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Use of International Standards in multilateral trade. Per Döfnäs Director, Technical Regulations Government Affairs & Regulations Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson Group Function Strategy & Product Management SE – 16483 Stockholm, SWEDEN. Countries adopt their own style of technical regulation.
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Use of International Standards in multilateral trade Per DöfnäsDirector, Technical RegulationsGovernment Affairs & Regulations Telefonaktiebolaget LM EricssonGroup Function Strategy & Product ManagementSE – 16483 Stockholm, SWEDEN
Countries adopt their own style of technical regulation • In compliance with WTO Trade Policy Provisions included in the TBT Agreement • ”Avoidance of unnecessary TBTs” • No more trade restrictive than necessary ... • Regulatory objectives • National standards based on International standards • Conformity assessment (CA) • Labelling • Etc. • Still room for deviations nationally, potentially constituting de-facto trade barriers
Country A Country B Country C Maximum requirements RegulationStandardsCA RegulationStandardsCA RegulationStandardsCA RegulationStandardsCA Obstacles in international trade • Basic principle regarding regulatory technical and requirements in plurilateral agreement • Technical and administrative requirements should not be more onerous than the existing requirements of the participating countries
Obstacles in international trade cont • Codification of countries’ regulatory technical and administrative requirements may prove difficult and result in overly complicated procedures • A common set of Regulatory Objectives based on Good Regulatory Practices would simplify the task of establishing a plurilateral agreement
UNECE International Model • The UNECE International Model1 suggests practical implementation of technical harmonisation, and • Is based on Good Regulatory Practice (cf. WTO TBT) • Provides a mechanism for linking harmonised technical regulation and international standards • Describes common procedures for conformity assessment • Privides for free movement of goods among partcipating countries 1UNECE Recommendation L: ”An International Model for Technical Harmonisation based on Good Regulatory Practice for the preparation, adoption and application of technical regulations via the use of international standards” available at http://www.unece.org/trade/ctied/wp6/major_doc.htm
UNECE International Model cont • Interested countries agree on Common Regulatory Objectives • Products to be covered • Legitimate regulatory objectives • Applicable international standards • Conformity assessment procedures • Market surveillance, with protection clause enbling withdrawal of non-compliant products • Free movement • Advantages with the model • Sectoral arrangements are open for all UN Member States • Regional arrangements on sectoral level; additional countries can join in
UNECE International Model cont • Current sectoral initiatives • Telecom Initiative (http://www.unece.org/trade/ctied/wp6/sectoral/telecom/tele_bkgrd.htm) • Earth-moving machinery (http://www.unece.org/trade/ctied/wp6/sectoral/earth-moving/earth_bkgrd.htm) • Regional Projects