TBT COMMITTEE INFORMATION SESSION ON NON-TARIFF MEASURES
UNDER THE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AGREEMENT

12 NOVEMBER 2025, 10:00-11:30 A.M.

TBT Chair's[1] opening remarks

1.  Welcome to this TBT cross-cutting information session on non-tariff measures (NTMs) under the Information Technology Agreement (ITA), the programme of which is contained in _JOB/TBT/601, circulated on 29 October 2025.

2.  At the Tenth Triennial Review last year, Members agreed to hold cross-cutting sessions together with other WTO bodies on topics of relevance to the TBT Agreement, including NTMs under the ITA.

3.  I hope today's cross-cutting session will be an enriching event for you all, as we will have the opportunity to discuss regulatory issues related to an ICT sector that, as yesterday's CET session demonstrated, has been rising in prominence globally and in our work here at the WTO.

4.  Today, we have the pleasure of counting with the Chair of the ITA Committee, Mr. Andrei Rusu, who has kindly agreed to steer our discussions as they relate to the work of the ITA Committee.

5.  Let me start with a few words about the structure of today's information session, which was designed based on the mandate set in our Tenth Triennial review. According to this mandate, the purpose of joint sessions should be to: (i) enhance the understanding of the work being undertaken in other relevant areas of the WTO (such as the ITA Committee); and (ii) explore possible synergies with this work, bearing in mind the scope of the TBT Agreement.

6.  So, on this basis, we will proceed as follows. After a few introductory remarks from myself and from Mr. Rusu, we will turn to a first segment focused on the work by the TBT Committee that is relevant to the IT sector. For this segment, I will first invite the Secretariat to provide a brief factual overview of the Committee's work in this area. I will then invite the moderator of yesterday's thematic session on International Standards for Critical and Emerging Technologies (CETs), Dr. Jongwon Kwon, to provide some brief remarks on this session with respect to issues relevant to the TBT and ITA. Members will then have an opportunity to pose questions to the speakers.

7.  In the second segment, I will invite Mr. Rusu to moderate the discussion covering the work of the ITA Committee as it relates to NTMs falling under the TBT Agreement. First, the Secretariat will be invited to give an overview of this work, and then Members will have an opportunity to pose questions.

8.  In the third segment, we will open the floor for a discussion among Members on possible synergies between the TBT and ITA Committees' work. Before opening the floor to Members, Mr. Rusu and I will first make a few general remarks, including on possible areas of synergy you may wish to consider. The intention here is solely to help facilitate the discussion so you can have as rich a debate as possible. Delegations will be kindly invited to share their views on the topic, including in light of the suggested questions that were included in the programme circulated to Members.

9.  After these discussions, I will invite the ITA Chair to make his concluding remarks. I will then offer a few concluding remarks from my side.

10.  With this, I would like to start by making a few observations to set the scene for the discussion.

11.  In recent years, the work of the TBT Committee has been increasingly focused on digital issues, including those affecting trade in the IT sector. This focus is taking place across various areas of the Committee work such as: (i) thematic sessions (for instance, yesterday's session on International Standards for CETs); (ii) Committee's guidance (for instance, the guidelines on conformity assessment procedures adopted by the Committee in March 2024 include various references to digital technologies); (iii) and notifications and discussion of specific trade concerns.

12.  The Secretariat will provide a detailed overview of these areas, but I would like to make a few general observations on the TBT transparency framework.

13.  In recent years, Members have submitted a large number of notifications to the TBT Committee concerning information and communication technology (ICTs) and electronic products covered under the ITA. These have included measures on the safety and electromagnetic compatibility of telecommunication and network equipment, energy-efficiency and eco-design standards for servers and data-storage products, as well as environmental and performance requirements for semiconductors, displays and other electronic components. This showcases that Members rely on the TBT transparency framework to keep each other informed about regulatory developments affecting products covered by the ITA.

14.  The TBT Committee has also provided an effective platform for transparency and dialogue, including through discussions of specific trade concerns (STCs) relating to TBT measures impacting products covered by the ITA. These discussions address not only regulations on the products themselves, but also horizontal issues that concern high-tech products in general, such as regulations on cybersecurity and interoperability. These exchanges have underscored the importance of timely notification, open and predictable regulatory processes and alignment with international standards developed by, among others, the ISO, IEC and ITU (all three also permanent Committee observers). They have further highlighted that well-designed TBT measures on various ICT products can advance legitimate objectives such as safety, quality and environmental protection while supporting innovation, facilitating trade and promoting good regulatory practices. This session will be a great opportunity to learn from each other, and discuss with our ITA colleagues working on these important NTM matters affecting trade in ICT products.

15.  With this, I conclude my opening remarks.

__________