G/TBT/W/398  
 
26 February 2015  
(15-1121)  Page: 1/3  
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original: English  
 
  PROPOSAL FOR A WTO-BASED ALERT NOTIFICATION SYSTEM  
GLOBAL EXPORT ALERT! NOTIFICATION SYSTEM 
SUBMISSION FROM CANADA 
The following communication, dated 25 February 2015, is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of Canada. 
 
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 1  INTRODUCTION 
1.1.  The use of electronic tools, such as web serv ices and notification alert systems, to facilitate 
transparency has been highly encouraged among the WTO Membership over the last several years. For instance, at past WTO/TBT Committee Special Meetings on Procedures for Information 
Exchange, panel sessions were held and aimed at sharing experiences regarding the use of 
electronic tools. Web-based applications and how these tools can enhance transparency and access to TBT notifications were highlighted.
1 Canada introduced its own Export Alert! Notification 
System , which alerted industry and public sector stakeholders of WTO notifications through a web-
enabled application, at the 2001 meeting.2 Several Members have since developed their own alert 
systems to automatically disseminate notifications to their stakeholders.3 
1.2.  With growing emphasis on the importance of  electronic exchange, during the Sixth Triennial 
Review, the Committee discussed further developing the existing WTO-based IT platforms to 
better assist Members in the implementation of  the TBT Agreement's transparency provisions. 
Specifically, the Committee noted that the TBT Notification Submission System (TBT NSS) and the 
TBT Information Management System (TBT IMS)4 should allow for "the development of 
'standardized' alert systems (dates, products of interest); and the development of systems that allow for improved links with Members' own websites and databases (e.g. web services)…".
5 
1.3.  In this context, Canada proposed at the June 2014 WTO/TBT Meeting that the TBT 
Secretariat develops an alert notification system that could be available for all WTO Members and their domestic stakeholders.  
                                               
1 Meeting reports of the Special Meetings on Proc edures for Information Exchange can be found in: 
G/TBT/M/24, pp.9-11 and Annex 1 (3rd meeting); G/TBT/M/34, Annex 2 (4th meeting); G/TBT/M/43, Annex 1 
and 2 (5th meeting); G/TBT/M/51, Annex 1 and 2 (6th meeting); G/TBT/M/60, Annex 1 and G/TBT/GEN/151 (7h 
meeting).  
2  G/TBT/M/24, Annex 1, para. 9, and G/TBT/M/34,  para. 22. Due to organizational changes, that 
system is not presently operational.  
3 For example, the European Commission ( http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/tbt/ ), the United States 
(https://tsapps.nist.gov/notifyus/data/index/index.cfm ), Kenya ( http://notifyke.kebs.org/ ),  
Brazil ( http://www.inmetro.gov.br/barre irastecnicas/pontofo cal/login.asp?url=clientes/index.asp ), and 
Singapore ( http://apps.spring.gov.sg/Conte nt/ModulePage.aspx?group=wto ). 
4 The TBT IMS is a publicly available, searchable database that provides access to TBT-related 
information, including notifications and specific trade concerns ( http://tbtims.wto.org ). The TBT NSS provides 
Members with an alternative (voluntary) onli ne method for submitting TBT notifications 
(https://nss.wto.org/tbtmembers ).  
5 G/TBT/32, para. 18. G/TBT/W/398 
 
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  2  PROPOSAL 
2.1.  The proposed WTO-based alert notification system would provide a common platform with 
the objective of maximizing resources in the implementation of national alert notification systems. In other words, rather than striving to develop 160 national systems, one corporate system would 
be available. It is worth underscoring that the proposed WTO-based alert notification system would 
complement and not remove the right for a Member to develop its own alert notification system utilizing the WTO's direct XML feed. Should a Member opt to continue using or to develop its own 
system it would be able to do so.  
2.2.  A WTO-based alert notification system would also raise awareness of the WTO at the national 
level, enable Members and their domestic stakeh olders to be more engaged and allow them to 
benefit from the WTO/TBT transparency provisions. Additional benefits of a WTO-based alert 
notification system could include improved internal coordination of trade matters important to the 
Member, and foster an additional avenue for dialogue among private industry, regulators and trade policy officers. 
2.3.  An overview of the features of the proposed  WTO-based alert notification system is outlined 
below.  
2.1  Registration 
2.4.  Subscribers would self-register on the WTO's website by completing a profile that identifies 
the WTO Member Countries and industry sectors (ICS and/or HS Codes) they are interested in monitoring regulatory developments. Considerations in the development of the application include features to ensure security as well as mechanisms to support a large volume of subscriptions. For 
example, if domestic stakeholders in 100 Me mbers utilize the proposed WTO-based alert 
notification system, and each Member has a regi stration pool of 2000 stakeholders, this would 
total 200,000 unique registrations. 
2.2  Operation 
2.5.  Based on the user's country and sector pref erences identified in their profile, the service 
would consolidate daily the most recent TBT notifications posted on the WTO's DocsOnline, and 
could disseminate the relevant information to the subscriber in an automatic notification email or 
text message. 
2.6.  A notification summary table could be in cluded in the email and specify: the country, 
notification number, issue date, comment deadli ne date, number of available days left to 
comment, as well as, link to the original WTO TBT notification, and provide a link to download or 
request the full regulatory text. In the case of " full text available for download" a separate window 
could open and display the links contained in the "text available from" area of the notification 
format. The message would appear to be sent from the user’s home Enquiry Point based on the 
country noted in their registration. The "Request Full Text" option would also send requests directly to the user's home Enquiry Point.
6 These requests would then be managed by the user's 
home Enquiry Point. A complete mobi le version will also be created.  
2.7.  For those requiring, a text message co uld also provide a condensed version of the 
communication. They could include the following information: the country, notification number, comment deadline date, as well  as, product key words.  
2.3  Users' Portal 
2.8.  Once an account had been activated, users could be able to efficiently manage their profile, 
requested regulatory texts and conduct searches of notifications through a user interface. The user 
portal search criteria could include: notification number; country; sector (ICS and/or HS Codes); 
notification issue date; title; and, product key words.  
                                               
6 It is critical that Members update the Secretariat with any changes to their Notification 
Authority/Enquiry Point coordinates so that the correct information is linked in the client’s portal. G/TBT/W/398 
 
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  2.9.  The portal could provide useful links to WTO web pages and resources. For example: the TBT 
Agreement to highlight benefits to the users in en gaging in TBT transparency provisions, the latest 
Triennial Review, and various other documents. 
2.4  Enquiry Point Management Tool 
2.10.  Members' Enquiry Point would login to the alert notification system and have special access 
to an Enquiry Point Management Tool that could filter and provide Enquiry Point staff with a database of subscribers registered in their co untry. The Enquiry Point Management Tool would 
have features to manage domestic users' request for full regulatory text and provide the ability to 
generate predefined statistical reports, including trends in subject areas of interest and customer 
growth.  
2.11.  The alert notification system could have a unique web address to allow for easy integration 
to other web sites. The onus would be on each Enquiry Point to promote the system to its 
domestic users. 
3  FUTURE WORK 
3.1 Canada proposes to add the proposal as a wo rk item to the Seventh Triennial Review. Future 
work is to potentially develop a sister WTO-based alert notification system under the WTO SPS Committee. Alternatively, the TBT alert system could be later expanded such that a user could 
select to track TBT and/or SPS Trade Topics.  
 
 
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