The WTO Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade, commonly called the TBT Agreement, governs technical regulations, product standards, and labeling requirements.
The agreement seeks to ensure that technical rules do not create unnecessary obstacles to international trade. It also promotes the use of international standards where they are appropriate, while recognizing that governments may pursue legitimate objectives such as consumer protection, environmental protection, and public safety.
TBT rules apply to products and to related production methods. They cover mandatory technical regulations, voluntary standards, and conformity-assessment procedures used to determine whether products meet requirements.
The TBT Agreement is distinct from the SPS Agreement. A rule about pesticide residue levels or animal disease control may fall under SPS, while general product labeling, performance, or testing requirements usually raise TBT questions. Both agreements became part of the WTO legal framework in 1995.