IGAD granted Observer status at WTO Committee for Technical Barriers to Trade(TBT)
Djibouti 12.11.2015 – The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has been granted observer status on the Committee of Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) for three Global Standard Setting organizations such as the OIE (Animal Health); CODEX (food safety) and IPPC (International Plant Protection Convention).
IGAD was granted the observer status during the Global meeting between November 4 and 6th 2015 after going through several processes. The TBT Committee provides a forum for exchange of information at the technical level among World Trade Organisations (WTO) members.
The committee also ensures that technical regulations, standards, and conformity assessment procedures are non-discriminatory and do not create unnecessary obstacles to trade as well as recognize WTO members’ right to implement measures to achieve legitimate policy objectives, such as the protection of human health and safety, or protection of the environment.
The TBT Agreement strongly encourages members to base their measures on international standards as a means to facilitate trade through its transparency provisions and aims at creating a predictable trading environment.
IGAD’s role of being an observer will create an opportunity for it to interact and collaborate with the various regional and international bodies in the 5 global structures and provide technical assistance to IGAD Members States in matters related to standard setting and compliance. IGAD is also is observer for SPS (WTO).
