G/TBT/2/Add.125/Rev.1  
 
25 September 2017  
(17-5061) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original: English  
 
IMPLEMENTATION AND A DMINISTRATION OF THE  AGREEMENT  
ON TECHNICAL BARRIER S TO TRADE  
COMMUNICATION FROM LIBERIA  
Revision  
The following communication under Article 15.2 of the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade , 
dated 21 September 2017,  has been received from the delegation of Liberia .  
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Pursuant to Article 15.2 of the Agreement on Te chnical Barriers to Trade, the G overnment of 
Liberia would like to inform the Committee of the measures taken to ensure the implementation 
and administration of the Agreement as follows:  
The obligation of relevant Liberian authorities to meet the requirements on notification and enquiry 
procedures given by TBT Agreement have been incorporated into act MCI/NO.001/09/2015 
establishing the Enqui ry and Notification point at the M inistry of Commerce and Industry. Contact 
points have been established at the Ministries, Agencies and Private Institutions which may enact 
technical regulations to ensure functioning of the notification procedures and to provide for 
functioning of Enquiry P oint.  
Presidential executive order 74 of 10 December 2015, mandates that all Ministries, Agencies and 
Private Institutions mentioned in Liberia 's WTO post -accession plan are to timely and fully 
implement the activities of the plan with Ministry of Commerce and Industry coordinating the 
implementation process.  
The Regulatory and Standard Setting Bodies of Liberia which include Ministries and Agencies 
peruse policies based on international  standards as developed by, but  not limited to the following: 
the International Organization for Standardization (ISO); the International Electro -Technical 
Commission (IEC); the Codex Alimentarius Commission; the International Organization for Legal 
Metrology (OMIL); the International B ureau for Weight and Measures (BIPM); the African Regional 
Standard Organization (ARSO).  
1  DEVELOPMENT AND APPL ICATIONS OF TECHNICA L REGULATION S AND CONFORMITY 
ASSESSMENT PROCEDURE S  
1.1.  The legal framework of the Republic of Liberia for technical regulations, s tandards and 
conformity assessment procedures is governed by executive law, chapter 29 sec. 2 which created 
the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and empowered the Ministry to "execute broad powers 
with regard to protection to public interest and the achie vement of the national goals through the 
establishment and enforcement of standards for commodities and trades". Draft technical 
regulations and conformity assessment procedures made by the Liberian government are 
published on the Ministry of Commerce and Industry 's website: www.moci.gov.lr , and notifications 
are sent to the WTO.  G/TBT/2/Add.125/Rev.1  
 
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  2  STANDARDIZATION  
2.1.  The National Standards Body Act is being validate d by stakeholders and the Law R eform 
Commission and it will be sent to legi slature for ratification before 2018.  
3  TIME ALLOWED FOR COM MENTS  
3.1.  The expected time limit for the submission of comments for writing on draft technical 
regulations, standards, and conformity assessment procedures is 60 days, with exception made in 
certain ca ses (depending on agency consideration where this period would be extended or reduced 
following the TBT Agreement).  
3.2.  The Ministry of Commerce and Industry is responsible for the implementation of the WTO 
agreements, and therefore, the Ministry of Commerce a nd Industry insures that the obligations 
under the WTO agreements, including TBT agreem ent are fulfilled. The Division  of Standard of the 
Ministry of Commerce has been selected as the WTO TBT enquiry and notification point.  
3.3.  Comments on draft laws and regul ations can be addressed to enquiry point and  Notification 
Authority. Contact information:  
Lasana M. Donzo  
Coordinator for Standards  
Bureau of Industrial Service  
P. O. Box 941  
Website: www.moci.gov.lr  
Email: info.nep@staff.moci.gov.lr ; lmdonzo@staff.moci.gov.lr ; lasanadonzo@yahoo.com  
Phone no: 00231886524311/002317703024 21 
 
3.4.  The enquiry point is responsible for the function of enquiries and notifications as decided by 
the Liberian TBT committee and it serves as the focal point for disseminating and receiving 
information to concerned regulatory departments and authorities o n Liber ia's obligations under the 
TBT A greement.  
4   RELEVANT LAWS/REGULA TIONS  
4.1.  In Liberia, the application of standards, technical regulations and conformity assessment is 
governed by various legislation falling under various Ministries and A gencies as liste d below .  
Law/regulation  Section  Scope  Status  
Ministry of Commerce and 
Industry act  29.2 Enforcement of Trade standards  In force  
Ministry of Transportation act  37.3 (d)  Develop, regulate and monitor 
standards for vehicles  In force  
General Business Law  1.2 Weight and measures  In force  
Act adopting the new petroleum 
law Chap. VIII section 8.3  Technical specification of products  In force  
Telecommunications act of 2017  Part XI, Section 6 (a) & (b)  Certified Telecommunications 
equipment  In force  
Ministry of Foreign Affairs act  20.6 Legal services as regard to treaties, 
conventions  etc In force  
Ministry of Public Works act  27.2 (f)  Enforcement of construction 
standards  In force  
Liberia Agricultural Commodity 
Regulatory Authority Act  Part IV, Section 45  Defining commodity standards  In force  
Environmental Protection Agency 
Act Part IV, sec 34 -37 Enforcing environmental standards  In force  
Public Health  Law of Liberia  Chapter  21, Section 5  Standards on water quality  In force  
 
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