What is the World Trade Organization Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade?
The World Trade Organization Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT Agreement) is an international trade law agreement that seeks to ensure that all international trade is conducted fairly and without technical barriers. It covers the regulations, standards, testing and certification procedures that countries use to assess the safety and quality of imported products. The TBT Agreement applies in California, and its main objective is to make sure that technical regulations, standards, and testing, certification and labeling requirements do not create unnecessary obstacles to international trade. This means that countries cannot use technical regulations and standards as a means to restrict imports from other countries, or to create an unfair advantage to domestic producers. The TBT Agreement requires each country to develop and apply regulations, standards and testing and certification procedures that are based on relevant international standards and regulations. These regulations, standards, and procedures must be applied in a transparent and consistent manner. Additionally, any changes to these standards and procedures must be notified to other WTO members in advance and must be made available to anyone who requests them. The TBT Agreement also requires countries to allow trading partners to participate in the process of developing regulations, standards, and procedures. In California, this means that the state must allow foreign countries to participate in the development of technical regulations and standards that affect international trade in the state. This participation must take place in an open, transparent and consistent manner.
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