Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade

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Table of contents  

I. Preamble   back to top

A. Text of the Preamble
B. Interpretation and Application of the Preamble

II. Article 1   back to top

A. Text of Article 1
B. Interpretation and Application of Article 1

1. Article 1.1

2. Article 1.2

3. Article 1.4

4. Article 1.5

III. Article 2   back to top

A. Text of Article 2
B. Interpretation and Application of Article 2

1. Article 2.1

(a) General

(b) Relationship to other WTO Agreements

(i) Article III:4 of the GATT 1994

(ii) Article XX of the GATT 1994

2. Article 2.2

(a) General

(i) Disputes involving claims under Article 2.2

(ii) Burden of proof

(iii) Two-step analysis

(iv) Relationship between Article 2.1 and Article 2.2

(b) “For this purpose …”

(i) Relationship between first and second sentences of Article 2.2

(c) “more trade-restrictive than necessary”

(i) “trade-restrictive”

(ii) “necessary”

(d) “a legitimate objective”

(i) As reference point for the analysis under Article 2.2

(ii) Technical regulation with multiple objectives

(iii) “legitimate” objective

(e) “taking account of the risks non-fulfilment would create”

3. Article 2.3

4. Article 2.4

(a) Three-step analysis under Article 2.4

(b) Temporal application of Article 2.4

(c) Burden of proof

(d) Relevant international standard

(i) “international standard”

(ii) “relevant”

(e) “shall use them”

(f) “as a basis for”

(g) “ineffective or inappropriate means” of fulfilment of “legitimate objectives”

(i) “ineffective or inappropriate means”

(ii) “legitimate objectives pursued”

5. Article 2.5

(a) First sentence

(i) “upon the request of another Member”

(ii) “applying”

6. Article 2.6

(a) Requirement to participate in preparing international standards in respect of adopted technical regulations

(b) Related TBT Committee decisions and recommendations

7. Article 2.8

(a) Object and purpose

(b) “Wherever appropriate”

(c) “shall specify”

8. Article 2.9

(a) Related TBT Committee decisions and recommendations

(i) General

(ii) “Significant effect on trade of other Members”

(iii) Publication requirement

(iv) Notification format and guidelines

(v) Decision relating to notifications — labelling requirements

(vi) Timing of notifications

(vii) Translation of documents relating to notifications and address of body supplying the documents

(viii) Processing of requests for documentation

(ix) Length of time allowed for comments

(x) Handling of comments on notifications

(xi) Copies of proposed technical regulations

(xii) Monthly listing of notifications issued

(xiii) Follow-up notifications, amendments, addenda, etc.

(b) Jurisprudence

(i) General

(ii) Article 2.9.2

(c) “the proposed technical regulation”

9. Article 2.10

(a) Relationship to Article 2.9

10. Article 2.12

(a) Ministerial Decision and related TBT Committee decisions and recommendations

(b) Finding of inconsistency with Article 2.12

IV. Article 3   back to top

A. Text of Article 3
B. Interpretation and Application of Article 3

V. Article 4   back to top

A. Text of Article 4
B. Interpretation and Application of Article 4

1. Related TBT Committee decisions and recommendations

(a) General

(b) Regional standards-related activities

VI. Article 5   back to top

A. Text of Article 5
B. Interpretation and Application of Article 5

1. Related TBT Committee decisions and recommendations

(a) General

(b) Article 5.5 and 5.6

(c) Article 5.6

VII. Article 6   back to top

A. Text of Article 6
B. Interpretation and Application of Article 6

1. Related TBT Committee decisions and recommendations

(a) General

(i) Information Exchange

VIII. Article 7   back to top

A. Text of Article 7
B. Interpretation and Application of Article 7

1. Related TBT Committee decisions and recommendations

(a) Notification of proposed conformity assessment procedures of local governments

(b) Handling of comments

IX. Article 8   back to top

A. Text of Article 8
B. Interpretation and Application of Article 8

X. Article 9   back to top

A. Text of Article 9
B. Interpretation and Application of Article 9

XI. Article 10   back to top

A. Text of Article 10
B. Interpretation and Application of Article 10

1. Related TBT Committee decisions and recommendations

(a) General

(b) Articles 10.1 and 10.3

(c) Article 10.5

(d) Article 10.7

XII. Article 11   back to top

A. Text of Article 11
B. Interpretation and Application of Article 11

1. Related TBT Committee decisions and recommendations

(a) General

(b) Information exchange

XIII. Article 12   back to top

A. Text of Article 12
B. Interpretation and Application of Article 12

1. Related TBT Committee decisions and recommendations

2. Jurisprudence

(a) General

(b) Relationship with other provisions

(i) Article 2.2

(ii) Article 10.1 of the SPS Agreement

(c) “developing country”

(d) “special development, financial and trade needs”

(e) “take account of”

XIV. Article 13   back to top

A. Text of Article 13
B. Interpretation and Application of Article 13

1. Related TBT Committee decisions and recommendations

(a) Rules of procedure

(b) Observer status

(c) Consideration of specific trade concerns

XV. Article 14   back to top

A. Text of Article 14
B. Interpretation and Application of Article 14

1. Article 14.2

XVI. Article 15   back to top

A. Text of Article 15
B. Interpretation and Application of Article 15

1. Related TBT Committee decisions and recommendations

(a) Article 15.2

(b) Article 15.3

(c) Article 15.4

XVII. Annex 1   back to top

A. Text of Annex 1
B. Interpretation and Application of Annex 1

1. Terms defined in ISO/IEC Guide 2

2. Annex 1.1: “technical regulation”

(a) Three-tier test

(b) “identifiable product or group of products”

(c) “one or more product characteristics”

(i) General

(ii) In a negative form

(d) “mandatory”

(e) Need to consider measure as a whole

(f) Relationship with other Agreements

3. Annex 1.2: “standard”

4. Conformity assessment procedures

XVIII. Annex 2   back to top

A. Text of Annex 2
B. Interpretation and Application of Annex 2

XIX. Annex 3   back to top

A. Text of Annex 3
B. Interpretation and Application of Annex 3

1. Related TBT Committee decisions and recommendations

(a) General

(b) Paragraph C

(c) Paragraph J

(d) Paragraph L

XX. Decision on Proposed Understanding on WTO–ISO Standards Information System   back to top

A. Text of the Decision
B. Interpretation and Application of the Decision

XXI. Decision on Review of the ISO/IEC Information Centre Publication   back to top

A. Text of the Decision
B. Interpretation and Application of the Decision