RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE G/TBT/W/56
9October 1997
ORGANIZATION(97-4299)
Original: English Committee onTechnical Barriers toTrade
FIRST THREE-YEAR REVIEW OFTHE OPERATION AND IMPLEMENTATION
OFTHE AGREEMENT ONTECHNICAL BARRIERS TOTRADE
(ARTICLE 15.4)
Communication from Egypt
Thefollowing communication, dated 6October 1997, withrespect totheTriennial Review
oftheAgreement onTechnical Barriers toTrade hasbeenreceived from thePermanent Mission of
Egypt withtherequest thatitbecirculated toMembers oftheCommittee.
_______________
A. Introduction
1. Egypt would likeattheoutset toconfirm thattheprocess oftherevision oftheoperation and
implementation oftheTBTAgreement canimprove itsoperation without amending orchanging its
provision, andshould aimatensuring theavoidance ofanyimbalance between therights andobligations
under theAgreement.
2. Egypt believes thatoneofthemostimportant objectives oftheReview istopropose howto
enhance, activate, anddevelop theprovisions ofArticles 11and12oftheAgreement toensure that
developing countries could beonthesame track andareabletohonour theircommitments forthe
bestimplementation oftheAgreement.
3. EgyptproposesthattheCommitteecouldtakeupthefollowingissuesaselementsforthereview.
B. Notification Producers andTransparency
4. The60daynotification period stillconstitutes some difficulties fortheavailability, examination
andcomment onthenotification. Other means could behelpful inthisconcern (faxoremail), in
particular fornotifications related toproducts ofinterest todeveloping counties.
5. Incasethedocuments ofanotification beprovided innational language, asummary onthem
ofGATT languages should beprovided.
C. Code ofGood Practices forPreparation, Adoption andApplication ofStandards
6. Thesixmonth work program tobepublished under Annex (3)oftheAgreement ontheCode
ofGood Practices creates some difficulties; itmaybepreferable thatthepublishing beonanannual
basis, taking intoconsideration thattheissuance ofnewstandards byISOmayneed4years, which
justifies thatoneyearisareasonable period topublish newly applied standards.
./.G/TBT/W/56
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7. Theacceptance oftheCode ofGood Practice should bewithout prejudice toMembers 'view
orposition onthecoverage oftheAgreement onnon-product related processes andproduction methods.
Forthesakeofcoordination andharmonization ofactivities among standardizing bodies theapplication
ofArticle 2.7could beextended totheCode ofGood Practices.
D. International Standards
8. Itisimportant toclarify themeaning anddefinition ofinternational standards, andtoexplore
themeans tomonitor theuseofthose standards, alsotoensure thattheywillnotcreate unnecessary
trade barriers orconstitute newobligations fordeveloping country Members.
E. Guides andRecommendations Issued byInternational Standardizing Bodies
9. Thevoluntary andnon-obligatory nature oftheguides andrecommendations isafact,however
theAgreement encourages theuseofthem. TheCommittee should determine themeaning andanalyze
theimplication oftheirendorsement, taking intoconsideration thatthese guides andrecommendations
could onlybetreated asstandards afterbeing adopted bytheISO.
10. Difficulties stillfacing countries using some ofthese guides, forinstance Guide No.43which
relates totheefficiency oflaboratories andrequires thepreparations andequipments inevery concerned
fieldusing them.