Welcome
to the DTI’s technical barriers to trade website that you are
seeing in together with information on the United Kingdom TBT
Enquiry Point GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE TBT AGREEMENT
A
technical barrier to trade exists when a country applies technical
regulations, standards (including packaging, marking and labelling
standards) or procedures for assessing conformity with these
standards, in such a way as to impose an unnecessary restriction
on international trade. The WTO
Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Agreement goes some way
towards addressing such barriers by requiring countries to act
in a transparent and non-discriminatory manner. However, technical
barriers remain a major impediment to international trade. Accordingly,
the UK Government takes the view that there should be further
work on this subject to:
- ensure
that countries regulate only to the extent necessary to protect
public health and safety or other legitimate objectives
- encourage
governments to keep technical regulations simple, wherever possible,
setting basic requirements and allow voluntary standards
- achieve
greater recognition of international standards as distinct from
conflicting national or regional standards (while at the same
time encouraging the development of adequate international standards
in those areas currently without them and greater developing
country participation in standard setting)
The
WTO TBT Agreement is subject to review every three years. The first
review was completed in 1997 and the third review gets underway
in 2003 UK TBT Enquiry Point
The
following document explains in more detail the intentions behind
the TBT Agreement and how the DTI consults UK trade associations
on TBT notifications sent by other countries to the WTO Secretariat.
TBT
Agreement 
(59kb)
TBT Agreement 
(195kb)
Information about UK TBT notifications - Copies of notifications
and details of the draft measures
The
TBT Agreement (paragraph 10.1) requires the establishment of
national TBT Enquiry Points. Copies of TBT notifications and
corresponding draft measures can be downloaded from this website.
Enquiries relevant to the TBT Enquiry Point and not related
to standards applying in the United Kingdom can be sent to:
Bob
Box
Europe World Trade Department of Trade and Industry
Bay 310, 66-74 Kingsgate House
London SW1E 6SW
Tel. 020 7215 4548
Fax. 020 7215 4249
E-mail. robert.box@dti.gsi.gov.uk
Enquiries
in relation to issues covered by paragraph 10.3 of the TBT Agreement
should be addressed to:
British Standards Institution on Standards (Bsi) Business Information
389 Chiswick High Road
London
W4 4AL
Telephone. ++44 (0)20 8996 7476
Fax. ++44 20 8996 7048
e-mail mark.wasmuth@bsi.org.uk
Other
information sources
The DTI’s Technical Standards and Regulations Directorate
There
is also a separate European notification system for technical
regulations. EU Member States notify to the European Commission
proposed draft technical regulations and generally observe a three
month standstill period before the regulation is made. This is
to provide an opportunity for the Commission and other Member
States to comment if they consider that the proposed regulation
has the potential to create a technical barrier to trade. For
further information see http://www.dti.gov.uk/strd/directiv.htm
British
Standards Institution (BSi)
The
British Standards body BSi has a website that people can refer
to in order to undertake their own research on measures in force
in the UK. Their website can be reached through the following
hyperlink URL: http://www.bsi-global.com/export
BSi is not a government body. However, the BSi may be able to
provide assistance on a commercial basis. The BSI's Technical
Information group charges for all activities and they would
happy to research anyone's needs once they have agreed price,
scope and delivery. The BSi are able to undertake work concerning
the UK and other countries both within and without the EU. The
BSi Technical Information Group specialises in helping companies
overcome Technical Barriers to Trade, thereby ensuring that
their products comply with the technical requirements of the
target market. These requirements are usually complex, diverse
and subject to revision. Attempting to meet them can be a costly,
time-consuming and risky business. BSi is well placed to assist.
The service provides information to enable companies to export
their products successfully. They provide a versatile service
identifying and supplying the latest information on standards,
regulations, inspection companies, packaging and labelling requirements,
language and more.
Contact:
Bob Box
Tel. 020 7215 4548
Fax. 020 7215 4249
E-mail. robert.box@dti.gsi.gov.uk
Last
revised on 12 September 2003
