nineteenth aNNUAL REVIEW OF THE IMPLEMENTATION AND
OPERATION OF THE TBT AGREEMENT

Note by the Secretariat^[1]

The WTO Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade (the Committee) will conduct its Nineteenth Annual Review of the Implementation and Operation of the WTO Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (the TBT Agreement) under Article 15.3 at its next meeting on 19-20 March 2014. This document contains information on developments in the Committee relating to the implementation and operation of the TBT Agreement from 1 January to 31 December 2013.

1   Meetings of the committee. 2

2   mechanisms for Review of TBT measures. 2

2.1   Notifications. 2

2.1.1   Technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures. 2

2.1.2   Notifications under the Code of Good Practice for the Preparation, Adoption and Application of Standards ("the Code") 5

2.1.3   Notifications under Article 10.7. 5

2.2   Specific Trade Concerns. 5

2.2.1   Types and Number of Specific Trade Concerns Raised. 6

2.2.2   Stated Objectives. 8

2.2.3   Distribution of Measures by Member 8

3   Disputes Involving Provisions of the TBT Agreement. 10

4   Technical assistance. 11

4.1   Regional Workshops. 11

4.2   National Workshops. 11

4.3   Geneva-Based Activities. 11

4.3.1   Advanced Course on the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade. 11

4.3.2   Other Geneva-based Activities. 12

4.4   Regional Trade Policy Courses. 12

4.5   E-Learning. 12

ANNEXES. 13

A. Notifications by Relevant Articles of the Agreement in 2013. 13

B. Observation of the Recommended Comment Period by Members in 2013. 20

C. Specific Trade Concerns Raised in 2013. 22