WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  TN/MA/S/21 
30 October 2009 
 (09-5443) 
Negotiating Group on Market Access  
 
 
 
 
GUIDE TO DOCUMENTATION CONTAINING TEXTUAL PROPOSALS ON NTBS, 
AND RELATED WRITTEN QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 
 
Note by the Secretariat1 
 
 
1. This document has been prepared at the requ est of the Negotiating Group on Market Access  
(NGMA) with a view to assisting Members in following the NTB discussions.  It has taken account of 
the latest textual proposals which have been submitted up to 30 October 2009 as well as written 
questions posed to the sponsors and the responses.   
2. The annex follows the order of the proposals as laid out in Annex 5 of the Fourth Revision of 
Draft Modalities for Non-Agricultural Market Access2 with the addition of the new ones at the end.  
This document is not meant to be an exhaustive list of submissions on the NTB area, for which 
Members are invited to refer to the list in the TN/MA/S/16 series.  
 
 
                                                      
1 This document has been prepared under the Secret ariat's own responsibility and without prejudice to 
the positions of Members and to their rights and obligations under the WTO. 
2 TN/MA/W/103/Rev.3 TN/MA/S/21 
Page 2 
 
 
  ANNEX 
1. Ministerial Decision on Procedures for th e Facilitation of Solutions to Non-Tariff 
Barriers 
1. Sponsor(s): African Group, Canada, European Communities, LDC Group, NAMA-11, 
New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan and Switzerland 
2. Textual proposal(s) TN/MA/W/106 (In Annex 5 of TN/MA/W/103/Rev.3) 
3. Written questions raised by: 4. Written answers provided by: 
United States1 JOB(09)/20 (13.03.2009) 
Korea JOB(09)/26 (18.03.2009) 
Singapore JOB(09)/22 (13.03.2009) 
Japan JOB(09)/27 (18.03.2009)      Co- sponsors TN/MA/W/110 + Corr.1 
(16.04.2009) 
Chile JOB(09)/38 (24.04.2009) 
United States TN/MA/W/111 (19.05.2009) 
Japan JOB(09)/46 (20.05.2009) 
China JOB(09)/60 (23.06.2009) 
United States JOB(09)/90 (18.08.2009) 
Japan JOB(09)/92 (19.08.2009) 
Malaysia JOB(09)/93 (25.08.2009)    Co- sponsors TN/MA/W/110/Rev.1 
(29.10.2009) 
 
2. Negotiating Proposal on Non-Tariff Barriers in the Chemical Products and Substances 
Sector 
1. Sponsor(s): Argentina 
2. Textual proposal(s) TN/MA/W/104 (In Annex 5 of TN/MA/W/103/Rev.3) 
3. Written questions raised by: 4. Written answers provided by: 
Singapore JOB(09)/22 (13.03.2009) 
 
 Nil  
 
3. Understanding on the Interpretation of th e Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade 
as Applied to Trade in Fireworks 
1. Sponsor(s): China 
2. Textual proposal(s) TN/MA/W/102 (In Annex 5 of TN/MA/W/103/Rev.3) + Add.1 
3. Written questions raised by: 4. Written answers provided by: 
Malaysia JOB(09)/93 (25.08.2009) 
 Nil  
                                                      
1 The US circulated its "Committee-First for the Ho rizontal Mechanism" proposal (JOB(08)/45), on 
which Chile raised a question in document JOB(09)/38.  TN/MA/S/21 
 Page 3 
 
 
  4. Understanding on the Interpretation of th e Agreement on  Technical Barriers to Trade 
as Applied to Trade in Lighter Products 
1. Sponsor(s): China 
2. Textual proposal(s) TN/MA/W/90/Add.1 (In Annex 5 of TN/MA/W/103/Rev.3) 
3. Written questions raised by: 4. Written answers provided by: 
Nil 
  Nil 
  
 
5. Decision on the Elimination of Non-Tariff Barriers Imposed as Unilateral Trade 
Measures 
1. Sponsor(s): Cuba 
2. Textual proposal(s) TN/MA/W/94/Rev.1 (In Annex 5 of TN/MA/W/103/Rev.3) 
TN/MA/W/94/Rev.2(18.03.2009) 
3. Written questions raised by: 4. Written answers provided by: 
Nil  Nil  
 
6. Understanding on the Interpretation of th e Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade 
as Applied to Trade in Electronics 
1. Sponsor(s): European Communities and Switzerland 
2. Textual proposal(s) JOB(07)/42/Rev.1 +Add.1 (In Annex 5 TN/MA/W/103/Rev.3) 
TN/MA/W/119 (09.09.2009) 
3. Written questions raised by: 4. Written answers provided by: 
Thailand JOB(08)/112 (04.11.2008) 
Singapore JOB(09)/22 (13.03.2009) 
United States JOB(09)/20 (13.03.2009) 
Japan JOB(09)/27 (18.03.2009) 
Canada JOB(09)/31+Corr.1(20.03.2009)     Co-sponsors JOB(09)/35 + Corr.1 
(16.04.2009) 
Korea JOB(09)/26 (18.03.2009)     
Japan JOB(09)/46 (20.05.2009)     
China JOB(09)/60 (23.06.2009)     
United States JOB(09)/91 (18.08.2009)     
Japan JOB(09)/92 (19.08.2009)      
 TN/MA/S/21 
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  7. Revised submission on Export Taxes 
1. Sponsor(s): European Communities  
2. Textual proposal(s) TN/MA/W/101 (In Annex 5 TN/MA/W/103/Rev.3)   
3. Written questions raised by: 4. Written answers provided by: 
Nil 
  Nil  
 
8. Understanding on the Interpretation of  the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade 
with respect to the Labelling of Textiles, Clothing, Footwear, and Travel Goods 
1. Sponsor(s): European Communities, Mauritius, Sri Lanka and the United States. 
2. Textual proposal(s) TN/MA/W/93 + Add.1 + Add.2 (In Annex 5 TN/MA/W/103/Rev.3)    
TN/MA/W/93/Rev.1 (15.09.2009) 
3. Written questions raised by: 4. Written answers provided by: 
Korea JOB(09)/26 (18.03.2009) Co-sponsors TN/MA/W/113 (22.05.2009) 
Singapore JOB(09)/22 (13.03.2009) Co-sponsors TN/MA/W/116 (27.05.2009) 
China JOB(09)/60 (23.06.2009)   
Switzerland JOB(09)/68 (10.07.2009)   
New Zealand JOB(09)/89 (18.08.2009)   
 
9. Protocol on Transparency in Export Licensi ng to the General Agreement on Tariffs and 
Trade 1994 
1. Sponsor(s): Japan, Korea, Chinese Taip ei and the United States 
2. Textual proposal(s) TN/MA/W/15/Add.4/Rev.2 (In Annex 5 TN/MA/W/103/Rev.3) 
TN/MA/W/15/Add.4/Rev.3 + Corr.1 (19.03.2009)  
TN/MA/W/15/Add.4/Rev.4 (09.09.2009) 
3. Written questions raised by: 4. Written answers provided by: 
Singapore JOB(09)/22 (13.03.2009) Co-sponsors JOB(09)/41 (07.05.2009) 
Malaysia JOB(09)/93 (25.08.2009) Co-sponsors JOB(09)/127 (02.10.2009) 
  TN/MA/S/21 
 Page 5 
 
 
  10. Decision on Non-Tariff Barriers Affectin g Forestry Products Used in Building 
Construction 
1. Sponsor(s): New Zealand 
2. Textual proposal(s) JOB(07)/158 (In Annex 5 TN/MA/W/103/Rev.3) 
3. Written questions raised by: 4. Written answers provided by: 
Thailand JOB(09)/42 +Rev.1 (07.05.2009) New Zealand JOB(09)/44 (15.05.2009) 
Malaysia JOB(09)/93 (25.08.2009)   
 
11. Agreement on Non-Tariff Barriers Pertai ning to the Electrical Safety and 
Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) of Electronic Goods 
1. Sponsor(s): United States 
2. Textual proposal(s) TN/MA/W/105/Rev.1 (In Annex 5 TN/MA/W/103/Rev.3) 
TN/MA/W/105/Rev.2 (15.09.2009) 
3. Written questions raised by: 4. Written answers provided by: 
Thailand JOB(08)/113 (04.11.2008) United States JOB(09)/37 (22.04.2009) 
Canada JOB(09)/31+Corr.1 (30.03.2009) United States JOB(09)/157 (30.10.2009) 
Singapore JOB(09)/22 (13.03.2009) United States TN/MA/W/115 (22.05.2009) 
Korea JOB(09)/26 (18.03.2009)   
China JOB(09)/60 (23.06.2009) United States JOB(09)/156 (30.10.2009) 
Japan JOB(09)/92 (19.08.2009)   
 
12. Ministerial Decision on Trade in Remanufactured Goods 
1. Sponsor(s): Japan, Switzerland and the United States 
2. Textual proposal(s) TN/MA/W/18/Add.16/Rev.2 (In Annex 5 TN/MA/W/103/Rev.3)  
TN/MA/W/18/Add.16/Rev.3 (09.09.2009) 
3. Written questions raised by: 4. Written answers provided by: 
Singapore JOB(09)/22 (13.03.2009) Co-sponsors TN/MA/W/117 (27.05.2009) 
Korea JOB(09)/26 (18.03.2009) Co-sponsors TN/MA/W/112 (19.05.2009) 
China JOB(09)/60 (23.06.2009)   
Malaysia JOB(09)/93 (25.08.2009) Co-sponsors JOB(09)/155 (30.10.2009) 
 TN/MA/S/21 
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  13. Agreement on Non-Tariff Barriers Pertaining to Standards, Technical Regulations, and 
Conformity Assessment Procedur es for Automotive Products 
1. Sponsor(s): United States 
2. Textual proposal(s) JOB(08)/46 (In Annex 5 of TN/MA/W/103/Rev.3) 
TN/MA/W/120 (15.09.2009) 
3. Written questions raised by: 4. Written answers provided by: 
Singapore JOB(09)/22 (13.03.2009)   
Canada JOB(09)/31+Corr.1(30.03.2009) United States JOB(09)/157 (30.10.2009) 
Japan JOB(09)/92 (19.08.2009)   
 
14. Agreement on Non-Tariff Barriers Pertaining to Standards, Technical Regulations, and 
Conformity Assessment Procedur es for Automotive Products 
1. Sponsor(s): European Communities 
2. Textual proposal(s) TN/MA/W/11/Add.9 (13.08.2009) 
TN/MA/W/118 + Corr.1 (09.09.2009) 
3. Written questions raised by: 4. Written answers provided by: 
Nil  Nil  
 
15. Framework for Industry-specific NTB Proposals 
1. Sponsor(s): European Communities and India 
2. Textual proposal(s) JOB(09)/105 (24.09.2009) 
3. Written questions raised by: 4. Written answers provided by: 
Nil  Nil  
 
 
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