./.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/TBT/2/Add.47
13 July 1998
(98-2761)
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:  English
IMPLEMENTATION AND ADMINISTRATION OF THE AGREEMENT ON
TECHNICAL BARRIERS TO TRADE
Addendum
Communication from the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
The following statement under Article 15.2 of the Agreement has been received from the
delegation of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.
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1. The process of implementation and administration of the Agreement on Technical Barriers to
Trade is supported by Act No. 18 of 1997.  This act provides for the preparation and promotion of
standards in relation to goods, services, processes and practices by the establishment of a Bureau of
Standards.  As such, the Trinidad and Tobago Bureau of Standards (TTBS) is responsible for allstandardization activities of Trinidad and Tobago.  TTBS is a body corporate established by the
Standards Act 1997 under the aegis of the Ministry of Trade and Industry.  It has statutory
responsibility for the quality of goods and services which are the subject of trade in the Republic of
Trinidad and Tobago.  The primary functions of TTBS are to develop standards and to encourage the
use and maintenance of standards in order to improve the quality and performance of goods and
services produced and used in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.  Standards may be voluntary or
compulsory.
2. Notices of all proposed draft standards are published in the daily newspapers.  Interested
persons are given a period of 60 (sixty) days to make written comments on Trinidad and Tobago's
Notification under Articles 2.9.4 and 5.6.4 of the Agreement.  In certain cases (depending on the
urgency consideration) this period could be extended or reduced.
3. Notices of the intention to declare compulsory standards and the date from which the
compulsory standards shall come into effect are published in the Gazette.
4. According to the requirements of the Agreem ent the Government of Trinidad and Tobago,
through the Ministry of Trade and Industry, has designated Trinidad and Tobago Bureau of Standards
as the national enquiry point for WTO/TBT Notifications.  The address of the enquiry point is as
follow:
Trinidad and Tobago Bureau of Standards (TTBS)
Post Office Box 467
Port-of-Spain
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
Telephone: +868/662.8827
+868/662.4481/2
Telefax: +868/663.4335
E-mail: ttbs@opus.co.ttG/TBT/2/Add.47
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5. The Chemistry/Food and Drugs located at 92 Frederick Street, Port of Spain, under the
Ministry of Health has statutory responsibility for the quality of goods and services which are the
subject of trade under the Food and Drugs Act Chap: 30:01 and the Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals
Act No. 11 of 19.8.6.  The division maintains the secretariats for the Food and Advisory Committee,
the Drug Advisory Committee and the Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals Control Board.  These bodiesare responsible for the drafting of the relevant standards and/or regulations for food or drugs,
cosmetics and medical devices or pesticides and toxic chemicals.
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