Socialist Republic of Vietnam

Vietnam’s Ministry of Science and Technology issued Monday a statute regulating the administration and activities of a newly-established agency on issues concerning WTO standardization and technical barriers.
Under the statute, the Inter-ministerial Committee on Technical Barriers is responsible for counseling the science and technology ministry on measures to ensure conformity to the WTO (World Trade Organization) agreement on technical barriers to trade (TBT agreement).

Besides, it has to implement transparency obligations under the agreement, arbitrate trade disputes on technical barriers between Vietnam and WTO members once the country enters the multinational organization.

The TBT agreement, while encouraging WTO members to use international standards to the maximum extent possible, seeks to ensure technical negotiations and standards, as well as testing and certification procedures, do not create unnecessary obstacles to trade.

In anticipation of Vietnam’s WTO accession, the country has, conforming to the agreement, set up the Notification Authority and Enquiry Point to serve as a portal for information on standard and technical barrier-related issues.

Source: Thanh Nien News

Reported by Kieu Huong