National Technical Barriers to Trade Enquiry Point
The TBT Agreement requires that members be as transparent as possible on issues relating to standards, technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures. Members are therefore to notify the WTO secretariat about standards and technical regulations being prepared or in the process of adoption. It is in this scope that Myanmar National Standards and Quality Department has been designated as the WTO/TBT National Enquiry Point and Notification Authority, to ensure that manufacturers, importers and exporters get the latest information on standards, technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures available in their target market.
Functions of the National Enquiry Point (NEP)
- Notify WTO secretariat of the proposed Myanmar standards, technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures which may affect international trade;
- Handle all enquiries on standards, technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures concerned with TBT agreement form other WTO members
- Download notifications from WTO secretariat on technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures adopted or proposed by other WTO members
- Request information for interested parties in Myanmar from foreign enquiry points
- Provide foreign enquiry points upon request with copies of documents related to Myanmar notifications
Benefits of the NEP/Notification Authority
The business community will benefit from the NEP/Notification Authority in the following manner:
- Identify standards, technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures applicable to products in target markets
- Improve competitiveness in local markets
- Give opportunity to comment on technical regulations that may affect trade
- Promote trade facilitation by providing national exporters and importers with information on technical requirements from WTO member countries
INFORMATION RESOURCES AT THE NEP
The Myanmar National Enquiry Point maintains a collection of standards, technical regulations and laws and related documents issued by international standards organizations, such as the International Organization for standardization (ISO), the International Electrotechnical Commission(IEC), the Food and Agriculture Organization(FAO) and World Health Organization (WHO), the International Organization for Legal Metrology (OIML), ASTM International (ASTM) and the ASEAN Consultative Committee on Standardization and Quality (ACCSQ)
World Trade Organization Enquiry Point
WTO Enquiry Point – information exchange in accordance with the agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT). The Standards Development Division of National Standards and Quality Department is a responsible for conducting and establishing National Enquiry Point (NEP).
As the focal point of National Enquiry Point of Myanmar, the Standards Development Division is enhancing and application of standards, technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures in line with the requirement of the World Trade Organization (WTO) agreement on Technical Barrier to trade with the cooperation of trade related ministries.
Purpose of Enquiry: The Standards Development Division is fulfilling the tasks of the National Enquiry Point as regards the information exchange procedures and distribution of related documents required by respective WTO Agreements in regard to drafts of obligatory regulations and measures which could possibly create on obstacle to international trade and performing following activities:
– Answering reasonable enquiries from other members and interested parties
– Notifying the WTO Secretariat in Geneva proposals of Myanmar regulations, conformity assessment procedures and other measures that may have significant impact on international trade
– Mediating related commenting procedures
– Providing documents relevant to notified drafts of technical regulations, standards
More detailed information available at:
National Standards and Quality Department
National Enquiry Point
No. 6, Kabar Aye Pagoda Road,
Yankin Tsp., Yangon
The Republic of the Union of Myanmar.
Email : [email protected]
Phone : 095-1-664817
Fax : 095-1-668033
Method of Enquiry : Enquiries must be obtained by downloading from Myanmar Standards Website www.myanmarstandards.org.mm or by fax 095-1-668033 and submitted to the enquiry point by fax or mail.
Enquiry deadline: The enquiry point should provide answers in writing within 30 days of receiving the enquiry forms (according to the date shown on the post or the time the fax is received). Under special circumstances, it may give its answers and reasons for the delay in writing in 45 days.
