Bridges Weekly Trade News Digest • Volume 6 • Number 36 • 24th October 2002
TBT Convenes On Technical Assistance, Labelling & Implementation
At a 17 October meeting of the WTO Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), delegates inter alia held active discussions on matters relating to technical assistance for developing countries. Many interventions were based on a Secretariat document (G/TBT/W/186, available at http://docsonline.wto.org) that summarised responses received to a questionnaire circulated to Members in July 2002. The Secretariat questionnaire was designed to prioritise the technical assistance needs of developing countries.
In its submission on capacity-building (G/TBT/W/189), Mexico emphasised that assistance to developing countries be directed at advising them on the creation of a quality assurance system — such as that based on the International Standardization Organisation ISO — saying that the most critical problem in the area is the high turnover of staff in departments responsible for implementing the TBT Agreement. The EC also submitted a list of technical assistance activities funded by the European Commission and by EU member states (G/TBT/W/188). Members agreed to hold a technical assistance seminar in March, while technical assistance will also be the theme of the next TBT Committee scheduled for 18 and 20 March 2003.
Labelling
A large part of the meeting was given over to a debate over the EC’s new directive (#753) on wine labelling, due to enter into force on 1 January 2003. Many new-world wine producers, such as the US, Mexico, New Zealand, Argentina, Paraguay, Canada, Australia, Peru and Uruguay expressed concerned about the proposed regulation, , which would tighten rules around the use of terms such as ‘chateau’ for wine sold in the EU. Complaining Members requested further delay in the implementation of the regulation or its complete withdrawal.
There was little discussion on eco-labelling, despite the fact that many Members had told an 8-9 October meeting of the Committee on Trade and Environment that issues brought forward by Switzerland on labelling for environmental purposes should be discussed in the context of the TBT Committee (see BRIDGES Weekly, 17 October). Members did agree to hold a ‘learning event’ to discuss labelling issues later on in 2003.
Implementation
Referring to tirets 33 and 34 of the Doha Decision on Implementation, India brought forward two implementation concerns. Firstly, that Article 11 of the TBT Agreement shall be made obligatory so that technical assistance and cooperation is provided to developing countries. Secondly, that acceptance by developed-country importers of so-called ’self-declaration’ regarding adherence to standards by developing-country exporters. Some developed countries resisted the first concern, saying it was a moot point, as technical assistance is already a standard part of TBT Committee work. On the second concern, Canada said it had a case study on self-declared adherence and would present it during the Third TBT triennial review next year, while the EC said it had some experience on self-declared adherence, some good and some bad.
The European Communities (EC), Norway and Australia supported the observership of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD); however, no decision was taken on this as Members agreed to await further consultation of the General Council.
The next TBT meeting will take place on 18 and 20 March 2003.
ICTSD reporting.