Technical Barriers to Trade  

As tariff barriers have fallen, standards, technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures have become increasingly visible as impediments to international trade.

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has estimated that, depending on the product, differing standards and technical regulations in different markets and the need for multiple testing and certification may constitute between 2% and 10% of overall costs of production.

The Department of Innovation, Industry Science and Research advises on a variety of domestic and international matters relating to technical and regulatory barriers to trade. These include:

• management of the Australian Government's policy relationship with, and responsibility for policy oversight of Australia's standards and conformance infrastructure,              
• negotiating and maintaining Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) - including administration of the goods provisions of the Australian Mutual Recognition Agreement and the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Arrangement,            
• representing Australia at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Sub-Committee on Standards and Conformance, and              
• portfolio input into the World Trade Organization's (WTO) Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade.

Contact: Brian Phillips

Manager, Standards and Conformance Policy

GPO Box 9839

CanberraACT 2601

brian.phillips@innovation.gov.au

Ph:   +61 2 6213 6156

Fax: +61 2 6290 8827