WTO Members Establish New Work Plan for Standards and Regulations Committee

World Trade Organization members agreed to include discussions on COVID-19 pandemic preparedness, climate change and plastics pollution in the work plan as part of the Triennial Review of the Technical Barriers to Trade Agreement, the WTO said. Participants at the Nov. 10-12 Committee on TBT meeting also reviewed 89 specific trade concerns involving labeling, testing and product safety, the WTO said. "The Triennial Review is an opportunity to improve the work of the committee," said Elisa Olmeda, the new TBT Committee chair. "It helps members keep up with new topics and improve their work in the areas of transparency and standards setting. The review keeps us dynamic, informed and ensures a better implementation of the TBT Agreement." Environmental measures dominated the discussion, the WTO said. Issues discussed included the carbon footprint of batteries, circular economy, plastic waste management, hazardous chemical classification and vehicle emissions.