REPORT (2021) OF THE COMMITTEE ON TECHNICAL BARRIERS TO TRADE

1.  The Committee held its 83^rd, 84^th and 85^th regular meetings on 24-26 February, 2-4 and 9 June, and 10-12 November 2021, respectively. The 83^rd and 84^th meetings were chaired by Mr Laurence Sandral (Australia), and the 85^th was chaired by Mrs Elisa María Olmeda de Alejandro (Mexico).

2.  During these meetings^[1], the Committee:

a.    heard statements from Members regarding measures taken to ensure the implementation and administration of the TBT Agreement under Article 15.2. In total, since 1995, 145 Members have submitted at least one such statement;

b.    with respect to notifications^[2]:

i.     received 2128 new notifications from Members;

ii.    received 1178 follow-up notifications (addenda, corrigenda, revisions) from Members;

c.    with respect to specific trade concerns^[3]:

i.     discussed 39 new specific trade concerns;

ii.    discussed 129 previously raised specific trade concerns;

d.    took note of the 26^th Annual Review of the Implementation and Operation of the TBT Agreement under Article 15.3 (_G/TBT/45)^[4];

e.    held a thematic session on Transparency in February^[5] and informal meetings on the preparation of the Ninth Triennial Review on 23 February, 11 May, 1 June, 1 July^[6], 21 September, 15 October and 8-9 November; and,

f.     concluded the Ninth Triennial Review (_G/TBT/46).

3.  At the meetings held in 2021, representatives of BIPM, the Codex Alimentarius Commission, CROSQ, IEC, ISO, OECD and UNECE updated the Committee on their activities relevant to the work of the TBT Committee, including on technical assistance.

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