G/TBT/2/Add.127  
15 January  2020 
(20-0467) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  French  
 
  
IMPLEMENTATION AND A DMINISTRATION OF THE  AGREEMENT  
ON TECHNICAL BARRIER S TO TRADE  
COMMUNICATION FROM C ÔTE D'IVOIRE  
Addendum  
The following communication under Article 15.2 of the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade, 
dated  6 January  2020, has been received from Côte d'Ivoire . 
 
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Pursuant to Article 15.2 of the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade ( TBT), the Government of  
Côte d 'Ivoire, a GATT Member since  31 December  1963 and World Trade Organization (WTO) 
Member since 1 January  1995, would like to inform the Committee  of the measures taken to ensure 
the implementation and administration of the Agreement.  
 
Côte d 'Ivoire implements all the WTO Agreements and is involved in curre nt negotiations on new 
issues of interest to the multilateral trading system . Among these agreements is the TBT Agreement , 
which aims to ensure that technical regulations, standards and conformity assessment procedures 
are non -discriminatory and do not cre ate unnecessary obstacles to trade . The Agreement recognizes 
Members' right to implement measures to achieve legitimate policy objectives, such as the protection 
of human health and safety, and the protection of the environment.  
 
1  IMPLEMENTATION OF THE TBT AGREEMENT  
1.1.  The domestic implementation of the TBT Agreement may be presented in accordance with the 
three main areas covered by the Agreement , namely, technical regulations (mandatory) , standards 
(voluntary)  and conformity assessme nt procedures . 
1.1  Technical regulations  
1.2.  In Côte d'Ivoire, a set of statutory texts define s the technical regulations applicable to 
international trade . These include laws and decrees making certain standards mandatory, prohibiting  
the importation of vehicles over five years old  and prohibiting , inter alia , analogue television sets 
and plastic bags.  
1.3.  Through the departments  of the Directorate of Metrology, Q uality Control and Fraud Prevention  
(DMCQRF)  and Trade Regulation Directorate  (DRE) , the Ministry of Trade and Industry oversees the 
aforementioned  measures . The units of some  ministerial departments  also conduct  documentary 
and/or physical inspections  within the framework of  import procedures . Nevertheless , the customs 
services  are on the front line  as far as the customs territory  is concerned . 
1.2  Standards  
1.4.  Set up  on 24 September  1992 and  recognized to be of public utility  since 1 0 July 2002, 
Côte d'Ivoire Normalisation  (CODINORM ) is the national body responsible for developing and issuing 
Ivorian standards . It is accompanied by the Ivorian Standardization Committee (CIN) , established 
by Decree No. 2014-460 of  6 August  2014 on powers, structure and functioning . The CIN  aims to G/TBT/2/Add.127  
- 2 - 
  contribute to the implementation of the national  quality policy , the system for the development and 
application of standards , and quality -control methods for products, goods and services for the public.  
1.5.  CODINORM is also responsible for certifying products  and attributing them with a national 
trademark and a declaration of conformity with standards . 
1.6.  At regional leve l, CODINORM is a member of : 
• The African Regiona l Organization for Standardization  (ARSO)  
• The African Electrotechnical Standardization Commission (AFSEC)  
• The Regional Standardization, Certification and Quality Promotion Secretariat  
(NormCerq) , Commission of the West African Economic and Monetary Union  (WAEMU) , 
and houses the regional secretariat for electrotechnical standardization.  
1.7.  At international level, CODINORM  has been a member body of the International Organization 
for Standardization (IS O) since 1997, having been a correspondent member from January  1975 to 
July 1997. On account of its ISO membership , CODINORM has online access to all ISO standards , 
which can be made available to the public . CODINORM is a memb er of: 
• The ISO Committee on De veloping Country Matters (DEVCO)  
• The Affiliate Country Programme of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).  
1.8.  CODINORM is a signatory to the Code of Good Pr actice for Standardization , by which it 
incorporates  international standardization in to the formulation of Ivorian standards . CODINORM 
would generally allow 45 days for the submission of comments on a draft measure . It also serves as 
the WTO /TBT National Enquiry Point . 
Yao Edmond  Kouassi  
Directeur du Centre  d'information sur les normes et la Réglementation (CINR/CODINORM)  
(Director of the Information Centre on Standards and Regulations  (CINR/CODINORM))  
Côte d'Ivoire Normalisation (CODINORM)  
2 plateaux Sideci - Angle Blvd Latrille/ rue K115 Villa 195 ( repère SOC OCE 2-plateaux)  
Abidjan – Cocody  01 
BP 1872 Abidjan 01  
Côte d'Ivoire  
Email: info@codinorm.ci  
 edmondkouassi@codinorm.ci  
 kouassed2007@yahoo.fr  
Tel.: (+225) 22416758 / 20011074/ 77004612 /  71110808  
 
1.3  Conformity assessment procedure  
1.9.  Côte d'Ivoire has established a conformity assessment procedure  (VOC), with a view to 
combating  fraud and the counterfeiting of certain products . This programme has been operating  
since January  2019 and covers both food and non -food products.  
1.10.   The c ompanies mandated  by the State of Côte d 'Ivoire  to conduct  pre-shipment  conformity  
inspections  and assessments  of goods for importation into Côte d 'Ivoire  are: 
• Bureau Veritas Inspection Valuation Assessment and Control -BIVAC BV  
• COTECNA Inspection SA  
• INTERTEK, International Limited  
• SGS, Société Générale de Surveillance SA . 
1.11.   Through their internationa l network of subsidiaries and laboratories, these companies operate  
in all countries of export and of origin to ensure that the products covered by the programme comply 
with standards . 
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