. /.RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/IT/SPEC/Q3/2
30 January 2002
(02-0472)
Committee of Participants on the Expansion
of Trade in Information Technology ProductsOriginal:  English
THE NON-TARIFF MEASURES WORK PROGRAMME
Proposal from Canada
The following communication, dated 21 January 2002, has been received from the Permanent
Mission of Canada.
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A PILOT PROJECT ON EMC/EMI CONFORMITY
ASSESSMENT FOR ITA PRODUCTS
Scope
All the ITA products/components, e.g. au tomatic data processing machines (HS
heading 8471), telecommunications equipment (HS heading 8517), IT-related electric conductorsunder HS headings 8544 and various instruments under HS heading 9027.
Wireless telecommunications equipment (8525) will be excluded since it is generally
regulated under radiocommunication regulations rather than Electro-Magnetic Compatibility/Electro-
Magnetic Interference (EMC/EMI) regulations.
Issue
Currently the world-wide EMC/EMI regulatory requirements for IT products and components
are based on international standards (i.e., the IEC/CISPR 22 standard).  Canada's experience in
exporting information technology products/components throughout the world reveals that the different
conformity assessment requirements for EMC/EMI for information technology  products/componentscan and do constitute a barrier to market access.  One important consideration to bear in mind is that
ITA products generally have a short life cycle and thus need to get to market rapidly.  In addition,
there is general acceptance by manufacturers and regulators that from an EMC/EMI perspective these
products are considered to be a low risk in terms of safety.
Course of Action
• Building on the Committee's earlier survey (G/IT/SPEC/Q1/25), and drawing from information
available from work by other organizations (e.g., the APEC Standards and Conformance
Subcommittee (SCSC) survey (2000/SOM3/CTI/ SCSC/ITI/003), OECD), conduct a follow-up
survey to update the Committee's information base and fill gaps (e.g., get information from newITA participants;  fill in gaps where earlier replies did not provide all the requested information);
incorporate any changes (e.g., has any ITA signat ory country introduced anything new based on
its earlier study);  seek information on the border measures used to enforce EMC/EMI
requirements, and ask any new questions if required.  The WTO Secretariat would conduct the
survey.G/IT/SPEC/Q3/2
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• The results of the survey, plus any other relevant information, would be used to conduct an
objective evaluation of the current situation and to identify key problems and possible options onways to facilitate trade in ITA products.
• Conduct a workshop involving directly regulators responsible for EMC/EMI activities to discuss,
brain-storm and consider what should be the next steps as a result of the above survey andanalysis, including, as appropriate, identifying means for advancing the exercise, examining ways
to harmonize the conformity assessment for ITA products on EMC/EMI or other means in thisarea to facilitate the market access of ITA products.
• Develop specific proposals for appropriate action.
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