Aims and Benefits

The Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (the TBT Agreement) is a multilateral agreement administered by the World Trade Organisation (WTO).  The European Union's participation in the TBT Agreement helps businesses in EU Member States access markets in countries outside the EU.

 

Aims of the TBT agreement

While allowing all WTO countries to maintain their right to adopt regulations to pursue legitimate objectives — e.g. the protection of public health, consumers, and the environment — the TBT Agreement aims to:

• prevent the creation of unnecessary technical barriers to international trade
•  prevent adoption of protectionist measures
• encourage global harmonisation and mutual recognition
• enhance transparency

 

Benefits of the TBT agreement

TBT Agreement parties and economic operators gain advance knowledge of new technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures envisaged by other countries, before they are adopted.

Enterprises can therefore use the notification procedure as a source of information on market access conditions in non-EU countries and make appropriate preparations to make sure their products and services comply with these conditions. They can also discuss the envisaged measures with the notifying country. This dialogue can result in the amendment of the notified measure or even in its withdrawal by the proposing country.