This revision of the text of the Draft Agreement on Technical Barriers

to Trade is circulated by the Chairman of the Sub-Group on his own responsibility.

The text is that contained in MTN/NIM/W/192/Rev.4 and Corr.1, with the amendments agreed by Sub-Group "Technical Barriers to Trade" at its meeting of 26 March 1979. A number of additional points which were made on the text at that meeting are reflected in the Chairman's summing-up of the meeting, which is circulated in MTN/NTM/65

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Article 14

Institutions, consultation and dispute settlement

Article 13 The Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade

Consultation and dispute settlement

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PREAMBLE

Having regard to the Multilateral Trade Negotiations, the Parties to the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade, hereinafter referred to as "the Parties" and "this Agreement";

Desiring to further the objectives of the General Agreement on Tariffs

and Trade;

Recognizing the important contribution that international standards and certification systems can make in this regard by improving efficiency of production and facilitating the conduct of international trade;.

Desiring therefore to encourage the development of such international standards and certification systems;

Desiring however to ensure that technical regulations and standards, including packaging, marking and labelling requirements, and methods for certifying conformity with technical regulations and standards do not create unnecessary obstacles to international trade;

Recogizing that no country should be prevented from taking measures necessary to ensure the quality of its exports, or for the protection of human, animal or plant life or health, of the environment, or for the prevention of deceptive practices subject to the requirement that they are not applied in a manner which would constitute a means of arbitrary or unjustifiable discrimination between countries where the same conditions prevail or a disguised restriction on international trade;

Recognizing that no country should be prevented from taking measures necessary for the protection of its essential security interest;