Regional Workshop on Non-Agricultural Market Access

Regional Workshop on Non-Agricultural Market Access

11/02/05 16:40

JITAP Sub-RegionalWorkshop on

TECHNICAL BARRIERS TO TRADE (TBT)

Lilongwe, Malawi

31 May - 2 June 2005

Programme

Tuesday, 31 May 2005

08:30 - 09:00Registration

09:00 - 09:30Opening Ceremony

Statement by a representative of the Government of Malawi

Statement by ITC on behalf of JITAP agencies

09:30 - 10:00Round table introduction by participants

10:00 - 10:15Break

10:15 - 11:30Introducing WTO and the TBT Agreement

Mr. Jan-Erik Burchardi, Trade and Environment Division, WTO

-Introduction to the WTO

-Non-Tariff Barriers to Trade (NTBs)

-The TBT Agreement

-Disciplines of the TBT Agreement

11:30 - 12:45Harmonization and the actual use of the TBT disciplines

Mr. Jan-Erik Burchardi, Trade and Environment Division, WTO

-Harmonization as a core discipline of the TBT Agreement

-Provisions on harmonization

-The EC – Sardines Case on Dispute Settlement

. Discussions: Q & A

12:45 - 14:15Lunch Break

14:15 - 15:45Technical Requirements

Mr. Shyam K. Gujadhur, Senior Adviser on Standards and Quality Management, ITC

-Standards

-Technical regulations

-The need for international standards

-TheCode of Good Practice

-Adoption of technical regulations

-The participation of business in standards development

15:45 - 16:00Break

16:00 - 17:30Compliance with Technical Requirements

Mr. Shyam K. Gujadhur, Senior Adviser on Standards and Quality Management, ITC

-Conformity Assessment

-Testing, Inspection, Metrology, Calibration

-Supplier’s declaration of conformity (SDoC)

-Product Certification and System Certification

-Accreditation

-Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs)

. Discussions: Q & A

Wednesday,1 June 2005

09:00 - 10:00Experiences on Standardization and Conformity Assessment

Discussion among all participants

Mr. Shyam K. Gujadhur, Senior Adviser on Standards and Quality Management, ITC (moderator)

*Participants should come prepared to share countries’ experiences on Standardization and Conformity Assessment in their countries

10:00 - 10:15Break

10:15 - 11:30The TBT Agreement: Policy issues

Mrs A. Blin, Associate Economic Officer, Trade and Sustainable Development Section, UNCTAD

-Review of experience of developing countries and required institutional capacity to make active use of the requirements and disciplines of the TBT Agreement to facilitate market access

Discussions: Q & A

11:30 - 12:30National experiences on TBT - related trade concerns -

Discussion among all participants

Mrs A. Blin, Associate Economic Officer, Trade and Sustainable Development Section, UNCTAD (moderator)

*Participants should come prepared to make brief presentations/interventions on concerns related to existing barriers to trade in their countries

12:30 - 14:00Lunch Break

14:00 - 15:15Transparency in the TBT Agreement

Mr. Jan-Erik Burchardi, Trade and Environment Division, WTO

-Transparency issues

-Notification obligations

-Procedures for dissemination and exchange of information

-The role of enquiry points

. Discussions: Q & A

15:15 - 16:15National experiences on the Role of Notification Authorities and Enquiry Points

Discussion among all participants

Mr. Jan-Erik Burchardi, Trade and Environment Division, WTO(moderator)

*Participants should come prepared to make brief interventions and share experience on the role of Notification Authorities and Enquiry Pointsin their countries

16:15 - 16:30Break

16:30 - 17:30Group work on Case Study

Mr. Shyam K. Gujadhur, Senior Adviser on Standards and Quality Management, ITC

-Case study on C-Products

* Guidance for case study and preparatory work

Thursday, 2 June 2005

08:30 - 09:45Group work on Case Study (Continuation)

Mr. Shyam K. Gujadhur, Senior Adviser on Standards and Quality Management, ITC (moderator)

-Case study on C-Products

* Continuation of preparatory work

09:45 - 11:00Trade and the Environment

Mrs A. Blin, Associate Economic Officer, Trade and Sustainable Development Section, UNCTAD

- Scope and Trends of Environmental Requirements

- Impact on Market Access

-Coping with Environmental Requirements

11:00 - 11:15Break

11:15 - 12:30The TBT Committee, current and future issues

Mr. Jan-Erik Burchardi, Trade and Environment Division, WTO

-The Functioning of the TBT Committee

-The Triennial Review Mechanism

-Specific Trade Concerns

-Current Issues

-The TBT Committee: What Is Next?

12:30 - 14:00Lunch break

14:00 - 16:00Presentations on Case Study

Mr. Shyam K. Gujadhur, Senior Adviser on Standards and Quality Management, ITC (moderator)

-Review of group work on Case Study on C-Products

* Presentations by workshop participants

16:00 - 16:15 Break

16:15 - 17:00Round Table on the Implementation of the Agreement

ITC, UNCTAD, WTO and Participants

-Rule issues

-Policy issues

-Business aspects

17:00 - 17:30Evaluation and Wrap up of workshop

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