RESTRICTED  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/ACC/YEM/15 
23 May 2006 
 (06-2473) 
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  
 
 The following submission, dated 12 May 2006, is  being circulated at the request of the 
Delegation of the Republic of Yemen.   
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  WT/ACC/YEM/15 
Page 2 S/N Articles Current St atus 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 and Decision No. 52/2000 
establishing the YSMO. Yemeni Standardization, 
Metrology, and Quality Control Organization (YSMO) will bring 
its laws in conformity with the 
requirements of international agreements in due course.  Technical assistance to amend 
and review the laws to bring them in line with WTO 
requirements; this requires 
workshops, seminars, inviting foreign experts, and providing 
sufficient support. 2007-2013 
10 
 Enquiry Point 
(a) Legal infrastructure:  
Decision No. 10/2004 on the Establishment of 
the TBT Enquiry Point was issued. The 
regulations related to the Enquiry Point were prepared. The point has collected information 
on activities related to the TBT Agreement from 
relevant agencies in order to establish the database for the point. 
  - Assistance is required for 
the preparation of technical regulations related to the 
Agreement. 
- Technical assistance is 
required for implementing 
the TBT Agreement. 
- Improving performance of 
the enquiry point-related 
database. 
- Facilitating participation to 
attend conferences and 
seminars on TBT abroad. 
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; an employee was 
appointed in this regard. The employee will be trained 
later in case assistance is 
provided; the staff will be 
increased in this division. Technical assistance on training 
for the preparations of 
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. 
-  Publishing draft standards and receiving 
comments through e-mail and other 
means.   
- The website will be 
improved in order to cope 
with the requirements of the Agreement. 
- An official bulletin on the 
publication of drafts, other technical regulations, and 
receiving comments will be 
issued.  
 
YSMO allows for a period to 
lapse between the issue of a technical regulation and its 
implementation, this is in 
compliance with the provisions 
of the law and regulations.  
- Assistance required for the 
development and activation 
of the website. 
- Training on web designing. 2007-2009 
  
   WT/ACC/YEM/15
 Page 3S/N Articles Current St atus Required Action Requirements of 
Implementation Timeframes 
3. 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 2.3, 3.1, 7.1 Technical regulations: 
- Approving international standards, 
evidence and recommendations as a basis 
for developing technical regulations and 
conformity assessment. 
- 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 will conform to the 
provisions of the 
Agreement in case 
technical regulations are drafted and implemented.  
- 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 
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: 
- Granting registration documents for 
products, etc. 
 
 
- Reports of products conformity are issued.  
- Documents for the release of imported 
goods are granted. 
- Certificates for ‘Good Manufacturing 
Products’ (GMP) are granted. 
- There is no discriminatory treatment 
between domestic and foreign products. 
This also applies to fees collected. 
- Yemen has prepared a program for 
conformity certificates. Yemen does not 
have any barriers to trade.   
- A conformity certificate for 
goods will be granted. 
 
 
- A quality mark for goods 
will be granted. 
- The same treatment is 
applied and if conformity 
assessment procedures are 
changed or amended, they will be changed 
accordingly. 
- The program will be 
applied in the future once 
the YSMO preparation is 
complete in order to perform its functions.  
- Sufficient financial 
assistance is required for the activation of 
accreditation and grant of 
certificates.  
- Technical assistance to 
develop the current functions of YSMO 
regarding conformity 
assessment procedures. 
- Training staff internally 
and abroad on conformity 
assessment procedures. 
- Providing sufficient and 
necessary financial 
resources to invite foreign experts. 
- 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 2007-2010 
  
  WT/ACC/YEM/15 
Page 4 S/N Articles Current St atus Required Action Requirements of 
Implementation Timeframes 
in regional meetings 
regarding conformity assessment regulations. 
- Assistance on the most 
appropriate regulatory practices. 
- Technical assistance and 
establishment of a mechanism that ensures 
proper application. 
- Training to raise awareness 
on these regulations.  
5. 2.1, 3.1, 5.1, 5.2, 7.1 Accreditation of laboratories: 
- A foreign expert in the field of 
accreditation has been invited. A plan has been set 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 mutual recognition agreements 
with some countries have been concluded.   
- Establishing accreditation 
council.  
 
 
 
 
  
 
- These agreements shall be 
implemented.  
- 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. 2007-2012 
 
Note :  Full implementation would require meeting the above- mentioned technical assistance and transitional period. 
 
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