RESTRICTED  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/ACC/YEM/15/Rev.1 
30 October 2007 
 
 (07-4717) 
Working Party on the  
Accession of Yemen Original:   English 
 
 
 
ACCESSION OF YEMEN 
 
Action Plan on the Implementation of the WTO Agreement  
on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT)  
 
Revision  
 
 The following submission, dated 29 October 2007, is being circulated at the request of the 
Delegation of the Republic of Yemen. 
 
 
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  WT/ACC/YEM/15/Rev.1 
Page 2 S/N Articles Current Status Required Action Requirements of Implementation Timeframes 
1 2.9.4, 2.10.3, 3.15, 
3.3, 5.6.4, 5.7.3, 
7.1, 7.3 Implementation of laws and 
regulations related to the TBT 
Agreement: Law No. 44/1999 on Standards, 
Metrology and Quality Control; 
Decision No 28 of 1991 on measurements, weighing apparatuses, 
keeling, and m easurements; and 
Decision No 52/2000 establishing the YSMO and its functions and duties. Bringing the laws into conformity 
with the requirements of international 
agreements in the upcoming phase.  Technical assistance to adapt and 
review the laws to bring them in line 
with WTO requiremen ts; this requires 
workshops, seminars, inviting foreign 
experts, and providing sufficient 
support thereto. 2007 - 2009 
10 Enquiry Point: 
(a) Legal infrastructure: 
Decision No. 10/2004 concerning  the establishment of TBT and SPS 
Enquiry Points was issued.  The point 
is collecting information on activities related to the TBT and SPS 
Agreements from relevant agencies in 
order to establish the database for the 
Enquiry Point. - Completing the preparation of 
the TBT Enquiry Point. 
- Completing the establishment of 
the sub-points in the concerned 
bodies. - Technical assistance is required 
for implementing the TBT 
Agreement. 
- Assistance is required for the 
completion of database 
infrastructure. 
- An Expert is needed to improve 
the performance of the Enquiry 
Point. 
- An Expert is need to help 
establish the database for the Point. 
- Participation and attendance of  
conferences and seminars on TBT abroad. 2007 - 2008 
2, 3, 5, 7, 10, 15.2, 
Annex 3, G/TBT/1, 
5.7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 10.7, 10.10 (b) Notification: 
A special division within the enquiry 
point was designated for notifications; which is run by one employee. The employees will be trained and the 
staff will be increased in this division. - Bringing in experts to train the 
staff on notification preparation. 
- Training staff ab road on how to 
deal with notifications. 2007 - 2008 2 
2.9.1, 3.1, 5.6.1, 
7.1, 10.1.5, 
Annex 3, Annex 4 (J, K, L, N, O), 
Article 8.1 
  
 
2.11, 2.12, 3.1, 5.8, 5.9, 7.1 (c) Publication and Receiving 
Comments: 
- A website was created. - Technical regulations are 
published in the official 
newspapers and draft standards for receiving comments through 
e-mail and other means. - The website will be improved in 
line with the requirements of the 
Agreement. 
- Issuing an official bulletin 
(YSMO Newsletter) concerning 
the publication of drafts, other technical regulations, and 
receiving comments. 
- YSMO allows for a period to 
lapse between the issue of a 
technical regulation and its 
implementation, as explained the 
law and Enquiry Point - Technical assistance to develop 
and activate the website. 
- Training on electronic designing. 2007 - 2009  
   WT/ACC/YEM/15/Rev.1
 Page 3S/N Articles Current Status Required Action Requirements of Implementation Timeframes 
 Regulation. 
3 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 2.3, 
3.1, 7.1 Technical regulations: 
- Using international standards, 
evidence and recommendations 
as a basis for developing technical regulations and 
conformity assessment 
procedures. 
- Adopting standards of Gulf 
Cooperation Council (GCC) and 
implementing YSMO-related laws and regulations. 
- Taking measures at customs 
entry points, in conformity with measures stipulated in the 
provisions of the Agreement. - YSMO is working on the 
development and 
implementation of procedures in 
line with the international agreements. - Technical assistance required for 
setting frameworks of technical 
regulations (standards, laws, 
etc.). 
- Inviting foreign experts. 
- Financial assistance. 
- Assistance in setting up a 
national mechanism for 
coordination between relevant 
agencies. 2007 - 2010  
  WT/ACC/YEM/15/Rev.1 
Page 4 S/N Articles Current Status Required Action Requirements of Implementation Timeframes 
4 2.1, 3.1, 5.1, 5.2, 
7.1, 10.4, 2, 3, 5, 6, 
7, Annex 3 (D, E), Article 8.1 Conformity Assessment: 
- Registering imported and local 
products to smooth control process. 
- YSMO physically inspect 
imported and local products and, if necessary, lab examination is 
used. 
- Issuing the releases of imported 
goods based on the physical 
inspection and lab examination. 
- Applying the system of 'Good 
Manufacturing Practices' (GMP) 
on local industrial food 
enterprises. 
- There is no discrimination 
between domestic and foreign 
products. 
- YSMO has six branches and 
offices in points of entry which 
carry out physical inspection and 
lab examination.  - Reviewing and updating the 
conformity assessment 
procedures on products according to the international 
guidelines and practices in order 
to be in line with the agreement. 
- Updating the systems of granting 
Yemeni quality mark and 
conformity certificates for local products. 
- Reviewing and updating the 
control procedures for local products. 
- Reviewing and updating the 
control procedures on imported and local products and those for 
export through the 
implementation of conformity certificate in the country of 
origin in accordance with 
international standards and 
guidelines and in line with the 
agreement. 
- Establishing new offices and 
branches in the rest of 
governorates and customs outlets. 
- Applying the system of Good 
Health Practices (GHP) and Hazard Analysis and Critical 
Control Point (HACCP) on 
industrial food enterprises. 
- Updating the Risk Management 
Department in line with the 
provisions of the agreement. 
- Participating in conferences, 
seminars and regional and 
international workshops on conformity assessment 
procedures. 
- Improving the inspection 
procedures on imported and 
local products.  - Expert/s to assist in updating the 
certification procedures. 
- Internal and abroad training on 
different lab examination and 
analysis. 
- Internal and abroad training on  
on system audit, quality 
assurance and GMP. 
- Internal and abroad training on:  - Inspection and sample 
taking; 
 - Certification and 
accreditation; 
 - Risk Analysis; 
 - Risk Assessment; and  - Risk Management. 
- Assistance in the provision of 
tools and supplies for labs and sample taking. 
- Assistance in the provision of 
apparatuses and lab tools 
concerning the heath and public 
safety examinations. 
- Providing the necessary 
resources and building the 
YSMO’s capacity. 
- Providing the necessary 
financial resources to facilitate 
the participation in international and regional organizations of 
conformity assessment. 
- Necessary financial resources 
for participation in regional 
meetings regarding conformity 
assessment regulations. 
- Assistance on the most 
appropriate regulatory practices. 2007 - 2010 
 
  
 
  
 
2007 - 2012 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
2007 - 2010  
   WT/ACC/YEM/15/Rev.1
 Page 5S/N Articles Current Status Required Action Requirements of Implementation Timeframes 
5 2.1, 3.1, 5.1, 5.2, 
7.1 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 2.7, 3.1, 6, 7.1 Accreditation of laboratories: 
- A foreign expert in the field of 
accreditation has been invited from Tunisia.  He set up a plan 
to establish a national  
accreditation council in the coming years. 
- An accreditation department has 
been established to pave the way for announcing the accreditation 
council in the coming few years. 
 Mutual recognition and conformity  
assessment:  
Some bilateral agreements of mutual recognition with some countries have 
been concluded.  - Establishing accreditation 
council. 
  
 
  
 
  
 
 - Working on the activation of 
these agreements. 
- Concluding new agreements 
especially with states that have 
business relations with Yemen. - Inviting foreign experts. 
- Building the necessary capacity 
for the labs to conduct conformity assessment  
procedures. 
- Training for  accreditation 
controllers. 
 
  
 
 - Technical assistance on lab 
accreditation.  
- Inviting experts to train 
technicians in laboratories.  
- Raising the capacity of staff in 
conformity assessment. 2007 - 2012  
 
 
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