Thematic session on the role of the TBT Agreement in
Decarbonization
TENTH TRIENNIAL REVIEW
Proposal
from China
The following
submission, dated 31 May 2024, is being circulated at the request of
the delegation of China.
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1 BACKGROUND
1.1. To address climate change and
keep global warming within the targets set in The Paris Agreement, a transition
to a low-carbon economy is likely to entail a transformation of most economic
activities, including international trade. In this regard, decarbonization is
needed in working towards a world of carbon neutrality or net-zero emission by
all members.
1.2. A growing number of environmental measures are taken by Members to support
their
decarbonization efforts. Among which, the TBT-related measures
including performance requirements (emission limits,
energy efficiency requirements), labelling requirements, and conformity
assessments (tests and
certification requirements) appear as the most common[1], aim to
decrease GHGs emissions directly or indirectly arising from the
production, use and disposal of both domestically produced and imported goods.
1.3. While the types of those measures are broadly similar across Members, there is significant divergence or fragmentation in the details
and specific requirements that hints at a lack of international coordination
and causes unnecessary trade costs. More
international cooperation and coordination can reduce trade costs as well as
support regulatory efforts through sharing of best practices.
1.4. Those measures might constitute de
facto "low-carbon" or green barriers to international
trade when they are not consistent with WTO rules or their commitments under other international frameworks, especially if they are intended to protect
their own industries at the expense of competitive goods imported from other
members. In this context, the important roles of the GATT and the TBT
Agreements need to be further explored and highlighted by all members.
1.5. The Ministerial Declaration on strengthening regulatory cooperation to
reduce technical barriers to trade[2] adopted at the MC13 reaffirms
that the TBT Agreement remains relevant to measures
taken to address climate change, and urges the TBT Committee to promote its work in relevant areas of
climate change. In addition, the thematic session on
regulatory cooperation between Members on climate change[3] and the
"Trade Forum for Decarbonization Standards"[4] have constituted a good basis
for further discussion on the relevance of TBT Agreement and decarbonization.
2 PROPOSAL
2.1. China proposes to hold a thematic
session to explore the role of the TBT Agreement in decarbonization, with a
view to re-examining the instruments of the TBT Agreement that intersect with
decarbonization and to providing guidance to members on reducing technical
barriers to trade. Meanwhile, members can also share good regulatory practices
in their domestic decarbonization, and identify common interested topics for
further discussion by the TBT Committee.
2.2. Topics and areas could include:
a._