wto/tbt and beyond
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WTO/TBT and Beyond. Jeff Grove ASTM Internationa l. Standards and Regulatory Objectives in the Global Economy. We are all after the same things Reduce non-tariff barriers that impede the flow of goods and services Cut the cost of differences in regulation and standards - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
WTO/TBT and Beyond
Jeff GroveASTM International
Standards and Regulatory Objectives in the Global Economy We are all after the same things
– Reduce non-tariff barriers that impede the flow of goods and services
– Cut the cost of differences in regulation and standards – Increase compatibility, transparency, and cooperation– Foster innovation and technology transfer– Boost the competitiveness of SMEs and companies
We want policies that advance tradeand promote greater prosperity
Standards Systems that Enable Open Engagement Deliver Global Standards• Open and transparent process
– All are welcome to join and all votes are equal, regardless as to nationality
• Direct participation model– Individuals vote, not official country delegations
• Reduce barriers to participation– Low membership and access costs
• Provide translations as needed• Utilize web-enabled standards development
technology that facilitates global engagement – Digital path for collaboration and standards development– Virtual meetings make it possible to connect and share ideas
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Attributes of our Global Approach
Our Global Approach is Helping the World to Work Better• We provide a global forum
for standards development– experts from 125 countries
collaborate for global consensus
• We deliver global standards that enhance the health, safety and reliability of materials and products while facilitating trade
– 6,400 ASTM standards adopted or referenced in 80 countries
– UN/ECE, OECD, UNFCC, ICAO5
ASTM Embraces WTO TBT Principles
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Why it matters…
Access, Knowledge, Influence and Cooperation between ASTM and Russia is important:• ASTM looks to open more pathways for global business• For Russian interests, ASTM standards serve as gateways to
market access in North America and elsewhere as U.S. buys $27.0 billion in goods from Russia each year (2013):– Mineral Fuel (oil) ($19.4 billion)– Iron and Steel ($1.6 billion)– Inorganic Chemical ($1.4 billion), – Fertilizers ($815 million)– Precious Stones ($813 million)
• ASTM standards and test methods are referenced in the regulations and procurement specs for all these goods
Moving Beyond WTO TBT: Current Challenges
Trade Policies of the European Union Go Beyond WTO TBT and Could Threaten Openness and Choice in the Global Standards Marketplace
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Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (T-TIP)
EU-US Standards Systems
– Both the US and the EU are signatories to the WTO Technical Barriers to Trade Agreement.
– Divergent pathways to implementation.
Divergent Views on “International’
European View
Officially designates international standards bodies as “the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).”
US ViewPromotes the view that there are multiple paths to the development of international standards and encourages the public and private sectors alike to make standards-related decisions through the interpretation and application of the WTO/TBT principles.
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Divergent Views on “Openness”
European View• European experts
working through European Standards Organizations to reach a European consensus.
• US interests are not allowed to participate directly in European standards organizations.
US View• Direct participation of
individual experts from all countries to reach a global consensus.
• US standards organizations are open to direct European participation.– 1,500 EU members
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Standards to Implement Legislation
European Approach
European standards and/or ENs harmonized within ISO, are indirectly referenced in New Approach Directives and are endowed with a presumption of conformity to the essential requirements. However, standards from outside the EU or ISO receive no equal treatment.
US Approach
US regulators choose from a broad portfolio of standards and reference standards from US domiciled organizations along with those of ISO, IEC, and European standards bodies such as DIN and BSI.
Relationships with other Standards Development Bodies
European Approach– Offer NSBs observer
status in CEN committees
• Encourage adoption of CEN standards as national standards and withdraw of conflicting standards
• Encourage adoption of an European regulatory structure like the “New Approach”
ASTM Approach– 85 NSBs can participate
in ASTM standards committees as equals
• May choose to nationally adopt or reference ASTM standards as they see fit, including referencing more than one standard
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Moving Forward…
• ASTM seeks to enhance our level of cooperation and work with government and standards officials and industry to:– Promote a global marketplace that is open, efficient, free of costly duplication,
free of technical barriers, and free of national or regional limitations– Produce high-quality and market relevant standards that advance R&D,
product manufacturing, testing, quality assurance, marketing, and trade for both companies and SMEs
– Advance the ability of industries to choose the standards which best meet their needs, regardless of which side of the Atlantic they are developed
• Our global approach to standards development and use can help the world to work better through improved products, increased trade, and greater prosperity for the future.
