2010 Report on Technical Barriers to Trade

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) is responsible for the 2010 Report on Technical Barriers to Trade. The TBT Report is a new, specialized report focused on significant foreign trade barriers in the form of product standards, technical regulations and testing, certification, and other procedures involved in determining whether products conform to standards and technical regulations (conformity assessment procedures). These standards-related trade measures, known in World Trade Organization (WTO) parlance as “technical barriers to trade,” play an increasingly critical role in shaping the flow of global trade. Usually you learn more of an "outsider's" picture than to paint the picture yourself.

Mauritius Standards Bureau

Mauritius as a Member State of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) is benefiting from participation in the EU SADC SQAM-project. The SQAM-project is among other activities offering training in all sectors of the Quality Infrastructure. In standardization the standards organizations are offered coaching by standards experts. MSB is receiving such coaching in March - April 2010 by Folke Hermansson Snickars from Sweden. The assignment is covering most part of the work done by the Standards Development Division, as a review of the MSB Standards Development Strategy, introduction of the project approach to standardization, proposals on a management system for the MSB supply of standards to Mauritius, and efficiency in preparation and conducting meetings. A special attention is also given to the Mauritius committtee on the WTO agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade of which MSB is acting as Secretariat.