WTO/TBT notification

(1) TBT notification

TBT notification is a procedure to secure transparency when preparation, adoption and application technical regulations, standards, and conformity assessment procedures. WTO members are to notify the WTO Secretariat of the draft proposals to take into account of comments from member countries pursuant to the WTO/TBT Agreement (Article 2-9, Article 5-6, and paragraphs J and L of the Annex 3)

(2) Notification routes

2-1. In the case of technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures

Ministries and agencies that intend to introduce or amend their technical regulation or conformity assessment procedures are to provide notification pursuant to the TBT Agreement and the requirements specified in the “Guidelines for Notification,” established by the TBT Committee. TBT notification from Japan is conducted through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

2-2. In the case of standards

In preparation and adoption of standards, member countries are required to ensure that the central government standardizing bodies accepts the Code of Good Practice for the Preparation, Adoption, Application of Standards (CGP) prescribed in the Annex 3, pursuant to the provisions of Article 4-1 of the TBT Agreement.
Standardizing bodies that accept the CGP (regardless of whether they are central government organizations, local government organizations, or NGOs) should notify (article C) the ISO/IEC Information Center of their acceptance thereof, in most cases, through the JISC (article G), a member representing Japan in the ISO/IEC. They are also required to publish their work plans (article J) at least once every six months and issue notifications to the ISO/IEC Information Center, in most cases, through the JISC (article J).
Furthermore, before establishing standards, they need to implement a pre-announcement of their intentions (article L).
As of February 1, 2007, 12 organizations, including the JISC, have accepted the CGP in Japan.

* Example: In the case of the JIS
The JISC accepted the CGP in 1996. Therefore, the JISC, when preparing or establishing JIS, notifies the ISO/IEC Center of their work plans once every six months through JISC and also publishes the facts thereof in the Standardization Journal (article J).
Work plans are also available in the Standardization Journal and on the JISC website.
Before establishing JIS, JISC implemented comment reception public announcement through the Standardization Journal and on the JISC website (following article L).

(3) How to read notified information

3-1. In the case of technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures

You can read notified information by (1) accessing the WTO website (linked to external site) or (2) accessing the JETRO website (linked to external site) which is one of the TBT enquiry points in Japan.

* In Japan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the JETRO are registered as TBT enquiry points.

3-2. In the case of standards

You can read the list of organizations which accepted the CGP and notifications of the work plans thereof by (1) accessing the website of the ISO or (2) in ISO Bulletin. In order to obtain specific work plans, you need to ask the standardizing bodies (for contact, see WTO TBT Standards Code Directory (English) (PDF file: 338kb)).

* In Japan, when introduce or amend technical regulations, standards, and conformity assessment procedures, prior to TBT notification, organizations are examined by the Assistant Chief Cabinet Secretary Office, based on the “Action Program on Standards and Conformity Assessment System” (determined by the Government-Ruling Party Joint Headquarters for the Promotion of External Economic Measures in 1985).