G/TBT/GEN/224  
 
30 May 2017  
(17-2889) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Bar riers to Trade  Original: English  
 
ACTIVITIES OF THE UNITED NATIONS ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR EUROPE  (UNECE) 
RELATED TO THE WORK OF THE WTO TBT COMMI TTEE  
STATEMENT BY UNECE  
This document contains information provided by UNECE  at the TBT Committee meeting of  
29-30 March 2017  under Agenda Item 5 (Updating by Observers )  
 
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1.1.  UNECE would like to recall that the organization hosts several standards setting bodies – 
including the World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations (WP.29)  and UN/CEFACT 
among others. Additionally, a u nique body, the Working Party on Regulatory Cooperation and 
Standardization Policies – or Working Party 6 - develops and shares best practice in the area of 
technical regulations, standardization policies, and policies related to quality infrastructure as well 
as conformity assessment and market surveillance. It encourages and supports regulatory 
cooperation among members in specific sectors, such as the equipment used in installations with a 
high risk of explosion.  
1.2.  The last session of the Working Party  6 in December 2016. It discuss ed a pioneering 
approach to apply risk assessment methodologies to identifying non -compliant goods . A new 
recommendation on this novel methodology was adopted and is available on our website .  
1.3.  Further, at the same session, the Working Party adopted two revised recommendations F  and 
G on Conformity Assessment that can inform the discussion of this Committee in the follow up to  
the informal session held last Tuesday.  
1.4.  These recommendations are  directed to governments and aim at providing guidance on 
conformity assessment choices that reduce technical barriers to trade and increase safety and 
compliance.  
1.5.  Specifically, Recommendation F  re-affirms that the main purpose of international agreements 
on conformity asses sment should be the creation of confidence in the conf ormity assessment 
results issued from within countries p articipating in the agreements.  
1.6.  It further recommends that A greements on Conformity Assessment should provide market 
access opportunity for pr oduct manufacturers and service providers and, most impor tantly, 
provide the end user with confidence and trust in products and services  certified in partner 
countries.  
1.7.  Recommendation G  states that g overnments should contribute to the development of 
multilateral agreements for the acceptance of the results of conformity assessment procedures 
(e.g. ca libration, testing, inspection, certification, accreditation) such as existing international 
conformit y assessment systems or schemes operated by long -standing and recognized 
international organisations.  
1.8.  It also recommends that g overnments should take into consideration article 6 of the World 
Trade Organization Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade in the acceptance of conformity 
assessment results.  G/TBT/GEN/224  
 
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  1.9.  Governments should also promote the use of existing international conformity  assessment 
systems and schemes operated by long -standing and recognized international organisations (e .g. 
IEC CA Systems and schemes,  including joint IEC/ITU certification scheme), and their international 
multilateral agreements, for the  mutual recognition of conformity assessment results prescribed by 
national requirements.   
1.10.   Finally and before concluding I would like to inform that the  Working Party has started a 
new initiative on "Gender -informed standards and technical regulations " that can also be of 
interest to members. Further information is available on our website .  
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