RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/TBT/W/112/Rev.1
11 June 1999
(99-2344)
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:  English
EQUIVALENCY OF TECHNICAL REGULATIONS AND STANDARDS
Note from Thailand
Revision
I. TECHNICAL REGULATIONS
1. Article 2.7 states that Members give positive consideration to accepting as equivalent
technical regulations of other Members, even if these regulations differ from their own, provided they
are satisfied that these regulations adequately fulfill the objectives of their own regulations.
2. Understandingly, Article 2.7 has been implemented.  However, it  remains uncertain whether
the implementation is extensive and meets the objectives of the TBT Agreement.
3. Adoption of international standards has an important part in the establishment of equivalency,
but it should also be noted that Article 2.4 allows for deviations according to needs.
4. Those likely to be experienced and impacted by the acceptance and non-acceptance of the
equivalency of technical regulations are the business sector.  The Committee may consider that
information in this regard be compiled for laying out  the actions to be taken to fulfill the obligation
under the Agreement.
II. STANDARDS
5. Standards implementation is the charge of the business sector.  If adoption of international
standards is in use, problems will lessen.
6. In cases where international standards do not exist, it is common practice that foreign
standards would be used as references.  The change from “list of references”  to  “list of equivalent
standards” should deserve the support.
7. According to New Zealand's proposal (G/TBT /W/88) for addition to the Code of Good
Practice on equivalency of standards, there is some merit that Members may wish to discuss back in
their country and draw conclusions.
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