The WTO Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade, commonly called the TBT Agreement, governs technical regulations, standards, and conformity-assessment procedures that can affect international trade.
The agreement does not prevent governments from setting rules for product safety, quality, labeling, environmental protection, or consumer information. Instead, it seeks to ensure that such measures are not discriminatory or more trade-restrictive than necessary for a legitimate objective. Members are encouraged to use relevant international standards where appropriate.
The TBT Agreement also promotes transparency. Governments may have to notify proposed measures, and members can raise concerns through the WTO’s TBT Committee. Conformity assessment includes procedures such as testing, inspection, certification, and accreditation used to determine whether products meet requirements.
The TBT Agreement is often confused with the SPS Agreement. SPS covers food safety and animal and plant health measures, while TBT covers the broader field of technical regulations and standards. GATS concerns services, and TRIPS concerns intellectual property.