Welcome to Guyana’s WTO/TBT; National Enquiry Point
In order to export successfully, manufacturers and exporters must know what the current standards, Technical requirements and Conformity Assessments are in their export and target markets, as well as be aware of any new relevant standards or proposed changes to existing standards.
Failure to meet standards and requirements might result in products being returned or dumped, or in poor sales in the export market. To help ensure that this information is readily available in an easy to access manner, the World Trade Organization, through the Technical Barriers to Trade Agreement (TBT), requires that all members establish National Enquiry Points (NEP).
Who is the WTO/TBT Enquiry Point for Guyana?
In Article 10.1 of the WTO/TBT Agreement it requires that each member country establish an Enquiry Point. The Government of Guyana designated the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) as the National Enquiry Point on March 15, 2010.The National Enquiry Point (NEP) is operated under the Mission and Vision of the GNBS, which is to partner with government, consumer and key sectors through Standardisation.
HOW DOES IT OPERATE?
The role of an enquiry point includes: disseminating notifications from other member countries of their measures on technical regulations, standards and/or conformity assessment procedures that may have a significant impact/effect on trade. WTO member countries are allowed a minimum of sixty (60) days to comment on a proposed measure (draft technical standards). Interested stakeholders are given the opportunity to submit their comments.
Role of the TBT National Enquiry Point
- Disseminate notifications to stakeholders in these categories – agriculture, agro-processing and manufacturing.
- Forward comments received on domestic and foreign measures to the appropriate regulatory agency for consideration; Respond to technical enquiries, local standards and technical regulations, regional and international standards, conformity assessment procedures and TBT matters;
- Register each stakeholder that requests standards, technical regulation and/or conformity assessment procedures; and access to standards and regulatory information via the GNBS Standards Information Centre.
BENEFITS OF THE WTO/TBT ENQUIRY POINT
- Access to WTO notifications;
- Information on export market requirements
- Keep track of product requirements in export markets
- Aware of other member countries requirements as it relates to standards, technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures of products;
- Contribute to the implementation and development of standard/technical regulation and conformity procedures that will not have any unnecessary barriers to trading partners.
- Stakeholders will be able to share information they receive from ePing alert with their local counterparts.
Register for regular TBT updates with ePing
ePing is a free online web service, offered by the World Trade Organization (WTO) that provides private and public stakeholders with up to date information on regulations in export markets around the world, including product requirements and standards.
ePing’s email alert service allows registered users to receive SPS/TBT notifications of particular interest to them based on criteria such as products covered or export markets.
ePing aims to bridge that gap and provide timely information about changes in Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) and Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) requirements from trading partners to producers, exporters, governments and other interested users.
ePing is of potential interest to all types of stakeholders, including government agencies, standardizing bodies, producers, exporters, importers, service providers, small and medium-size enterprises, multinationals, international organizations, research institutes, NGOs etc.
To register and access all functions for ePing go to www.epingalert.org
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Click on “register” and fill out pop-up form
How to Submit Comments
Comments, questions or queries about ePing can be sent via email to:
National Enquiry Point
Guyana National Bureau of Standards
Flat 15 National Exhibition Complex Sophia
Tel: (592) 219-0066 ext. 225
Email: wto-tbt.enquiry@gnbsgy.org
