Helping stakeholders access information about technical regulations, standards,
and conformity assessment procedures that may affect international trade. |
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) operates the U.S. Enquiry Point and Notification Authority under the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT).
The TBT Agreement promotes transparency by requiring WTO Members to provide information about technical regulations, standards, and conformity assessment procedures and to notify certain proposed measures before they take effect.
The U.S. Enquiry Point
Under the WTO TBT Agreement, each WTO Member maintains an enquiry point to answer reasonable enquiries from interested parties and other WTO Members and provide relevant documents concerning technical regulations, standards, and conformity assessment procedures.
The U.S. TBT Enquiry Point provides the following services:
Notification Access and Tracking
The U.S. TBT Enquiry Point helps stakeholders find and track WTO TBT notifications through ePing, the WTO's online platform for accessing notifications and related information.
Members submit notifications to the WTO. The WTO makes them accessible directly through ePing.
Access to Regulatory Texts
The U.S. TBT Enquiry Point reviews WTO TBT notifications and requests full regulatory texts from notifying WTO Members when those texts have not been provided. The Enquiry Point makes the requested texts available through ePing and/or email.
To request a missing text, email notifyus [at] nist.gov (notifyus[at]nist[dot]gov) and include the complete WTO notification symbol in the subject line.
Comments and Official Communications
The U.S. TBT Enquiry Point transmits comments from U.S. stakeholders on actions notified by other WTO Members to the notifying Member’s national TBT Enquiry Point and/or responsible regulatory authority. The Enquiry Point also shares the comments with relevant U.S. government trade agencies.
The U.S. TBT Enquiry Point submits comments and other official communications from WTO Members concerning U.S. notifications to the public docket on Regulations.gov and forwards them to the appropriate U.S. regulatory and trade agencies for consideration and response.
For instructions on preparing comments, see the Guidance on Submitting Comments.
Information and Enquiries
The U.S. TBT Enquiry Point responds to enquiries and helps interested parties obtain information and relevant documents concerning technical regulations, standards, and conformity assessment procedures covered by the TBT Agreement.
Sharing Best Practices
The U.S. TBT Enquiry Point shares information and best practices on enquiry point operations with the global network of national WTO TBT enquiry points.
Tools and Resources
Track WTO Notifications with ePing
ePing is a free online platform maintained and operated by the WTO.
ePing can be used to:
- Search and track WTO TBT and SPS notifications.
- Receive customized email alerts about new notifications.
- Access available regulatory texts.
- Request unofficial translations into English, French, or Spanish, when available.
- Review specific trade concerns raised in the WTO TBT and SPS Committees.
Anyone can search notifications without registering. Registration is required for customized email alerts and translation requests.
- Access ePing: https://epingalert.org
- Request ePing Training: Contact usatbtep [at] nist.gov (usatbtep[at]nist[dot]gov).
Stakeholder Guidance and Transparency
The U.S. Notification Authority
The TBT Agreement requires WTO Members to notify certain proposed technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures to the WTO. These notifications give other Members and interested stakeholders an opportunity to review and comment on proposed measures before they are finalized.
NIST operates the U.S. Notification Authority.
Identifying Measures for Notification
The WTO Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT Agreement) applies to mandatory government requirements affecting trade in goods, specifically technical regulations (mandatory product characteristics and related processes) and conformity assessment procedures (testing, inspection, and certification requirements). Under Articles 2.9 and 5.6, notification requirements generally apply when:
- A relevant international standard, guide, or recommendation does not exist, or the proposed measure is not in accordance with the relevant international standard, guide, or recommendation; and
- The proposed measure may have a significant effect on trade with other WTO members.
The U.S. Notification Authority reviews proposed federal regulations published in the Federal Register and state (sub-central) regulatory proceedings to identify measures that require notification under the TBT Agreement.
Notifying Proposed U.S. Measures
The U.S. Notification Authority notifies qualifying proposed federal and state technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures to the WTO, consistent with U.S. obligations under the TBT Agreement.
Measures Not Notified to the WTO
If you cannot locate a notification for a foreign technical regulation or conformity assessment procedure, contact the U.S. TBT Enquiry Point to help determine whether the measure was notified. For potentially unnotified non-agricultural trade barriers, the International Trade Administration’s Office of Trade Agreements Negotiations and Compliance (TANC) can assist with further assessment and government coordination.
Report a trade barrier: https://www.trade.gov/report-trade-barrier
United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA) Notification Contact Point
NIST also serves as the U.S. notification contact point under the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA).
Contact the U.S. TBT Enquiry Point
- Email: usatbtep [at] nist.gov (usatbtep[at]nist[dot]gov)
- Phone: 301-975-2918
Mailing Address
USA WTO TBT Enquiry Point
National Institute of Standards and Technology
100 Bureau Drive, Stop 2100
Gaithersburg, MD 20899-2100
