   
  
G/TBT/GEN/264  
 
29 May 2019  
(19-3709) Page: 1/4 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade    
 
THEMATIC SESSION ON TRANSPARENCY  
18 JUNE 2019 (P.M.) - 19 JUNE 2019  
Draft programme  
At the  conclusion of the  Eighth Triennial Review, Members agreed to continue to hold thematic 
sessions in conjunction with the Committee 's regular meetings , with a view to further deepening the 
Committee's exchange of experiences on specific topics, and to hold a session on transparency, 
including the Ninth Special Meeting on Procedures for Information Exchange,1 in June 2019 .2  
At its meeting of 6 -7 March 2 019, the TBT Committee agreed to hold the thematic session on 
transparency over one and a half days, starting in the afternoon of Tuesday 18 June 2019, and to 
webcast the session. A first draft outline for the thematic session structured around Triennial R eview 
recommendations on transparency as well as specific proposals from Members was circulated on 
19 March 20193 and revised further4 in light of  discuss ions held during the Committee 's informal 
meeting on 29 April 2019  as well as some additional proposal s for speakers .5 This revision  
incorporates  further proposals received to date . A final version will be circulated in advance of the 
thematic session, taking into account any additional comments or proposals . 
_______________  
 
The thematic session will be moderated by: to be confirmed . 
1  GENERAL FUNCTIONING OF ENQUI RY POINTS  
 Update from the Secretariat on the validation of Enquiry Point contact information .6 
 China : The working mechanisms of China on TBT transparency , Mr. Yang Song , 
Director , National TBT/SPS Notification and Enquiry Center of the People's Republic 
of China .7 
 Kenya : Kenya's experience in managing notifications and comments , speaker to be 
confirmed.8  
 Chinese Taipei : Practical experience of processing requests , Mr. Li-Yu Wei, Associate 
Technical Specialist, Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection.9  
                                                
1 G/TBT/1/Rev.13 , para. 5.8.1 . 
2 G/TBT/41 , para. 8.2.a.iv , footnote 296 . 
3 JOB/TBT/303 . 
4 JOB/TBT/303/Rev.1  
5 JOB/TBT/273/Rev.3 , paras. 3.1 -3.2. 
6 G/TBT/41 , para. 6.19.a.i . 
7 JOB/TBT/307 . 
8 JOB/TBT/315 . 
9 JOB/TBT/308 . G/TBT/GEN/264  
 
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 Jamaica : Practical use of Enquiry Points and online tools to address SMEs enquiries for 
market access information, Ms Ester Williams, Team Leader, Regional & International 
Trade Branch, Bureau of Standards Jamaica.10 
 United States : How communication between Enquiry Points can be used to reduce, 
clarify and resolve specific trade concerns , Ms MaryAnn Hogan, United States Enquiry 
Point, National Institute of Stand ards and Technology.11 
2  ESTABLISHING WHETHER A MEASURE SHOULD BE NOTIFIED UNDER THE SPS 
AGREEMENT AND/OR TBT  AGREEMENT12 
a. Introduction by the Secretariat on scope of SPS and TBT Agreements and on  procedural 
aspects regarding notification of measures that might  contain relevant elements under 
both Agreement s  
b. Brazil : Brazil 's experience with  notifying measures  that contain  elements  covered under 
both the  SPS and TBT Agreements , representative of Inmetro.13 
c. Brazil : Brazil 's experience with incoming noti fications  of measures that contain 
elements covered under both the SPS and TBT Agreements , representative of the 
Department of Non -Tariff Negotiations , Ministry of Agriculture.14 
d. Canada : Canada's experiences with regulations containing elements under both the 
WTO SPS  and TBT Agreements , Ms Emma Pagotto, Analyst, Canadian Food Inspection 
Agency.15 
3  TRACKING AND REACTIN G TO MEMBERS' MEASUR ES AND NOTIFICATIONS  
 Accessing information on TBT measures  and notifications  
i. Update from the WTO Secretariat on  the SPS/TBT notification alert system  ePing .16 
ii. The Non -Tariff Measures Initiative: Enhancing transparency in SPS and TBT , 
Christian  Knebel, UNCTAD . 17 
iii. Global Trade Helpdesk: Single entry point for trade -related information , 
Mathieu  Loridan, ITC .17 
 Australia : Increasing transparency and addressing non -tariff barriers (NTBs): 
Australia's  experience , speaker to be confirmed.18 
 European Union:  The involvement of stakeholders in TBT notifications: the EU 
experience , Celine Zaimoglu, EU TBT enquiry point coordinato r.19 
 Viet Nam:  Viet Nam's experience in handling Members' notifications , Ms Phuong 
Nguyen Thi Mai, Head in charge of Notification & Enquiry Division, TBT Viet Nam Office.20 
                                                
10 JOB/TBT/311 . 
11 JOB/TBT/305 . 
12 JOB/TBT/283 ; JOB/TBT/273/Rev.3 , para. 3.1.b.  
13 JOB/TBT/283 . 
14 JOB/TBT/283 . 
15 JOB/TBT/318 . 
16 G/TBT/41 , para. 6.19.a.ii . 
17 JOB/TBT/313 . 
18 JOB/TBT/306 . 
19 JOB/TBT/314 . 
20 JOB/TBT/312 . G/TBT/GEN/264  
 
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 United States:  Using a TBT Notification Alert System to engage the private sector in 
commenting on WTO Notifications: US experiences and practices , Ms MaryAnn Hogan, 
United States Enquiry Point, National Institute of Standards and Technology.21 
 United States:  Engaging industry in the TBT notification process to reduce trade 
concerns , Ms Jam ie Ferman, US Department of Commerce.22 
 United States:  Benefit of industry using tools like Notify U.S. and ePing , Francine 
Lamoriello, Executive Vice President Global Strategies, Personal Care Products Council 
(PCPC).23 
 Uganda:  Use of ePing  by the Enquiry point to disseminate and coordinate review of 
draft SPS and TBT measures in Uganda , George Opiyo, Uganda National Bureau of 
Standards.24 
 Trinidad and Tobago:  Facilitating compliance with the TBT Agreement through the 
use of ePing , Ms Janelle Teemal, Trinidad and Tobago Bureau of Standards.25 
4  HANDLING OF COMMENTS , DISSEMINATION OF C OMMENTS AND REPLIES ON A 
VOLUNTARY BASIS  
a. European Union : EU practice on the dissemination of comments and substantive 
replies on notified measures via on line tools , Ms Celine Zaimoglu, EU TBT enquiry point 
coordinator.26 
b. United States : How the United States evaluates and incorporates comments received 
in the rulemaking process , Mr. Ravi Bharwani, U.S. Food and Drug Administration.27 
5  NOTIFICATION AND AVA ILABI LITY OF ADOPTED FINA L TEXTS : 
a. Discussion of new addendum format based on WTO Secretariat draft.28 
b. Update from the Secretariat regarding compilation of Members' websites containing final 
texts of technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures.29 
6  TECHNICAL COOPERATIO N 
 United States : Notice & Comment and cooperation on other transparency best 
practices: US experience on cooperation in commercial dialogues and other 
initiatives,  Ms Sigrid Simpson,  Senior International Trade Specialist, Good Regulator y 
Practices, US Department of Commerce.30 
 United States : Experience assisting with the functioning of Enquiry Points in Africa via 
the Standards Alliance , Ms Leslie McDermott, Director, International Development, 
American National Standards Institute.31  
7  FACILITATED  DISCUSSION S IN BREAK -OUT GROUP S  
7.1.  The objective of the break out session is to facilitate  a more  interactive  setting for delegations 
to exchange information and draw on the experiences of the large number of Enquiry Points  and 
                                                
21 JOB/TBT/305 . 
22 JOB/TBT/316 . 
23 JOB/TBT/316 . 
24 JOB/TBT/309 . 
25 JOB/TBT/317 . 
26 JOB/TBT/280 ; JOB/TBT/273/ Rev.3, para. 3.1.a. ; JOB/TBT/314 . 
27 JOB/TBT/305 . 
28 JOB/TBT/304 ; a draft will be circulated in advance of the thematic session . 
29 JOB/TBT/41 , 6.19.e.iii -iv. 
30 JOB/TBT/305 . 
31 JOB/TBT/305 . G/TBT/GEN/264  
 
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  notification authorities  who will be in attendance, including from developing countries and LDCs.32 
Delegates will be invited to join the discussion  groups . Each group will discuss a topic for about one 
hour, with assistance from a facilitator  (names to be confirmed) . The groups will then reconvene in 
the plenary , where  the facilitators will provide a brief oral summary (5 minutes) of their groups' 
discussions.  The Chairperson  will open the floor for follow up questions and comments.  
7.2.  Topics for discussion:  
• Notification  quality  (Room E) : How to improve the quality and  completeness of 
notifications (e.g. what are challenges and possible solutions related to identification 
of HS/ICS Codes,  notification of regulations with SPS and TBT elements, indication of  
deviatio ns from international standards,  electronic access to draft/final tex ts and other 
relevant documents , inter-agency coordination, etc.). 
• Stakeholders  (Room D) : How to engage stakeholders in assessing and responding 
to incoming notifications (e.g. use of ePing and  other online tools, use of coordination 
mechanisms, contacts with trade associations , etc.).  
• Communication  (Room S2) : How to enhance communication between Enquiry Points  
across Members  to reduce trade tensions  (e.g. facilitating information flow to pre -
empt specific trade concerns, possible use of online tools such as ePing , ensuring 
institutional continuity, etc.) . 
8  CLOSING  (IN PLENARY ) 
8.1.  The moderator will provide an oral summary of the thematic session.  
__________  
                                                
32 The WTO Secretariat is organizing a week -long TBT transparency workshop for Enquiry Points and  
notification authorities from developing countries and LDCs, which will run in parallel to the June TBT 
Committee meetings.  Workshop participants will attend parts of the Committee meetings, including the 
transparency thematic session.  