RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/TBT/W/74
30 June 1998
(98-2603)
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:  English
TBT AGREEMENT CODE OF GOOD PRACTICE, PARAGRAPH J:
PUBLICATION OF THE WORK PROGRAMMES OF
STANDARDIZING BODIES
Note from the European Community
1. The TBT Triennial Review Report states that the TBT Committee will examine problems
encountered by members in publishing work programmes on a 6-monthly basis (paragraph 12 (c) in
the Report).
2. The EC would like to seize this opportunity to suggest that the TBT Committee recognizes
other ways of achieving the transparency aims of paragraph J of the Code of Good Practice.  This
could be done, without publishing a formal work programme, through an internet web-site where
up-to-date comprehensive information is freely available in a user-friendly structure or through the
establishment of an information center.
3. For example, in the UK, the British Standards Institution (BSI), as well as publishing details
in a monthly magazine, also has an information center which provides details of the standards body
work programme.  BSI is also developing an information system which will allow enquirers on-line
access to the status of work of items of the national, European and international standards programme
via its Web Site.
4. In our view, this is equivalent to and potentially more practical than a published 6-monthly
work programme.  This is also more up-to-date, and more useful to the enquirer than the snapshot awork programme gives.  Most often, enquirers tend to be interested in limited information on a
particular section of the programme.
5. Therefore, while the traditional publication, in paper form, of standards programme can be
maintained, the TBT Committee should recognize an internet web-site or the establishment of an
information center as an alternative.
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