  10.4 2 47 0.0 
CUB 30 Pharmaceutical products 15  81 58,539  2.3 9 6,351  0.2 57 65,212  2.5 4 3,862  0.1 
CUB 27 Mineral fuels and oils 11 14 24,405  0.9 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
CUB 24 Tobacco and tobacco substitutes 9  39 150,203  5.8 3 4,119  0.2 10 7,405  0.3 0 0 0.0 
CUB 22 Beverages, spirits and vinega r 6 49 113,351  4.4 38 126,487  4.9 40 114,491  4.4 2 225 0.0 
CUB 03 Fish and crustaceans, molluscs 3  5 159 0.0 10 61,299  2.4 95 63,191  2.4 9 51,393  2.0 
CUB 84 Machinery and mechanical appliances  2 13 51,085  2.0 15 3,558  0.1 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
CUB 72 Iron and steel 2  1 4,314  0.2 0 0 0.0  0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
CUB 26 Ores, slag and ash 2 3 38,896  1.5 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
DMA 27 Mineral fuels and oils 21  0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0  0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
DMA 25 Salt; sulphur; earths and stone 9 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 1 2,906  5.1 0 0 0.0 
DMA 08 Edible fruit and nuts; peel of citrus fruits  8 4 14 0.0 6 4,179  7.3 47 4,340  7.6 14 4,196  7.4 
DMA 34 Soap, waxes, polishing preparations  7 0 0 0.0 3 113 0.2 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
DMA 39 Plastics and articles thereof 7  6 18 0.0 0 0 0.0  22 4 0.0 0 0 0.0 
DMA 90 Optical, precision, medical instruments  6 14 109 0.2 8 304 0.5 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
DMA 72 Iron and steel 5  0 0 0.0 1 111 0.2 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
DMA 07 Edible vegetables and certain roots and 
tubers 5 3 190 0.3 6 2,583  4.5 49 2,623  4.6 6 2,583  4.5 
DMA 84 Machinery and mechanical appliances  3 18 67 0.1 7 194 0.3 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
DMA 33 Essential oils, resinoids; cosmetic 
preparations 3 14 524 0.9 17 844 1.5 2 3 0.0 3 812 1.4 
DO
M 90 Optical, precision, medical instruments  11 92 682,293  8.7 11 157,656  2.0 3 3,609  0.0 0 0 0.0 
DO
M 72 Iron and steel 8 7 37,286  0.5 3 30,298  0.4 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0  
  WT/COMTD/SE/W/28  
 
- 43 -         Technical barriers to trade (TBT)  Sanitary and phtosanitary (SPS) measures  
    Notifications  Specific trade concerns  Notifications  Specific trade concerns 
SE HS
2 Chapter name Exp 
(%) No. 
Not.s USD 
('000) CR 
(%) No. 
STCs USD 
('000) CR 
(%) No. 
Not.s USD 
('000) CR 
(%) No. 
STCs USD 
('000) CR 
(%) 
DO
M 61 Apparel and clothing accessories, knitted  7 18 393,897  5.0 9 395,175  5.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
DO
M 08 Edible fruit and nuts; peel of citrus fruits  6 21 39,405  0.5 11 453,723  5.8 173 450,032  5.7 26 454,096  5.8 
DO
M 24 Tobacco and tobacco substitutes 6  58 428,018  5.4 5 720 0.0 10 391,741  5.0 0 0 0.0 
DO
M 85 Electrical machinery and equipment  6 200 324,455  4.1 28 145,251  1.8 1 13 0.0 0 0 0.0 
DO
M 39 Plastics and articles thereof 5  57 96,249  1.2 0 0 0.0  38 3,418  0.0 0 0 0.0 
DO
M 62 Apparel and clothing accessories, not 
knitted 5 24 370,921  4.7 9 372,986  4.7 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
DO
M 64 Footwear, gaiters and the like 4  25 198,414  2.5 7 60,985  0.8 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
DO
M 71 Pearls, precious stones and metals  4 9 291,255  3.7 3 1,273  0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
ECU 27 Mineral fuels and oils 56  40 694,148  2.9 1 20 0.0  0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
ECU 08 Edible fruit and nuts; peel of citrus fruits  13 31 675,115  2.9 23 2,046,845  8.7 224 2,013,530  8.5 31 1,944,875  8.3 
ECU 03 Fish and crustaceans, molluscs 7  37 710,343  3.0 28 1,427,478  6.1 193 1,526,002  6.5 11 1,342,163  5.7 
ECU 16 Prepared meat, fish, crustaceans, molluscs  4 30 747,159  3.2 23 723,158  3.1 69 709,321  3.0 2 597,942  2.5 
ECU 18 Cocoa and cocoa preparations 3  20 456,977  1.9 27 548,170  2.3 44 515,079  2.2 1 200,088  0.8 
ECU 87 Vehicles and parts other than railway  2 169 15,250  0.1 11 264,563  1.1 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
ECU 06 Live trees and other plants; roots; cut 
flowers 2 14 2,118  0.0 2 121,004  0.5 125 142,499  0.6 11 125,462  0.5 
ECU 15 Animal or vegetable fats, oils and waxes  2 18 105,646  0.4 25 145,049  0.6 41 139,656  0.6 2 73,670  0.3 
ECU 20 Preparations of vegetables, fruit, nuts, 
plants 1 45 200,656  0.9 27 238,417  1.0 41 211,751  0.9 3 62,639  0.3 
ECU 44 Wood and articles of wood; wood charcoal  1 20 47,953  0.2 2 14,151  0.1 33 117,649  0.5 8 147,854  0.6 
FJI 03 Fish and crustaceans, molluscs 17  11 18,188  2.7 19 89,282  13.3 123 101,150  15.0 11 25,049  3.7 
FJI 17 Sugars and sugar confectionery 13 7 88,325  13.1 10 88,336  13.1 10 14,407  2.1 0 0 0.0 
FJI 22 Beverages, spirits and vinega r 13  39 76,232  11.3 20 79,270  11.8 56 78,601  11.7 2 911 0.1 
FJI 71 Pearls, precious stones and metals  12 0 0 0.0 1 88 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
FJI 62 Apparel and clothing accessories, not 
knitted 7 4 221 0.0 4 221 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
FJI 19 Preparations of cereals, flour, starch or mil k 6 7 9,268  1.4 5 9,396  1.4 23 28,832  4.3 0 0 0.0 
FJI 16 Prepared meat, fish, crustaceans, molluscs  5 6 28,547  4.2 7 24,586  3.7 16 29,008  4.3 1 22,981  3.4 
FJI 44 Wood and articles of wood; wood charcoal  4 1 2 0.0 1 18 0.0 11 1,683  0.3 3 236 0.0 
FJI 61 Apparel and clothing accessories, knitted  4 5 2,039  0.3 4 2,039  0.3 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
FJI 07 Edible vegetables and certain roots and 
tubers 3 8 13,693  2.0 8 13,720  2.0 60 15,319  2.3 6 2,433  0.4 
GRD 09 Coffee, tea, maté and spices 39  5 1,120  4.0 11 10,443  36.8 64 9,473  33.4 6 8,641  30.5 
GRD 03 Fish and crustaceans, molluscs 21 4 4,819  17.0 9 5,871  20.7 26 5,871  20.7 5 5,434  19.2 
GRD 11 Products of the milling industry; malt;  7 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0  1 782 2.8 0 0 0.0 
GRD 18 Cocoa and cocoa preparations 6 5 1,466  5.2 7 1,469  5.2 21 1,532  5.4 1 1,228  4.3 
GRD 48 Paper, paperboard and pulp and articles  5 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0  0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
GRD 23 Food industry residues; animal fodde r 3 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0  
  WT/COMTD/SE/W/28  
 
- 44 -         Technical barriers to trade (TBT)  Sanitary and phtosanitary (SPS) measures  
    Notifications  Specific trade concerns  Notifications  Specific trade concerns 
SE HS
2 Chapter name Exp 
(%) No. 
Not.s USD 
('000) CR 
(%) No. 
STCs USD 
('000) CR 
(%) No. 
Not.s USD 
('000) CR 
(%) No. 
STCs USD 
('000) CR 
(%) 
GRD 22 Beverages, spirits and vinega r 3  26 209 0.7 8 122 0.4 16 204 0.7 0 0 0.0 
GRD 61 Apparel and clothing accessories, knitted  2 1 1 0.0 2 1 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
GRD 32 Tanning or dyeing extracts; paints  1 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0  0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
GRD 72 Iron and steel 1 1 114 0.4 1 32 0.1 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
GTM 09 Coffee, tea, maté and spices 13  21 116,119  1.0 31 1,252,690  11.2 121 992,246  8.9 7 484,618  4.4 
GTM 17 Sugars and sugar confectionery 9 29 329,117  3.0 25 771,132  6.9 26 188,132  1.7 2 17,738  0.2 
GTM 08 Edible fruit and nuts; peel of citrus fruits  8 25 761,269  6.8 19 920,174  8.3 190 897,553  8.1 28 923,446  8.3 
GTM 26 Ores, slag and ash 8 5 2,275  0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
GTM 61 Apparel and clothing accessories, knitted  8 23 810,289  7.3 10 823,159  7.4 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
GTM 27 Mineral fuels and oils 4 47 119,742  1.1 1 64,659  0.6 2 141 0.0 0 0 0.0 
GTM 40 Rubber and articles thereof 4  14 396 0.0 4 911 0.0 1 13,462  0.1 0 0 0.0 
GTM 71 Pearls, precious stones and metals  3 9 360,200  3.2 3 2,587  0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
GTM 62 Apparel and clothing accessories, not 
knitted 3 25 334,510  3.0 10 336,916  3.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
GTM 15 Animal or vegetable fats, oils and waxes  3 17 114,677  1.0 18 290,310  2.6 43 115,697  1.0 2 108,259  1.0 
GUY 71 Pearls, precious stones and metals  46 2 301,547  20.4 1 8,407  0.6 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
GUY 10 Cereals  12 11 43,347  2.9 7 43,304  2.9 77 133,672  9.0 3 41,087  2.8 
GUY 26 Ores, slag and ash 12  0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0  0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
GUY 17 Sugars and sugar confectionery 11 6 111,196  7.5 8 111,218  7.5 16 21,421  1.4 1 3 0.0 
GUY 03 Fish and crustaceans, molluscs 5  7 32,826  2.2 13 43,685  3.0 43 43,915  3.0 9 42,199  2.9 
GUY 44 Wood and articles of wood; wood charcoal  4 16 10,373  0.7 2 3,133  0.2 13 27,392  1.9 8 31,322  2.1 
GUY 86 Railway, rolling-stock 3  2 21,458  1.5 0 0 0.0  0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
GUY 22 Beverages, spirits and vinega r 2 53 24,755  1.7 25 30,992  2.1 50 24,543  1.7 2 26 0.0 
GUY 84 Machinery and mechanical appliances  1 58 1,455  0.1 12 1,150  0.1 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
GUY 61 Apparel and clothing accessories, knitted  0 3 6,230  0.4 4 6,230  0.4 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
HND 61 Apparel and clothing accessories, knitted  36 24 2,434,823  33.3 9 2,505,123  34.3 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
HND 09 Coffee, tea, maté and spices 18 15 49,380  0.7 19 1,236,895  16.9 79 647,188  8.9 7 899,906  12.3 
HND 62 Apparel and clothing accessories, not 
knitted 8 22 519,470  7.1 9 525,208  7.2 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
HND 08 Edible fruit and nuts; peel of citrus fruits  6 18 305,123  4.2 8 429,183  5.9 83 421,149  5.8 19 430,330  5.9 
HND 15 Animal or vegetable fats, oils and waxes  4 13 109,756  1.5 11 225,536  3.1 36 149,739  2.0 2 106,421  1.5 
HND 03 Fish and crustaceans, molluscs 4 20 195,930  2.7 17 257,186  3.5 76 261,460  3.6 9 233,342  3.2 
HND 71 Pearls, precious stones and metals  3 1 208,448  2.9 1 2,090  0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
HND 26 Ores, slag and ash 2 3 14,081  0.2 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
HND 24 Tobacco and tobacco substitutes 2  28 109,255  1.5 2 77 0.0  7 87,627  1.2 0 0 0.0 
HND 27 Mineral fuels and oils 2 46 124,845  1.7 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
JAM 28 Inorganic chemicals, prec. metals 
compounds 47 1 31,813  2.3 4 274,938  20.1 4 133,939  9.8 0 0 0.0 
JAM 22 Beverages, spirits and vinega r 17 73 196,987  14.4 36 218,356  16.0 65 196,745  14.4 2 2,442  0.2 
JAM 26 Ores, slag and ash 10  0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0  0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
JAM 17 Sugars and sugar confectionery 4 10 59,181  4.3 14 59,503  4.4 16 14,684  1.1 2 237 0.0 
JAM 71 Pearls, precious stones and metals  3 1 41,304  3.0 1 200 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
JAM 07 Edible vegetables and certain roots and 
tubers 2 6 25,753  1.9 7 30,236  2.2 55 30,123  2.2 6 24,875  1.8 
JAM 09 Coffee, tea, maté and spices 2  11 1,787  0.1 24 23,696  1.7 98 21,681  1.6 6 16,612  1.2 
JAM 25 Salt; sulphur; earths and stone 2 1 780 0.1 0 0 0.0 1 1 0.0 0 0 0.0  
  WT/COMTD/SE/W/28  
 
- 45 -         Technical barriers to trade (TBT)  Sanitary and phtosanitary (SPS) measures  
    Notifications  Specific trade concerns  Notifications  Specific trade concerns 
SE HS
2 Chapter name Exp 
(%) No. 
Not.s USD 
('000) CR 
(%) No. 
STCs USD 
('000) CR 
(%) No. 
Not.s USD 
('000) CR 
(%) No. 
STCs USD 
('000) CR 
(%) 
JAM 21 Miscellaneous edible preparations 2  18 15,675  1.1 13 17,646  1.3 32 15,846  1.2 12 2,911  0.2 
JAM 20 Preparations of vegetables, fruit, nuts, 
plants 1 9 14,911  1.1 8 18,026  1.3 17 17,949  1.3 3 472 0.0 
KNA 85 Electrical machinery and equipment  58 40 37,509  50.2 11 33,457  44.8 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
KNA 89 Ships, boats and floating structures  10 2 1 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
KNA 49 Printed books, newspapers, pictures  10 1 31 0.0 0 0 0.0  0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
KNA 87 Vehicles and parts other than railway  6 115 3,493  4.7 3 3,476  4.7 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
KNA 22 Beverages, spirits and vinega r 5  25 990 1.3 8 770 1.0 19 747 1.0 1 126 0.2 
KNA 84 Machinery and mechanical appliances  2 46 354 0.5 6 1,279  1.7 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
KNA 39 Plastics and articles thereof 2  3 115 0.2 0 0 0.0  23 1 0.0 0 0 0.0 
KNA 90 Optical, precision, medical instruments  1 9 494 0.7 4 126 0.2 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
KNA 03 Fish and crustaceans, molluscs 1  3 199 0.3 6 669 0.9 20 669 0.9 5 669 0.9 
KNA 72 Iron and steel 1 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
LCA 22 Beverages, spirits and vinega r 33  29 4,023  13.6 12 711 2.4 25 638 2.2 2 99 0.3 
LCA 08 Edible fruit and nuts; peel of citrus fruits  21 0 0 0.0 4 5,354  18.1 17 5,343  18.0 11 5,355  18.1 
LCA 90 Optical, precision, medical inst ruments  9 16 2,375  8.0 3 39 0.1  0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
LCA 27 Mineral fuels and oils 6 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
LCA 48 Paper, paperboard and pulp and articles  4 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0  0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
LCA 85 Electrical machinery and equipment  3 19 149 0.5 12 682 2.3 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
LCA 71 Pearls, precious stones and metals  3 1 855 2.9 0 0 0.0  0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
LCA 21 Miscellaneous edible preparations 2 11 572 1.9 8 575 1.9 21 572 1.9 4 198 0.7 
LCA 74 Copper and articles thereof 2  10 92 0.3 0 0 0.0  0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
LCA 84 Machinery and mechanical appliances  2 17 16 0.1 11 76 0.3 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
LKA 61 Apparel and clothing accessories, knitted  23 29 1,891,161  20.4 11 1,892,532  20.4 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
LKA 62 Apparel and clothing accessories, not 
knitted 19 31 1,542,575  16.6 11 1,546,362  16.7 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
LKA 09 Coffee, tea, maté and spices 15  27 43,106  0.5 31 486,220  5.2 137 246,735  2.7 7 180,933  1.9 
LKA 40 Rubber and articles thereof 8 53 161,044  1.7 8 222,293  2.4 3 16,556  0.2 0 0 0.0 
LKA 71 Pearls, precious stones and metals  4 8 3,149  0.0 3 312,697  3.4 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
LKA 49 Printed books, newspapers, pictures  2 1 572 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
LKA 03 Fish and crustaceans, molluscs 2  15 20,697  0.2 30 185,532  2.0 196 197,920  2.1 13 157,738  1.7 
LKA 85 Electrical machinery and equipment  2 180 35,103  0.4 24 108,752  1.2 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
LKA 11 Products of the milling industry; malt;  2 14 1,813  0.0 21 110,398  1.2 16 1,100  0.0 1 162 0.0 
LKA 08 Edible fruit and nuts; peel of citrus fruits  2 21 11,338  0.1 30 72,301  0.8 219 70,091  0.8 33 57,145  0.6 
MDV 03 Fish and crustaceans, molluscs 81  12 3,486  1.9 24 90,064  49.4 125 142,205  78.1 11 80,901  44.4 
MDV 27 Mineral fuels and oils 6 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
MDV 16 Prepared meat, fish, crustaceans, molluscs  5 4 8,798  4.8 6 8,811  4.8 8 6,885  3.8 1 6,875  3.8 
MDV 72 Iron and steel 2 1 32 0.0 1 3,817  2.1 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
MDV 74 Copper and articles thereof 1  0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0  0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
MDV 84 Machinery and mechanical appliances  1 14 17 0.0 8 430 0.2 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
MDV 85 Electrical machinery and equipment  1 13 99 0.1 12 839 0.5 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
MDV 23 Food industry residues; animal fodde r 1 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 7 2 0.0 1 2 0.0 
MDV 62 Apparel and clothing accessories, not 
knitted 0 1 4 0.0 2 4 0.0  0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
MDV 61 Apparel and clothing accessories, knitted  0 1 7 0.0 2 7 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
MUS 61 Apparel and clothing accessories, knitted  23 26 516,926  21.6 10 516,322  21.6 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0  
  WT/COMTD/SE/W/28  
 
- 46 -         Technical barriers to trade (TBT)  Sanitary and phtosanitary (SPS) measures  
    Notifications  Specific trade concerns  Notifications  Specific trade concerns 
SE HS
2 Chapter name Exp 
(%) No. 
Not.s USD 
('000) CR 
(%) No. 
STCs USD 
('000) CR 
(%) No. 
Not.s USD 
('000) CR 
(%) No. 
STCs USD 
('000) CR 
(%) 
MUS 17 Sugars and sugar confectionery 14 22 323,479  13.5 17 326,400  13.6 20 36,463  1.5 1 200 0.0 
MUS 62 Apparel and clothing accessories, not 
knitted 13 24 274,379  11.5 10 277,479  11.6 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
MUS 16 Prepared meat, fish, crustaceans, molluscs  12 11 283,784  11.9 14 283,783  11.9 31 283,749  11.9 3 283,719  11.9 
MUS 31 Fertilizers  4 4 5,017  0.2 2 5,017  0.2 2 5,017  0.2 0 0 0.0 
MUS 71 Pearls, precious stones and metals  2 6 344 0.0 1 18,813  0.8 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
MUS 03 Fish and crustaceans, molluscs 2  15 3,251  0.1 26 42,951  1.8 124 48,081  2.0 10 23,770  1.0 
MUS 90 Optical, p recision, medical instruments  2 49 1,472  0.1 7 39,079  1.6 1 2 0.0 0 0 0.0 
MUS 52 Cotton  2 13 20,489  0.9 5 20,717  0.9 1 11 0.0 0 0 0.0 
MUS 91 Clocks and watches and parts thereof  2 2 48 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
NIC 09 Coffee, tea, maté and spices 15  13 25,916  0.8 20 402,543  12.4 77 282,207  8.7 7 168,885  5.2 
NIC 71 Pearls, precious stones and metals  13 7 178,396  5.5 3 272 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
NIC 02 Meat and edible meat offal 13  17 230,068  7.1 18 247,608  7.6 359 399,861  12.3 34 387,649  12.0 
NIC 61 Apparel and clothing accessories, knitted  13 18 386,098  11.9 9 391,546  12.1 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
NIC 17 Sugars and sugar confectionery 6  9 62,267  1.9 13 119,677  3.7 14 68,970  2.1 1 44 0.0 
NIC 03 Fish and crustaceans, molluscs 6 26 86,527  2.7 18 167,325  5.2 145 179,722  5.5 9 151,086  4.7 
NIC 62 Apparel and clothing accessories, not 
knitted 5 13 147,623  4.6 8 151,005  4.7 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
NIC 04 Dairy produce; birds' eggs; natural honey  4 36 81,601  2.5 12 80,458  2.5 118 114,562  3.5 10 80,458  2.5 
NIC 12 Oily and miscellaneous seeds, fruits, grains  3 16 38,546  1.2 15 79,220  2.4 133 90,167  2.8 2 1,538  0.0 
NIC 15 Animal or vegetable fats, oils and waxes  2 9 36,932  1.1 13 31,975  1.0 35 43,000  1.3 2 16,139  0.5 
PAN 29 Organic chemicals 29  37 3,525,455  27.6 7 3,221,699  25.2 21 328,411  2.6 0 0 0.0 
PAN 27 Mineral fuels and oils 15 60 652,709  5.1 1 117 0.0 1 9 0.0 0 0 0.0 
PAN 84 Machinery and mechanical appliances  7 199 613,802  4.8 28 34,025  0.3 1 68 0.0 0 0 0.0 
PAN 30 Pharmaceutical products 6 113 250,764  2.0 7 31,567  0.2 145 484,165  3.8 3 24,313  0.2 
PAN 89 Ships, boats and floating structures  6 5 17 0.0 0 0 0.0  1 7,769  0.1 0 0 0.0 
PAN 85 Electrical machinery and equipment  5 226 89,430  0.7 31 102,216  0.8 1 1,052  0.0 0 0 0.0 
PAN 62 Apparel and clothing accessories, not 
knitted 3 17 83,557  0.7 9 56,442  0.4 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
PAN 64 Footwear, gaiters and the like 2 19 75,104  0.6 5 67,467  0.5 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
PAN 03 Fish and crustaceans, molluscs 2  27 142,573  1.1 24 196,462  1.5 163 235,897  1.8 10 178,650  1.4 
PAN 08 Edible fruit and nuts; peel of citrus fruits  2 16 39,567  0.3 12 245,725  1.9 103 243,568  1.9 23 243,808  1.9 
PNG 71 Pearls, precious stones and metals  30 0 0 0.0 1 95,799  1.3 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
PNG 26 Ores, slag and ash 21 2 2 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
PNG 27 Mineral  fuels and oils 19  23 277,006  3.8 0 0 0.0  0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
PNG 15 Animal or vegetable fats, oils and waxes  10 7 711,794  9.7 5 661,189  9.0 14 661,189  9.0 1 661,109  9.0 
PNG 44 Wood and articles of wood; wood charcoal  8 1 166 0.0 1 296 0.0 5 568,165  7.7 4 553,390  7.5 
PNG 09 Coffee, tea, maté and spices 5 11 11,032  0.2 22 281,276  3.8 86 263,429  3.6 6 199,981  2.7 
PNG 18 Cocoa and cocoa preparations 3  8 136,120  1.9 12 62,670  0.9 10 55,572  0.8 1 23,037  0.3 
PNG 16 Prepared meat, fish, crustaceans, molluscs  1 11 99,579  1.4 10 99,872  1.4 15 100,510  1.4 3 99,124  1.3 
PNG 03 Fish and crustaceans, molluscs 1  5 1,643  0.0 13 18,858  0.3 79 82,285  1.1 11 12,539  0.2 
PNG 12 Oily and miscellaneous seeds, fruits, grains  1 10 17,024  0.2 10 5,163  0.1 15 510 0.0 0 0 0.0 
PRY 12 Oily and miscellaneous seeds, fruits, grains  42 23 1,667,920  29.5 29 1,690,362  29.9 166 1,880,423  33.2 2 52,312  0.9 
PRY 02 Meat and edible meat offal 13 14 94,525  1.7 17 371,430  6.6 379 706,202  12.5 34 466,741  8.2 
PRY 10 Cereals  12 7 203,378  3.6 13 420,243  7.4 102 471,258  8.3 4 96,705  1.7 
PRY 23 Food industry residues; animal fodde r 7 5 43,619  0.8 0 0 0.0 58 44,229  0.8 1 26,539  0.5  
  WT/COMTD/SE/W/28  
 
- 47 -         Technical barriers to trade (TBT)  Sanitary and phtosanitary (SPS) measures  
    Notifications  Specific trade concerns  Notifications  Specific trade concerns 
SE HS
2 Chapter name Exp 
(%) No. 
Not.s USD 
('000) CR 
(%) No. 
STCs USD 
('000) CR 
(%) No. 
Not.s USD 
('000) CR 
(%) No. 
STCs USD 
('000) CR 
(%) 
PRY 15 Animal or vegetable fats, oils and waxes  6 16 78,986  1.4 22 137,341  2.4 30 132,454  2.3 3 30,411  0.5 
PRY 17 Sugars  and sugar confectionery 2 25 128,300  2.3 19 129,496  2.3 18 108,595  1.9 1 49 0.0 
PRY 41 Raw hides and skins and leathe r 2  1 19,954  0.4 3 48,651  0.9 2 35,726  0.6 0 0 0.0 
PRY 39 Plastics and articles thereof 2 21 74,104  1.3 1 45,005  0.8 34 81,458  1.4 0 0 0.0 
PRY 44 Wood and articles of wood; wood charcoal  2 15 3,596  0.1 1 1,391  0.0 26 43,657  0.8 8 45,126  0.8 
PRY 24 Tobacco and tobacco substitutes 1 25 11,901  0.2 1 2,664  0.0 11 12,888  0.2 0 0 0.0 
SLV 61 Apparel and clothing accessories, knitted  31 26 1,422,228  26.8 10 1,443,747  27.2 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
SLV 09 Coffee, tea, maté and spices 9 16 42,354  0.8 21 474,574  8.9 83 361,308  6.8 6 253,757  4.8 
SLV 48 Paper, paperboard and pulp and articles  5 1 2 0.0 0 0 0.0  1 2,365  0.0 0 0 0.0 
SLV 62 Apparel and clothing accessories, not 
knitted 5 9 236,567  4.5 7 236,977  4.5 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
SLV 39 Plastics and articles thereof 4  43 94,349  1.8 0 0 0.0  31 1,478  0.0 0 0 0.0 
SLV 17 Sugars and sugar confectionery 4 12 115,967  2.2 16 197,656  3.7 8 79,191  1.5 0 0 0.0 
SLV 27 Mineral fuels and oils 3  32 114,397  2.2 0 0 0.0  0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
SLV 72 Iron and steel 3 9 7,461  0.1 2 9,995  0.2 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
SLV 22 Beverages, spirits and vinega r 3  41 59,160  1.1 17 51,743  1.0 35 53,188  1.0 2 15 0.0 
SLV 19 Preparations of cereals, flour, starch or mil k 3 10 18,857  0.4 9 14,506  0.3 36 86,679  1.6 0 0 0.0 
SUR 28 Inorganic chemicals, prec. metals 
compounds 33 3 339 0.0 4 311,605  21.1 2 28,325  1.9 0 0 0.0 
SUR 71 Pearls, precious stones and metals  28 1 41 0.0 1 240,769  16.3 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
SUR 27 Mineral fuels and oils 13  23 93 0.0 1 781 0.1 1 42 0.0 0 0 0.0 
SUR 03 Fish and crustaceans, molluscs 4 7 25,119  1.7 15 50,745  3.4 92 50,776  3.4 9 45,517  3.1 
SUR 08 Edible fruit and nuts; peel of citrus fruits  3 2 2,955  0.2 7 47,959  3.2 22 47,953  3.2 14 47,959  3.2 
SUR 10 Cereals  3 4 13,709  0.9 7 13,715  0.9 66 13,741  0.9 2 10,874  0.7 
SUR 84 Machinery and mechanical appliances  3 88 7,472  0.5 7 5,090  0.3 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
SUR 44 Wood and articles of wood; wood charcoal  2 16 920 0.1 2 700 0.0 12 19,927  1.4 8 21,027  1.4 
SUR 22 Beverages, spirits and vinega r 1  49 5,013  0.3 24 4,743  0.3 38 4,464  0.3 2 224 0.0 
SUR 26 Ores, slag and ash 1 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
SYC 16 Prepared meat, fish, crustaceans, molluscs  63 3 230,649  62.9 8 230,659  62.9 28 231,846  63.2 2 230,649  62.9 
SYC 03 Fish and crustaceans, molluscs 24 5 73 0.0 15 48,273  13.2 83 53,276  14.5 10 8,298  2.3 
SYC 85 Electrical machinery and equipment  1 64 340 0.1 20 4,214  1.1 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
SYC 90 Optical, precision, medical instruments  1 25 2,483  0.7 6 1,594  0.4 1 58 0.0 0 0 0.0 
SYC 84 Machinery and mechanical appliances  1 36 1,354  0.4 16 3,484  0.9 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
SYC 15 Animal or vegetable fats, oils and waxes  1 2 126 0.0 3 126 0.0 15 4,328  1.2 1 126 0.0 
SYC 23 Food industry residues; animal fodde r 1 2 209 0.1 0 0 0.0  48 294 0.1 4 294 0.1 
SYC 39 Plastics and articles thereof 1 2 2,015  0.5 0 0 0.0 30 2,178  0.6 0 0 0.0 
SYC 44 Wood and articles of wood; wood charcoal  0 1 109 0.0 1 89 0.0  1 812 0.2 2 1,437  0.4 
SYC 72 Iron and steel 0 0 0 0.0 1 1,118  0.3 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
TON 12 Oily and miscellaneous seeds, fruits, grains  28 10 2,199  11.3 12 2,200  11.4 71 2,199  11.3 1 103 0.5 
TON 03 Fish and crustaceans, molluscs 22 6 1,368  7.1 12 4,174  21.5 80 4,192  21.6 7 4,067  21.0 
TON 07 Edible vegetables and certain roots and 
tubers 21 7 2,199  11.4 12 3,876  20.0 124 3,934  20.3 11 3,063  15.8 
TON 18 Cocoa and cocoa preparations 7 2 1,319  6.8 3 1,319  6.8 1 1,319  6.8 1 1,319  6.8 
TON 08 Edible fruit and nuts; peel of citrus fruits  4 3 528 2.7 4 528 2.7 31 753 3.9 2 4 0.0 
TON 73 Articles of iron or steel 4 3 666 3.4 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
TON 72 Iron and steel 2  1 17 0.1 0 0 0.0  0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0  
  WT/COMTD/SE/W/28  
 
- 48 -         Technical barriers to trade (TBT)  Sanitary and phtosanitary (SPS) measures  
    Notifications  Specific trade concerns  Notifications  Specific trade concerns 
SE HS
2 Chapter name Exp 
(%) No. 
Not.s USD 
('000) CR 
(%) No. 
STCs USD 
('000) CR 
(%) No. 
Not.s USD 
('000) CR 
(%) No. 
STCs USD 
('000) CR 
(%) 
TON 22 Beverages, spirits and vinega r 2 5 350 1.8 4 350 1.8 4 295 1.5 0 0 0.0 
TON 89 Ships, boats and floating structures  2 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0  0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
TON 84 Machinery and mechanical appliances  1 1 3 0.0 3 19 0.1 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
TTO 27 Mineral fuels and oils 61  39 1,816,872  13.2 1 960,084  7.0 2 45,197  0.3 0 0 0.0 
TTO 28 Inorganic chemicals, prec. metals 
compounds 16 2 171,723  1.3 4 1,895,286  13.8 4 199,374  1.5 0 0 0.0 
TTO 72 Iron and steel 9  2 58,469  0.4 2 7,629  0.1 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
TTO 31 Fertilizers  5 13 564,788  4.1 3 548,146  4.0 21 154,854  1.1 0 0 0.0 
TTO 29 Organic chemicals 3  34 282,112  2.1 10 289,477  2.1 16 292,923  2.1 0 0 0.0 
TTO 22 Beverages, spirits and vinega r 2 56 171,481  1.2 25 173,497  1.3 44 170,633  1.2 1 2,024  0.0 
TTO 03 Fish and crustaceans, molluscs 0  10 39,691  0.3 17 34,633  0.3 52 44,047  0.3 9 29,545  0.2 
TTO 48 Paper, paperboard and pulp and articles  0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 1 3 0.0 0 0 0.0 
TTO 24 Tobacco and tobacco substitutes 0  1 7 0.0 0 0 0.0  0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
TTO 19 Preparations of cereals, flour, starch or mil k 0 9 4,005  0.0 7 4,017  0.0 28 4,200  0.0 0 0 0.0 
VCT 89 Ships, boats and floating structures  44 2 13 0.0 0 0 0.0  0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
VCT 88 Aircraft, spacecraft, and parts thereof  11 12 85 0.1 1 11,408  11.2 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
VCT 11 Products of the milling industry; malt;  10 1 48 0.0 3 48 0.0  5 2,354  2.3 0 0 0.0 
VCT 07 Edible vegetables and certain roots and 
tubers 5 6 157 0.2 7 853 0.8 51 4,429  4.3 6 848 0.8 
VCT 10 Cereals  4 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0  1 492 0.5 0 0 0.0 
VCT 23 Food industry residues; animal fodde r 3 1 143 0.1 0 0 0.0 2 62 0.1 0 0 0.0 
VCT 22 Beverages, spirits and vinega r 3  40 1,387  1.4 14 194 0.2 22 195 0.2 2 17 0.0 
VCT 48 Paper, paperboard and pulp and articles  3 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
VCT 72 Iron and steel 3  7 188 0.2 1 23 0.0  0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
VCT 84 Machinery and mechanical appliances  2 60 571 0.6 11 233 0.2 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
VUT 03 Fish and crustaceans, molluscs 49  7 2,092  0.5 20 66,991  17.1 118 186,443  47.5 11 7,315  1.9 
VUT 89 Ships, boats and floating structures  39 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
VUT 12 Oily and miscellaneous seeds, fruits, grains  5 7 2,327  0.6 14 2,451  0.6 38 2,409  0.6 0 0 0.0 
VUT 02 Meat and edible meat offal 1 0 0 0.0 6 1,525  0.4 161 1,574  0.4 7 1,525  0.4 
VUT 15 Animal or vegetable fats, oils and waxes  1 4 3,810  1.0 6 3,810  1.0 15 3,810  1.0 1 3,702  0.9 
VUT 32 Tanning or dyeing extracts; paints  1 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
VUT 18 Cocoa and cocoa preparations 1  5 2,069  0.5 4 370 0.1 4 578 0.1 1 359 0.1 
VUT 22 Beverages, spirits and vinega r 0 2 13 0.0 3 13 0.0 2 120 0.0 0 0 0.0 
VUT 72 Iron and steel 0  0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0  0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
VUT 84 Machinery and mechanical appliances  0 11 4 0.0 4 42 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
 
Source: WTO Secretariat based on WTO I-TIP, World Trad e Report 2012 - TBT STC database, BACI trade database. 
Note:  Trade data are for the year 2011. The number and the covera ge ratios (CR) of TBT and SPS notifications as well as of SPS  STCs are based on notifications and 
concerns raised between January 1995 and July 2013. Differently, th e number and coverage ratio of TBT STCs are based on concern s raised between January 
1995 and December 2011 due to the use of the World Trade Report 2012 - TBT STC database. 
 WT/COMTD/SE/W/28 
 
- 49 - 
 
  Annex Table 4. Emergency SPS notificati ons directly affect ing small economies 
Members 
affected Member 
imposing Initiation 
(In force) HS Product description  Measure description  
Ecuado r Costa Rica 01/02/12  0602 
0603 Fresh flowers, plant 
propagation material, leafy 
vegetables Risk analysis of Thrips palmi.  Pest risk 
analysis (PRA) by pest. Temporary 
suspension of the importation of fresh cut flowers and amendments to the import requirements for host propagative material and vegetable hosts. 
BLZ, CUB, DMA, 
DOM, GTM, HND, 
JAM, MUS, NIC, 
PNG, PRY, LKA and 
40 more Members Ecuado r 24/04/13 
(15/04/13) 0602 Propagation material of all 
commercial species of citrus 
fruit and other Rutaceae, 
including ornamental 
species of the genera 
Murraya and Swinglea Resolution No. 0044: Prohibition on imports 
from countries where Huanglongbing (HLB) 
is present. 
Cape Verde and 30 more Members Korea 11/01/13 080430
 Fresh pineapple  Emergency phytosanitary (import 
prohibition) measures on fresh pineapple fruit to prevent the introduction of Cryptophlebia leucotreta. 
Paraguay Philippines 21/03/12 
(31/01/12) 18 HS4 
and 8 
HS6 
codes Bovine animals, swine, 
sheep and goats DA Memorandum Order No. 02, 2012: 
Temporary ban on the importation of FMD-
Susceptible Animals, Their Products and 
By-Products. 
Paraguay Argentina 31/10/11 
(19/09/11) 0201 
0203 
0204 Foot-and-mouth disease 
(FMD) risk products Resolution on the preventive suspension of 
the entry into Argentina, of all products 
capable of transmitting the FMD virus. 
Paraguay Saudi 
Arabia 31/10/11 
(18/10/11) 4 HS4 
codes Meat and meat by-products 
from cattle, sheep, goats 
and camelidae Temporary import ban meat and meat by-
products from cattle, sheep, goats and 
camelidae to prevent the entry of FMD 
disease into the country.   
Paraguay Albania  10/10/11 
(26/09/11) 7 HS4 
codes Live animals (domestic and 
wild ruminants, pigs), meat, 
processed meat, milk Order to stop the import of all live animal 
like cattle, pigs, sheep and goats stopping 
the import of meat and products of the 
above-mentioned animals and milk due to FMD from the territory of the District San Pedro, Paraguay. 
Paraguay Chile 29/09/11 
(19/09/11) 0201 
0203 
0204 Goods of animal origin  Temporary suspension, as a preventive 
measure, of the importation of goods of 
animal origin that may carry the foot-and-
mouth disease (FMD) virus. 
Paraguay Colombia 26/09/11 6 HS4 
codes Bovine animals, sheep, 
goats, swine and other 
species Resolution No. 003683: Suspension of the 
entry of animals and the risk products 
thereof capable of transmitting or carrying 
the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) virus for a period of six months. 
Paraguay Peru 22/09/11 
(20/09/11) 11 HS4 
codes Ruminants, live swine and 
semen these and other 
species; products thereof Suspension of imports for 180 days  of 
animals and products thereof capable of 
transmitting or carrying the FMD virus. 
Saint Vincent and 
the Grenadines U.S. 19/05/11 
(19/04/11) 0809 
0810 Fruits of Spondias spp., 
Barbados cherry, 
Carambola, Governor's plum, Sapodilla and Passion fruit including granadilla Quarantine order to prevent the entry or 
introduction of the harmful plant pest, 
Anastrepha obliqua (West Indian fruit fly), from St. Vincent and the Grenadines into the United States. 
Sri Lanka and 25 
more Members U.S. 25/07/11 
(08/07/11) 1006 Commercial shipments of 
rice (Oryza sativa or Oryza 
spp.) Quarantine order to prevent the entry or 
introduction into the United States of the 
exotic quarantine pest Khapra beetle 
(Trogoderma granarium Everts).   
Phytosanitary Certificate or a Phytosanitary 
Certificate of Reexport required for 
shipments. 
Sri Lanka and 25 more Members U.S. 25/07/11 
(08/07/11) 1006
 Non-commercial quantities 
of rice (Oryza sativa or Oryza spp.) Quarantine order to prevent the entry or 
introduction into the United States of the exotic quarantine pest Khapra beetle 
(Trogoderma granarium Everts).   
 
Source: WTO Integrated Trade Intelligence Portal (I-TIP). 
 WT/COMTD/SE/W/28 
 
- 50 - 
 
  Annex Table 5. Regular SPS notification s directly affecting small economies 
Members 
affected Member 
imposing Initiation 
(In force) HS Product description  Measure description  
Ecuado r Peru 26/07/13 
(16/05/13) 0604 Myrtle foliage  Directorial Resolution No. 0015-2013-AG-
SENASA-DSV:  Phytosanitary import requirements. 
Ecuado r Peru 26/07/13 
(15/07/13) 060110  Calla lily rhizomes  Directorial Resolution No. 0022-2013-AG-
SENASA-DSV: Phytosanitary import 
requirements. 
Belize Mexico 07/05/13 100590  Maize  Phytosanitary import requirements following pest risk analysis. 
Bolivia Brazil 03/04/13 12099 
120999 Seeds of hybrid 
sorghum Draft of Normative Instruction: Phytosanitary 
import requirements following pest risk 
analysis. 
Ecuado r Peru 14/03/13 
(02/03/13) 0604 Fan palm foliage  Directorial Resolution No. 0010-2013-AG-
SENASA-DSV: Phytosanitary import requirements. 
Paraguay Peru 08/03/13 
(21/02/13) 100630  SH 1006.30.00.00:  
Riz en grains pilé Directorial Resolution No. 0008-2013-AG-
SENASA-DSV: Phytosanitary import 
requirements. 
Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay Brazil 21/02/13 
(13/02/13) 010210, 
01061 Bovine and bubaline 
animals Normative Instruction No. 4: Adoption of 
animal health requirements established by MERCOSUR States Parties and model animal 
health and shipping certificates.  
Argentina, 
Paraguay, 
Uruguay Brazil 21/02/13 
(08/02/13) 010619  Pet dogs and cats  Normative Instruction No. 5: Adoption of 
animal health requirements established by 
MERCOSUR States Parties and the model 
international veterinary certificate. 
Bolivia and 1 
more Member Peru 19/02/13 
(07/02/13) 100590 
1201 
2304 Maize grain, soya 
beans and derivatives Directorial Resolution No. 0006-2013-AG-
SENASA-DSV: Authorization of administrative customs formalities and phytosanitary inspection procedures. 
Argentina, 
Paraguay, 
Uruguay Brazil 01/02/13 
(31/01/13) 1205 Canola  Normative Instruction No. 2: Adopt 
phytosanitary requirements according to 
country of destination and origin from 
MERCOSUR.  
Ecuado r Brazil 18/01/13 070390  Welsh onion  Draft of Normative Instruction: Phytosanitary 
import requirements following pest risk 
analysis. 
Sri Lanka and 1 
more Member New 
Zealand 18/01/13 
(18/03/13) 0106 Zoo Asian elephants  Importation health requirements.  
Ecuado r Peru 18/01/13 
(04/11/12) 120930  Calla lily seeds  Directorial Resolution No. 0045-2012-AG-
SENASA-DSV: Phytosanitary import requirements. 
Honduras and 10 
more Members Korea 15/01/13 080430  Fresh pineapple fruit  Phytosanitary import requirements, i.e. 
treatment with CH3Br or equivalent treatment. 
Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu and 1 more Member Australia
 20/12/12 0704  Fresh  island cabbage 
leaves Draft pest risk analysis and proposed 
measures. 
Paraguay Costa 
Rica 03/12/12 100590  Grain maize for 
consumption Technical study and phytosanitary import 
requirements. 
Guatemala Chile 21/11/12 060220  Fresh rambutan fruit  Phytosanitary import requirements following 
pest risk analysis. 
Ecuado r Peru 13/11/12 
(31/10/12) 0603 Fresh cut brodiaea 
flowers Directorial Resolution No. 0043-2012-AG-
SENASA-DSV: Phytosanitary import 
requirements. 
Honduras Ecuado r 29/10/12 
(24/12/12) 0901 Coffee beans for 
industrial use Phytosanitary import requirements.  
Bolivia Peru 09/10/12 
(15/09/12) 120799  Chia seeds  Directorial Resolution No. 0028-2012-AG-
SENASA-DSV: Phytosanitary import 
requirements. 
Paraguay Peru 09/10/12 
(22/09/12) 120740  Sesame seeds  Directorial Resolution No. 0032-2012-AG-
SENASA-DSV: Phytosanitary import requirements. 
Bolivia Brazil 04/10/12 
(02/10/12) 120100  Grains of soybeans  Normative Instruction SDA/MAPA nº 21: 
Phytosanitary import requirements. 
Ecuado r Brazil 04/10/12 0702  Fresh tomatoes  Draft of Normative Instruction: Phytosanitary import requirements. 
Ecuado r Brazil 04/10/12 070310  Onion bulbs  Draft of Normative Instruction: Phytosanitary 
import requirements. 
Dominican Republic Peru 12/09/12 
(02/08/12) 060290
 In vitro pineapple 
plants Directorial Resolution No. 0024-2012-AG-
SENASA-DSV: Phytosanitary import 
requirements. 
Nicaragua Peru 19/07/12 
(05/10/11)  120210 
120220 Groundnuts (in shell 
and shelled) Directorial Resolution No. 31-2011-AG-
SENASA-DSV: Phytosanitary import 
requirements. WT/COMTD/SE/W/28 
 
- 51 - 
 
  Members 
affected Member 
imposing Initiation 
(In force) HS Product description  Measure description  
Ecuado r Peru 19/07/12 
(24/10/11) 120799  Sacha inchi seeds.  Directorial Resolution No. 35-2011-AG-
SENASA-DSV: Phytosanitary import 
requirements. 
Ecuado r Peru 19/07/12 
(17/05/12) 0106 Live insects  Directorial Resolution No. 0013-2012-AG-
SENASA-DSV: Phytosanitary import 
requirements. 
Ecuador, Honduras, 
Paraguay and 16 more Members Peru 19/07/12 
(21/05/12)  Miscellaneous 
agricultural products Directorial Resolution No. 0015-2012-AG-
SENASA-DSV: Phytosanitary import 
requirements. 
Fiji, Tonga, 
Vanuatu and 1 
more Member New 
Zealand 31/05/12 
(06/06/12) 0704 Fresh Island cabbage 
leaves  Draft importing requirements. 
Fiji Australia  18/04/12 0601  Fresh ginger rhizomes Draft import risk analysis and proposed 
measures. 
Argentina, 
Paraguay, 
Uruguay Brazil 26/03/12 
(12/03/12) 1007 Sorghum vulgare  Normative Instruction No. 4, issued on 9 
March 2012: Adopt phytossanitary 
requirements according to country of 
destination and origin from Mercosur. 
Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay Uruguay
 30/11/11 0101  Equidae  Draft Decree "Animal health requirements for 
the temporary importation of equidae among 
MERCOSUR States Parties" 
Bolivia Brazil 11/10/11 
(20/09/11) 100820  Seeds of pearl millet  Normative Instruction SDA nº 32: 
Phytosanitary import requirements. 
Ecuado r Brazil 29/06/11 081090  Passion fruit  Proposed phytosanitary import requirements 
following pest risk analysis. 
Guatemala Peru 03/05/11 
(13/04/08) 120991  Bell pepper seeds  Directorial Resolution No. 18-2008-AG-
SENASA-DSV: Phytosanitary import 
requirements. 
Ecuado r Peru 03/05/11 
(11/03/11) 060290  Banana seedlings  Directorial Resolution No. 08-2011-AG-
SENASA-DSV: Phytosanitary import requirements. 
Argentina, 
Paraguay, 
Uruguay Brazil 13/04/11 
(14/03/11) 80922  Sweet  cherry 
(Prunus avium) Normative Instruction No. 12, issued on 12 
March 2011:  Phytosanitary requirements 
according to country of destination and origin 
from MERCOSUR. 
Argentina, 
Australia, 
European Union, Paraguay Chile 12/04/11  Grains, seeds and 
other products for 
consumption and processing Amendment to Resolution No. 2.677 of 1999 
establishing  phytosanitary import 
requirements following pest risk analyses. 
Argentina, 
Paraguay, 
Uruguay Brazil 17/03/11 
(25/02/11) 80920  Cherry (Prunus 
cerasus)  Normative Instruction No. 8, issued on 24 
February 2011: Phytosanitary requirements 
according to country of destination and origin, 
from MERCOSUR. 
Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay Brazil 19/03/07 070810
 Pisum sativum (peas)    
Argentina, 
Paraguay, 
Uruguay Brazil 24/03/97 060220, 
1801 Cocoa -  Theobroma 
cacao Standard MERCOSUL 3.7.28 - General and 
Specific Phytosanitary Requirements 
Argentina, 
Paraguay, 
Uruguay Brazil 24/03/97 081010, 
081110 Strawberry -  Fragaria 
spp Standard MERCOSUL 3.7.23 - General and 
Specific Phytosanitary Requirements 
Argentina, 
Paraguay, 
Uruguay Brazil 24/03/97 1206 Sunflower -  
Helianthus annum Standard MERCOSUL 3.7.9 - General and 
Specific Phytosanitary Requirements 
Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay Brazil 24/03/97 24
 Tobacco -  Nicotiana 
tabacum Standard MERCOSUL 3.7.7 - General and 
Specific Phytosanitary Requirements for Tobacco 
 
Source: WTO Integrated Trade Intelligence Portal (I-TIP). WT/COMTD/SE/W/28 
 
- 52 - 
 
  Annex Table 6. TBT specific trade co ncerns raised by small economies 
Item First 
raised Last 
raised Times 
raised 
(No.) Members 
maint-
aining Members concerned  Document title 
377 06/03/13   1 EU Cuba, Dominican Republic, 
Guatemala, Honduras, 
Nicaragua and 7 more Members European Union - Tobacco products, 
nicotine containing products and herbal 
products for smoking. Packaging for retail sale of any of the aforementioned products (ID 377) 
370 06/03/13   1 Chile Guatemala and 7 more 
Members Chile -  Proposed amendment to the Food 
Health Regulations, Supreme Decree No. 
977/96 (ID 370) 
361 27/11/12 06/03/13  2 New 
Zealand Cuba, Dominican Republic, 
Honduras, Nicaragua and 4 more Members New Zealand – Proposal to introduce plain 
packaging of tobacco products in New Zealand (ID 361) 
322 10/11/11 06/03/13  3 EU El Salvador and 6 more 
Members European Union - Issue with respect of 
honey containing pollen from genetically 
modified maize MON810, Ruling from ECJ 
(ID 322) 
306 15/06/11 06/03/13  6 EU Cuba and 5 more Members  France –  Loi No. 2010-788: The National 
Commitment for the Environment (Grenelle 2 Law) (ID 306) 
304 15/06/11 13/06/12  4 Australia  Cuba, Dominican Republic, 
El Salvador, Guatemala, 
Honduras, Nicaragua and 16 
more Members Australia – Tobacco Plain Packaging Bill 
2011 (ID 304) 
288 24/03/11 13/06/12  5 Brazil Cuba, Dominican Republic, 
Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and 17 
more Members Brazil -
 Draft Resolution No. 112, 29 
November 2010; maximum levels of tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide permitted on 
tobacco products and prohibition of 
additives (ID 288) 
265 23/06/10 06/03/13  9 EU Ecuador and 2 more 
Members European Union - Directive 2004/24/EC on 
Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products (ID 
265) 
249 05/11/09 24/03/11  5 Canada  Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras and 24 more Members Canada –
 Bill C-32 amendment to Tobacco 
Act (ID 249) 
242 25/06/09   1 European 
Union Paraguay and 3 more 
Members European Communities – Tariff Rate Quota 
on Meat and Meat Products (ID 242) 
205 05/11/08 18/03/09  2 EU Bolivia, Cuba, Ecuador and 6 
more Members European Communities – Novel foods (ID 
205) 
186 20/03/08 13/06/12  5 EU Cuba, Ecuador and 1 more 
Member European  Communities – Production and 
Labelling of Organic Products (ID 186) 
174 09/11/07 25/06/09  6 Argentina  Paraguay and 2 more Members Argentina – Measures affecting market 
access for pharmaceutical products (ID 174) 
165 05/07/07 15/06/11  13 EU Cuba, Dominican Republic, 
Ecuador, Mauritius and 22 
more Members European Communities – Regulation on 
Classification, Labelling and Packaging of 
Substances and Mixtures (ATPs and CLP) 
(ID 165) 
107 01/07/04 04/11/04  2 Argentina  Barbados, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and 3 more 
Members Argentina – MERCOSUR Regulation on 
Definitions Relating to Alcoholic Beverages other than Fermented (ID 107) 
102 07/11/03 16/06/05  5 Brazil Barbados, Dominican 
Republic, Jamaica, Trinidad 
and Tobago and 2 more 
Members Brazil –  Decree on Beverages and Spirits 
(ID 102) 
90 20/03/03 02/07/03  2 USA Ecuador and 9 more 
Members United States – Bioterrorism Act (ID 90)  
88 20/03/03 06/03/13  31 EU Cuba, Dominican Republic, 
Ecuador, El Salvador and 30 
more Members European Communities – Regulation on the 
Registration, Evaluation and Authorization 
of Chemicals (REACH) (ID 88) 
87 20/03/03 02/07/03  2 EU Ecuador and 7 more 
Members European Communities – Amendment to 
Regulation on Sardines (ID 87) 
53 30/03/01 15/03/02  4 EU Cuba and 12 more Members  Belgium – Draft Law aiming at Promoting 
Socially Responsible Production (ID 53) 
39 01/10/99 27/11/12  29 EU Bolivia, Paraguay and 11 
more Members European Communities – Regulation on 
Certain Wine Sector Products (ID 39) 
31 15/09/98 04/11/04  6 EU Ecuador and 7 more 
Members Netherlands - "Vos" Bill on Wood Products 
(ID 31) 
 
Source: WTO TBT Information Management System ( http://tbtims.wto.org )  WT/COMTD/SE/W/28 
 
- 53 - 
 
  Annex Table 7. SPS specific trade co ncerns raised by small economies 
First 
raised Last 
raised* Members 
maintaining Members concerned  HS code  Document title 
21/03/13 21/03/13 Costa Rica Panama    MRLs for veterinary medicines in live 
animals. 
18/10/12 21/03/13 Brazil  Ecuado r   Measures on shrimp. 
19/10/11 18/10/12 EU CUB, DMR, ECU, GTM, 
JAM, NIC and 8 more 
Members   EU regulations on cadmium in cocoa.  
19/10/11 19/10/11 European 
Union Paraguay and 5 more 
Members   EU Court of Justice ruling regarding pollen 
derived from GMOs 
30/06/11 21/03/13 Japan Ecuador, Paraguay and 2 
more Members   Japan's MRLs applied to Sesame.  
20/10/10 20/10/10 Mexico Nicaragua  01 Restrictions on Beef Exports due to BSE-
Related Concerns. 
29/06/10 27/03/12 U.S.  Jamaica and 6 more Members   US 2009 Food Safety Enhancement Act.  
29/06/10 19/10/11 Turkey Paraguay and 3 more 
Members   Restrictions on Products Derived from 
Biotechnology. 
17/03/10 17/03/10 Canada Ecuador and 2 more 
Members 08, 0803  Proposed Maximum residual levels (MRL) 
for 1-Methylcyclopropene in Bananas. 
23/06/09 28/10/09 ARM, BHR, 
CHN, GAB, 
IDN,JOR,SUR Dominican Republic and 5 
more Members 02, 0203  Import restrictions on pork products due 
to influenza A/H1N1 
25/02/09 21/03/13 China  Paraguay and 3 more Members 22
 Hygiene standard for distilled spirits and 
integrated alcoholic beverages.  
08/10/08 08/10/08 EU Ecuado r 18 Maximum residual levels for pesticides in 
cacao.   
08/10/08 27/03/12 Taipei, 
Chinese Ecuador and 5 more 
Members 0203 Restrictions on ractopamine in beef and 
pork. 
24/06/08 28/10/09 Japan Ecuador and 2 more 
Members 02,04,07, 
08, 
09,10,12 Pesticide maximum residue level (MRL) 
enforcement system. 
02/04/08 02/04/08 EU Ecuador and 1 more 
Members 0804 Maximum residue levels for Ethephon in 
pineapple. 
01/03/06 21/03/13 EU BOL, CUB, ECU, SLV, 
HND, PRY,  and 14 more 
Members 21 Application and modification of the EU 
Regulation on Novel Foods. 
01/10/05 01/10/05 Costa Rica Nicaragua  08, 0805  Phytosanitary requirements on fresh oranges. 
01/10/05 01/10/06* EU Sri Lanka and 1 more 
Member 0906 Restrictions on cinnamon.  
01/06/05 01/10/06 EU BLZ,CUB, DMA, ECU, JAM, 
VCT and 7 more Members 0803 EurepGAP requirements for bananas.  
01/06/05 01/06/05 EU, United 
Kingdom Fiji 09, 0904  Proposed regulations for piper 
methysticum (kava-kava). 
01/03/05 01/03/05 EU Jamaica and 2  more 
Members   Food and feed hygiene rules. 
01/10/04 01/06/05 EU BOL, CUB,DMR, ECU, SLV, 
GTM and 5 more Members 09, 0901  Regulation on Ocratoxin A in coffee.  
01/10/04 01/10/05 EU, Spain Dominican Republic, 
Jamaica and 7 more 
Members 44, 4415  Deviation  from international standard for 
wood packing material. 
01/10/03 01/03/04 EU, Germany BOL, CUB, DMR, ECU, 
SLV, GTM, NIC, PNG and 7 
more Members 09, 0901  Notification on maximum tolerance levels 
for Ocratoxin A in coffee. 
01/10/03 01/03/04 Unspecified Bolivia and 7 more 
Members 44 Implementation of International Standards 
For Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM) 15 
regarding the treatment of wood. 
01/06/03 01/10/04 EU Bolivia, Cuba, Honduras 
and 9 more Members   EC proposed regulation on maximum 
residue levels of pesticides. 
01/04/03 01/06/06* Mexico Nicaragua and 2 more 
Members 070820, 
071331 Restrictions on the importation of dry 
beans. 
01/11/02 01/06/03 EU BOL, CUB, DMR, JAM and 
4 more Members 05, 06, 
07, 08, 
10, 2009 Restrictions on the importation of fruits 
and fruit juices. 
01/06/02 01/11/02 EU Cuba 0409  Pesticide and antibiotic limits in honey (Directive 96/23). 
01/10/01 01/04/03 EU Ecuador and 2 more 
Members 06, 0603  Cut flowers  
01/07/01 01/03/05 EU Ecuador and 5 more 
Members 0511 Restrictions on the use of fishmeal.  
01/07/01 01/11/02 Unspecified Bolivia and 4 more 
Members 1404 FMD-related import restrictions. 
01/03/01 18/10/07 Australia Sri Lanka and 7 more 
Members 030613  Import restrictions on prawns and prawn 
products; revised generic IRA for prawns and prawn products. WT/COMTD/SE/W/28 
 
- 54 - 
 
  First 
raised Last 
raised* Members 
maintaining Members concerned  HS code  Document title 
01/03/01 01/06/04* Turkey Ecuado r 0803 Restrictions on banana imports. 
01/06/98 01/09/98 Brazil  Sri Lanka and 2 more 
Members 06, 0602  Import prohibition of coconut palms and 
related products. 
01/03/98 01/03/04* EU Bolivia and 20 more 
Members   Maximum levels for certain contaminants 
(aflatoxins) in foodstuffs. 
 
Source: WTO Integrated Trade Intelligence Portal (I-TIP). 
Note: *indicates that the specific tr ade concern was resolved that date. 
 
 
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