G/TBT/W/559  
 
9 August 2018  
(18-5039) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original: English  
 
 
AGENDA ITEM 4 : TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE  ACTIVITIES  
STATEMENT BY THE UNI TED STATES TO THE COMMITTEE ON TECHNICAL BARRIERS T O TRADE  
20 AND 21  JUNE 2018 
The following communication, dated 6 August 2018 , is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of the United States . 
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1  U.S. - INDIA STANDARDS AND CONFORMANCE COOPERAT ION PROGRAM (SCCP) 
PHASE II  
1.1.  In October 2017, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) announced funding for a 
Phase II of the U.S. -India Standards and Conforman ce Cooper ation Program (SCCP). The 
American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) 
signed a contract to implement the work for 2 years in India. The SCCP Phase II will facilitate best 
practices exchanges on standards, con formity assessment procedures, and technical regulations 
that underpin U.S. -India trade. The project includes six workshops and addresses three sectors: 
smart and sustainable cities, clean energy, and water and sanitation. Additionally, the program will 
include further development of the U.S. StandardsPortal.  
1.2.  The first of the series of workshops is scheduled to take place on 26 -27 June 2018 in New 
Delhi and is focused on water and sanitation systems in India and leveraging standards for 
infrastru cture impro vement. During this two -day workshop, presentations by U.S. and Indian 
experts from both the private and public sectors will focus on standards -related aspects of water 
supply to point of use, water quality, and wastewater management.  
2  USAID STANDARDS ALLI ANCE AFRICA PROGRAM  
2.1.  The United States organized a two -day workshop in Lusaka, Zambia, on 13-14 March. The 
workshop focused on further engagement between the U.S. and Zambian economies, and 
highlighted the importance of standards in supporting business inves tment and growing demand 
for quality products in Zambia.  
2.2.  The workshop attracted 64 participants from the public and private sector and featured 
presentations on the U.S. standards and conformity assessment system, as well as standards -
related topics in thr ee priority sectors: infrastructure, energy, and agriculture.  
2.3.  Also in March 2018, we organized a two -part training series on textile and apparel standards 
in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire. The training series was designed to support West African textiles and 
apparel manufacturers as they reach for international markets.  
2.4.  More than 100 people attended the two trainings, representing national standards bodies, 
testing labs, small and medium -sized textile/apparel manufacturers, designers, training and 
education facil ities, ministries of trade and commerce, and sector -relevant associations. The 
participants learned about the U.S. standards system and the role of voluntary consensus 
standards in the U.S. apparel market.  G/TBT/W/559  
 
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  2.5.  In May 2018, the Standards Alliance staged a two -day training activity in Mozambique 
focusing on the implementation of Good Regulatory Practices . Approximately 100 people attended 
the event.  The first day included an overview of GRP to support the WTO TBT Agreement.  The 
second day focused on regulatory a nalysis, international standards and stakeholder engagement.  
2.6.  Later this month (18 -22 June) the United States will participate in the African Organization 
for Standardization (ARSO) General Assembly in South Africa. During the General Assembly, the 
United S tates will provide presentations on the role standards play in bolstering regional and 
international trade.  
2.7.  Following the general assembly (25 -29 June), the United States will complete a swing 
through three countries in Western Africa including Ghana, Côt e d’Ivoire, and Senegal . This series 
will focus on best practices for conducting risk -based analysis and developing trade -friendly 
consumer protection laws and policies. Each event will provide in -depth knowledge of the U.S. 
consumer protection system to a ddress growing concerns with regard to low -quality goods that are  
being imported into West Africa.  
2.8.  Finally, the Standards Alliance is planning a two -day training in Zambia (19 -20 July) to 
provide technical assistance for Zambian regulators to help them bet ter perform regulatory impact 
assessments. This training will emphasize evidence -based solutions and public consultation to 
strengthen regulatory analysis.  
3  COMMERCIAL LAW DEVEL OPMENT PROGRAM  
3.1.  CLDP is planning a two -day training in Ukraine in late September  (dates to be confirmed) 
following months of engagement with Ukrainian regulators and private sector to increase their 
understanding and imple mentation of the TBT Agreement.  CLDP will bring together business 
representatives and government interlocutors to discuss the importance of international standards, 
the benefits of accepting alternative standards, and the value of stakeholder engagement, as 
means of expanding international trade.  
3.2.  The United States is developing a week -long technical assistance progra m for Afghanistan 
and Pakistan, which wo uld be held in September 2018. The planned program will focus primarily 
on strengthening WTO Notific ations of TBT and SPS measures.  The program will also cover the 
development of standards and technical regulations . 
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