Standards and Market Access

The link between standards, technical regulations and trade brings to the fore conflicts between free trade rules and other human concerns such as the environment and health safety; the fundamental issue being the use of trade restrictions to address non-trade concerns. The WTO addresses standards through the various agreements, but largely demonstrates respect for regulatory diversity in its Member States by giving them leeway to set their own standards.

The private-sector in developed countries especially has been generating stringent standards that address non-trade related issues; for instance consumer preferences, food safety, environmental concerns, workers' health and safety requirements, but which lack the transparency intended by WTO members, hence heightening concerns over the protectionist and unilateralist abuse of standards.

Compliance with the standards has become a tricky issue as it involves costs—investment in equipment and staff to ensure compliance and costs related to proving conformity with to standards. For the bearer changes in costs of compliance directly influence production costs and may alter relative gains that accrue to producers and consumers especially in developing countries where entry into developed country markets can become more complex. TKN research in this area indentifies the challenges and opportunities for developing country producers trying to navigate these complex standards and regulations.



Research