The elimination of technical barriers at global level

The free movement of goods and services is a key objective of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

New national technical regulations may pose technical trade barriers to this free movement of goods and services.

To prevent the adoption of technical regulations that create unwarranted trade barriers between states, a notification procedure has been established to promote transparency.

Notification

Each country shall notify the WTO’s secretariat of their draft technical regulations before adopting them, when: 

• the mandatory technical regulations have a significant effect on the trade of other states;
• the technical requirements differ from the relevant international standards;
• there are no relevant international standards relating to these products.

The FPS Economy centralises notifications for Belgium.

Review of the drafts

The European Commission and member states of the WTO have two months to examine and comment on barriers to free movement.

The European Commission has set up a database of notifications.

Reactions

An EU member state may submit their comments on a draft notified by a third country to the European Commission within 60 calendar days.

After close consultation, the Commission passes these on to the third country.

If there is no reaction from the latter, the Commission reports the comments within the Committee on technical barriers to trade.

If the discrepancy remains, in close consultation with the European Commission, a member state may request that the problem is submitted to the WTO’s Dispute Settlement Body.