WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/TBT/19 
14 November 2006 
 (06-5503) 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  
    
FOURTH TRIENNIAL REVIEW OF  
THE OPERATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF  
THE AGREEMENT ON TECHNICAL BARRI ERS TO TRADE UNDER ARTICLE 15.4 
  
 
I. INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................... .........2  
II. ELEMENTS OF THE FOURTH TRIENNIAL REVIEW ......................................................2  
A. I
MPLEMENTATION AND ADMINISTRATION OF THE AGREEMENT ..................................................2 
B. G OOD REGULATORY PRACTICE .....................................................................................................3 
1. Aspects  of Good Regulatory Practice .......................................................................................3  
2. Regulatory Cooperation Between Me mbers ..............................................................................4  
3. Future Work .................................................................................................................... ...........5  
C. C ONFORMITY ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES .....................................................................................5 
1. Approaches to Confor mity Assessment ......................................................................................6  
2. International Standards, Gu ides or Recommendations .............................................................7  
3. Facilitating the Recognition of Conformity Assessment Results................................................7  
4. Future Work .................................................................................................................... ...........9  
D. T RANSPARENCY ...........................................................................................................................10 
1. Publication of a Notice of Proposed Technical Regulations and Conformity Assessment 
Procedures ..................................................................................................................... .............10  
2. Notifications of Proposed Technical Regulations  and Conformity Assessment Procedures of 
Local Governments at the Level Directly Below that of the Central Government .....................11  
3. Texts of Notified Technical Regulations and Conformity Assessment Procedures..................11  
4. Comments on Proposed Technical Regulations and Conformity Assessment Procedures ......12  
5. Timing of the Entry into Force of Technical Regulations........................................................12  
6. Notification of the Existence of a Work Programme by a Standardizing Body .......................13  
7. Acceptance of the Code of Good Practi ce by Regional Standardizing Bodies........................13  
8. Future Work .................................................................................................................... .........13  
E. T ECHNICAL ASSISTANCE .............................................................................................................15 
1. Transparency in Demand and Supply of Technical Assistance ...............................................15  
2. The Effective Provision of  Technical Assistance .....................................................................16  
3. Participation of Developing Country Members in  the Work of International Standardizing 
Bodies......................................................................................................................... ......................16  
4. Future Work .................................................................................................................... .........17  
F. S PECIAL AND DIFFERENTIAL TREATMENT ..................................................................................17 
1. Future Work .................................................................................................................... .........17  
ANNEX  1 :  LIST OF DOCUMENTS SUBMITTED AND DISCUSSED DURING THE 
FOURTH TRIENN IAL REVIEW .......................................................................................................1 9 
 
 G/TBT/19 
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I. INTRODUCTION 
1. Article 15.4 of the Agreement on Technical Barrier s to Trade (TBT Agreement) provides that:  
"Not later than the end of the third year from the da te of entry into force of the WTO Agreement and at 
the end of each three-year period thereafter,  the Committee shall review the operation and 
implementation of this Agreement, including the provi sions relating to transparency, with a view to 
recommending an adjustment of the rights and obliga tions of this Agreement where necessary to ensure 
mutual economic advantage and balan ce of rights and obligations, without prejudice to the provisions of 
Article 12.  Having regard, inter alia,  to the experience gained in th e implementation of the Agreement, 
the Committee shall, where appropriate, submit proposals for amendments to the text of this Agreement 
to the Council for Trade in Goods."  The TBT Committee concluded the First, Second and Third 
Triennial Reviews of the Operation and Implem entation of the Agreement on 13 November 1997 
(G/TBT/5), 10 November 2000 (G/TBT/9) and 7 November 2003 (G/TBT/13) respectively. 
2. Pursuant to the Third Triennial Review, th e Committee has followed-up on the specific 
recommendations for action contained therein.  In pa rticular, the Committee held in 2004 an exchange 
of experiences related to the identification of el ements of good regulatory practice at the domestic 
level.
1 Moreover, in order to promote a better unde rstanding of Members' conformity assessment 
systems, a number of events were held by the Comm ittee:  a Special Meeting dedicated to Conformity 
Assessment Procedures on 29 June 20042;  a Workshop on Supplier's Declaration of Conformity on 21 
March 20053;  and, a Workshop on the Different Approaches to Conformity Assessment, including on 
the Acceptance of Conformity Assessment Results on 16-17 March 2006.4  On terms and definitions, 
the Secretariat of ISO informed the Committee of th e changes involved by the revisions of the ISO/IEC 
Guide 2: 1991 and the Committee will hold discussions on the reference to the Guide 2: 1991 in Annex 
1 of the TBT Agreement on terms and their definitions.  Furthermore, with the objective of increasing transparency in the identification and prioritizat ion of technical assistance needs, the Committee 
adopted on 2 November 2005, a Format for the Volunt ary Notification of Specific Technical Assistance 
Needs and Responses.
5  Moreover, with a view to assisting the operation as well as public 
understanding of the Agreement, the Secretariat prepared a "Handbook on the TBT Agreement".   
3. The Committee concluded the Fourth Triennial Review of the Agreement at its meeting 
of 9 November 2006.  The elements considered dur ing the Review and decisions and recommendations 
adopted by the Committee are set out below6:  (A.) Implementation and Administration of the 
Agreement; (B.) Good Regulatory Practice;  (C.)  Conformity Assessment Procedures;  (D.) 
Transparency;  (E.)  Technical Assistance;  and, (F.) Special and Differential Treatment. 
II. ELEMENTS OF THE FOURTH TRIENNIAL REVIEW 
A. IMPLEMENTATION AND ADMINISTRATION OF THE AGREEMENT  
4. With regard to the implementation and admi nistration of the Agreement by Members, 
Article 15.2 provides that:  "Each Member shall, pr omptly after the date on which the WTO Agreement 
enters into force for it, inform the Committee of  measures in existence or taken to ensure the 
implementation and administration of  this Agreement.  Any changes of such measures thereafter shall 
also be notified to the Committee."   
                                                      
1 See G/TBT/13, para. 14 and G/TBT/M/32-34. 
2 A Report of the special meeting is  contained in G/TBT/M/33/Add.1. 
3 A Report of the workshop is contained in Annex 1 of G/TBT/M/35. 
4 A Report of the workshop is contained in G/TBT/M/38/Add.1. 
5 G/TBT/16. 
6 A list of documents submitted and discussed during the Four th Triennial Review is contained in Annex 1.  This 
Annex constitutes an integral part of this Report.  G/TBT/19 
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  5. Since the Third Triennial Review, 16 Memb ers have submitted their statements of 
implementation and administration of the Agreemen t under Article 15.2 and 10 Members have updated 
their original statements.7  In total, 108 Members have submitte d their statements of implementation 
and administration of the Agreement.   
6. The Committee reiterates the importance of Members fulfilling their obligations under 
Article 15.2. 
B. GOOD REGULATORY PRACTICE  
7. Good regulatory practice has been characterized by the Committee as a priority for Members in 
facilitating trade.8  It can help to avoid unnecessary obstacles to  trade in the preparation, adoption and 
application of technical regulations, standards and conformity assessment procedures.  Such practices 
can contribute to the effective implementation of the disciplines of the Ag reement by each Member. 
8. The Committee stresses the benefits of simplifyi ng and improving regulatory environments and 
emphasizes the need for openness, transparency and accountability in the development and application 
of technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures.  The Committee further considers that the appropriate regulatory framework can, inter alia :  enhance predictability and innovation and thereby 
provide a more stable business climate;  help to maintain a competitive environment thereby 
contributing to growth and consumer confidence;   and cut unnecessary administrative costs that may 
result from overly complex regulations, in particular for small and medium-sized enterprises. 
9. Since the entry into force of the Agreement, a nd in order to foster a common understanding of 
the issues involved, the Committee has engaged in an exchange of experiences on various aspects of 
good regulatory practice and in particular since the Third Triennial Review, on the identification of 
elements of good regulatory practice.
9    
1. Aspects  of Good Regulatory Practice 
10. With respect to technical regulations, the Committee notes the importance of Members 
considering, on a case by case basis, whether there is a need to regulate or whether other instruments are 
better suited to achieve the policy objectives sought, and whether existing regulations need to be 
maintained.  In this respect, the Committee reiterat es the need for regulators to begin by clearly 
identifying the problem to be addressed, includi ng its magnitude and the legitimate objective sought, 
and then consider alternative approaches consiste nt with the Agreement to fulfil that legitimate 
objective.  The Committee stresses the importance of  Members avoiding the promulgation of technical 
regulations or conformity assessment procedures where they may not be necessary. 
11. When a Member decides that there is a need to prepare, adopt or apply a technical regulation or 
establish a conformity assessment procedure, the Co mmittee underlines that such technical regulations 
shall not be more trade-restrictive than necessary to  fulfil a legitimate objective and that conformity 
assessment procedures shall not be more strict or be applied more strictly than is necessary to give the importing Member adequate confiden ce that products conform with the applicable technical regulations 
or standards.  
12. The Committee notes that regulatory impact assessments can be a useful tool to facilitate 
regulatory decision-making, including with respect to assessing whether or not government intervention is necessary.  Also, the Committee emphasizes th e importance, when the option to regulate is 
                                                     
 
7 The latest list of Members having submitted their stat ements can be found in document G/TBT/GEN/1/Rev.4. 
8 G/TBT/5, para. 23 and G/TBT/9, para. 37. 
9 Information on the OECD Guiding Principles for Regulatory Quality and Performance was circulated in 
G/TBT/GEN/19. G/TBT/19 
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  considered, of assessing the costs and benefits of  proposed regulations, including likely impact on 
consumers, trade and industry.  
13. When considering regulatory options, the Co mmittee recalls that minimizing the use of 
mandatory measures, or relying on voluntary instruments, can facilita te adaptability and innovation and 
thereby contribute to creating incentives for businesses and opening up market access opportunities 
while still being effective in achieving legitim ate objectives.  Conversely, over-regulation may 
disproportionately affect business and trade and be unnecessary to achieve the legitimate objective 
pursued. 
14. In accordance with the relevant provisions of  the Agreement, the Committee reiterates the 
importance of Members using relevant internatio nal standards, guides or recommendations when 
drafting new regulations or conform ity assessment procedures.  In this regard, the Committee notes the 
usefulness of expressly identifying relevant intern ational standards and taking into account  progress 
made in the development of international sta ndards before initiating any regulatory proposal.  
Furthermore, the Committee emphasi zes the usefulness of considering how other Members address the 
matter. 
15. The Committee stresses that where regulation is deemed necessary Members shall, wherever 
appropriate, specify technical regulations based on product requirements in terms of performance rather 
than design or descriptive characteristics in acc ordance with Article 2.8.  While noting that 
performance-based regulations have the benefit of being easily adaptable a nd encouraging innovation, 
the Committee stresses the importance of clear and transparent criteria against which to verify compliance.  The Committee also notes that a certain le vel of expertise and skill is required in verifying 
compliance with performance-based regulations deve loped in terms of desired outcomes and that, 
therefore, capacity constraints in developing co untry Members need to be taken into account. 
16. With respect to regulatory coordination at the domestic level, the Committee notes that 
Members have various mechanis ms to ensure transparency, openness and accountability in the 
development and application of technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures.  The 
Committee encourages information-sharing between gove rnment, industry, relevant stakeholders and 
the wider public on regulatory actions, including with  other Members and their stakeholders.  Such 
information-sharing can promote greater public unde rstanding of the purposes and effects of – as well 
as the justifications for – regulations.  This ma y also increase public confidence and trust that 
participants in the process will have their concer ns heard and considered, and that the competent 
authorities will make their decisions on a transpar ent, well reasoned, and well supported basis.  
17. Moreover, the Committee notes the usefulness of a Member establishing administrative 
mechanisms for coordination between competent authorities.  It notes that a number of Members have set up TBT coordinating committees to facilitate co mmunication and cooperation between relevant 
government authorities.  The Committee also emphasizes the importance of including local governments as well as non-governmental parties in the domestic consultation activities.  
2. Regulatory Cooperation Between Members 
18. Regulatory cooperation between regulators from different Members, whether informal or 
formal in nature, and including training activities,  can help achieve a bette r understanding of different 
regulatory systems and approaches to addressing identified needs.  Furthermore, it can promote regulatory convergence, harmonization, mutual recogn ition and equivalency, thereby contributing to the 
avoidance of unnecessary regulatory differences and to  the reduction of unnecessary barriers to trade.  G/TBT/19 
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  3. Future Work  
19. With a view to deepening understanding of the contribution good regulatory practice can make 
to the implementation of the TB T Agreement, the Committee agrees  to share experiences on: 
(a) factors used by regulators to determine whet her there is a need to regulate in a given 
situation or whether other instruments are better suited to fulfil the legitimate objective 
sought; 
(b) the use of tools, such as regulatory imp act assessment, to assist regulatory decision-
making (including with respect to (a) above);  
(c) the use of performance-based regulations by Members; 
(d) how good regulatory practices have been  integrated into Members' regulatory 
structures, including the use of mechanisms  to ensure openness, transparency and 
accountability of the regulatory processes; 
(e) the establishment of domestic administrative mechanisms to facilitate cooperation and 
coordination between competent authorities a nd co-ordination with other stakeholders;  
(f) how regulatory cooperation between Members has contributed to the avoidance of 
unnecessary regulatory differences; and 
(g) steps taken and criteria used to arrive at an equivalency decision between Members 
(Article 2.7), or harmonization on the basis of international standards (Article 2.6). 
20. Furthermore, with a view to advancing its work on good regulatory practice, the Committee 
agrees  to hold a workshop on good regulatory practi ce addressing, among other topics, regulatory 
impact assessment. 
C. CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES  
21. With a view to promoting a better understanding of Members' conformity assessment systems, 
the Committee has intensified the exchange of in formation and experiences on various aspects of 
conformity assessment procedures since the Third Tr iennial Review.  In accordance with the work 
programme agreed10, two workshops were held in Marc h 2005 and March 2006, respectively on 
Supplier's Declaration of Conformity11 and the Different Approaches to Conformity Assessment, 
Including on the Acceptance of Conformity Assessment Results.12  The Committee takes note of the 
useful and detailed exchange of views and informa tion which took place at these events and reiterates 
the importance of improving Members' implementa tion of Articles 5-9 of the Agreement.   
                                                      
10 G/TBT/13, para. 40. 
11 See Annex 1 of G/TBT/M/35.   
12 See G/TBT/M/38/Add.1.  The objective of the March 2006 Workshop on the Different Approaches to Conformity 
Assessment was to promote a better unders tanding of conformity assessment system s in general.  The workshop discussion 
was divided into three sessions:  (i) Confor mity assessment procedures at the domestic  level;  (ii) mechanisms to facilitate th e 
acceptance of conformity assessment results (pursuant to Article 6 of the TBT Agreement);  and (iii) conformity assessment 
infrastructure in developing country Members.   The programme (G/TBT/GEN/31) as well as presentations are available on the 
TBT webpage:  http://www.wto.org/eng lish/ tratop_e /tbt_e/tbt_e.htm#events.  G/TBT/19 
Page 6  
 
  1. Approaches to Conformity Assessment 
(a) Use of Appropriate Conformity Assessment Procedures 
22. In the preparation, adoption and use of conformity assessment procedures, the Committee 
reiterates the importance of complying with the prov isions of Articles 5 to 9, 11 and 12 which set out 
the obligations concerning non-discrimination, unnecessar y obstacles to trade, the use of international 
standards, guides or recommendations, transparency, technical assistance and special and differential 
treatment.   
23. In order to assist Members in better understandi ng whether the use of a particular conformity 
assessment procedure is appropriate in a given s ituation, the Committee agre es to exchange views on 
the various considerations that are relevant when  deciding on the type of procedure to be used, 
including the level of risk associated with products.  Moreover, with a view to gaining insight into how 
different procedures are applied to different s ituations and categories of products by Members,
13 the 
Committee agrees to continue sharing experiences on the use of different types of conformity 
assessment procedures.  
(b) Use of Supplier's Declaration of Conformity (SDoC) 
24. The Committee recognizes the benefits of SDoC fo r the assurance of conformity when used in 
appropriate circumstances and for certain sectors.  From a manufacturer's perspective, SDoC can allow 
flexibility and non-discriminatory treatment in the c hoice of location for testing or other conformity 
assessment procedures and can reduce associated costs.   When deciding whether or not to use SDoC, 
Members should analyze a range of elements in order to  determine the costs and benefits of doing so.   
25. The Committee reiterates that when evaluating the approach to conformity assessment, and in 
particular SDoC, Members should consider the fo llowing:  risk assessment, giving particular 
consideration to the characteristics of the sectors and the products;  adequa te regulatory and legal 
regimes to implement SDoC, including those related to product liability;  and well-developed market 
surveillance systems with appropriate resources and enforcement mechanisms, which may include 
penalties for false/misleading declarations, and c onsumer redress.  In using SDoC, the Committee 
stresses again the importance of Members complying with their transparency obligations so that 
suppliers are informed when such confor mity assessment procedures are proposed.   
26. The Committee notes that SDoC may be difficult for developing country Members to 
implement.  In this regard, the Committee further notes the need expressed by developing country Members for technical assistance and resources in order to implement SDoC.   
27. The Committee agrees to continue to exchange  experiences on the design and implementation 
of SDoC and on situations for wh ich SDoC may be a suitable conformity assessment procedure.   
(c) Use of Accreditation to Qualif y Conformity Assessment Bodies 
28. The Committee notes that accreditation is widely recognized as a tool to demonstrate the 
technical competence of conformity assessment bodies in exporting Members.  The Committee stresses 
                                                     
 
13 See G/TBT/M/38/Add.1.  At the March 2006 Workshop on Different Approaches to Conformity Assessment, 
participants provided concrete examples of  existing approaches at the domestic level and explained the mechanisms in place to 
make the conformity asse ssment procedures both effective a nd well-suited to the regulatory purpose at hand.  Presentations 
were also provided on the impl ementation of voluntary conformity assessmen t market programs, and on sector-specific 
approaches to conformity assessment in relation to the following sectors: vehicle emission and noise, electricity and forest 
certification.      G/TBT/19 
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  the importance of Members complying with the provisions of the Agreement with regard to 
accreditation. 
29. The Committee recalls the necessity of us ing international standards, guides, or 
recommendations in relation to accreditation, whic h should help to achieve confidence.  Such 
confidence is essential to the designation of c onformity assessment bodies in other Members. 
30. A number of problems in relation to accreditati on in certain developing country Members may 
be noted, for example:  insufficient number of accred ited bodies for the assessment of conformity at the 
domestic or regional level, high costs in obtaining fore ign accreditation, and difficulties in establishing 
internationally recognized accreditation bodies.  Th e Committee reiterates the importance of assisting 
developing country Members in this resp ect, in conformity with Article 11.   
31. The Committee agrees to share experiences on the use of accreditation to qualify the technical 
competence of conformity assessment bodies. 
2. International Standards, Guides or Recommendations 
32. The Committee reiterates the importance of Members (i) using relevant international standards, 
guides or recommendations, or the relevant parts of them, as a basis for their conformity assessment 
procedures, in cases where a positiv e assurance is required that products conform with technical 
regulations or standards, and relevant guides or r ecommendations issued by international standardizing 
bodies exist or their completion is imminent, and except where such guides or recommendations or 
relevant parts are inappropriate for the Members con cerned (Article 5.4);  and (ii) playing a full part, 
within the limits of their resources, in the prepara tion by appropriate interna tional standardizing bodies 
of international standards, guides or recomme ndations for conformity assessment procedures 
(Article 5.5).  The Committee notes that certain in ternational standards, guides or recommendations 
concerning conformity assessment procedures ha ve been recently developed or revised.14   
33. A focused discussion on Members' experience in  using international standards, guides or 
recommendations can help regulators to better understa nd how they can be applied and how Article 5.4 
is implemented.  Therefore, the Committee agrees to exchange information on Members' experience on 
their use.  
3. Facilitating the Recognition of Conformity Assessment Results 
(a) Unilateral Recognition 
(i) Unilateral Recognition of Results of Foreign Conformity Assessment , Including Government 
Designation  
34. Pursuant to Article 6.1, Members have an obliga tion to ensure, whenever possible, that results 
of conformity assessment procedures in other Members, which are equivalent to their own procedures, 
are accepted.  With a view to reducing unnecessary ba rriers to trade associated  with duplicative testing 
and certification, the Committee acknowledges in partic ular that government designation is one of the 
approaches that can facilitate the acceptance of c onformity assessment results as foreseen in Article 
6.1.2.  Under this approach, governments designate  specific conformity assessment bodies, including 
bodies located outside their territories, to undertake conformity assessment activities.  
                                                      
14 See G/TBT/M/38/Add.1.  At the March 2006 Workshop on Different Approaches to Conformity Assessment, 
Members heard a presentation on the ISO/CASCO Toolbox.  G/TBT/19 
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  35. The Committee agrees to exchange information on unilateral recognition of results of foreign 
conformity assessment, including on existing government designation schemes, in relation to Article 6.1.2. 
(ii) Participation of Foreign Conformity Assessment Bodies in Domestic Conformity Assessment 
Procedures 
36. The Committee renews its encouragement of Member s to allow the participation of conformity 
assessment bodies located in the terr itory of other Members in their conformity assessment procedures, 
on a non-discriminatory basis, as stated in Article 6.4.   It is stressed that such participation should be 
facilitated to the extent that it contributes to pr oviding a wider choice of competent conformity 
assessment bodies for suppliers and regulators.  Fo r example, cross-border accreditation arrangements 
can be cost-effective.  
37. The Committee agrees to exchange informati on on the participation of foreign conformity 
assessment bodies in domestic conformity assessment  procedures, pursuant to Article 6.4.   
(b) Mutual Recognition 
(i) Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) 
38. Pursuant to Article 6.3, Members are encouraged  to be willing to enter into mutual recognition 
agreements (MRAs) involving the reciprocal acce ptance of the results of conformity assessment 
procedures taking place in the territory of Members concerned.   
39. In relation to government-to-government MRAs, possible difficulties and problems may relate 
to:  differences in development le vels amongst Members;  cost;  non-transparency;  non-MFN nature;  
limited opportunity to enter into negotiations for the conclusion of MRAs;  the need to take into account 
the quality of the conformity assessment procedures ra ther than the origin of the product;  and, 
efficiency and effectiveness of MRAs to solve pr oblems of multiple testing and conformity assessment 
procedures.  The Committee notes that the mutual introduction of cross-border designation systems in 
equivalent fields by governments can be a cost-eff ective agreement.  The Co mmittee reiterates that the 
use of relevant international conformity assessm ent standards, guides and recommendations, as well as 
greater alignment of conformity assessment proce dures could facilitate the conclusion of MRAs.   
40. Considerations and factors for the conclusi on of effective MRAs between governments may 
include:
15  sound regulatory infrastructure;  sufficient volume of trade in specific sectors between the 
parties involved to justify the high administrative costs and the generally l ong-term nature of the 
negotiations;  tangible economic benefits;  intere st  and support of stakeholders;  underlying 
compatibility in the regulatory systems of the potential MRA parties;  resource implications of MRA 
negotiation and implementation;  a nd a confidence-building approach, in particular, where the technical 
competence of the two parties is not equivalent.  In  relation to the latter, it is noted that technical 
assistance can play an important role in enhancing the level of technical competence of parties from 
developing country Members and building confidence among parties that have different levels of 
technical competence. 
41. The Committee reiterates the importance of Members notifying mutual recognition agreements 
in accordance with Article 10.7 and invites Members to inform the Secretariat when such agreements 
are no longer in force. 
                                                      
15 See G/TBT/M/38/Add.1.  At the March 2006 Workshop on Different Approaches to Conformity Assessment, 
participants shared information on the merits and possibl e difficulties in negotiating a nd implementing government-to-
government mutual recognition agreements.    G/TBT/19 
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  42. The Committee agrees to further exchange information on (i) the operation of existing 
MRAs, including cases where implementation has not been deemed satisfactory;  and (ii) their cost-effectiveness. 
(ii) Voluntary Mutual Recognition Arrangements Between Domestic and Foreign Conformity 
Assessment Bodies 
43. The Committee notes that voluntary mutual re cognition arrangements have been reached 
among individual laboratories, certification and inspection bodies.
16  In addition, regional and 
multilateral recognition arrangements have been re ached between accreditation bodies.  A number of 
international and regional systems ha ve developed over time  with the objective of establishing networks 
of conformity assessment bodies whose competence can be relied upon by all members.  Pursuant to 
these arrangements, each party undertakes to reco gnize the equivalence of accreditation systems, 
certificates, test or inspection reports issued by any other party to the arrangement as equivalent to their 
own and to promote that equivalence throughout its te rritory of operation.  Some of these arrangements 
have been recognized by governments as a basis for the acceptance of test results and certification 
activities in relation to specific regulations.   
44. Hence, the Committee notes that the existence of  international and regional voluntary mutual 
recognition arrangements can facilitate accepta nce of results of conformity assessment.17   
45. The Committee agrees to further exchange information on voluntary mutual recognition 
arrangements and on the extent to which results of conformity assessment are accepted by regulators.   
4. Future Work 
46. With a view to furthering the understanding of  the implementation of Articles 5-9 of the 
Agreement, and as indicated above, the Committee agrees  to continue sharing experiences on: 
(a) approaches to conformity assessment, and in particular on 
(i) various considerations that are relevant when deciding on the need for a 
conformity assessment procedure and on the type of procedure, including the level of risk associated with products; 
(ii) the use of different types of conformity assessment procedures; 
(iii) the design and implementation of SDoC a nd situations for which SDoC may be 
a suitable conformity assessment procedure; and 
(iv) the use of accreditation to qualify the technical competence of conformity 
assessment bodies; 
(b) the use of international standards, guid es or recommendations in Members' domestic 
conformity assessment procedures; and 
                                                     
 
16 See G/TBT/M/38/Add.1.  At the March 2006 Workshop on Different Approaches to Conformity Assessment, 
Members shared information on the IECEE CB scheme.    
17 See G/TBT/M/38/Add.1.  At the March 2006 Workshop on Different Approaches to Conformity Assessment, 
Members exchanged information on ways to promote acceptance by  regulatory authorities of resu lts by conformity assessment 
bodies participating in voluntary arrangements.   G/TBT/19 
Page 10  
 
  (c) recognition of conformity assessment results, and in particular on 
(i) unilateral recognition of results of fo reign conformity assessment, including on 
existing government designation schem es in relation to Article 6.1.2; 
(ii) the participation of foreign conf ormity assessment bodies in domestic 
conformity assessment procedures pursuant to Article 6.4; 
(iii) the operation of existing MRAs, including cases where implementation has not 
been deemed satisfactory;  and their cost-effectiveness; and 
(iv) voluntary mutual recognition arrangements and on the extent to which results 
of conformity assessment are accepted by regulators. 
D. T
RANSPARENCY  
47. The Committee reiterates the importance of Member s fully complying with  their transparency 
obligations under the Agreement, in particular, those related to the notification of technical regulations 
and conformity assessment procedures, as required unde r Articles 2.9, 2.10, 5.6, 5.7 and 10.7.  A 
number of decisions and recommendations have b een made with a view to facilitating access to 
information and further improving the implemen tation of transparency procedures under the 
Agreement.18  The Committee encourages Members to follow these decisions and recommendations. 
48. Pursuant to Article 10.1, each Member shall ensure  that an enquiry point ex ists which is able to 
answer all reasonable enquiries from other Members and interested parties in other Members.  131 Members have submitted information on their enquiry points.
19  The Committee reiterates the 
importance of Members fulfilling their obligations under Article 10.1. 
49. Article 10.7 of the Agreement requires Members to notify agreements between Members on 
issues related to technical regulations, standards or conformity assessment procedures and which may 
have a significant effect on trade.  From 1995-2005,  46 such notifications have been submitted.20  
50. The Committee notes that pursuant to a 1995 Committee Decision to hold "regular meetings of 
persons responsible for information exchange, in cluding persons responsible for enquiry points and 
notifications"21, the Fourth Special Meeting on Procedures for Information Exchange took place on 
2-3 November 2004.22   
1. Publication of a Notice of Proposed Technica l Regulations and Conformity Assessment 
Procedures 
51. Pursuant to Articles 2.9.1 and 5.6.1, Members are required to publish a notice of a proposed 
technical regulation or conformity assessment procedure if it may have a significant effect on trade and whenever a relevant international standard does not exist or the proposed regulation or procedure is not 
in accordance with it.  The Committe e notes that there appears to be no uniformity between Members as 
to how this notice is to be published and agrees to  examine ways in which the publications for such 
                                                     
 
18 "Decisions and Recommendations adopted by the Committ ee since 1 January 1995", Note by the Secretariat, 
23 May 2002, G/TBT/1/Rev.8, pages 11-18. 
19 The latest list of enquiry points is contained in document G/TBT/ENQ/28. 
20 Notifications under Article 10.7 are circulated un der document symbol G/TBT/ 10.7/Member initials/--". 
21 G/TBT/1/Rev.8, page 19. 
22 A Report of this meeting is cont ained in Annex 2 of G/TBT/M/34.  G/TBT/19 
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  notices – and their content – are made available, so  as to enable all interested parties to become 
acquainted with them.23   
2. Notifications of Proposed Technical Regulati ons and Conformity A ssessment Procedures 
of Local Governments at the Level Directly Below that of the Central Government 
52. Pursuant to Articles 3.2 (on technical re gulations) and 7.2 (on conformity assessment 
procedures), Members are required to fulfil the notific ation obligations contained in Articles 2 and 5 for 
measures of local governments, at the level directly below that of Members' central governments.  The 
Committee notes that 10 technical regulations and c onformity assessment procedures proposed by local 
governments at the level directly below that of the central government have been notified in the period 
1995 to 2005.  The Committee reiterates the impor tance of Members fulfilling their notification 
obligations under Articles 3.2 and 7.2.24  The Committee invites Members to indicate the local 
government bodies in their jurisdiction that are subject to these obligations. 
3. Texts of Notified Technical Regulations and Conformity Assessment Procedures 
(a) Access to Texts 
53. The Committee notes that knowledge of the text of a notified technical regulation and 
conformity assessment procedure is essential.  It in forms exporters about the proposed regulations and 
procedures that apply to products they intend to  place on a given market.  In order to facilitate 
systematic access to texts of notified measures, th e Committee encourages Members to provide (i) more 
detailed information in Section 6 "D escription of content" of the notification form so as to enable 
Members to make a first analysis of the proposal; and (ii) the website address where Members can download the full text of the notified measure in Se ction 11 of the notification form "Text available 
from" or any other means to quickly and easily access the text of the proposed regulations and 
procedures.  Moreover, the Committee notes some  preliminary information provided by the 
WTO Secretariat on possibilities to attach to the notif ication form a copy of the text of the notified 
measure.
25  The Committee agrees to further explor e ways to implement such a feature. 
54. The Committee further encourages Members to notif y the availability of the adopted final text 
as an addendum to the original notification and pr ovide information on where the final text can be 
obtained (including website address).   
(b) Translations 
55. Members are encouraged to provide translations of documents covered by specific notifications 
in any WTO official language of their choice wit hout being requested to do so.  The Committee notes 
that such translations may facilitate Members' ab ility to comment on notified technical regulations and 
conformity assessment procedures and be particularly  useful for developing country Members as costs 
and time spent on translations may be reduced.  In this context, the Committee reiterates the importance 
of sharing translation of texts of notified techni cal regulations and conformity assessment procedures.26  
56. As some Members often have these documents tr anslated into one official language of the 
WTO, the Committee agrees to explore ways to e nhance the sharing of translation of documents 
referred to in notifications, such as posting on Memb ers' websites or developing a format to inform 
                                                      
23 A list of official publications in relation to technical regulations, conformity assessm ent procedures and standards 
is contained in document G/TBT/GEN/39 (List of Members' Pub lications in Relation to Technical Regulations, Conformity 
Assessment Procedures and Standards).   
24 G/TBT/5, para. 9;  G/TBT/9, para. 11;  G/TBT/13, para. 23. 
25 See "Attachments to TBT Notifications", Information from the Secretariat, G/TBT/GEN/40. 
26 See also G/TBT/13, para. 26. G/TBT/19 
Page 12  
 
  other Members of the existence of translations of notified measures.  The Committee also recalls that 
the existence of translations should be indicated in Section 5 "Title and number of pages" of the 
notification form. 
4. Comments on Proposed Technical Regulati ons and Conformity Assessment Procedures 
(a) Length of Time Allowed for Comments 
57. The Committee notes that an insufficient pe riod of time for presentation of comments on 
proposed technical regulations and conformity assessment prevents Members from exercising their rights to submit comments.  The Committee recalls the recommendation that the normal time-limit for 
presentation of comments be no less than 60 days, and, where possible, 90 days.
27 
58. Furthermore, the Committee encourages Members to provide sufficient time between the end of 
the comment period and the adoption of the notified technical regulations a nd conformity assessment 
procedures for the consideration of comments made and the preparation of subsequent responses.   
(b) Sharing and Discussion of Comments 
59. The Committee notes that the sharing, on a voluntary basis, of comments and responses on 
notifications could contribute significantly to othe r Members' understanding of whether their comments 
have been taken into account, and could assist Me mbers to benefit from the technical knowledge and 
legal expertise of their trading partners;  this could be particularly u seful for developing country 
Members.  In the preparation of comments and subsequent responses, the Committee has stressed the 
importance of domestic coordination between  the various interested parties.   
60. The Committee notes that Members have increased th eir efforts since the last review to promote 
a more widespread dissemination of comments a nd replies relating to notified draft technical 
regulations and conformity assessments procedures.  Certain Members have put in place websites on 
which all comments and replies issued or receive d are made public.  The Committee notes that the 
consultation of these websites may allow Members to ta ke advantage of the legal expertise expressed by 
other Members and to identify "best practices" with  respect to the regulatory approach to certain 
problems.  In this context, the Committee encourages Members to exchange comments and to provide 
information on websites on which comments received from Members and replies thereto are posted, 
taking into account the fact that some bilatera l communications between Members could be of a 
confidential nature.  Based on the information provi ded by Members, a list of these websites could be 
prepared by the Secretariat. 
5. Timing of the Entry into Force of Technical Regulations 
61. Pursuant to Article 2.12, Members shall leave a reasonable interval between the publication of 
technical regulations and their entry into force, ex cept in the case of certain urgent circumstances.   
62. The Ministerial Decision on Implementation-Related Issues and Concerns, adopted on 
14 November 2001 in Doha, provides that, subject to th e conditions specified in Article 2.12, the phrase 
"reasonable interval" shall be understood to mean no rmally a period of not less than six months, except 
when this would be ineffective to fulfil the legitimate objectives pursued.28  The Committee stresses the 
importance of the Doha Ministerial Decision in rela tion to Article 2.12 on technical regulations.   
                                                      
27 G/TBT/1/Rev.8, page 17.   
28 WT/MIN(01)/17, para.5.2; included in G/TBT/1/Rev.8, page 30.    G/TBT/19 
 Page 13 
 
 
  63. Furthermore, while noting that Article 2.12 al ready includes reference to developing country 
Members and their specific needs, the Committee enc ourages Members to provide an interval of more 
than six months, when possible, between the publica tion of technical regulations and their entry into 
force so that producers, in particular in developing country Members, have sufficient time to adapt to 
the new requirements.   
6. Notification of the Existence of a Work Programme by a Standardizing Body 
64. Paragraph J of the Code of Good Practice for the Preparation, Adoption and Application of 
Standards (Annex 3 to the Agreement) requires in rele vant parts that:  "At least once every six months, 
the standardizing body shall publish a work programme  containing its name and address, the standards 
it is currently preparing and the standards which it h as adopted in the preceding period. … No later than 
at the time of publication of its work programme, the standardizing body shall notify the existence 
thereof to the ISO/IEC Information Centre in Geneva."  
65. With a view to enhancing transparency in term s of the obligations of standardizing bodies under 
Paragraph J, the Committee (i) invites the ISO/IEC In formation Centre to provide information to the 
Committee on the status of notifications of the ex istence of a work programme made under Paragraph J 
when the WTO TBT Standards Code Directory is published; and (ii) encourages standardizing bodies 
that communicate their work programmes via the in ternet to specify the exact web pages where the 
information on work programmes is located under th e item "Publication" of the notification form.29 
7. Acceptance of the Code of Good Practice by Regional Standardizing Bodies 
66. The Committee recalls that pursuan t to paragraph B of the Code of Good Practice, the Code is 
open to acceptance by any standardizi ng body within the territory of a Member of the WTO, whether a 
central government body, a local government body, or a non-governmental body; to any governmental 
regional standardizing body one or more members of which are Members of the WTO; and to any non-
governmental regional standardizing body one or mo re members of which are situated within the 
territory of a Member of the WTO.  The Committee recalls further that paragraph C provides that standardizing bodies that have accepted or withdraw n from the Code of Good Practice shall notify this 
fact to the ISO/IEC Information Centre in Geneva.   
67. The Committee encourages regional standardizi ng bodies to accept the Code of Good Practice 
and to notify their acceptance of the Code  to the ISO/IEC Information Centre. 
8. Future Work 
68. With a view to facilitating the implemen tation of transparency procedures under the 
Agreement, and as indicated above, the Committee agrees
: 
(a) with regard to the publication of a notice of proposed technical regulations and 
conformity assessment procedures 
(i) to examine ways in which the publicati ons for such notices – and their content 
– are made available, so as to enable al l interested parties to become acquainted 
with them; 
(b) with regard to the notification of propo sed technical regulations and conformity 
assessment procedures of local governments at  the level directly below that of the 
central government 
                                                      
29 The form is contained in G/TBT/W/4/Rev.1, page 6. G/TBT/19 
Page 14  
 
  (i) to invite Members to indicate the local  government bodies in their jurisdiction 
that are subject to the notification obligations contained in Articles 3.2 and 7.2; 
(c) with regard to texts of notified techni cal regulations and conformity assessment 
procedures 
(i) to encourage Members to provide:  (i) more detailed information on proposed 
technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures in Section 6 
"Description of content" of the notification form;  and (ii) the website address where Members can download the full text of the notified measure in Section 11 "Text available from" of the notification form or any other means to quickly and easily access the text; 
(ii) to explore ways to attach to the notifi cation form a copy of the text of the 
notified measure;  
(iii) to encourage Members to notify the availa bility of the adopted final text as an 
addendum to the original notification and to provide information on where the final text can be obtained, including website address; and 
(iv) to explore ways to enhance the sharing of translation of documents referred to 
in notifications, such as posting on Memb ers' websites or developing a format 
to inform other Members of the existen ce of translations of notified measures; 
(d) with regard to comments on proposed techni cal regulations and conformity assessment 
procedures 
(i) to encourage Members to provide su fficient time between the end of the 
comment period and the adoption of th e notified technical regulations and 
conformity assessment procedures for the consideration of comments made and the preparation of subsequent responses; 
(ii) to encourage Members to exchange co mments and to provide information on 
websites on which comments received from Members and replies thereto are 
posted, taking into account the fact that some bilateral communications 
between Members could be of a confidential nature; and 
(iii) to request the Secretariat to prepar e a list of these websites, based on the 
information provided by Members; 
(e) with regard to the timing of the entry into force of technical regulations 
(i) to encourage Members to provide an interval of more than six months, when 
possible, between the publication of technical regulations and their entry into 
force;  
(f) with regard to the notification of the existence of a work programme 
(i) to invite the ISO/IEC Information Centre to provide information to the 
Committee on the status of notifications of the existence of a work programme 
made under Paragraph J when the WTO TBT Standards Code Directory is 
published;   G/TBT/19 
 Page 15 
 
 
  (ii) to encourage standardizing bodies th at communicate their work programmes 
via the internet to specify the exact web pages where the information on work 
programmes is located under the item "Publication" of the notification form; and 
(g) with regard to the acceptan ce of the Code of Good Practic e by regional standardizing 
bodies 
(i) to encourage regional standardizing bo dies to accept the Code of Good Practice 
and to notify their acceptance of the Code  to the ISO/IEC Information Centre. 
E. T
ECHNICAL ASSISTANCE  
69. Since the entry into force of th e Agreement, technical assistance has been considered as an area 
of priority and features on the agenda of  Committee meetings on a permanent basis.30  The Committee 
reiterates the importance of Members complying w ith the obligations contained in Article 11 on 
technical assistance, in particular in relation to conformity assessment procedures.31  The Committee 
also reiterates the importance of transparency in demand and supply of technical assistance and 
emphasizes the need for effective provision of such assistance.   
1. Transparency in Demand and Supply of Technical Assistance 
70. In the first years of the Committee's work, it was agreed that in order to enhance 
implementation of Article 11, Members would on a voluntary basis exchange information regarding its 
implementation, and that Members that required technical assistance would inform the Committee of any difficulties they encountered in the operation and implementation of the Agreement.  Subsequently, 
and while reiterating the need for enhanced inform ation exchange, the Committee agreed to develop a 
demand-driven technical cooperation programme;  an a pproach that was confirmed by Ministers in the 
2001 Doha Ministerial Decision on Implem entation-related Issues and Concerns.
32   
71. Following the Second Triennial Review, the Committee conducted a survey on needs 
identification and prioritization by developing country Members33 and, at the Third Triennial Review, 
agreed on a number of recommendations related to improving transparency in the area of technical 
assistance.34  In subsequent work, the Committee rec ognized that improvements were needed to 
facilitate demand and supply of technical assistance a nd, as a contribution to addressing this issue, the 
Committee adopted in 2005 a Format for the Voluntar y Notification of Specific Technical Assistance 
Needs and Responses.35  The operation of this mechanism will be reviewed at the end of 2007.   
72. The Committee stresses the importance of building upon previous work on improving 
transparency to ensure the flow of information on technical assistance.  The Committee notes in this 
regard the usefulness of the WTO TBT webpage on TBT-related technical assistance. 
                                                      
30 G/TBT/1/Rev.8, page 22. 
31 See G/TBT/M/38/Add.1.  At the March 2006 Workshop on Different Approaches to Conformity Assessment, 
participants from a number of developi ng country Members shared their experiences in either administering existing 
conformity assessment systems or working to build such systems.   Participants presented the operation of these systems, key 
challenges and problems faced (resource constraints, technical and infrastructural needs, etc).  Some international agencies 
informed the Workshop of their role and work to assist de veloping country Members in the identification of conformity 
assessment-related needs and in the provisi on of technical assistance.  The importan ce of regional coordination was also 
stressed. 
32 WT/MIN(01)/17, para. 5.1. 
33 The questionnaire is contained in G/TBT/W/178;  re sponses are compiled and su mmarised in G/TBT/W/186 and 
Add.1.  An analysis of the respon ses is contained in G/TBT/W/193. 
34 G/TBT/13, paras. 54-56.   
35 G/TBT/16. G/TBT/19 
Page 16  
 
  2. The Effective Provision of Technical Assistance 
73. The Committee recalls the emphasis put by Members in earlier work on the importance of 
enhancing the effectiveness of technical assistance activities.
36  In particular, at the Third Triennial 
Review, in considering approaches to technical as sistance, the Committee noted that there were a 
number of good practices to enhance the effectiveness a nd efficiency of technical assistance, as well as 
modalities for the provision of technical assistance under Article 11 of the Agreement.37   
74. With a view to enhancing the effective provision  of such technical assistance, and considering 
that Members, the Committee and the Secretariat have di fferent roles to play in furthering the objectives 
of Article 11, the Committee notes that there are differ ent aspects to be considered in the delivery and 
receipt of technical assistance.  In this regard, the use of good practices is essential to enhance 
efficiency and effectiveness.  For instance, it is im portant that technical assistance is provided in a 
timely manner and that it is predictable and sustaina ble.  Also, in some cases, technical assistance may 
need to be provided on an urgent and ad hoc  basis to assist developing country Members regarding the 
methods by which technical regulations can best  be met, in accordance with Article 11.3.2. 
3. Participation of Developing Country Members in the Work of International 
Standardizing Bodies 
75. The Committee agreed in 1997 to explore ways and means of improving the implementation of 
Articles 2.6, 5.5, 11.2, 12.5 and paragraph G of th e Code of Good Practice with a view to enhancing 
Members' awareness of, and participation in , the work of international standardizing 
bodies.  Subsequently, the Committee noted the discu ssions in the General Council on implementation 
concerns, particularly in regard to participati on by developing country Members in international 
standardization activities.  
76. At the 2001 Doha Ministerial Conference, Member s urged the Director-General to continue his 
cooperative efforts with international standardizing bodies and other institutions, including with a view 
to according priority to the effective participati on of least-developed country Members and facilitating 
the provision of technical and financial assistance for this purpose.38  At the Third Triennial Review, 
Members took note of a report issued by the Direct or-General on actions of relevant international 
organizations and institutions to increase participation of developing country Members in the work of 
international standardizing bodies.39 
77. Considering the above, the Committee notes a nd welcomes the actions taken by observer 
international standardizing bodies to enhance the par ticipation of developing country Members in their 
work and invites these and other international sta ndardizing bodies to provide information on steps 
taken to ensure their effective participation.40 
                                                      
36 G/TBT/9, para. 45 and G/TBT/13, para. 50. 
37 G/TBT/13, paras 50 and 52. 
38 WT/MIN(01)/17, para. 5.3.  The reports issued by the Director-General are contained in WT/GC/42, 45 and 
46/Rev.1.  The latest repor t on TBT related work in response to the above mandate  is contained in the last three paragraphs of  
WT/GC/W/500. 
39 G/TBT/W/172.   
40 For instance, the ISO General Assembly adopted, in 2004, an ISO Strategic Plan for the period 2005-2010 which 
aims, inter alia , at enhancing developing country invo lvement in its technical activities.  The IEC has also reported on the use 
of its "Affiliate Country Programme", which is aimed at facilitating the participation of developing countries in the elaborati on 
of international electrot echnical standards.  The FAO/WHO (for Codex) has set up trust funds to enhance the participation of 
developing countries in standard setting meetings and activiti es, training programmes and regi onal technical consultations on 
standards and their implementation.  G/TBT/19 
 Page 17 
 
 
  4. Future Work 
78. With a view to facilitating the implementation of the TBT Agreement's provisions on technical 
assistance, the Committee agrees : 
(a) to encourage Members to make use of the Format for the Voluntary Notification of 
Specific Technical Assistance Needs and Responses contained in G/TBT/16;   
(b) to review, in 2007, the use of the Format for the Voluntary Notification of Specific 
Technical Assistance Needs and Responses, in cluding the possible further development 
of the demand-driven technical cooperation mechanism; and 
(c) to exchange experiences in respect of the delivery and receipt of technical assistance 
with a view to identifying good practices in this regard. 
F. SPECIAL AND DIFFERENTIAL TREATMENT  
79. The Committee emphasizes the importance of Members providing differential and more 
favourable treatment to developing country Members,  through the implementation of the provisions of 
Article 12 as well as through the relevant provisions of other Articles of the Agreement.  Such treatment 
could assist developing country Members to effectivel y implement and benefit from the Agreement.   
80. Special and differential treatment has been an important topic of consideration in the 
Committee.  On various occasions, Members have ex changed views and information on how to improve 
transparency of the operation and implementation of Article 12.41  In the past, the Committee invited 
Members on a voluntary basis to exchange informati on on the implementation of Article 12 and specific 
problems faced in relation to its operation.42 
81. The Committee underscores the continuing need for exchanges of information concerning 
implementation of the special and differential treatme nt provisions of the Agreement.  This includes 
sharing of information on special and differential treatment provided by Members and its impact, as 
well as information on how Members have taken in to account special and differential treatment 
provisions in the preparation of technical regula tions and conformity assessment procedures.  The 
Committee notes possible challenges of ascertain ing and providing information on special and 
differential treatment and also a possible link betw een discussions on special and differential treatment 
and technical assistance. 
1. Future Work 
82. In order to have a more focused excha nge of information, the Committee agrees : 
(a) to encourage Members to inform the Co mmittee of special and differential treatment 
provided to developing country Members, including information on how they have 
taken into account special and differential tr eatment provisions in the preparation of 
technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures; and 
(b) to encourage developing country Member s to undertake their own assessments of the 
utility and benefits of such special and differential treatment. 
                                                      
41 See in particular G/TBT/5, Secti on H; G/TBT/9, Section F and also A nnex 1 concerning a Workshop on Technical 
Assistance and Differential Treatment in the context of the TBT Agreement held on 19-20 July 2000. 
42 G/TBT/5, para. 33(a). G/TBT/19 
Page 18  
 
  83. The exchange of information could cover, inter alia , possible linkages between discussions on 
special and differential treatment and technical assistance.   
 
_______________ 
 
  G/TBT/19 
 Page 19 
 
 
  ANNEX  1 :  LIST OF DOCUMENTS SUBMITTED AND DISCUSSED DURING 
THE FOURTH TRIENNIAL REVIEW 
 
  
Date Symbol Title Member 
24 June 2004 G/TBT/W/239 Colombia's Experience with Good 
Regulatory Practice Colombia 
3 November 2004 G/TBT/W/248 Good Regulatory Practice Mexico 
25 May 2005  G/TBT/W/251 Intellectual Property Right (IPR) 
Issues in Standardization People's Republic of China 
8 June 2005 G/TBT/W/252 Fourth Triennial Review of the 
TBT Agreement People's Republic of China 
13 June 2005 G/TBT/W/253 Fourth Triennial Review of the 
TBT Agreement European Communities 
14 June 2005 G/TBT/W/254 Good Regulatory Practice European Communities 
26 October 2005 G/TBT/W/258 Good Regulatory Practice United States 
3 March 2006 G/TBT/W/261 Fourth Triennial Review of the 
TBT Agreement Chinese Taipei 
10 March 2006 G/TBT/W/263 Fourth Triennial Review of the 
TBT Agreement Japan 
13 March 2006 G/TBT/W/264 Advancing the Discussion of 
Instrument Choice under Good 
Regulatory Practice Canada 
23 May 2006 G/TBT/W/265/
Rev.1 Counterfeiting of Certification Marks 
Affixed to Goods where there Exists a Health and/or Safety Concern Canada 
7 June 2006 G/TBT/W/266 Fourth Triennial Review of the 
Operation and Implementation of the TBT Agreement Costa Rica 
8 June 2006 G/TBT/W/267 Good Regulatory Practice – National 
Experiences Brazil 
12 June 2006 G/TBT/W/268 Fourth Triennial Review of the TBT 
Agreement – Good Regulatory Practice and Transparency Chile 
3 October 2006 G/TBT/W/269 Fourth Triennial Review of the 
Operation and Implementation of the 
Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade Colombia 
8 November 2006 G/TBT/W/251/
Add.1 Intellectual Property Right (IPR) 
Issues in Standardization People's Republic of China 
 
 
 
 
_________