WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/TBT/2/Add.68
15 March 2002
(02-1353)
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:  English
IMPLEMENTATION AND ADMINISTRATION OF THE AGREEMENT
ON TECHNICAL BARRIERS TO TRADE
Communication from Moldova
Addendum
The following statement under Article 15, 2 of the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade
has been received from the government of Moldova.
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I. RELEVANT LAWS AND REGULATIONS
The implementation and administration of the TBT Agreement is based on the following
legislation:
A. L AW ON TECHNICAL BARRIERS TO TRADE , NO. 866 -XIV OF MARCH 10, 2000
1. The Law on TBT, No. 866 of March 3, 2000  provides for compliance with the provisions of
the Code of Good Practice for development and application of technical regulations, standards and
conformity assessment procedures.  This law stipulates the avoidance of unnecessary obstacles tointernational trade and the consideration of less trade restrictive alternatives to fulfilling legitimate
objectives.  The law provides for implementation and administration of the TBT Agreement.  There
are provisions identifying the authority responsible for making notifications to WTO and the
publication where the notices of proposed technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures
will be published.  The law ensures that regulatory authorities allow a reasonable period of timebetween the final publication of technical regulations and their entry into force so that supplier can
adapt.
B. L
AW ON STANDARDIZATION , NO. 590-XIII OF SEPTEMBER 22, 1995, AS LAST AMENDED BY
THE LAW NO. 919-XIV OF APRIL 12, 2000
2. The amended  Law on Standardization (No.590 dated 22.09.1995) establishes the legal, social,
economic and organizational basis for standardization activities in the Republic of Moldova.  The
main objectives of this law are: to ensure that the technical regulation and regulatory specifications ofproducts, processes and services comply with their intended use;  to protect state and consumer
interests by ensuring the quality of products, processes and services, their safety for human life and
health as well as for the environment and material goods; to remove unnecessary technical barriers to
trade, ensuring competitiveness of goods on the world market; to ensure that products of the same
kind and their instructions meet a certain standard; to ensure that the same units of measurement areapplied.  The amendments of this law provide for the introduction of new standards, technical
regulations and conformity assessment procedures which are fully compatible with the
TBT Agreement also stipulate the use of appropriate international standards, guidelines and
recommendations as a basis for technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures.  TheG/TBT/2/Add.68
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amendments were approved by the Law No. 919 from April 12, 2000 on changing and amending the
Law on Standardization.
C. L AW ON CERTIFICATION , NO. 652 - XIV OF OCTOBER 28, 1999
3. The Law on Certification (No. 652 from 28.10.1999) establishes the legal framework for
certification of products, equipment, processes, technologies, systems of production and hazardous
activities, software, quality systems and services with the aim of ensuring national security, avoiding
damages, protecting consumers' rights and the health of human, plant and animal life or the
environment in accordance with WTO/TBT and SPS Agreements.  This law provides for acceptance
of the result of conformity assessment procedures conducted by exporting countries with which
Moldova has signed bilateral agreements on mutu al recognition, or when covered by specialized
regional or international organizations.  The Decision of the Department ”Moldova-Standard” onestablishing a list of products subject to mandatory certification has been adopted in August 2000.
D. L
AW ON THE PROTECTION OF CONSUMER RIGHTS , NO. 1453 -XII OF MAY 25, 1993
4. The Law on Protection of Consumer Rights  (No.1453 dated 25.05.1993) insures the right of
each consumer to instruction regarding his rights; to state protection of his rights; to representation of
his interests in state institutions, to information on products and on producers and sellers; to be able tojoin organizations for consumers’ protection; to be assured that goods purchased do not present a
danger to his life and health or to the envir onment; to secure compensation for quality-defective
products and to compensation for any damages to his life and health resulting from such products.
The infringement of this law may imply penal, administrative and civil responsibility in accordance
with the legislation in force.  The acts of protection of consumers' rights may be submitted to courtsby consumers and will not imply any payment of state tax.
5. The Decision of the Department of Standard s and Metrology was adopted to establish the
Information Center on Standardization and Certification (TBT Enquiry Point).
6. Presently, there is under elaboration a draft Law on Conformity Assessment having the aim to
establish a legal basis for conformity assessment of products, processes, services in order to ensure anunique policy in this domain.  This draft law will also describe the rights and obligations of
participants at the process of conformity assessment.
II. TRANSPARENCY
A. P
UBLICATIONS
7. (i). “Buletinul de Standardizare” (Standardization Bulletin) provides information and
gives instructions about documents, plans of development of national standards (every three
months). It is the publication where notices on draft standards of international standardization
organizations for public enquiry are placed, as well as the work proceeding on the notified
draft technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures are announced.
(ii.) "Monitorul Oficial (Official Gazette) of the Republic of Moldova” publishes legal
acts on standardization, technical regulations and procedures of conformity assessment.  Thetexts of approved technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures are published
in the Official Gazette and copies of these documents can be obtained from the Enquiry Point.
B. T
IME ALLOWED FOR COMMENTS
8. Except for cases of emergency, a 60 days period is provided for submission of written
comments of the WTO members on draft standards, technical regulations and conformity assessment
procedures.G/TBT/2/Add.68
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C. E NQUIRY POINT
9. The particulars of the TBT Enquiry Point set up in compliance with Articles 10.1 and
Article 10.3 of the WTO Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade are as follows:
Information Center of Standardization and Certification
Department of Standards and Metrology is named28, E. Coca St.
Chisinau, MD-2039
Telephone: (373-2) 75 09 81, ext. 116
Telefax: 373-2 ) 75 05 81
E-mail: standart@standart.mldnet.com 
<mailto:standart@standart.mldnet.com>
Contact person: Mr. Vasile Lupashcu
The Enquiry point is fully operational.
D. NATIONAL AUTHORITIES AND AGENCIES
10. In accordance with Article 10.10 the overall responsibility for the implementation on the
national level of the provisions concerning notification procedures rests with the WTO Division of the
Ministry of Economy and the Department of Standards and Metrology.
11. The Department of Standards and Metrology is responsible for the implementation and
administration of Annex 3 of the Agreement (Code of Good Practice) running a national TBT Enquiry
Point, fulfillment of the information requirement s laid down in Article 10, notification of draft
technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures (WTO Division of the Ministry of
Economy is coordinating this activity), also for providing copies of the proposed technical
regulations.
12. The Department of Standards and Metrology will deal with consultations as foreseen in
Article 14 of the TBT Agreement.  The official address of the Department of Standards andMetrology is:
28, E. Coca St.
Chisinau, MD-2039
Telephone: (373-2) 74 85 88
Telefax: (373-2) 75 05 81
E-mail: standart@standart.mldnet.com
13. The Department of Standards and Metrology solely assumes the responsibility of the central
government authorities in the area of notification requirements.
E. M
EASURES FOR NEW TECHNICAL REGULATIONS OR CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT
PROCEDURES
14. Any national and sub-national authority preparing new technical regulations or substantial
amendments to existing ones will publish a notice in the Official Gazette, not later than two weeks
after the day of elaboration, in order to inform the interested parties about such measure.G/TBT/2/Add.68
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ANNEX I
Main dedicated laws and regulations
1. Law of the Republic of Moldova on Technical Barriers to Trade, No. 866 - XIV of March 10,
2000
2. Law of the Republic of Moldova on Standardisation, No. 590-XIII of September 22, 1995, as
last amended by the Law No. 919 -XIV of April 12, 2000
3. Law of the Republic of Moldova Certification, No. 652- XIV of October 28, 1999
4. Law of the Republic of Moldova on the Protection of Consumers, No. 1453 - XII of
May 25, 1993
5. Law of the Republic of Moldova on Me trology, No. 647 - X III of Nove mber 17, 1995
6. Law of the Republic of Moldova on industrial security of dangerous industrial objects,
No. 803 - XIV of February 11, 2000
7. Law of the Republic of Moldova on radio active protection and safety, No. 1440 of
December 24, 1997
8. Governmental Decision of the Republic of Moldova on the approval of the Regulation
structure and the personal of the Department for Standardisation and Metrology, No. 932 of
September 6, 2001
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