Officials trained on EU product safety rules
A workshop helps navigate WTO technical requirements on products for exports.
These measures include technical requirements on goods – from kettles and toasters to chain saws and tractors – to vouch for their quality and safety. Packaging, labelling and information about product use are some non-tariff measures, known as technical barriers to trade (TBT). The WTO’s TBT Agreement deals with these issues.
In preparation for Uzbekistan’s WTO accession, officials dealing with technical regulations received training on how to navigate the European Union’s TBT rules. The EU is a big export market for Uzbekistan.
The workshop was held from 20 to 22 June in Tashkent. It introduced the EU’s framework on non-food products: the General Product Safety Directive. Attendees learned where to locate the latest version of the legislation.
Conformity assessment
Subsequent sessions focused on conformity assessment and the EU’s web-based Rapid Alert System (Safety Gate), which ensures swift action to protect consumers.
The workshop also addressed products with higher-risk features, notably mechanical and electrotechnical goods.
The training was facilitated by the ITC with European Union funding under the Facilitating the process of Uzbekistan’s accession to the WTO project.
Feedback was positive. One of the attendees found valuable that the training pointed out which EU requirements are mandatory and which voluntary. Another attendee appreciated the sharing of materials and websites where information about EU technical requirements could be found.
TBT mission to Geneva, Brussels
The project also facilitated a mission for Uzbek officials. Three officials attended a TBT Committee meeting in Geneva and met with the Swiss TBT National Enquiry Point and National Notification Authority. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) were also visited.
The delegation then travelled to Brussels to meet staff of the EU’s National Enquiry Point to discuss the functioning of the facility.
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Officials dealing with technical requirements that ensure the quality and safety of exports, were familiarized with how these rules are applied by the European Union – an important export market for Uzbekistan.
About the project
The ITC is the implementing partner of the European Union’s Facilitating the process of Uzbekistan’s accession to the WTO project. The initiative supports Uzbekistan's WTO negotiations and helps develop skills to implement its rules. The project aim is to contribute to the country’s economic development.
