WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  TN/TF/W/85 
5 April 2006 
 (06-1608) 
Negotiating Group on Trade Facilitation Original:   English 
  
 
 
COMMUNICATION FROM CHILE, KOREA, NORWAY AND SWITZERLAND 
 
 
The following communication, dated 4 April 2 006, from the delegations of Chile, Korea, 
Norway, and Switzerland, is being circulated in  advance of the Negotiating Group meeting of 5-
7 April. 
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THE USE OF INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS 
 
 
 For the purpose of clarifying and improving GATT Articles V, VIII and X, Members have 
submitted proposals on the use of international standards. The proposals below are abed on 
discussions in the Trade Facilitation Negotiating Group, the compilation document 
TN/TF/W/43/Rev.5 and the compilation of ques tions and answers in document JOB(05)/222. 
 A. D
EFINITION  
1. International standards are provisions (def initions, standards, recommendations) in 
international Conventions and Agre ements administered by other re levant international organisation 
in trade facilitation. 
B. COMMON ELEMENTS OF EXISTING PROPOSAL  
2. Use of international standards and instruments1 as the basis for: 
• national/regional import, export and transit procedures; 
• the alignment of national/regional trade document formats such as the UN Layout Key or 
UNeDocs; 
• the alignment of national/regional da ta elements in trade documents; 
• electronic exchange of trade data by using inter alia  UN/EDIFACT. 
 
                                                      
1 Reference have been made to international C onventions and Agreements (e.g., Revised Kyoto 
Convention, HS Convention, UN Layou t Key, UN/CEFACT Recommendations). 
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  C. E
LEMENTS IDENTIFIED FOR FURTHER ADDRESSING  
3. Below we have addressed three issues; (1) the substantive elements to be considered, (2) 
special and differential treatment and (3) technical assistance. 
C.1. Substantive elements to be considered 
C.1.a. Implementing the requirement to use international standards 
4. Below we do not focus on which international standards to apply, but how to implement a 
requirement to use international standards2 and possible exceptions that Members deem necessary.  
As to methodology, there would seem to be three appr oaches.  The level of specificity in respect of 
concrete standards depends on the choice of approach. 
• A general obligation to use international sta ndards where they exist, with some limited 
exceptions. These exceptions could either be deci ded in the Agreement itself or at a national 
level, but in the latter case some guidance has to be given concerning the use of exceptions3.   
• A reference to the relevant international orga nisations that have de veloped international 
standards such as International Maritime Or ganisation, International Civil Aviation or 
Standards developed based on the UN Layout Key.4 
• A reference to provisions in other international Agreements.5  In this case a mechanism 
should deal with obsolete , and new standards. (Why: because it is not the WTO which will develop any standard, but the specialised inte rnational organisations. The WTO will just look 
at them). 
5. A related issue is how to encourage use of st andard data elements in trade documents to 
enforce the positive results of usin g international standards.   
C.1.b. Exceptions 
6. The issue of exceptions in order to enforce le gitimate policy objectives, should be addressed 
once the implementing requirements in C.1.a becomes clearer. 
C.2. Special and Differential Treatment 
• To devise differential implementation schedule taking into account Members’ capacities and 
stage of development.  
• Temporary partial application of commitments is also an option.  
C.3. Technical Assistance 
• Each country should assess whether and which intern ational standards they currently use, and, 
if a particular standard is not used, iden tify needs and priorities in this regard  
                                                     
 
2 As to the question of where to introduce a requirement to use international standards, including 
exceptions, the general point of departure is that they should be used whenever relevant and feasible for import, export and transit procedures.  Where international standards are not appropriate, the use of regional standards 
could be explored.  This is not further addressed in this submission. 
3 An example can be found in the TBT agreement, see in particular Articles 2.2 and 2.4. 
4 An example can be found in the SPS Agreement, Annex A, paragraph 3. 
5 Many examples can be found  in the TRIPS Agreement.  TN/TF/W/85 
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  • Technical assistance shall be targeted to the implementation of the particular obligation. 
• Special needs of LDCs should be addressed.  
 
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